First selfgrown things from our garden =)

Springform leicht einölen, 75g Butter schmelzen und mit 150g Butterkeksen in einen Beutel füllen, gut verschließen und mit einer Kuchenrolle darüberollen, bis alles zerbröselt ist. Die Masse als Boden in die Form geben und ca. 30 Minuten kalt stellen.

Backofen aus 150Grad vorheizen.4 Eier, 200g Zucker und 1 Päckchen Vanillin Zucker cremig rühren. 125g Sahne und 40g Stärke glatt rühren. 800g Doppelrahmfrischkäse unterrühren. Diese Masse auf den Boden streichen und ca 1Stunde 25Min. backen. Den Kuchen dann etwas auskühlen lassen.
Die erdbeeren in Scheiben schneiden und auf dem Kuchen verteilen.1 Päckchen Tortenguss Erdbeer und 25g Zucker in einem Topf mischen. Nach und nach 125ml Wasser zugeben und aufkochen lassen, dann schnell über die Erdbeeren geben und fest werden lassen.

Nach einem rezept aus der Lecker

4 Eier
150 g Puderzucker
1 Pk Vanillezucker
500 g Speisequark (20%)
etwas abgeriebene Schale und Saft von 1 Bio Zitrone
300 g Schlagsahne
1 Pk TK Himbeeren (300 g)
3 EL flüssiger Honig
etwas Frischhaltefolie



Eier trennen. Eigelb und 150 g Puderzucker im heißen Wasserbad 5-6 Minuten cremig aufschlagen. Abkühlen lassen. Eine Springform mit Frischhaltefolie auslegen.
Vanillezucker mit mit Quark, Zitronensaft und -schale verrühren. Eiweiß und 300 g Sahne getrennt steif schlagen. Erst Quark, dann Eischnee und zum Schluss Sahne unter die Eigelbmasse heben. In die Form füllen und einfrieren.
Beeren auftauen. 250 g pürieren, evtl. durch ein Sieb streichen. Mit Honig süßen.
Formrand abnehmen. Kuchen mit einem heiß abgespülten Messer aufschneiden und evtl. Rest sofort wieder einfrieren. Die Kuchenstücke mit Beeren und Soße verzieren.

Image copyright schoenes-von-lauton.de

Look at these awesome cushions! The image above shows the Linum collection. I got the black ones yesterday for our new white bench in the kitchen.


Image copyright linum-gmbh

And for the back to lean on to, I purchased the 40x40 cushions you can see on the pic below. I love the pattern! These are by Scantex Designs.


Image copyright scantex-shop

I already decorated them yesterday evening and I am very happy with the result!

While shopping discovered....if you buy the new Melitta filter bags, you get the next 3 issues of the cooking magazine LECKER for free. I just entered the code on their homepage. Am I now a victim of advertising? ;)

I haven't shown you our first little christmas tree yet! Here he is:


Pity he's soon going outside. In the background you can see a part of the new wallpaper!!

And this years present wrapping looked like this:


I gave away:
Mum = A new lamp
Mum's BF = Tickets for a 3Dlight show with Pink Floyd music
Dad = Two new vases and a voucher for the movie 'Die Buddenbrooks'
BF = Bathtub layer, PS3 game and remote controls
BF parents = Photo frame with air picture of their house
BF Brother = Game
Aunt&uncle = A basket with wood for their new oven
BF grandparents =Crossword calender and sweets
BF grandmother = Tickets for the planetarium

The books I read in 2008:

Book 1 - Roger Willemsen - Kleine Lichter
- german
- 208 pages


For six months her lover is in a coma, now Valerie tells her feelings and their lovestory on a tape. Unfortunately, I didn't like this book at all. Too many words, too little action.

Book 2 - Patricia Cornwell - Wer war Jack the Ripper? Porträt eines Killers.
(English title: Portrait Of A Killer: Jack The Ripper -- Case Closed)
- german
- 414 pages


The novelist claims to uncover the identity of Jack the Ripper. Its really good!
A lot of compelling evidence to support who is Jack the Ripper! Very interesting.
But I still believe it will always be a mystery.


Book 3 - Kerstin Gier - Für jede Lösung ein Problem
- german
- 299 pages


Gerri writes farewell letters to all those she knows, but theres a problem with the sleeping pills and the vodka...
Sometimes it has to be a "chick" novel ;) And this book is very funny. I had to laugh out loud several times. Sure could read more from her.




Book 4 - Peter James - Stirb ewig
(English: Dead simple)
- german
- 336 pages


Michael Harrison, a successful real estate developer with a penchant for practical jokes, gets a horrible taste of his own medicine. As a prank, four of his friends bury Michael alive in a coffin equipped with a breathing tube and a bottle of whiskey and leave him, ostensibly for a couple of hours. But when their van crashes head-on into a truck and three of them are killed (the fourth dies later "in hospital"), Michael is trapped.
I think this book is a real page turner, would like to read the rest of the series!!


Book 5 - Elina Hirvonen - Erinnere Dich(English: When I forgot)
- german
- 157 pages


When I Forgot, shows how a family can suffer from the mental illness of one member. This wasn't a page turner for me, it is a little formless. In the end you don't have a feeling of closure, I felt like I just read a little episode and the book would start now.


Book 6 - Katherine Scholes - Die Sturmfängerin
- german
- 432 pages



The story of Stella, a successful journalist who is called home to Halfmoon Bay in Tasmania when her father disappears from his fishing boat. Stella has not been home for 15 years and doesn't want to face the memories that await her there.
Just the right thing to read when you are on holiday, lively and sympathetic, entertaining read for the beach.



Book 7 - Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat, Pray, Love
- english
- 331 pages



This book was on my list of 'to read' for over a year. On one of my flights back home I saw it in a bookshop at LA airport and couldn't resist. I love it! I nearly read the the whole flight back to Germany in it. Elizabeth Gilbert has a great way telling about her travels!This book is beautifully written and will inspire, motivate, and encourage you to live and travel.



Book 8 - Peter James - Stirb schön
(English: Looking good dead)
- german
- 380 pages


I discovered Peter James when I read his previous thriller, Dead Simple.When I saw that Looking good dead was one sale, I bought it. The story is again about Superintendent Roy Grace and a murder case he has to clarify.
This book is not as good as the first in the series, but it still was a good read!



Book 9 - Ellen Alpsten - Die Zarin
- german
- 450 pages


This book tells the story about Catherine I of Russia.
Nicely written and spiked with lots of details. Good read.



Book 10 - Esther von Krosigk -Das Haus der Zeichen
- german
- 556 pages


This book follows the story of a family and their home over generations. In some places its lacking a bit tension but still nice book.



Book 11 - Matthias Sachau - Schief gewickelt
- german
- 205 pages


Good one, light, fun and easy to read.


Book 12 - Jodi Picoult - Beim Leben meiner Schwester
- read in German
- 478 pages


A sad story, but still a good book! The end was a good idea!!


Book 13 - Stephenie Meyer - Twilight
- read in English
- 464 pages


I know, I know, I am really behind on this one. I had it on my amazon wishlist since the 20 of march 2007 and everyone on the net keeps on talking and posting about it, but some how I never bought it. Well, now I did and of course I am totally excited about this book and can't wait to get the other books and see the movie! I really needed a book like this one now, which is absorbing, so that you really want to know how things end and can't stop reading! I love when that happens with a book, every free minute you crawl on to your couch and slide into another world!!


Book 14 - Steve Tesich - Ein letzter Sommer
(English: Summer Crossing)
- german
- 491 pages


A story about 3 boys who grow up in their last summer at home. It started a little slow but
somewhere in the middle I started to like the book a lot more. It has some passages worthy to copy out and keep.



Never finished:
only read half of Cees Nooteboom - Paradies verloren

in december

movies seen.
Spiegel Tv Jahresrückblick (de)
Die Buddenbrooks (de)
The Village (de)
Inside Man (de)


&tvshows...
Greys Anatomy 5x 07,08,09
Damaged 1x 6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13
Heroes 3x 8,9,10,11,12,13
Brothers&Sisters 2x 02,03


Ps. I hope you all will have a good start into the new year <3

Remember my post about my sofa problems? We’d been on the look out for a sofa all the time, but I just couldn't get the image from the one I wanted out of my head, so we haven't found one that I really liked!
So yesterday my mum and I visited the shop where they had sold my dream sofa, because my mum wanted to buy something there. While she did that I looked around to see if they had new sofas. I met the sales man who sold us the sofa last time and guess what he told me? The sofa company actually send some stuff to them :D I was really excited, but wondering why they didn't call me to tell me that. But anyways my sofa is there haha I won't get the matching sofa table for it, but that doesn't matter that much as long as I get the sofa!! And the best part? I can actually pick it up already tomorrow. So we will have a sofa for christmas!! *happy* I'm really looking forward to see how it will fit in the living room!



Also I bought these great 4 hooks by Lisbeth Dahl which will make a great addition to our hall. Hence I have a great coat rack now :D

Some christmas crafty links I like

For the bakers, super sweet Holiday baking tags.
Nice Merry Christmas Tards for your gift wrapping.
I used these great little note cards as address labels on my christmas cards.
Pretty holiday paper that goes with every project.
One link for Snowflake ornaments and another amazing snowflake ornament.
Plus even more Delight .com Holiday Gift Tags.

We have already played with the thought of ordering a vegetable and fruit box for some time. Many farms in Germany offer them, the idea is simple: The contents are not ordered by the customer, but are selected by the box scheme provider on the basis of seasonality and availability. Usually it is delivered once a week.

I finally decided to get one. So a week ago our box arrived in the pic above you can see what we got. I cooked the whole week with the things inside, but I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with the quality. The salad had some lice and the kohlrabi already had some dark spots. Besides, I was hoping to get more special vegetables and not so much normal things you already know.
Maybe I'm going to try a different provider.

I joined the christmas cookie swap, today my package arrived * tasty * and my own packet also went out today, I hope it arrives as whole. In the last few days I baked 6 different varieties of cookies, I think I'm done for now ;)

in November

movies seen.
Ratatouille (de)
Vantage Point (de)
Mogadischu (de)


&tvshows...
Californication S01 E03,04,05,06
Greys Anatomy S05 E06
Brothers&Sisters S01 E17,18,19,20,21,22,23 - S02 E01,02


november recipes...

For the first time I made an Advent wreath all by myself! I'm so proud that I thought I'd share it with you. Here it is:

I found some baking time and started with my christmas cookies. The ones you see above are lemon cookies with almonds. But all the food magazines printed so much more delicious recipes! The November edition of "Living at Home" has 13 pages with cookies. But even better is the new special issue of "Lecker", 30 recipes for christmas cookies!

And also it has a christmas menu by Jamie Oliver, some traditional christmas menus and many decoration ideas. Love it! The normal '"Lecker" has christmas recipes as well and then I also have magazines from last year!
If I'm able to find the time I might try a Gingerbread House this year.....what about you guys?

Right now, I am a bit frustrated!! Two months ago we ordered a dream sofa, which should have been delivered in about 3 weeks. We went by that shop because we now wanted to ordered a special wallpaper from them as well. Since we went there anyway we wanted to ask if we could already get the exact delivery date for the sofa. And what happened? We learned that our sofa will not be delivered! Supposedly the shop send a letter last week to tell us! But we never received that letter! I was/am so angry! We expected this great sofa and now we will probably have no sofa at Christmas, really great!
Yesterday we already tried to find a new one, but nothing is as great as the one we had ordered!

But on to other positive news!! In the last couple weeks we’d talked about it for a long time and finally decided which kitchen we are going to take. We get a special production because we want a bench in the same design as the kitchenette. On Thursday we finally ordered everything and hopefully the kitchen will arrive in about 3 weeks :D I am sooo excited for it to arrive and everything starts taking shape.

On the weekend we were on a decorative christmas bazaar, I promised myself a bit more from it, but I still found a great fabric!





A while ago I've knitted a piece and would like to sew it together with the fabric so that it will turn into a pillow.
Also I bought a little decorative for my first own Christmas tree ..... yes, I think about Christmas trees, even if everything looks like a construction site here ;)

So, here is a little update on life. My bf and I recently decided to move in together and I thought I share this adventures, setting up our apartment, with you guys.
We are lucky enough to get the ground floor apartment in the house of bf's grandmother. But we have to renovate almost everything. Right now, we are almost done with the corridor....I want to try to remodel each room after each other. This weekend we started to rip down two walls to make one big room with an open kitchen and living room out of it!
Also I just went excited I won a eBay auction! =) See....