following an unknown path

a new favorite

When I babysat for a missionary family awhile back, the mom made oatmeal casserole.  It was the first time I've ever tried such a thing.  You eat it warm, but pour milk over it kinda like cereal.  I am an oatmeal lover, so this new twist to an old favorite was a welcome treat.

I decided to make it for my own weekend-before Christmas guests who were spending the night.  Like many casseroles, you can put it all together the night before, leave it in the fridge and just pop it into the oven the next morning.

Here's what I did:

1/3 cup butter

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup raisins
2 small apples, chopped skin on
1/3 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans
1 cup plus 2 TBSP. milk

3 cups quick-cooking oats

Grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish (I don't have a casserole dish, so I just used a cake pan). Preheat the oven to 177C or 350F.

Drop in the eggs and beat them slightly. Add the brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well, and make sure there are no brown sugar lumps. Whisk in the melted butter and the milk. Stir in the oats.  Stir in the optional raisins, apples, and nuts (although optional, these make it oh so scrumptious).

Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes. The top should be starting to brown. Remove from oven. Spoon into bowls and pour milk over the top.

I just mixed everything right there in the casserole dish.  This fed six of us, even with going back for seconds.  I also happen to know that it is good warmed up in the microwave the following day.

Next time, I am going to experiment with using Splenda instead of the brown sugar, I know it will give it a slightly different taste, but that'd be ok. 

Also, the original receipe I followed was slightly different.  One difference is that it called for 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder; I didn't have that so I left it out.  I didn't miss it, but you might.

come on ring those bells . . .

Light the Christmas Tree!  Jesus is the King, born for you and me . . .

Welcome to all of you coming from BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes.  Just to let you know, you've safely arrived in Taiwan. :) 

Most of my decorations are the same as last year; the main difference is that I moved this summer, so they are all placed a little differently in my new apartment.  But, I do have a few new things to show you.

Of course if your a little tired of all the touring, you could just sit with me here on the couch a little while a enjoy my new tree. (Snowmen booties courtesy of my NeeNee.)

_
Are you ready now?  If so, here are my snowpeople this year:

 

_
And, here is my favorite little snowguy of all--he just blends right in! :) 

_
In addition to snowmen, I also really like candles.  They just add a certain festive feel to the atmosphere.

_
Here is one of my new things for this year!!  This is a Chinese paper cut of a nativity scene which a dear friend gave me four years ago.  She was living in China at the time.  I only got around to framing it this year.  But, I love it!!

_
The only thing I've splurged on this year for my home is this little jingle bell tree--isn't it so cute?  And, here is what my Christmas card wreath looks like this year.

 

_
I've also gotten a few new ornaments from others and made some paper snowflakes.

The biggest change is that I bought a new Christmas tree.  Only thing is that it looks empty now . . . I love over stuffed, crowded trees that look like if you add one more thing they will fall over.  I guess this gives me room to grow and add and build. 

_
Oh!  I did make some chocolate chip brownies, but they're all gone now.  So, can I offer you some green tea toast instead?  It's really yummy!!  I even tried to make it extra festive for you!!

 

_
Well, thanks for coming to visit me in Taiwan!  Before you head off to visit other homes on the tour, let me just say 聖誕節快樂 (sheng dan jie kuai le) or in other words "Merry Christmas Yall!!"

snow!!

well . . . not real snow. 

Christine (one of my little neighbors) and I made snowflakes two weeks ago and then covered my living room window with them. 

I just love them!!

the move to tainan

Here is all my stuff packed up before the move:

I kept asking myself where did ALL this stuff come from while I was packing.  It is amazing how fast we accumulate stuff!!

The mover guys wrapped some of my furniture in plastic before putting it on the truck.  They said this would help protect it.

Then, they loaded up the truck. 

The one picture I don't have but would love to show you is how they moved all this stuff.  They hoisted it onto their backs and carried on their backs.  It's an amazing thing to watch.

~*~*~*~

Ok, so moving day was Aug 15th.  And, besides just not having time to write about it and not having the battery charger for my camera. . . it took me this long to write about it because it was a HARD day.  And, I refused to write about it when the hurt was still fresh.  I needed some perspective first.

I don't think a single piece of furniture escaped from the move unharmed.  Each piece had a bump or scratch somewhere.  The dinning table and chairs got the worst of it and the scratches are obvious, but the rest of the scratches are now minimal and you'd have to know where to look. 

I kept telling myself over and over the day of and week after the move "hold loosely to the things of this world."

Even though I was warned, I was still caught in a scam.  Not going to go into details, but do want to say, if you are moving in Taiwan and using a moving company . . . go only with a company that someone personally used and now recommends.

Oh, and it started to rain because a typhoon was coming in.  So, there was lots of wet stuff and soggy boxes to take care of.  Just more stress to deal with.

Moving day was just one long exhausting day--physically and emotionally!  And, I'm glad it is now just history. :)

random facts about my kitchen

Proverbs31 from Bringing Good Home has tagged me in a meme and since this is a four-day weekend for us here in Taiwan, I have time to actually do it. :)

Even though it is a rather simple meme--list 8 random things about your kitchen and/or cooking--I still couldn't follow directions.  I listed 11.

1. I love cooking with a wok and couldn't imagine kitchen life without one. 

2. I am very (VERY) excited about my new kitchen.  It actually has some counter space.  My former kitchen's counter space was only large enough to hold a small dish drying rack.

3. My dishes are black. All my glasses and most of my cooking utensils are red.  I covered my previous kitchen cabinets with black contact paper and painted my fridge black too. My red and black scheme don't quite work in my new white and blue kitchen.

4. I don't have a dishwasher.  And, I hate washing dishes.  Not a good combo.  I do, however, have a dish dryer--a built-in, over the sink, dish drying tray that will blow/heat my dishes dry.

5. I love my Chinese knives.  Chop! Chop! Chop!  They are wonderful.

6. I am swapping cooking lessons with my neighbor/friend.  She teaches me to make Chinese food, and I am teaching her some American dishes.  This weekend, I was teaching her how to make french toast and fry bacon.  I told her I would also show her how to make grilled cheese sandwiches, mashed potatoes, and omelets.  Her response: "Oh!  Goody!  I just love knowing how to cook exotic foods!"  Who knew that mashed potatoes and grilled cheese sandwiches were exotic! :)

7.The burners on my two-burner stove are shaped to hold a wok.  So, when I do use a skillet, it has a hard time staying balanced on the burner. 

8. The flame that comes out of my gas stove is HUGE.  I love it.

9. My oven sits on top of my fridge.  Ovens are not common here, so my little oven which holds one pan at a time is a luxury item.  I once baked 156 mini-cupcakes 12 at a time in my beloved little oven.

10. I can cook with chopsticks (which is totally not impressive if you live in Asia).

11. Another main difference between American kitchens and Taiwanese kitchens is the height of the counters.  They are much (MUCH) lower here (it makes sense that shorter people need lower counters).  I find myself leaning over a lot in the kitchen--especially when washing dishes.  So, if I have quite a few things to wash, I bring in a stool and sit down to wash them.

I am not tagging anyone specifically, but I'd love to hear about other people's "international kitchens"--either Americans living abroad or non-American kitchens.  But those with American kitchens in America are still welcome too. :)

If you do play along, leave your link, and I'll add it to this post.

new apartment (before)

Well, as you know, I've moved.  So, I thought I'd show you my new place this week--before, during, and now.   "After" will have to wait because it is still a work in progress. :)

Here is my new apartment before I moved in.  I took these pictures during my second time in the apartment.  The titles and captions below are really small, to see them better or to see larger versions of the pictures you can go here.

our newest houseguest

Let me introduce you to Troy, the little guy whose been visiting me and Gilby.

In Chinese, they call geckos 壁虎 (bi hu, ㄅㄧˋ ㄏㄨˇ), which literally means "wall tiger."

Troy is not my first "wall tiger" guest.  When I lived in Meinong, a gecko with no tail stayed with me for a very long time.  I called "her" Margo. :)

You might know this already, but most geckos have no eyelids and instead lick a transparent membrane which covers each eye.

And, I didn't ask Margo and haven't asked Troy to leave.  Why?  They eat insects.  And, well, they don't speak English or Chinese, and they move fast!!  (I suppose snakes could fit into the category too huh?  But, I'd make sure they weren't welcome.  So, uh, I guess I also let Troy and Margo stay because they are harmless.)

I think Margo stayed inside most of the time, but Troy likes to come and go.  He disappears over the front door whenever I try to get too close.

So, have you ever had your very own house gecko?

design styles

When I was in Dallas last summer, I got to stay with both my sister and a good friend from college.  I have always admired both of them for their decorating abilities. 

LeAnn always made our college dorm look cozy and inviting.  Sarah has always had cute rooms and decorations.  Whenever I visit either of them I have to guard my heart from coveting after what they have--both their decorations and their knack for decorating! 

Which is kinda funny since their styles couldn't be more different!!  LeAnn is more homespun cottage with a touch of romantic or country depending on which room you are being hugged by at the moment.  And, I love it.  Her home is so warm and inviting. 

Sarah, on the other hand, uses a more contemporary style with a touch of Tuscan from her beautiful wrought-iron accessories that adorn nearly every room in her new home.  And, I love it too.  Her home is also warm and inviting--just in a different way.

I love that as women, we get to add touches of beauty to the world around us.  I enjoy visiting Sarah and LeAnn's homes to see how they are creating beauty in their living spaces, to see how they are expressing parts of their personalities through decorating the areas around them.

Since I love both of their styles and then have my own style preferences too, it shouldn't be a surprise what the results were to this really fun quiz I took from hgtv.com.  According to their twelve questions, my design style is "eccentric with a touch of sweet and classy."

They say: "for you, it's all about the mix.  Any style is welcome in your world as long as it complements something else.  You're drawn to funky interiors and eye-catching color combinations (think red and blue, orange and turquoise, purple and gold).   You like contrasting patterns and unconventional architecture.  You enjoy furnishings that remind you of your travels mixed with modern pieces and offbeat antiques." I think they hit the nail on the head (except for maybe the color combo thing).

They also suggested for decorating inspiration, I should look at rooms in one of these three styles: eclectic, southwestern, and Mediterranean. Of these three, I like the eclectic best.  Some of the Mediterranean style rooms appeal to me; however, I personally don't care for the southwestern style in my own living space. 

I do, however, like the styles they call contemporary, transitional, and Asian (I wonder why?). Oh, and just for FYI, I really like this Asian style living room.

 [The top photo is my "pre-pink" bedroom; my mom made the curtains for me.  The bottom photo was taken in my living room two years ago (and not much has changed since then).   My mom and I sewed the pillows in Texas, and my students helped me stuff them and stitch them closed here in Taiwan.]

So, what is your decorating style?

culture difference #312

Cultural differences come in many shapes and sizes.  Some are based on thoughts and beliefs--presumptions about the way the world works and values a group of people hold in common. Some are much simpler than that.

If you were to ask my students about what is culture they would probably answer with things like "food," "holidays," and "weddings."  They would be somewhat right.  However, culture--the way we live our lives--entails, oh, so much more than that.  It involves some great big things and some little tiny things as well.

One of the things I loved showing international students when I was in college was how I made my bed.  It is totally different than how they made theirs.   

We take all aspects of our culture for granted.  And, it can be little things like keys and light swiches that are really interesting to people from other cultures.

Some things about life in taiwan that used to seem so abnormal, now seem so normal and common place to me.  Speaking of keys lets take them as an example:

Before coming to Taiwan, I'd never seen a round key with holes in it before.  I need it to open the basement door of my parking garage staircase. 

And, the key with "LACEE" on it above--how cool it that!?!?!  It looks like a key to a treasure chest, right?  But in reality, it just opens the lock on my moped. 

And that pointy key with grooves on four sides?  It has a notch in it at the top, so I know which way to insert it into my front door.  Pretty nifty in my opinion.

The black rectangle opens the outside door of my apartment building if I come home after 11 pm.  Beeped-beep and I'm in.

Why two sets of keys you ask?  Well, remember I drive a moped: I don't want my keys too heavy and big while I'm driving with them all exposed.

In the coming weeks, I plan (Lord willing) to showcase here on my blog some of the myriad of little cultural differences that have intrigued me and captured my interst while living here.

So, if there is anything you are wondering about . . . ask, I'll try to get a picture and show you.  Send me on a scavenger hunt; I dare you.  :)

homemaking meme

Sallie wrote this meme, and I've seen it on a few blogs here and there recently.  So, I thought I'd give it a whirl.  Life as a single homemaker in Taiwan looks like this for me and my doggie:

Aprons – Y/N?  If Y, what does your favorite look like?
Yes, but not plural--just one.  It matches my table cloth--kacky with red lines.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake
Bake?  You mean in my teeny tiny convection oven?  Brownies.

Clothesline – Y/N?
Yes, my dryer is also teeny tiny--a gift to myself two Christmases ago. Most people here don't have one.  So, I am thankful for sheets and jeans that are dried in a dryer--but most everything else goes on the clothesline.

Donuts – Have you ever made them?
Nope.

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day
You are supposed to do this homemaking thing daily??  In that case, does making my bed count?

Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
No.

Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
Nope.  No one has one here in Taiwan.  But, I do have these nifty nets that sit in a "drain cup" in my kitchen sink to catch the odd and ends that fall into the sink.

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
Flylady.

Ironing – Love it or hate it?  Or hate it but love the results?
Ironing?  Hmmm . . . I think I have an iron, maybe, somewhere, but I couldn't promise you for sure. 

Junk drawer – Y/N?  Where is it?
I have a "catch all drawer"--in the top of my shoe closet by the front door.  Just money, keys, my business card file-book, and a few other odds and ends in there.

Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme
Black and red.  Black dishes, red glasses and other red stuff (spachulas, measuring cups).  My (green) cabinets are covered in black marble contact paper, and my (mustard yellow) fridge is painted black. 

Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Having company over.  I think it is really hard to enjoy housekeeping when I am doing it only for myself.

Mop – Y/N?
Yes--I have no carpets.  Only white tile in every room.

Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
Nylons??  Huh?  Do you mean pantyhose?  I haven't worn pantyhose since the 90's.  And, if you don't mean panyhose, I would guess the answer is with the machine--cuz I don't handwash anything.

Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
If my teeny tiny convection oven counts--then I can pretty much see all thru the window, but I still like to open the door. 

Pizza – What do you put on yours?
Does "put" include "kind you order from the local pizza place"?

Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Drink a cup of coffee or tea and read a little.  But, living alone--all my moments are "quiet."  So, that cup of coffee or tea only comes when I make myself stop "doing."

Recipe card box – Y/N?  What does it look like?
No, but wish I did.   

Style of house – What style is your house?
Hmm.  I live your typical Taiwanese high-rise apartment: a little white concrete box.

Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N?
Yes, but I also like placemats.  I prefer paper napkins though.

Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
Organized.

Vacuum – How many times per week?
Well, Swiffer and mop weekly, but vacuuming not so often.  Remember--its all tile.

Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
You mean you are supposed to do it weekly?  I am not going to tell you how I know this, but I can go two weeks without washing anything.  So, let's just say I could do 2-3 loads each week.

X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
YES!!!!!!!  Without lists I am lost!   Sometimes, though, my lists are only on the computer.

Yard – Y/N?  Who does what?
Nope--apartment living.

Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Again, you are supposed to do this daily?! Then I guess on the days I do it taking care of a hot spot counts right?

my "front porch"

As you probably know, in Asia people take off their shoes when they enter a home.  Sometimes shoes are taken off for entering classrooms or resturants or other places too. 

When my students come to visit me, they take off their shoes and line them up on the stairs outside my front door.

I took these pictures as some students were leaving my home after a Christmas party a few weeks ago.  Some of the students (and thus their shoes) had already left (were gone) before I thought to capture it on film.  When they were all there, the stairs were full and about half were Converse.

Here are shots of my students putting on their shoes right in front of my front door. :)

This post is the start of another random series showing you some of the "corners of my home."  I will show you were I keep my shoes in my next "corners of my home" post.  (I also need to remember to take pictures of where I park for that other random series I have going.)

Happy Tuesday!