You might not believe me...

A few things that are hard to believe...

1. I am actually updating!! Now that the craziness of summer is over, hopefully this will be a more regular thing.

2. My roommate recently went to get her driver's license here and in the course of doing that she had to sit through a "safe driving" lecture. That in itself is unbelievable, but here's what they told her she needed to do before getting in the car to drive:

a) Sleep well.
b) Eat a light meal (don't get too full or you'll be sleepy)
c) Have all your documents in your front pocket.
d) Walk around the car to see if there are any animals, children or any old men sleeping underneath your car.

Yes, that last one actually applies. I have seen all three of these things here...welcome to the 3rd world! I wish I had a picture, and we are currently on the look out for that.

3. I feel like I made a small dent for the feminist movement here today. I threw on my big "Jackie O" sunglasses, scarf and black robe as usual:



Then as the mini-bus pulled up it was fairly packed, though there was one "woman's seat" open squished next to two women on a little bench in the middle row of the mini-bus. When I saw the front seat was also open, I went ahead and hopped in next to the driver (women usually only sit in the middle or back seat, and city women never sit up front with the driver). What's unbelievable it is progressive (or at least from my Western perspective) to take the front seat on public transportation!

4. Tomato-Watermelon Salad is absolutely delicious! I had my suspicions when I heard the name too, but it's an amazing treat we discovered in one of our American magazines recently:

Recipe for Tomato and Watermelon Salad:
5 c cubed watermelon (or you can do chunks w/ a melon baller)
1.5 lb cubed tomatoes

Sprinkle that with 3 T sugar and 1/4 t salt

Then in a separate bowl mix:
1 small red onion, chopped or sliced (as you like)
1/2 c red wine vinegar (you can substitute with another kind if you don't have this)
1/4 c olive oil

Mix it all together and let chill for 2 hours.
Top with cracked black pepper to taste.

It's Pretzel Time!

My roommates and I are constantly experimenting in the kitchen and today we tried a recipe that we got off of Copy Kat Recipes (one of our friends tipped us off to the website). It's possibly one of the best things for those of you who are seeking out some familiar tastes but find yourselves thousands of miles (or dollars) away from the nearest Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon, Krispy Kreme or Olive Garden.

Today we made soft pretzels just like at the mall! We even topped some of them with cinnamon sugar. Mmmmm...delicious! Of course, we ended up doing over half the process without electricity because of our random power outages. I guess everything can't be like home! Recipe follows the picture.


Soft Pretzel Recipe

Serves/Makes 12

Ingredients
1 ½ cup warm water
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 cup bread flour (you can sub 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp reg. flour)
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp baking soda

To taste coarse salt
4 Tbsp butter (melted)

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add brown sugar and salt, stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least ½ hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp. baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about ½ inch or less thick) and shape. You can also make "pretzel bites" by cutting 1" pieces of rope, but cooking time for them is shorter. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in 450 oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Dip in melted butter and toppings and enjoy!

Toppings: After you brush with or dip in melted butter try sprinkling with coarse salt, or for cinnamon sugar, melt a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture. Enjoy!

A New Tasty Recipe

GOAT MEAT BBQ

Ingredients:
4 kilos goat meat (from the only local butcher who uses refrigeration, but also understands you to mean "goat" NOT "cow" when you say "meat")
3 cups ketchup
4 1/3 cups water (or left over goat broth)
10 T lemon juice
6 T brown sugar
6 T Worchestire sauce
6 T vinegar
6 T prepared mustard

For one day cook cubed goat meat with clean water in large crockpot.

Drain. Shred. Add other ingredients to meat. Cook one day.

Enjoy this tender tasty treat on buns. Delicious served with green bean casserole (made with our snazzy condensed soup substitute and ritz crackers in lieu of french onions), pasta salad, and chips (toasted flat bread cut into triangles).

Feeds a crowd of hungry foreigners longing for a little taste of home. Probably a partial crowd in the states. =^) The secret is - just don't tell anyone it's goat! (worked for our party....)