Karla's Korner

Chinese and Chopsticks...

If you've ever seen any of my daughter's posts on her experiences with
Chinese foods you may have been worried for me... but... thankfully for me,
the people we were with only order food now that they know she will eat...
so I was fortunate to reap the blessing of her experience!!


I was also thankful to have a little chopstick experience before going to
China, but I confess that the rice and noodles were still seriously challenging!
Let's just say I gave our hosts, the Chinese people my daughter works with,
lots of opportunity for laughter as they watched me try! It was funny!


I loved how colorful their food was... and how beautifully it was served.
Just look at this dish... it's gorgeous. It was surprising to discover that hiding
under that delightful pile of spicy hot peppers were...


shrimp on a stick...  fried so crispy you eat the shell and all!
I cringed at the thought at first, but they were seriously soooo yummy.


I first thought this dish was pork... but can you believe it's tofu?
I've never been a big fan of tofu but this was so delicious it became
one of my favorites... that and the eggplant!


And yes... believe it or not... I actually tried chicken feet!
Funny things was though, that all I could do was nibble at it... even though
the Chinese manage to eat enough of it to leave only a few tiny bones
as seen on the right.  Trust me... it will not be a food I will be fixing myself!

Trying new foods was a real treat...
but it was the time spent at the table with Michelle's friends that was the
greatest treasure... experiencing a part of their culture first-hand...
enjoying fellowship despite the language barrier...
and sharing love and laughter that transcends differences.
I am grateful for having had the opportunity... thanks to my sweet girl!

Heavenly Father... thank you for creating such an amazing variety of foods
for us to enjoy... and an even more incredible variety of people for us to
enjoy them with. Lord, help us to love people who are different than
we are... wherever they are...to see them through Your eyes
and not our own... and care for them like You care for us. Amen.

If you'd like to see some of the other foods I ate there you can visit Michelle's
China food post for this year... yum!

Love you my friends... and thanks for joining me on this journey called life!

To Market We Go...

We stopped at an open air market... overflowing with beautiful colors...

and friendly smiles like this one... is he just too adorable... or what!
He made my day... following behind me with giggles and cuteness!
They don't see many foreigners in this neck of the Chinese woods so we
seemed to be as fascinating to them as they are to us!


Some beauty is just universal... the glory of God's handiwork!

I thought these were limes but they're not... not sure what they are.

I've eaten all kinds of roots here...
not sure what they are but they've all been tasty!

Isn't this a pretty way to display corn... all except for the flies!


I have eaten the eggplant here... and the way they fixed it was yummy!!

Our interpreter kept saying what these birds were... other then the ducks...
but I could not understand her.  Do you think they know they're on their
way to someone's dinner table?  Ouch!

 


This was too cute... he is looking at a photo he snappedof me just as
I looked in his direction... so I had to oblige of course! 

The only thing I really regret is not being able to have a conversation with
the people here.  I am blessed however that God has given me a smile that
crosses the language barrier... and the people have responded with lots of
smiles of their own. It makes me want to hug them but I don't think that's
socially acceptable... so a prayer instead...
and asking God to hug them with His love and draw them to Himself.

sharing the journey...
with love and hugs...

Latte Da... and My Art is on Exhibit There...

Don't you just LOVE that name for a coffee shop?  Latte da!  So much fun!


It is a CHARMING vintage house turned Coffee Shop - Restaurant - Wine bar!
They've been open only a few weeks but I believe they have the potential to
become a neighborhood favorite for all sorts of gatherings. That's how came
to know about them.  My art group has met there twice now, including today.


And, as of this morning, the first thing you see when you walk in the front
door are... Karla Dornacher Original Paintings... Ta Da! 
It's my very first art "exhibit" and I'm thankful for the opportunity to brighten
the walls there and share my art with all who come by! I hung a total of
5 originals and 3 giclee canvas prints. Thank you Scott!


And we all thought "Stir It Up" was very fitting for a coffee shop!


The most amazing feature, however, is the beautiful "secret garden" they've
created just outside.  It's tall wall of greenery gives you a sense of privacy
and peace from the world just beyond! I hear they're having a baby
shower there next week.  I'm sure it will be delightful!


They even have a fire-pit and are hosting Friday night s'more parties every
third Friday... yum!!  And at other times they have live music. I think hubby
and I may go have a listen tomorrow night.

Anyway... just wanted to share a blessing.  Now if someone actually bought
one of my paintings there that would be an even greater blessing!

If you live nearby, you might want to Like them on Facebook to get updates
on what's happening there... or just get some girlfriends together and
go have a Latte Da and a blueberry scone...call me... maybe I'll join you!

Blessings and God-hugs...
Karla

Thinking Ahead... Easter Craftiness...

With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to make sure I got some
goodies posted in time for your crafting pleasure...


This set of u-print downloadable Hallelujah Cupcake Wrappers with toppers
was so fun to put together and oh so cute! 


As I was designing them, I kept thinking about how cute they would be for
a children's classroom Easter Celebration as an added reminder of what
Easter is really all about! 


Or how about you and your kids baking up some sweet blessings and
taking a dozen or two to a nearby Nursing Home?  YUM!!!


I also created an updated collection of a Dozen Easter Eggs and a mix
and match pack of coordinatingd Pastel Bright Papers with the same theme
thinking they might be useful for decorating or scrapbooking or whatever!

In a few days I'll be posting a couple of Easter Freebies..
so stay tuned... and Happy Easter Crafting!

Father God... as we look forward to the Celebration of Easter...
help us to remember the real meaning of the season...
and may we always be looking for ways to share
the Love and Resurrection of Jesus with others
even in the midst of all the eggs and chicks and bunnies. 
Give us opportunities and prepare our hearts to be used by You...
for Your glory! Amen.

Snowman Ornament Workshop Party!

I love the women in my Bible Study Group and wanted to do something extra
special to bless their hearts so my Christmas gift to them was a craft night...
a Snowman Ornament Workshop/Christmas Party... and we had so much fun!
The only sadness was that two of them were sick and another had a family
event to attend... Connie, Deb & Frances... you were missed for sure!

I served a finger-food dinner that started off with this wonderful
Snowman Cheeseball!  Isn't he adorable? He was a huge hit and I sent
everyone home with the recipe.... you can find it here.


Next came shrimp served around the rim of parfait glasses filled with
cocktail sauce which I forgot to take a picture of... along with...


salmon pate filled cucumbers decorated with chives
and a touch of red pepper and...


cherry tomatoes stuffed with mozzarella balls, adorned with a basil leaf
and sprinkled with garlic salt... yum!! 
This is what you call ARTFUL cooking... my favorite kind!

Then came crafting! Those funny looking grey balls are the snowman heads...
they are made from a paper mache pulp and take quite a while to dry so,
since we only had the evening, I made them beforehand.

But they had so much layering the paints, adding the eyes...


adding rouge to their cheeks...


and especially adding the glitter... the sparkle that brings them to life!


Then came the hat-making... but again... got so caught up in the making...
I forgot all about taking pictures of the process...


but the joy on Brenda's face... and on her snowman's face... says it all!


each one a different personality...


just like their makers... Dottie, Joan, and Brenda...
each woman tickled pink with her own handmade Christmas creation!


We ended the evening with a light dessert of raspberry jello topped with
light whipping cream and Christmas sprinkles... and an ornament exchange.
It was a wonderful time of love, laughter, and creativity!

This is one of the greatest joys of Christmas... giving oneself away...
time, talents and/or treasures... for the blessing of others...
simply in celebration of the greatest Gift we've been given...
the love of Jesus who was born into this world to give Himself away...
for you... and for me... ultimately on the tree.

Father God, thank You for Jesus... who is the Reason for the Season. Help us
this year as we give ourselves... our time, talents and/or treasures... with a
right heart... out of love and not obligation... to bless and not impress...
and if we're struggling with that Lord, remind us of why we celebrate
Christmas and the glory of the Greatest Gift of all! Amen.

Monday Musings...Taste and See

What foods do you savor? Cupcakes? Chips? Fruits or veggies? Savory or sweet?

As I pondered Psalm 34:8,
"Taste and see that the Lord is good...",
I thought about some of the foods I love to taste... including chocolate!
But I also thought about how someone can place a piece of chocolate on a
plate before me and I can know it's chocolate... I can see it's chocolate...
I can even acknowledge out loud that it's chocolate.
But... if I don't purposely choose to pick it up and put it in my mouth,
I will never taste it's sweetness or savor it's flavor.

In the same respect, God doesn't want us to just acknowledge Him
from a distance. Instead, He wants us to experience Him intimately...
to taste His love and grace through His Word, His Spirit and His blessings.
His sweetness will beat out a cupcake any ol' day but we must choose
to eat from His banqueting table in order for our souls to be well fed!

I love Matthew 4:4 where Jesus says:
"Man does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."
God wants us to eat His Word and with every bite, taste His goodness!
As we "chew and swallow" God's Word about who He is, who we are in Him,
and His great promises for us...  truly believing it for ourselves...
and as we respond to His Word  with faith and obedience...
the taste of His love lingers long in our hearts!

Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for making Yourself
known to us... so much so that we can truly taste of your Presence and
savor the blessings we know come from Your hand. Lord you also know
how big the battle is to keep us away from Your banqueting table... help us
be overcomers so that we may eat well and find nourishment for our souls.
Amen

xoxoxo
Karla

A Weekend Away...

My hubby left Thursday night for his annual Canada fishing trip...
so Friday morning my sis-in-law/love Cindy and I headed to the beach
for a little fun, food and frivolity!

Our destination... Lincoln City.  Our first stop... lunch at Mo's!


Their famous clam chowder was a perfect way to start the fun!!

 
It was mostly cloudy with a touch of blue hovering just above the horizon...


but the cooler ocean air was a welcome break from the 100+ temps at home!


This quaint little quilt shop, one of our many shopping stops,
 was an inspirational treat for Cindy...

 
while a visit to the Pacific Artists Alliance Gallery, a co-op of 41 artisans,
 stirred my creative spirit. This fish was amazing and I could hear him
luring me to want to play with copper!


We stayed at The Coho Lodge where one of the perks was drinking french
press coffee made from freshly ground gourmet coffee... a first for me.
The even greater perk was that Cindy and I had the pool, sauna
and jacuzzi all to ourselves for a leisure afternoon spa retreat!
Nope.. sorry... no pics of us in swimsuits!!! LOL!!




On our hike around Devils Lake (no idea why they named it that)
we discovered flowers we'd never seen before and...


and houses we'd like to visit if only we knew the folks who lived there!


We ate at lunch at Tiki's in the historic Taft District on Saturday...


and the fish tacos were sooooo yummy good!


We also met Gypsy there and it was so fun to see Cindy get her talking
and hamming it up for the camera.


Saturday's beach walk included the fun of seeing a few sand sculptors
at work... isn't that amazing! I've always wanted to try that... maybe next time.

And I'm sure there will be a next time!
Cindy and I had so much fun together... just laughing and loving life!
And best of all, we spent some good time encouraging each other
 in the Lord because what a great place to be reminded that our God...

He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be numbered.
Job 9:8,10

Thank you for letting me share my little weekend adventure with you!
Oh yes... and I brought back a few keepsakes I want to share with you too
so make sure you come visit tomorrow to see what they are!

Blessings and hugs to you... xoxoxo...

Still looking back...

...and trying to play catch up!
I know we're way past Thanksgiving, but I wanted to share
how beautiful these caramel apples came out!
I've never made them before so I was delighted!!
My daughter and her friends played Girls Turkey Bowl the Sunday before Turkey day
and I had the honor to be the Team Mom for her team.
It turned out to be a double blessing for me because it gave me a good reason
to make this tray of caramel apples and a batch of yummy pumpkin bread
(those are mini pumpkin muffins in the background).
I not only had great treats for a fantastic team (even though they did lose),
but I also got some great photos to paint from, as I will be including these
two goodies in the new book I'm working on!
Sorry... you'll have to wait for the book to get the "special" recipes!

She who refreshes others, will herself be refreshed.
adapted from Proverbs 11:25

Thank You Lord for the opportunities you give us to be a blessing
to others... and when we do... we are blessed by You!

Glaze for the Fresh Apple Cake

When Lynn wrote and asked me for the glaze recipe I used for the Fresh Apple Cake, I thought maybe someone else might want to know as well... so here it is.  I found it at southernfood.about.com by simply googling "glaze for a bundt cake".  Gotta love the internet! 

Also... regarding the flour for the cake... mine is in a container with no label... so I'm going to guess it's plain flour and not self-rising... and it worked.  And... I'm not a good enough cook to know if it would make that much difference! 

So here's the recipe for...

Basic Glaze

1. Melt 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of butter in a saucepan or microwave.
2. Sift 2 cups of powdered sugar into a medium size bowl.
3. Add the melted butter to the powdered sugar.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of milk.
5. If desired, add 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla for flavor. (I did not)
6. Beat until smooth and creamy, adding a little more milk if necessary. (I did... about 1 more Tbls)
7. Drizzle over a cooled cake.

Bev's Fresh Apple Cake is a Winner!

Our friend Bev, the winner of the August Blog Contest, included a recipe for her Fresh Apple Cake along with her winning comment and I knew just had to try it. You can use any kind of apple so I chose Granny Smith and it was moist, marvelous, and a winning recipe with my entire family.  And as you can see... make it in a bundt pan, drizzle it with a simple powdered sugar glaze and it isjust as pretty as it is yummy.  So here's the recipe if you want to give it a try... enjoy!

Fresh Apple Cake

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups peeled, chopped apples
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I used walnuts)

Preheat oven to 325*. Grease and flour Bundt or tube pan or use Pam.

Mix flour, soda, salt and cinnamon and mix together well.

In large mixing bowl combine oil and sugar. Cream thoroughly, then add eggs and vanilla and continue beating until light and fluffy.

Add dry ingredients and apples and beat on low speed just until throughly blended.

Pour into pan and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes... glaze if you like... and enjoy!!

Just because you asked...

In case you're wondering... the mound beside the pork chop in the photo below is couscous with mushroom pieces. I simply spooned and pressed it into a round measuring  cup... 1/2 c for me... 3/4 c for Michael... and tada... it takes the presentation up a notch with almost no extra work!  I've used this technique in serving different foods to my granddaughters too and they just love it. Try it... it's fun and easy... and makes for "pretty food"!

Curry Mango

Some of you already know that cooking is not my gift and I usually try to do as little and as simple as possible. But, once in a while, I get the urge to try something new and when I do... one of the  criteria is that it be pretty. This one qualified as both delightful to the eye and to the tastebuds... (Michael loved it)... so I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Curried Mango Pork Chops

Ingredients
4 pork chops 3/4" thick                     2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp seasoned salt                             2 tsp vegetable oil
4 sliced green onions                            1/4 raisins
1/3 cup chicken broth                       1 tsp cornstarch    
1 fresh mango peeled, seeded and diced
2 Tbs flaked coconut

Season chops with curry powder and seasoned salt. Heat oil in lg skillet... medium heat. Brown chops on both sides, turning once... 7-8 min. Set chops aside. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and broth well. Cook and stir onions, raisins, & broth mixture in skillet until slightly thickened. Return chops to pan and heat through. Serve chops with mango & coconut. 

This could be a great meal to share with some friends
and practice some hospitality!
"...be rich in good deeds, and... be generous and willing to share"
1 Timothy 6:18