Berry Memories in Nebraska

Two or three juicy red currants for me. A few for the bowl. Repeat.

Today, I harvested a good bowlful of sunripened red currants from my mom's garden here in Nebraska. I think these bushes are as old as me! I used to pick them the same way when I was a child.

For as long as I can remember, my mom has always had strawberries, apples, pears, ground cherries, gooseberries, tart cherries, concord grapes, and/or raspberries in her garden. My mom and grandma used to can jars and jars of fruit and store them in the basement to make it through the long, bitter cold winters here.

Over the years, several of the fruit trees have died, and the garden has shrunk in size. It's still bigger than mom can really handle now since dad needs full-time assistance. So I was happy to get my hands dirty and help out since I've been home.

I can't really take these currants back to Istanbul, though I think the Turks would love these sweet-n-tart berries. (Turks do eat a lot of tart fruit like the green erik and green raw almonds.) Guess I'll eat them by the handful while I can!

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Memorial Day in the USA

Perfectly captured American flag with the sun rising in the background.

Happy Memorial Day from Nebraska!

Today, our American flags will be flapping in the wind everywhere.

Today, we remember those brave men and women who gave their lives in service to their country.

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and a day for reflection for the freedom we have gained.

We'll be spending the day together as a family, even my brother will be joining us later. I'm grilling some lemon chicken and making a healthy parsley-potato salad.

It's a good day to spend with family. 

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Home Cookin' in Nebraska

Nebraska - My dad has always been a sociable person.

When I was a child/teenager, I would get embarrassed because he would talk to complete strangers. But now I can understand. I've become that same sociable person.

Twice this past week, I wheeled dad over to his favorite cafe so he could be his chatty self. All the waitresses and several of the regulars know my dad at The Farmer's Daughter. You could see his whole face light up as he got talking with some of the gals. I think he needs some of this emotional healing as well.

Oh and we also came for the food at this 40-year-old local cafe. There's still nothing like a simple hot roast beef and gravy sandwich, a greasy Reuben smothered in sauerkraut (for me only) or the daily home cooked special.

On Friday, I ordered the BBQ rib special and it was lip smackin' delicious!

This is one small-town haunt that will always bring a smile to your face and fill up your belly.

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Sfogliatelle - Only Word You Need in Naples

Naples - Being a pastry lover, I had heard about the ubiquitous Neapolatin pastry in Naples called Sfogliatelle.

And once I tried I bite, that's the only word you need to know when traveling in Naples. Well, pizza as well.

Sfogliatelle has a delicate, crunchy pastry shell shaped like a large clam. The filling is a sweetened ricotta cheese.

Layers of deliciousness!

As soon as I ate one for breakfast, I immediately was wondering how to create that type of layered pastry shell, which reminded me of thin apple slices created by a hand crank device.

Well, if you are traveling in Naples, all you need to know is the word: Sfogliatelle.

Here are several Neapolatin pastry shops recommended by food blogger Katie Parla.

Neapolatin pastries paired perfectly with your cappuccino for breakfast.

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Exploring Lake Abant Nature Park, Turkey

(Getting a little writing done while my dad is resting here on the couch.)

Snow in late April and not too far outside of Istanbul? I couldn't believe it!

On our drive back from Safranbolu to Istanbul, our friends and us decided to take a little detour from the Istanbul-Ankara O-4 (E80) motorway.

Snow on the mountain peaks near Lake Abant Nature Park, Turkey.

We stopped at Abant Gölü (Lake Abant Nature Park), a large freshwater lake about 2 hours southeast of Istanbul.

Our Turkish friend, Murat, said his family used to go on picnics at the lake so he had fond memories of the area. Indeed, we saw many Turkish families setting up their own mangals (small grills) and carrying bags full of food.

 Abant Gölü  definitely seems like a good vacation and excursion spot outside of the city. You can even take a horse ride around the lake or bring your own fishing poles to catch some of the local trout. There also are many different pine trees that make up the dense forests in the park. Apparently, there are several guesthouses in nearby towns as well if you want to stay overnight.

 

Still the snow on the ground surprised me considering it had warmed up significantly in Istanbul lately. But the nature park's altitude is fairly high at 1,328 meters (4,357 ft.).

I wanted to throw snowballs at my husband for fun. But he jokingly 'threatened' me with "don't start with what you can't finish." So I decided not to play that game right then.

Instead of throwing my snowball at my husband, I threw it in the lake.

 If you are seeking a little R and R, peace and nature outside of Istanbul, then you must visit Lake Abant. 

The lake area really was tranquil! If we return, I'd definitely bring my own picnic supplies.
However, there are several cafes located on the road as you approach the park.

Hubby, me and Mother Nature.

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Healthy Asian Beef-Noodle Soup from Nebraska

Nebraska - I've become a nurse, housekeeper, gardener, handyman, and as always, a chef, with my family here.

I'm not complaining. I just want my dad to recover quickly.

My mother-in-law told my dad he should eat whatever I cook so he can get better faster. And the RN just told us yesterday that eating more protein will help his incisions heal faster.

The daily lunch special is low-sodium sliced turkey on whole wheat bread with light mayo served with potatoes and a veggie.

Dinner varies, but the other night I made a noodle soup, inspired from a recipe in the American Heart Assn. Cookbook. My mom immediately told me that dad wouldn't like it because it was "different." I'm like, how do you know? If you don't try it, you'll never know.

Generally, my dad seems to give me a bit more leeway since I am a professional in the kitchen.

And when you're told to make more changes to your diet, you really don't have a choice. So all that fat-free, low sodium, fish oils and healthy fats become a necessity.

This is a type of soup I'd make at home, so that's why it appealed to me. You taste a hint of the ginger and lime while the veggies add color. The beef is tender and provides a good dose of iron and protein. Cooking time is only about 30 minutes.

And guess what? Dad liked it!

Afiyet olsun!

Healthy Asian beef-noodle soup served in my mom's good china for dinner.

Healthy Asian Beef-Noodle Soup

Serves: 6 as a main course

1          #          (500 g.)            package of whole wheat angel hair pasta

6-7       c.         (1.5+ L)           low-sodium or sodium-free beef broth

1-inch  piece                            fresh ginger cut into large pieces

1/2       ea.                                lime zest strips

1/2       tsp.                              granulated sugar

4-5       ea.                                garlic cloves, chopped small

1          ea.                                large onion, chopped small

3-4       ea.                                mixed sweet peppers, cut into 1-inch strips

3          ea.                                carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch strips

1          lb.        (500 g.)            boneless sirloin beef, cut into thin strips

1/2       T.                                 toasted sesame oil

1/2       c.                                 flat leaf parsley (or cilantro), roughly chopped

TT                                            freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:

1          ea.                                lime, cut into thin wedges

I found these colorful sweet peppers at our local Hyvee. I wish we had this variety in Turkey.

First, in a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package's directions. Strain and set aside.

In the same pot, add the beef broth, ginger, lime zest and sugar. Bring to a simmer. Let steep for 5 minutes. Then, remove the ginger and lime zest.

Add the vegetables, beef and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer, cooking just until the meat is cooked through. Then add the parsley and pepper.

Add the reserved noodles back to the pot. Stir to combine. If you'd like your soup to be a bit more brothy, just add some water or more beef broth.

Garnish each serving of soup with a lime wedge.

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Expat Life: Traveling 'Home'

Nebraska - Here I am sitting on my parents' old porch swing in my sleepy hometown.

Instead of reading my old Sweet Valley High paperbacks from my youth, I'm typing on my laptop. I am back 'home' in one sense.

I spent many, many hours sitting on this porch swing, often reading, when I was growing up.

I'm happy to say my dad made it safely through his two heart surgeries. But it's not going to be an easy road to recovery.

My dad has two incisions that need to heal so he must scuffle through the house using a walker instead of a cane. He must avoid putting any weight on either side. He needs pretty much full-time care to do the most basic things such as eating, getting from room to room and just getting out of bed.

To complicate matters, my parents' house was built in the 1920s with small rooms and odd angles. Getting around with a walker certainly wasn't in the house's cards.

I'm doing whatever I can here to help out from running to doctor's appointments, buying groceries, and cooking dinner to fetching the morning newspaper, finding dad's reading glasses, working out in the garden and picking up as needed. My mom has her hands full so I'm glad my expat life affords me the ability to travel home for awhile. I'm definitely needed here.

Though I may call Istanbul home now and relate more to the East Coast, this is where my roots are. This is where my family lives.

At the end of the day, I'm still a Midwestern girl at heart.

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