German Beer Stew with Sausage, Cabbage & Onion

Um, sooo yeah. This stew was so freaking good I could not stop going back to the pot for bites. I got it off Pinterest (GO FIGURE) and it was originally posted on The Cozy Apron in this here post: Oktoberfest Lager Stew. I want to post you to this place because this is where this here photo comes from and I want to offer credit where it's due.

I don't call mine Oktoberfest stew because I didn't use that type of beer. So actually I guess this should be called Fat Tire Stew. But gross! That doesn't appeal to me in any way and I know how delicious that beer tastes. Hey girl. Come over here. Here. Eat this stew. It's called Fat Tire. Hey girl, where you going? I didn't mean it would make you into a fat tire! Stop crying! Oh my God, are you calling your mom? No, I don't want to talk to her! I didn't do anything wrong.



Uh, let's get to the soup.

German Beer Stew with Sausage, Cabbage and Onion

serves four

1 tbsp olive oil

4 links smoked beef sausage, cut into bite size pieces

1 onion, cut in half and sliced thin

1/2 head cabbage, halved again, cored and cut into thin slices

1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

1/4 tsp ground caraway seeds (I didn't have this, so I used cumin with dill)

salt to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup German style beer (I used Fat Tire upon Todd's recommendation and he knows beer)

2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into small bite size pieces

2.5 cups hot chicken stock (I used salt free boullion powder)

1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp snipped fresh parsley

Oh my God, oh my God this was so good. OKAY. So, heat your olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once it's hot, add your sausage and cook until browned, about five minutes.

Add your onions and let those carmelize a bit (another few minutes) before adding the cabbage. Toss to combine and let THAT mix cook down about for ANOTHER four or five minutes.

Now, add your pepper, caraway (or cumin/dill mix) and salt, give it a stir and toss in the garlic. Once it's fragrant, add the beer, potatoes and stock.

Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat, partly cover (to allow steam to escape) and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir in your vinegar and parsley and TRY not to kill the other people eating it so you can have it all to yourself. My God, man. It was full of stars.

The Gift of Reading.

Well what do we have here? I guess Patton lamented to Alexandra about not having a lot of reading material lying around at his disposal.

"DOGS CANNOT READ" you scream. "This picture is such a set up!! Alexandra is dumb for thinking dogs can read!!"

Oh yeah?

Snapseed and Afterglow.

So since I recently got an iPhone I've also recently developed a thirst for apps. I've also really enjoyed getting to take some decent pictures of stuff, especially of things I want to blog about (I'm relieved to report that I no longer take greenish brownish food pictures). And then there was the perfect timing of a Dooce post all about photography apps, specifically Snapseed and Afterglow. So since I absolutely fangirl over Dooce (AKA Heather Armstrong) and also want to learn more about taking pictures with my phone, I whipped out my iPhone and immediately downloaded both of them.

I can already tell you that Snapseed is my absolute favorite. It doesn't rely so heavily on filters alone, and in the different sorts of filters you DO have, you can manipulate the outcomes with much more control.

That's the original. And can I just pause here to say how much I adore white tulips? Crisp and clean, and then the stems do their funky thing and get all twisty and artsy. Anyways, I futzed around in Snapseed and came out with this:

There are different sort of textures you can apply through Drama, Grunge, and Vintage, for example. You can mess around with the focus points, the amount of lightness and brightness in the center of the photo or on the peripheries. SO cool. The saturation, brightness, focus, texture, all can be played with. The end result of my tulip photo looks creepy and old and like it was found stashed in an old shed or attic.

That's the original and isn't she ADORABLE?

This is Snapseed again. I was really getting into it with this photo, and you can tell I messed with the light and the focus on the edges and in the center. I am absolutely a complete and utter photography noob so all this is probably old news and boring as hell for anyone with an ounce of experience. But I really enjoyed learning how to manipulate the images and seeing how the mood of a photo can be completely changed by a just a few tweaks.

This is Afterglow. There's not a whole lot that I did to it but I did like the warmth of the filter I used and I think I made the shadows a little richer. The filters are loads more subtle than in Instagram. I will admit that I haven't fully explored Afterglow but you can mess around with highlights, brightness, contrast, shadows and exposure.You can even add lens flares, twist the photo around. And both apps are really easy and really fun to play around with. That is not an advertisement either, they don't know I even exist.

Workout Wednesday!

Thanks for this workout, Pinterest. By the way I've totally guzzled all the kool-aid, seen all the brain washing films and covered my wall in the propaganda ads. I LOVE PINTEREST.

Bliss.

There is utter magic in the moment when you realize your child has fallen asleep on you. You really do feel blessed to be chosen as their pillow, and conversations are continued in awed whispers, hushed giggles at that wonderful feeling that an angel has paused the beating of her wings for a brief slumber in your arms.

The sleep is so true that the thumb slides out of that perfect little mouth, so deep already that you can play with her hair and she won't stir, not even a little. All snuggled up together, mama under her head, dada under her perfect little twinkle toes. Once Upon A Time was on, I was bundled up under a blanket with a glass of wine and a delicious calzone. Life really couldn't have been better. When she eventually woke up and we took her to her crib, there was a tangible, touchable loss, and the perfect moment was over. But man, was it nice living it.

Death of a Dog Bed.

Saturday night, my mom and stepdad came over to watch Alex so we could go party down with friends, and they had a great time. I have a feeling, though, that they left Patton outside for the majority of that time, because apparently he had a good time too. It's like he knew I just did a Bingley post and wanted in on the action. Just take a gander.

This is just one portion of the yard that was utterly covered. The grass patch was littered with stuffing. The area by the gate was covered. There was fluff on the patio. There was fluff in potted plants. It was impressive in its coverage. I literally said "OH MY GOD." when I opened the rolling shutter that covers the sliding glass doors. Even Alexandra knew something was amiss.

You know, we had just gotten finished discussing how awesome and gorgeous Patton was, when he came in to visit us that Sunday morning. I guess we spoke too soon! Or too kindly. I know the bed probably thinks so.

That right there is $30 and a PetSmart membership card. If I hadn't have gotten the membership discount, it would have been $50 and Patton would be dead right now. Needless to say, we won't be buying another PetSmart bed, and I urge you dog owners to avoid them as well. Kirkland needs to restock their $20 big dog beds. Those stupid ones with the bumper on two sides is too small, and I am not paying $40 for something that will just end up partially digested.

Pets. I tell you.

This is me playing Angry Birds.

I once read that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I fundamentally disagree with this idea. I think that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of hope.

-Debbie Millman