Now it’s on to one of the best Czech desserts - Koláče!  I’m not talking about the fake, American version of koláče sold in some donut shops and wanna-be koláče bakeries.  Those that I have tried are are NOT real koláče.  I’m talking about delicious, authentic Czech koláče like my mom used to make.  Mom would make large, 12-14 inch koláče with poppy seed, prune, apricot, and cream cheese fillings sprinkled with posypka.  During my 3 month stay in the Czech Republic, I would often go to a bakery and purchase small, individual sized koláče (about 3-4 inches in diameter) so that’s what I thought I’d try to make.  This is my first batch and I learned quite a few things in the process.  

Below is the recipe I used.  After baking, I realize there are some things that I’ll need to change next time I make these.  First, I believe I need to reduce the amount of yeast (to 1 tablespoon).  Second, instead of dividing the dough into 16 pieces, I might be able to get away with doubling that (to 32 pieces) resulting in koláče not as large as those pictured above.

Koláče Recipe:

1. Prepare the same dough as the Vánočka.  Allow it to rise in a warm location for 60 minutes.
2. Punch dough down, place on a floured surface, and divide into 16 pieces.  Roll into balls about 2 inches in diameter. **I will try making these into 32 balls next time.**
3. Place dough balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.
4. Flatten the centers of the dough balls with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in flour.  This will give you a nice, mini “pizza” shape with a rim around the outside to surround the filling.  
5. Brush the rim of the dough with whisked egg.
6. Pipe the desired filling into the center.  My ABSOLUTE favorite filling is cream cheese - see recipe below.  I placed the cream cheese filling in a gallon-sized zip top bag and cut off one corner of the bag.  
7. Sprinkle with posypka (see recipe below).
8. Let rise 15-20 minutes.  
9. Bake in a 350^oF oven for 20-25 minutes.  Cool and enjoy!

Well, I did it!  I made the one Czech food that makes me so incredibly proud once I’ve finished - Vánočka (Czech Christmas Bread)!!  My mom made it every year during the holidays and it just doesn’t feel like Christmas without it.

Below is the recipe I’ve used over the last few years - I leave out the raisins, other dried fruits, and the lemon rind found in other recipes (John won’t eat it otherwise).  Also, this is the first time I placed slivered almonds on the outside - I think I’ll pass on them next year as I don’t like the way it looks once baked.

I forgot to buy wooden skewers this year so when I baked my Vánočka, the top layer started to slide to one side resulting in a crooked loaf.

Last night I made my mom’s potato soup (Bramboračka) - well, I think the recipe is fairly close to my mom’s soup.  I don’t actually have her recipe so I’m not certain if this is exactly how she would cook it.  She’s been gone for 11 1/2 years and it’s been a long time since I had her soup.  It certainly tasted a lot like I remember.  I was suprised that Camden enjoyed it as much as he did - he said it tasted “yummy” and made him feel nice and warm inside!  Here is the recipe I used:

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 stalk of celery - chopped
6 baby carrots - chopped
1 medium onion - chopped
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/8 teaspoon marjoram
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 cups of water
3 medium potatoes - peeled and cut into cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
fresh parsley

1. Boil 6 cups of water.  Add mushrooms, celery, carrots, onion, caraway seeds, marjoram, salt, and pepper.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Add cubed potatoes.  Cook for an additional 30-40 minutes until potatoes are tender (but not mushy!).
3. Melt butter in a small pan and add flour.  Add to soup and stir until well blended.  More salt and/or pepper may be added if desired.
4. Garnish the soup with fresh parsley and enjoy!  This recipe serves 4.

Well, every single thing that I purchased online has arrived.  I have also made a few more purchases as items have gone on sale.  The poor mail carrier - I think she is getting very tired of having to come out of her vehicle to deliver packages to our door.  Yesterday when she was driving up to our mailbox, Camden ran out to meet her to see if she had any more boxes to give us.  She told Camden that maybe on Monday he’ll get more.  As the boxes were arriving, they would get piled up on our dining room table - it was beginning to look like a warehouse!  Throughout the last couple of weeks, as I’d get home from work, I’d hide the packages throughout the house.  I hope I can remember where I put everything!  UUGGHH - now I have to wrap everything and I hate wrapping presents!  

We have spent WAY too much money on Christmas gifts this year!  Camden is getting a ridiculous amount of gifts from Santa and Mom/Dad.  John and I were talking the other day about Camden and how he has SOOOOO much more than we ever did as kids.  I guess we (or actually, I) end up buying him all the fun things that we/I would have wanted as a kid.

Wow - what an exciting couple of days of shopping!  As was the case last year, I did the majority of my Christmas shopping online.  One thing I did do differently, however, was to actually go to the brick & mortar stores prior to purchasing online to check out some of the merchandise first (specifically - Target & Walmart).  Here are my experiences with some of the online retailers I purchased from or considered purchasing from this year.  Please note all times are in CST:

1.  Toys ‘R Us - They started their online BF sale in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving.  I got onto their website about 5:30am Thursday and I was able to purchase the $59.99 Star Wars Federation MTT (7662) Lego set and the $19.99 Eyeclops Handheld Bionic Eye for Camden without any issues.  I tried to make another purchase Friday morning but their site was having issues.  They had a $25 off a $50 purchase coupon if you used Paypal.  I could get the coupon to appear in my shopping cart but every time I tried to pay using Paypal, it would state that Paypal wasn’t available at that time.  I’m not too impressed with Toys ‘R Us and their shipping charges are ridiculous.  I had a free shipping code but I couldn’t get it to work Thursday; it worked Friday but then Paypal wasn’t working.  Whatever!   UPDATE:  Okay - I think Toys ‘R Us has somewhat redeemed themselves, IMO.  I placed another order today (Saturday) and was able to use a $15 off $75 purchase coupon PLUS the free shipping code that I had.  That gave me a total savings of $25 off the order.  Also, they sent me a notice today that my first order has already shipped.

2.  Target - They also started their BF sale on Thanksgiving although many of their items were not available online - bummer.  I was able to purchase 2 of the Kodak digital frames and got free shipping too!  I went to the store Friday afternoon to price adjust the $59.99 Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer (6211) Lego set - it was a madhouse there.  Thank goodness I was able to get everything!  UPDATE:  The picture frames shipped fast!  I received an email Friday that they’re on their way.

3.  Best Buy, Sears, Kmart - They all started their BF sales late Wednesday night or early Thanksgiving morning.  I didn’t make any purchases from them as there wasn’t anything we wanted.  They had some great deals, though!

4.  Circuit City - They had their BF prices available on Thanksgiving as well.  I only wanted a few small things.  They also had free shipping with a $24 purchase.  I made my purchases early in the morning on Thursday and was done in a few minutes without any issues with their site.  UPDATE:  CC has also shipped my items as of Friday!

5.  Kohl’s - First thing I have to say = I L-O-V-E Kohl’s!!!! At 11:59pm Thursday night, I sat in bed with my laptop, my shopping cart already full of the BF items I wanted to purchase.  At midnight, I refreshed their site, the front page updated, and it was shoppin’ time!  I made all of my purchases by 12:15 am Friday morning.  Their sight was incredibly slow but I was able to get everything I wanted PLUS free shipping PLUS I used a 15% off coupon.  Their items were selling out F-A-S-T.  The 14-piece Farberware Cook Set was sold out when I went back to check it at 12:20am.  The Big Ones Throw Blankets were also selling out very quickly.  Did I mention that I really, really, really, love Kohl’s!?!?!  UPDATE:  Kohl’s has already begun shipping my items as of late Friday.

6.  Amazon - They started their BF prices at 2:00am Friday.  I had a hard time determining what their BF sales were as their BF page wasn’t the easiest to comprehend/navigate.  I ended up buying Camden the Legos Batman Game for the Xbox 360 for $29.99.  At 4:00am they had several $1.99 DVD’s on sale (many of the same titles as Walmart), but none to my liking.  They did have their Lighting Deals going on once per hour throughout the day Friday.  I purchased the Jasman HALO 3 Covenant Plasma Pistol Laser Pursuit Gaming 2 Players set for $19.99 around 7:30pm for Camden.  John said he’d love it!  UPDATE:  As has always been the case with Amazon, they are shipping our items out super fast (less than 12 hours after purchase, in some cases).  

7.  Walmart - At 2:30am Friday I went to check their website to see if their BF prices were updated.  Yay - success!!!  Their prices were updated and I was so excited!  I put everything in my cart and when I went to check out, they took away the free “Site to Store” shipping option for many of the items. This option was available for many of the same items the day before.  The total shipping cost was overpriced so I didn’t even buy anything from Walmart this year.

I just bought the neatest gadget at Amazon.  It’s an Audiovox Digital Frame & Message Center.  It was one of the Lightening Deals and I purchased it for $49.99 total!!  I’m loving these Lightening Deals.

So we’ve received Camden’s Christmas wish list for this year and as usual, it contains so many toys that I know he’ll lose interest in after a short while.  He did ask for a few Star Wars Lego sets, which I feel are excellent toy choices.  But he also wants the Eyeclops Night Vision Goggles, a few video games, and some MORE action figures (as if he doesn’t have enough already).  I predict that those goggles will end up at the bottom of his toy chest no less than a month after Christmas.  

I’m thinking of getting him one of the Snap Circuit Sets (the Extreme version).  He received the JR set last Christmas and still plays with it.  We actually fought over it about a month ago.  I was planning on taking it to school to do a demonstration with it for my class and Camden became very upset that I was taking it.  He asked about it the entire time it was gone (which was about 3 days).  I like the extreme version since it provides the opportunity to build both an FM and AM radio, as well as the ability to interface with a computer.  It also contains a solar panel.  How cool is that?!?!?

I did find this game on clearance at AllAboardToys.com and went ahead and bought it (no worries, his Christmas won’t be spoiled - Camden doesn’t read my blog ).  It was $12.97 plus they had a 10% off coupon.  I bought some other items as well.

Happy

Christmas

Shopping!!

I just spent 2 wonderful days at the CAST Convention in beautiful downtown Fort Worth (CAST = Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching). This is a convention sponsored by the Science Teachers Association of Texas (STAT).  What a wonderful experience getting to spend time with other science educators!  It was also an opportunity to meet a large number of vendors and see products/ideas that can be utilized in science education. I have so many new ideas to use in my classroom!  I also spent a small fortune on science toys for Camden. My poor son - he doesn’t stand a chance with me!  Everything I want to buy for him has some sort of scientific principle or concept behind it. Anyway, he and I just finished playing with the toys and he’s enjoying them.

Carolyn emailed this and I love it. I had to show it to my students today - most of them freaked out.

Happy Halloween!

I just bought several of the series 3 Halo 3 toys for the boys (yes, John is still considered a boy - he loves to collect toys and has passed this love on to his son). They had a great deal at Amazon where you could purchase 3 for $25. I believe the sale is still going on (click here).