the candy house

Growing up, one of my favorite holiday traditions was that of The Candy House.  An antique of sorts - this hand-crafted, wooden structure was handed down from a great grandmother luckily ending up in my mother's hands.  Ever since us kids were old enough to frost, we've been decorating the house with a splattering of sweet treats.

As described last year, however, like almost all Krieg Family activities, the event has turned into somewhat of a sport - a competition for who can adorn their side in the most creative, artistic, original, esthetically pleasing way possible.

Gretchen, Sam and I always get our own side (Stefan joined my team permanently last year), but we've had a rotating competitor on the fourth.  This year, mom stepped up to bat.

And like in any good Krieg Family competition, there is a winner.  In this case, based on the number of votes accumulated for each given side.  So what better way to help us determine a winner than to ask all of you to cast a vote.  Check out our work below and tell us:

1. Which is best
2. Which is worst
3. Which aspect/detail is your fav
4. Your guess of whose side is which

SIDE 1:

Highlights include: a lit candle in the left window,

a decorated, front-yard Christmas tree,

and a pile of wood with a licorice-y ax

SIDE 2:

Highlights include: a caramel fence w/ swinging door,
elevated steps up to the front entrance (complete w/ frosted windows),
and sliced-almond siding

SIDE 3:

Highlights include: pretzel-log cabin style,
a colorful fence,
and an outhouse decorated with fragrant Christmas wreaths
(to keep smells at bay)

SIDE 4:

 Highlights include: an American flag hanging above the garage,
a snowman leaning on a pile of snowballs,
and a vintage car headed out for a Sunday drive

Leave your vote in the comments - we'll report back soon with the winner!

xoxo

KK

more thanksgiving goodness

In addition to some epic pie-making, our Thanksgiving Day came with a whole host of other fun traditions. 

The Krieg-Gallun clan has been known to produce some very serious competitions - chief among them those that take place on Thanksgiving.  On one such occasion, a touch football game ended with a broken femur and full-leg cast.

This year, we tried to keep it a little more kid-friendly, opting for a family soccer game on Liz Krieg Field. 
(Liz Krieg being my mother who had a beautiful turf field hockey field built in her honor because she was just that awesome of a coach.)

With players of all ages, we managed to keep things friendly with my dad even pulling off a few headers:

In addition to some sports, we made time to prep a perfect balance of healthy and not-so-healthy dishes:

spicy sausage stuffing

spinach, persimmon, pomegranate, walnut,

pear, butternut squash salad

We got all dressed up and headed over our lovely grandma's house for a big, delicious dinner.

Sam carving his upside-down-roasted turkey

 

And then sampling it

(right off the bone of course)

with his new brother

The evening ended with those to-die-for pies and one unreal dance performance by a very energized cousin:

Watch out Justin Bieber - he's coming for you

 

xoxo

KK

perfect pies

Did you have a good Thanksgiving weekend?  Ours was jam-packed with ridiculously fun activities, delicious food and tons of good company - all starting with one perfectly decadent Thanksgiving Day.

As is traditional in the Krieg Family home, we spent the day prepping pies.  And by pies, I don't just mean 1 or 2.  I mean seven.  And even that was a very light year for us (just-a-bit-excessive) pie lovers. 
One year we cranked out no less than 13 before 3. 

While it used to be the full Krieg clan in the kitchen each contributing equal amounts to the pie creations, we've since relinquished the majorities of duties to the premier pie maker among us.

Any guesses on who that might be?

 

My 6'2", 238 lb, football-playing, soon-to-be investment-banking (little) brother.

As has become tradition, Sam got help from a good high school friend who has mastered the art of rolling out the perfect pie crust.  The two of them spent the day preparing batch upon batch of dough, and then batch upon batch of fillings.

While they prepared the vast majority of the pies, they introduced the newest member of the family to the tradition as well - teaching Stefan how to roll the dough evenly without letting it crack.

 

 

He did pretty well, only needing a little bit of help in the transfer of the crust to the pan.

(Look at how serious that face is in the transfer.  He knew Sam meant business.)

 

The pies all (even the one they let me roll out) turned out amazing.  Our best year yet.

 

 

 

Do you have any special dishes you make every single year?

 

xoxo

KK

favs for thanksgiving

Can you believe it's Thanksgiving already?  This fall really flew by, but I'm not complaining - I LOVE this type of weather, this time of year, this holiday.  Especially when I get to head home to Milwaukee for five days of jam-packed family fun.  (And my jam-packed, I mean literally: my mom sent all us kids a word document chronicling our schedule so we can all be prepared for what they have in store: a whole lot.)

Stefan and I are hopping on the red-eye tonight to head home, and knowing the plans for the next five days, I can tell you right now you won't be hearing from me.  So today I'm bringing you my favs for Thanksgiving to get you in the holiday spirit:

 

For table-setting:

 

kids' table with hand-drawn placemats on kraft paper

(with extra crayons for drawing of course)

from here

 

click here for more ideas on how to do kids' tables

 

a luscious mix of wintery greens in rustic wooden boxes

is the perfect way to adorn the grown-ups' table

from here

 

 

For drinking:

 

pumpkin pie white hot chocolate

from here

 

 

For eating:

 

quinoa, sweet potato & dried cranberry stuffing

from here

 

 

For dessert-ing:

 

there's just something so sweet about things in mini

from here

 

And just for fun:

 

READ THIS

I am most certainly a Williams-Sonoma LOVER,

but I couldn't help but laugh when reading

What are you up to for Thanksgiving?

xoxo
KK

Don't # 2: Don't Go Chasing Beiber Buses

Happy Wednesday, All! For those of you that didn't see my post last week (Do #1: Make Blueberry Sour Cream Scones), I will be posting every Wednesday to keep you on your toes midweek while Kakes stays at the helm all other days except Friday when we will post together. So, while I'd love to ramble on about why I've been absent from the blogging world and promise that I will endlessly try to make it up to you, I am going to save you the time, ask you to read my plan of attack in my last post and just get on with writing something that hopefully you will find somewhat entertaining. KK's last post is a tough act to follow!!!

So, without further ado....

Don't #2: Don't Go Chasing Beiber Buses

For those unfamiliar, Justin Beiber is a pre-pubescent pop-sensation, that has taken the music world by storm. Teenage girls (promise I'm not included!) think he is one heck of a stud muffin, sending girls in a tizzy, with just one flick of his moppy, irresistible modern form of the bowl-cut after another.

Though incredibly adorable, the appeal is not only looks. This seemingly young star has more talent than many musicians his senior. Though I was initially a doubter, thinking that all boy bands are the same, I learned quickly that this is just NOT the case. I mean, Backstreet boys doesn't produce hits like "One Time", "One Less Lonely Girl" and "Baby"... I know there's plenty of you out there with this track as your number one repeater on your ipod!

For those that have yet to be graced with the Beib Sauce (a personal nickname). Feel free to watch these videos on his unbelievable talent or download any of the tracks listed above. Caution though, you will need to allot some time for diva dancing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFUTfA3FXaI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNg-LAlYrFU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuuQ04bYAqA&feature=related

No, Team Cost to Coast, I promise I am not a creeper. I am just impressed with how this young man has gone above and beyond the definition of your average boy-bander by being a cute bowl-cutted boy with some sizzling dance numbers and some unbelievable chords - vocal chords that is.

I mean, come on, how cute is he??

So, of course, when I saw a bus on my walk to a friend's apartment with the word "Beiber" painted largely across it, I went nuttts!!!! Coco loco nuts!! I was in close proximity of the child sensation!

I started snapping tons of photos. Began creeping by the building where it was parked to see if I could get a glance of the talented teen sensation. Even started texting half of my phone book to let them know of my HUGE celebrity sighting. But after failed attempts at getting a glimpse for confirmation, I decided that my pictures of the bus would have to be enough to prove that I had come so close to stardom as I was already running late to an important dinner date. At least I had pictures of the bus, right??

Not so right... Upon reaching my friend, I immediately told her of my rare sighting of the Beiber bus and how it was almost as good as any celebrity sighting as I was clearly in close-proximity of a SUPER STAR!!!! What was her response, you ask??

One URL that crushed all of my hopes and dreams.... http://www.biebertourways.com/Home.aspx?Id=1

BEIBER BUS COMPANY

Despite all my excitement and phone filled with Beiber bus photos, I did not see the rare and unique Beiber tour bus but instead one bus out of many a fleet of Beiber Buses....Ugh! At least it made for an interesting evening of photo taking...

Lesson of the story - sometimes the bus, just ain't enough...

Until next week,

Your Celebrity Tour Guide

Kaka and the Caca

So I know it's still a full week away but I am already super pumped to head home to Milwaukee for Thanksgiving.  The holiday is a big one in our family - one filled with a full assortment of fantastic traditions that I know you'll all want to steal once you hear about them.  But let's not get ahead of ourselves, more on that post-turkey-day.  

One of the primary reasons I'm extra antsy to get home for the holidays this year is because I missed out on last year's festivities.  I had taken advantage of the extra days off, took the full week, and flew over to Switzerland to visit my then-long-distance, but now-live-in (thank goodness!), boyfriend.  Don't feel too bad - we spent the long weekend wine tasting in the Burgundy region of France.

Staying here:

La Maison d'Olivier Leflaive

Eating this:

A 5-course French dinner with 14 wine tastings to pair

(Thank goodness we stayed where we ate.  No driving allowed after this meal.)

More here

And buying that:

 

1

Besides the half case of amazing 8-euro table wine and a few other obligatory bottles we bought after each of our tastings, I purchased one delicious bottle of a fine Grand Cru that I am supposed to age for the next 25 years.  I told Stefan if he's around then, he's welcome to share it with me.  (Hey - there's no shame in a little encouragement and bribery.)

Since we were missing out on Thanksgiving, we decided to make a weekend trip to my hometown for a weekend o' fun with my parents the following weekend.  Stefan happened to be flying back through the States on his way back to Geneva from a work trip in Peru (or was it Mexico? Bolivia? Ecuador? Brazil?  I can't ever keep it straight), my parents were hosting my dad's office Holiday Party which is always a hoot, and I snuck an extra day off to fly in on the red-eye Thursday night.  It was perfect.

It was Stefan's first time in Milwaukee so I wanted to pull out all the stops.  One night, we'd dine at the cozy and fun Buckley's bar.  Saturday, we'd do cheese and cocktails at my parents' Holiday Party but then sneak out for a date at Lake Park Bistro.  I'd give him a tour of my alma mater, my mom would show him the DVD of me starring in Annie Get your Gun (oh, how I love being the COA*), and the two of us would pour through old photo albums in front of a toasty fire roaring in my parents' floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. 

*Center of Attention - abbreviated for the frequency with which this occurs in my life

Buckley's and Lake Park Bistro

AND finally, last but certainly not least, he'd meet my fabulously stylish, sophisticated, refined, and elegant grandmother - Kaka.  The three of us (plus my mom and dad) would do lunch at the Milwaukee Country Club, of course.

I had prepped Stefan on lunch for weeks. 

Me: "Now, the MCC is SUPER fancy.  We're talking serious elegance and sophistication.  Kaka would never take us anyplace less than la creme da creme.  You'll need to wear a jacket. And maybe a tie."

Him: "A tie?  For lunch?"

Me: "Yes, yes - this place is NICE.  We're talking very, very refined.  We'll be brushing shoulders with Milwaukee's elite - the most dignified, cultivated, and cultured of the Midwest.  There are no bad manners allowed here."

So needless to say, he was ready when the clock struck twelve.  We walked through the big front door and were escorted to our table through the main hall outfitted with a lovely spread of seasonal decorations.  "Where can I hang my coat?" Stefan asked politely.  "Right through there in the men's room, sir," the kind gentleman told him. 

In he went.

The rest of us sat, began chatting, and browsed through the menu.  My mom and I would get the salmon, my dad - an omelette, Kaka - the Benedict.  Then out came Stefan as white as a ghost.  He gently sat himself down, gingerly placing his napkin on his lap. 

"What's the matter, Stefan?" my mom asked jollily.  Stefan glanced around the table nervously as we all waited for his response.  "Come on now," she egged him.  "Tell us."

He slowly leaned over and whispered into her ear.  Within seconds she was in hysterics.  "Are you serious?  No way!  That is hilarious!  In that bathroom?  Oh my goodness - this is too good to be true!"

Apparently, a poor gentleman - who perhaps had had one too many prunes - had found the journey from the men's room door to the bathroom stall a bit too arduous and didn't quite make it all the way.  Stefan had had the honor of being welcomed to Milwaukee's most elite establishment by a long (and a bit smelly) brown carpet of - you guessed it - Scheiße. 

We laughed for days. 

More Milwaukee stories to come soon.  Stay tuned.

xoxo
KK