First of all, do you like my new look? Its amazing what you can get up to when your snowed in on the weekend. I’m rather proud of it myself. all to let rise at room temp for approx 3 hours until double. This recipe which you can find in its entirety here, yields 6 dough balls. The excess dough makes for great freezing at a later time.
Now here what you do to make Stromboli. Roll out a small dough ball( enough for an individual size pizza) into a rectangle approx 10-11 inches long and 5 inches across.
Pre heat oven to 450 degrees.
Brush your dough lightly with tomato sauce( optional) or oil if you prefer. Sprinkle some herbs, crushed pepper. Fill sparingly with topping s of your choice. I used sliced onions, ham , pepperoni, mozzarella,olives. The choice is yours.Roll carefully lengthwise, lifting carefully as you roll to encompass the ingredients. Brush with a beaten egg and very lightly sprinkle with more cheese( Parmesan works great too).
Sprinkle your cast iron pan or pizza stone with cornmeal. I confess, I was out and used flour. Lay your Stromboli down and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Take out and let rest a few minutes.
I have made a commitment this year to bake my my own breads with several other bakers. We call this BYOB. We do this for nutrition concerns, to know what we eat, and to save money on overpriced baked goods. Nothing is more satisfying than Baking you own bread.
Decorating was kept simple with white chocolate seas shells. I attempted to melt white chocolate in a double boiler. I got a semi melted crumbly mess. Nevertheless I pressed it into lightly a lightly oiled sea shell silicone tray. I then microwaved it for a brief 20 seconds. Be careful as it can burn easily. I always have issues with white chocolate. Nevertheless the crumbly , non perfect texture was perfect for the realistic seashells. I dusted them lightly with lustre and kept them in the fridge until ready. I assembled the two tires , frosted and adhered the shells. A little extra piping and voila!Off to aunties house it goes.
I loved this piece of salmon I dipped in 
I was craving something else a bit more substantial but light. I toyed with a can of Cannellini Beans which go excellent with salmon and came up with this spicy cakes.Not fried but still crispy, they are lighter , exotic version of salmon croquettes. You can omit the spice but that adds the punch:
In a separate dish pour in your Panko Bread Crumbs. Grease baking sheet.
Bake for approx 10 minutes and then turn. Bake for another 10 minutes. Patties should be firm and slightly golden. 
Certain Someone and I needless to say were exhausted and jet lagged by the time New Years Eve rolled around. No overpriced parties and clubs for us. We decided to use the night as an occasion to catch up with couple who are old friends of ours. Last year Certain Someone purchased a Raclette grill for us. Many of his youthful single days were spent entertaining in this style. As I had kind of lost my kitchen mojo being inactive this was a perfect solution for New Years Eve. The first time I has Raclette was in Geneva visiting a friends house while in college. I remember the real authentic Raclette cheese . potatoes and the good wholesomeness of it. Certain Someone has taken more liberties than what I remember , but that even makes Raclette more fun.
Raclette is both a cheese and a type of grill with Swiss origins. It consists of a grill with individual melting pans and a grill top. Traditionally bread or small potatoes are served alongside melted cheeses, salamis and other charcuterie, vegetables, pickled vegetables,and toppings. One can assemble all sorts of creations to melt the cheese atop. Its communal , interactive, and very filling. Traditionally a good white wine is served with.There was an old superstition not to drink water with your raclette as the cheese balls formed in your stomach could expand and cause death. We served the following:
The next day Certain Someone actually cooked up this big baked gratin for us with the leftovers. He layered all the vegetables. meat , and cheeses with pasta. I have to say it was quite good and fattening. Just the right dish to kick of the New Year.
I was touched, as you really do not see a lot of that type of devotion here. One wonders if the younger generations will keep these traditions. We mostly stayed put while Certain Someone’s mother provided us three meals. She takes great pride in her cooking and it was fun to see her baby truly enjoy her sturdy food. Breakfasts began with various wursts, bread, Mett (similar to steak tartar but made with pork), some cheese, soft-boiled eggs, etc. I admit it was hard for me to adjust to eating like that each morning and I just cannot wrap my head around Mett. Lunches were the big meals and she presented my favorites like Leberkasse (a type of meatloaf which ironically does not have liver in it),
stuffed cabbage roulades in kraut, goose, and tons of potato dishes. Who knew all those versions of potato salads could exist and some even with more wursts! Certain Someone’s mothers likes to bake cakes and make puddings too. Normally he does not eat my sweets but again it was fun to see him lap up the puddings. All of this, washed down with tons of coffee drinking and beer .The kitchen was off limits to me and her sole domain . Unfortunately, I did not get to see or learn how to make her wonderful cookies.Rich marzipan and buttery confections. She also is a gifted needle pointer and the house was filed with all her decorated table linens, and ornaments with her signature needlework. In another time and place I can see her giving Martha Stewart a run for her money in the crafts and cooking departments.
Certain Someone and I visited some of his childhood friends as well while in Essen. I am not used to a place virtually shutting down for days. Christmas is celebrated over days. First, the opening of the presents on the Eve, Christmas Day, and then Zweiter Weihnachts Tag (the second day). Strangely, church going is not big in Germany except for perhaps Christmas. We did manage to leave the house and walk along the beautiful Ruhr River. 
Certain Someone entertained me with visits to both Cologne and Dusseldorf as well, both about an hour by train from Essen. We made it the famous Christmas market in Cologne, one of Germany’s oldest cities. The market is right under the Cathedral, which houses the bones of the Magi as well as many knights, kings, and princes. The cathedral dates back fro centuries and is always in a state of repair and renovation. 
We breaked for lunch at a traditional Brau Haus (brewery) for good German food and Kolsh (the beer Cologne is famous for). I loved these sort of places where one takes a table and may share it with others eating good simple food. I always claim German food is the Soul Food of Europe. I devoured with Certain Someone’s help a delicious Ham shank. Overall, I liked Cologne except for the maddening Christmas crowds. It was a bit overwhelming at that time of year, but hopefully one day I will be back when it is calmer. I searched high and low for Springerele molds for next years cookies but could not find any. It is a lost art it seems. After Christmas, Certain Someone whisked me off to Düsseldorf. While Cologne is known for media, carnivals, arts and culture, and being called ‘the gayest city ‘ in Germany, is its rival in fashion, more media, banking, and its Alt Beer. I think I am more a Dusseldorf kind of girl myself.
I loved walking by the Rhine and strolling down the Kö( Königsalle/ Kings Alley) taking in the fashionable designer shops and jewelers. I tried to show Certain Someone some baubles priced at around 20,000 euros but he was not having it. You know how men wait outside while you look. Although he stopped in a few stores to check out his passion, watches. We visited another Brau House to sample Düsseldorf’s Alt Beer (old beer) . I liked this one more because it was darker. We both had dishes with Spatzle and another memorable lunch before heading back to Essen. If I ever had to live in Germany Dusseldorf would be more to my liking. And alas, the trip was over. Ten days of eating, drinking, and a lot of contemplation. I have a new understanding of Germany and hopefully will get to explore more of it one day.