Family Life

5 Steps to building your own holiday traditions

by Nate Cairney, contributing writer Featured image by Africa Studio / shutterstock.com “Holiday traditions” are often so ingrained that we rarely stop to think about them. What happens, then, when you and… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Shrimp & Vegetable dish

Ingredients (for 4 people) • ½ cup chopped parsley • 8 ounces crème fraiche • 2 small zucchini diced into ½ inch cubes (or diced celery if you prefer) •… Read more

German Stores

Shopping Beyond the Military Base

Get started on your shopping journey beyond the gate guards – discover info on popular grocery and hardware stores as well as drugstores in Germany.

Cooking with Klaus – Red Wine Noodles with Panko Crumbs

Ingredients for 4 people 1 cup finely diced carrots 1 cup finely diced celery 1 cup finely diced onions 2 finely diced garlic cloves 8 tablespoons olive oil 1 chili,… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Greek Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients for 4 people • 1¾ pound chicken filets • 20 wooden skewers/sticks • Baking parchment paper • 1 cup green olives • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 organic… Read more

Fall in Love with Germany

What You’ll Miss When You Leave Germany…

Although there are times when living in a foreign country might be difficult and make you miss home, once you PCS out of Germany, there will be a pretty long list of things you’ll miss. Here are a few things you should take full advantage while you’re still based in Germany!

Cooking with Klaus – One Pot Chicken Pasta Meal

Ingredients for 4 people Slightly more than 1 pound of chicken breast, diced in ½ inch cubes 1 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped in half 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon… Read more

Homemade Bread – Yummy and Simple

Story and photos by Corinna Pongracz My small daughter, my husband and I love it when our home smells like freshly baked bread! That’s why I often make our bread… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Asparagus wrapped in Kraeuterflaedle (herb pancakes and ham)

Ingredients (for 4 people) 2.5 pounds asparagus 1.5 pounds potatoes 8 6-inch slices boiled ham 2 cups flour ½ cup chopped fresh parsley Salt, ground white pepper and nutmeg to… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Stuffed Onions & Portobello Mushrooms

Stuffed onions with BBQ Ground Meat   Ingredients (for 4 people) 2 extra large onions (similar to Vidalia onion size) peeled, cut in half, and remove all but the outer… Read more

Homemade Tomato Salsa Recipe

Spice up your taste buds this summer with a homemade tomato salsa! Follow this simple recipe and enjoy with crispy tortilla chips or your favorite dish.

Cooking with Klaus – Dark Beer Marinated Pork Steaks

Ingredients for 4 people 4 nice pork steaks from the neck (Schweinenacken steaks) 4 medium sized onions, peeled and cut in half rings 1 bottle of dark German beer 1… Read more

Wafer Muffins – A Twist to Your Regular Muffins

Story and photos by Corinna Pongracz Muffins are simply great. They’re made quickly, there’s tons of versions and kids just love them! The best thing is that muffins are so… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Mulligatawny

Ingredients for 4 people • Chicken Broth • 1 whole Chicken • 2 carrots • ½ stalk leek • ½ cup chopped celery • 1 sprig of parsley • 1… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Grilled Veal Cutlets

Ingredients for 4 people 4 normal size veal cutlets Aluminum foil Marinade: 4 tablespoons sour cream 4 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon chopped parsley 1 teaspoon chopped basil 1 teaspoon chives… Read more

Sitting on a pier, overlooking lake, surrounded by mountains

Manage Stress with Mindfulness Meditation

Managing stress has never been easy, and COVID has certainly not helped. But mindfulness meditation is specifically targeted at helping you tackle such challenges.

Cooking with Klaus – Grilled Salmon with Potato Leek Patties

Ingredients (for 4 people) Slightly more than one pound of potatoes 1 leek, finely sliced 2 tablespoons flour 2-3 tablespoons potato starch 1 egg, medium size 1 teaspoon salt ½… Read more

Sponsor an Animal at Kaiserslautern Zoo

Featured image courtesy of SPD Kaiserslautern Ongoing lockdown measures to contain the corona pandemic have affected most local attractions, many of which are now struggling and in need of help…. Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Creamy Raspberry Stracciatella Tiramisu

Ingredients (for 4 people) 1½ cups raspberries, frozen or fresh 250 grams mascarpone 250 grams quark, low fat (buy this in any store on the economy) 2 tablespoons sugar 1… Read more

DIY Bookmarks for Page Corners

Story and photos by Corinna Pongracz Are your little monkeys bookworms as well and can’t get enough of reading? Or maybe they’re still too young to read themselves but still… Read more

Forest Walks with Kids – 7 Ideas for Fun in The Great Outdoors

Story and photos by Corinna Pongracz It doesn’t matter if it’s spring, summer, fall or winter – as long as it’s not raining, my husband and I love to spend… Read more

Crêpes Suzette

Cooking with Klaus – French Crêpes Suzette

Ingredients for 4 people: • 8 tablespoons all purpose flour, sifted • 3 large eggs • ½ cup milk • 1teaspoon sugar • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/8 teaspoon salt… Read more

Swap “Bored” for Board: 6 Great Euro-Themed Board Games

Even during a non-COVID era, boredom often drives us to do one thing: open a glowing screen. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s good to have balance when… Read more

Easter traditions in Germany

Story by Nicole Karsch-Meibom, featured image by Anna Nahabed Easter is a happy time. After a long winter, finally nature is in full bloom. Children are waiting for the Easter bunny…. Read more

Traveling in the time of COVID-19

Featured image by Jose Carlos Cerdeno Remember last February, when COVID-19 was a little flu in other parts of the world? Ah yes, good old times. Remember making plans for… Read more

Making Your Home More Secure

Story and photos by Nadine Bower U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden community members are reminded that personal security can reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime. Staying safe is… Read more

German Easter Traditions

Story and photos by U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Easter time is associated with the beginning of spring and new life in Germany. Several Easter traditions have to do with banishing… Read more

Cultural Immersion: Life Off-Post

Story and photos by Paul Hughes, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart This is the first part of a three-part series that takes a look at what it’s like to live off-post, on-post… Read more

Spring Marks Beginning of Tick Season

by Michelle Thum Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during the upcoming warmer months from March to September. Public Health Command Europe’s Entomology Department provides helpful… Read more

All About Sippy Cups

Featured image by Syda Productions / shutterstock.com Hello moms and dads! In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month the Ramstein Dental Clinic would like to share some helpful tips… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Oriental Eggplant with Rice

Ingredients for 4 people • 4 cups of cooked rice • 2 small eggplants, fi nely diced in smaller than ½ inch cubes • 2 medium onions, fi nely diced… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Baked Eggplant with Pork Steak

Ingredients for 4 people • 4 pork steaks from the neck • 2 eggplants • 8 tablespoons oil • Salt and Pepper to taste • 1 can diced tomatoes •… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Parmesan Flank Steak with Rosemary Potatoes

Ingredients for 4 people • 2 pounds small potatoes (in Germany they are called Drillinge) • 8 tomatoes • 4-5 all spice corns • 10 black pepper corns • 12… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Potatoe Tuna Casserole!

Ingredients (for 4 people) • 1 pound of mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half • 2 onions, medium sized finely diced • 2 cans of tuna, strained and broken into… Read more

Puppy Love

Valentine’s Ideas to Surprise Your Loved One

Do something special for your loved one, we have plenty of ideas for you…

Fun Activities That Improve Child Development

Did you know that simple, active play helps your child’s development? It’s true. In addition to basic fitness, active play improves concentration, coordination, learning, social skills and much more. Though… Read more

Can’t-Miss German Day Trips A-Z: Your Hometown

If you talk to those who have traveled the world and checked off bucket list items like champions, you’ll often hear a common theme: they’ve never explored the places they… Read more

No-Cook DIY Playdough

Make homemade playdough quick and easy.

Cooking with Klaus – Roasted Potatoes!

Ingredients: • One hand full of potatoes per person • One small onion per person • Salt • Ground white pepper • Margarine First of all, many Americans know this… Read more

Cooking with Klaus – Pälzer dicke Bohnesupp (palatinate bean stew)

Ingredients for 4 persons 3-4 cups of dried white beans 6-8 cups of vegetable broth 4 large potatoes 3 carrots 1 large onion 1 parsley root ½ stalk leak ¼… Read more