Wooden Shoe Rather Be Dutch?

Hello, dear friends and family!  Since my dad has been visiting this weekend while attending a conference in Scottsdale, it has been a fun weekend of family time a Dutch indulgence!  On Thursday evening, I made a modern take on a traditional Dutch meal, Boerenkool met Worst.  Usually, this is mashed potatoes with boiled kale and sausage.  I am not big on boiling kale, so I sauteed it and mashed it with sweet potatoes.  The sausage is beer-boiled with onions.  It was a fun and easy meal and quite tasty!  Friday, Dad attended his conference, Matt and I went to work, and Nancy, my step-mother, arrived by plane in the evening.  We went out to the Salty Sow in Paradise Valley - it was a pretty cool gastropub type restaurant.  I definitely overate!

"Boerenkool met Worst"

On Saturday, after Dad had been to his conference in the morning and I had more students, we went to the Musical Instrument Museum in Scottsdale.  I love this place and have been at least 4 (maybe 5) times in the (almost a) year since we've lived here.  Unfortunately, the museum closes at 5 PM, so we couldn't linger very long, but we saw a lot of great pieces and had a lot of fun!  We went out for Thai food in Old Town and then enjoyed an evening at home, where Nancy is trying to get me hooked on Breaking Bad.  I enjoyed the pilot, but I might put it off until I am all caught up on Game of Thrones.

Dad hits the gong!

Nancy enjoys the MIM interactive room.

With Monet

Today has been the pinnacle of our Dutch-iness!  Nancy and I went for a hike this morning while Dad finished at the conference and then our cousins, the Vandenberghs, who live in Chandler, came up for poffertjes and brunch.  We ate poffertjes, little pancakes about the size of a half-dollar, with butter, jam, powdered sugar, and keukenstroop (super sweet Dutch syrup).  We had marzipan candies, bread with hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles), ginger cake, almond cookies, and more!  I am definitely feeling the food coma!  I know have a pantry full of more delicious Dutch treats to keep me fat for the next few months! (Or days, depending on my self-control or lack thereof...)  Now we are all relaxing on this beautiful Sunday afternoon and napping off the food.  What a fun weekend!

Lazy Sunday with the Vandenberghs

Matt and Rudy - cousin bonding

So many sweet treat leftovers!

My dad took some pictures of the poffertjes, I will try to upload it when he sends it to me.  Thanks for reading!

UPDATE: photos of poffertjes!