The Andersen Family

The Andersen Family
In Nakuru, 2011

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Trailer Woes

Being on the road for us is always an adventure. Now with the car running smoothly, the trailer we were given had a few issues.

Three U bolts snapped and bent turning our trailer into a mess of scrap metal. Note the bend in the axle. Both shocks were bent and the tire on the right was ruined. The whole trailer took flight and attempted to take us with it. Perhaps flying to Kalacha would have been a better idea.

After unloading everything and hauling it to Loglogo, friends hauled the trailer bed in their truck.

At a friend's house, Eddie begins the big job of creating a new axle with a new suspension system. You can see the trailer bed behind him on the left.

Trailing arms, shocks and springs were a gift from another missionary in Kenya.
Eddie puts his welding skills to use.
Trying to make it "just right."
Underside of the completed job and a whole new suspension is installed in less than a day.
The improved trailer completed.



Two Most Requested Recipes

We've been asked for these two recipes again and again, so I thought I would post them for those who are interested.

We all love this chocolate cake. The apricot jam and frosting makes an ordinary cake special. I always serve this to guests as I can keep the ingredients on the shelf.

Sacher Torte Chocolate Cake--from Bette Hagman, Gluten free Gourmet

This is the gluten free recipe, but I think it would be easy enough to substitute a boxed mix or wheat flour recipe for the chocolate cake part. I would recommend a very moist chocolate cake recipe.

3 c. Gluten Free Flour (2 c. rice flour, 2/3 c. tappioca flour (cassava) , 1/3 c. corn starch)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. margarine or butter (can substitute vegetable oil)
1 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
12 T. cocoa powder
1 c. cola drink
1 c. water
1 tsp vinegar

1 1/2 c. apricot jam--about the amount in a 16 oz jar of jam

1 recipe Mocha Cream Frosting (follows)

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly, except for jam. The batter will be quite thin. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan. Drop jam by spoonfuls over the batter, letting it sink in. Bake for about 40 minutes at 350.

(cake recipe can be cut in half and baked in an 8 inch square.)

Mocha Cream Frosting
1 c. margarine or butter
6 T. cocoa powder
2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 tsp almond flavor
2 c. confectioner sugar

Blend all ingredients except for sugar. Then add sugar 1/2 c. at a time, beating after each addition. Beat until light and fluffy. Makes approx. 2 c.


Our "famous" recipe for sausage. We use a lot of goat and sheep meat here in Kalacha and have begun to make some wonderful sausage with it. So far the sausage has been the bulk style, we have not bothered with casings, but we hope to try using natural casings with our next butchering. (recipe is from Stocking Up III Cookbook)

Italian Sausage--this is excellent in spagetti sauce, on pizza, in lasagna and as links for breakfast.

1 pound goat or sheep--2 parts lean, on part fat, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 small cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 hot chilli powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt

Mix meat with spices, refrigerate for a few hours, then run through grinder. Refrigerating makes the meat grind more easily. We put it into bags and freeze it by the pound. It can be kept frozen for up to 3 months according to the cookbook.