you pirate

Emilia had a friend over and they weren't including Heidi.  I could hear them fighting so I snuck to the door with the camera and I caught Heidi dishing out her worst insults! 

(wouldn't upload my video, so you're going to have to go to my FB page to see it)

***For those of you not fluent in "Heidi," here is a translation.

"You're ruining my life.  You're ruining my life.  You're ruining my life Emilia.  You're ruining my life pirate!  You're ruining my life you pirate on a ship!"

Christmas Eve and Day

Saturday we got to drive up to Portland and spend the evening with Lars's brother and family.  Apparently I didn't get a single picture of them...but I did get one of them sporting their new p.j. pants from grandma Ingrid :)

Santa came to our house and brought the girls some toys and boots.  Grandma and Grandpa spoiled the girls as well.  Our favorites were the adorable aprons that my sister made for us.  I wore mine ALL day while I was cooking.  Thanks Elizabeth!  :)

That afternoon we had our friends over to share a traditional Swedish Smorgasbord...sans pickled herring and liver patte.  We had ham, orange rolls, Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce, yams and apples, braised cabbage, pickled beets, roasted brussel sprouts, salad, crackers and cheese, veggies and spiced cider. 

After dinner the girls and their friends made Ramses a throne and a crown.  Here is photographic proof that we got a very tolerant cat.  I still won't be surprised if he ever tries to escape out the bathroom window.  I've been tempted a few times myself :)

Day 12-Merry Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas my gift to you from me is my favorite roll recipe...

Feather Rolls or Ingrid's Orange Rolls
(It is no surprise that this recipe also came from my MIL)

Mix and let stand
1/2 c warm water
2 T yeast
1 T sugar

1 c milk, scalded
1/2 c butter, melted in the milk
1/3 c sugar
2 t salt
2 eggs, well beaten
Mix and add into yeast mixture.  Beat in 4 1/2 c flour.  Let mix for several minutes.  The dough will be very sticky.  Cover and put it in the fridge overnight. 

 Two hours before eating, knead dough and divide in half.  Roll out each half into a rectangle.  Melt 1/2 c butter and stir in the zest of an orange.  Spread melted butter on dough, roll up, and cut into 12 rolls. 





Put the rolls in muffin tins and let rise a bit before baking in a 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. 

Day 11

I'm posting this today because we'll be gone most of tomorrow, so here you go...
On the eleventh day of Christmas my gift to you from me are some more cookie recipies.  (Just what everybody needs right?)

Toffee Diamonds

1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
Beat until fluffy.  Add in
1 t vanilla
1 egg yolk
Mix again and then stir in
2 c flour
Mix.  Add in
1 c mini choco chips

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Press dough into pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  While still warm, cut into 2" diamonds.  Make frosting.

Melt in a sauce pan
1/4 c chocolate chips
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/8 t salt
Add in milk 1 t as a time until mixture is a thick, spreading consistency. 

Dot each diamond with a drop of frosting and top with a walnut. 

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix until light and fluffy
1 c butter
2/3 c sugar
Add in
2 egg yolks
1 lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
1 t vanilla extract
Mix in
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
and finally add
2 1/4 c flour

Scoop out balls of dough.  Use your thumb, or dip 1/2 t measuring spoon in powdered sugar and press into cookie dough.

 Mix together 1/2 c jam, any flavor, and 1 t lemon juice.  Fill cookies with 1/2 t jam.  Bake for 20-ish minutes until golden brown.

Day 10

On the tenth day of Christmas my gift to you from me are my favorite side dish recipes...

Garlic Green Beans

2 lbs. green beans, fresh or frozen
2 T butter
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 t coarse sea salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Met butter in large sauce pan melt 1 T butter and saute minced garlic until brown.  Add in green beans and toss with butter and garlic.  Add a bit of water and steam green beans until crisp-tender.  Drain any water and season with salt and pepper.  Just before serving, sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds.

Roasted Sesame Asparagus

1 1/2 lbs. asparagus spears
1 1/2 t. dark sesame oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 t sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 t crushed red pepper
salt
pepper
shaved Parmesan cheese, if desired

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Snap off tough ends of asparagus.  Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Drizzle or brush asparagus with sesame oil.  Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Take pan out of oven and add vinegar, sesame seed and red pepper, tossing gently to coat.  Put asparagus in your serving dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Top with cheese if you are using it.

(I stole the pictures this time...is that proper documentation?)

Elvis is on the "Naughty List"

I walked Emilia over to her little friend's house to play.  She walked in, hugged her friend, gave Elvis the dog a friendly pat and he jumped up and bit her cheek!  Emilia covered her face and tried to stop crying so she could stay and play, but once I saw the blood dripping down her cheek I said sorry sister and hauled her home.  While Dad got the bleeding to stop, I sat with my head between my knees.  I get woozy at the initial injury, but then I can pull it together.  Lars gets woozy at needles, and we figured there would be a few of them, so I was nominated to pack E up and take her to the E.R. 

She was a champ!  The nurse was great with her and had E helping with whatever she could.  The doctor was kind and efficient.  I got to lay on the bed with her the whole time and hold her hand and read her a book.  They numbed up her cheek, cleaned out the puncture wound really well and then he put two stitches in her cheek.  It wasn't a big wound thankfully, it was just jagged.  It looks great so far.  We were in and out in an hour...which is rather amazing. 

Of course I had to take E to get an ice cream cone and a fairy doll after the whole affair and in my mind she totally deserved it. As we were leaving the hospital, Emilia said to me, "I don't care if I have stitches in my cheek because I'm still cute.....and I'm alive."

I'm glad she has her priorities straight.

:)

FINALLY!!!

We finally got an impromptu family picture as we were out at Seal Rock with my sister in law and her kids.  Where did you find snow, you ask??  No where.  It's sea foam...it just looks like snow.  :)

We almost got one with everybody looking.  :p

Day 9

On the ninth day of Christmas my gift to you from me is my ninth favorite recipe...

"Green Lemonade"
recipe by Natalia Rose

This is a GREAT way to start your day.  Drink one of these bad boys for breakfast and you will have an amazing amount of energy.  Yum!!

1 head Romain lettuce
6 stalks kale
2 organic Fuji apples
1 lemon, peeled
1-2 inches fresh ginger, peeled

Press all through a juicer, one fruit/veggie at a time.  Drink it down.  Go brush your teeth.  You don't want green teeth :D

If you want it sweeter, add another apple or some sweet organic carrots.

Day 8

On the 8th day of Christmas my gift to you from me are another two of my favorite recipes :)

These are both Swedish recipes (surprise) we make each year to celebrate St. Lucia

Engelska Pepparkakor

(these are like a thinner, crispier gingerbread)

1/2 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

3/4 c dark syrup *

2/3  stick butter

2 t cinnamon

2 t ginger

1/2 t cloves

1/2 t cardamom

1 t grated orange peel

1 1/2 t baking soda

Combine all and mix well.

3/4 c heavy cream or half and half

Beat until lightly foamy and add to sugar mixture.

5 1/4 c flour

Add to spicy mixture.  Work the dough until shiny and pliable on table adding more flour if needed.  Divide the dough into two halves.  Pat out to a disk, wrap and refrigerate over night, or a few hours if you can't wait that long.  Roll out to 1/8" thin and cut with a cookie cutter.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.  The most traditional Swedish shapes are pigs, goat and apples.  These taste fabulous with egg nog, hot cider or hot chocolate. 



*Dark syrup is dark corn syrup, however you can use molasses.  It just makes the cookies softer rather than crispy.   The flavor remains pretty much the same because of the other spices.

The traditional recipe is Saffron bread or "Lussekatter".  If you've ever looked, you will know that Saffron is obscenely expensive.  So I've adopted this recipe of

Buttered Sweet Potato Knot Rolls

1 T yeast
1 c warm milk
3/4 c mashed sweet potatoes, canned or fresh
1 T butter
1 1/4 t salt
2 large egg yolks
5 c bread flour

Dissolve yeast in milk.  Let stand 5 minutes and then add sweet potatoes, butter, salt and egg yolks.  Mix with a whisk.  Add 4 1/2 c flour and stir until dough forms.  Knead and add remaining flour.  Cover and let rise until doubled in size.  Punch down and let rest 5 minutes. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Divide the dough into 24 equal portions.  Working with one at a time, roll dough into a "snake", tie into a knot and tuck ends underneath.  Put 12 rolls on each baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.  Cover and let rise until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake rolls (uncovered) for 12-15 minutes.  Brush with butter while still warm.

Day 7

On the seventh day of Christmas my gift to you from me is my seventh favorite recipe...

Today you get my two favorite Sauces
Thai Peanut Sauce

3 T peanut butter
2 cloves garlic
2 t hot chili oil
2 T maple syrup or honey
2 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/4 c water
peanuts

Mix all in a saucepan over med heat.  Stir until peanut butter has melted and all ingredients are combined.  Serve over stir fried or sauteed veggies and rice.  Sprinkle peanuts on top. 
I usually double the recipe.  It's good on everything!

*As a Raw recipe, mix all and puree.

Hot Fudge Sauce
(This is my mom's recipe, for all of you who have ever had this and wanted the recipe)

3/4 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa powder
2/3 c evaporated milk
1/3 c light corn syrup
1/3 c butter
1 t vanilla

Combine sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan.  Blend in evaporated milk and corn syrup.  Cook over low heat stirring constantly until mixture boils.  Boil and stir for one minute.  Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.  Makes about 2 cups.  Serve warm or cold over ice cream, brownies, cake or with a straw. :)

Puddle Jumping- Oregon Coast Style

It was a picture perfect day

Day 6

On the 6th day of Christmas my gift to you from me, is my 6th favorite recipe...

Swedish Meatballs (once again from my Swedish mother in law)

1 c water
1 egg
In a small bowl, add together and mix well.  Stir in
1/2 c bread crumbs OR 1 medium potato, cooked, cooled and mashed
Let mixture stand while you are grating
1/2 yellow onion
Stir into bread crumbs with
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Add in 1 lb. lean ground beef* and
1/2 lb. ground pork (plain, not seasoned)

Knead in the meat until all the ingredients are well blended and the mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Shape into 1" balls. 
If you want the meatballs to stay round, place on a baking sheet in the fridge for an hour before cooking.
Over high heat in a heavy skillet, melt some butter and oil.  Add the meat balls 8-10 at a time.  Reduce heat to medium and fry the meatballs on all sides.  Transfer to a baking dish and keep warm in a 200 degree oven while cooking the rest of the meat balls. 
After the meatballs are cooked, use the same skillet and pour off the fat.  Add water and a little cream.  slowly add 1 T of flour mixed with some water until smooth and whisk it over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until you have a smooth gravy.  Add beef bouillon or more cream to taste.
Pour gravy over cooked meatballs in baking dish.

Serve with mashed potatoes, pickled beets and lingonberry jam. 

I use a mixture of ground turkey and ground pork.  I like the flavor better and they aren't as dense.

5th Recipe

On the 5th day of Christmas my gift to you from me is my fifth favorite recipe...

Sneaky Veggie Spaghetti Sauce
(I made up this recipe to sneak more veggies onto my kid's plate.  They loved it!)

1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 summer squash, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil
1-8 oz can tomato sauce
1-28 oz can diced tomatoes
1-6 oz tomato paste
salt
pepper
bay leaves

Saute onion, zucchini, summer squash and garlic in olive oil.  When soft, take off heat and pour into blender or food processor with 8 oz tomato sauce. 

In a large pot or crock pot, pour in puree, diced tomatoes and tomato paste.   Season with salt, pepper and bay leaves to taste.  Let simmer allowing flavors to blend... the longer the better.

If you have carnivores living in your house, you can add sausage and mushrooms, ground beef or ground turkey as well.

4th Recipe

On the fourth day of Christmas my gift to you from me is my fourth favorite recipe...
Scandinavian Almond Bars (this is my mother in law's recipe)

1 c butter
2 c sugar
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1 t almond extract
3 1/2 c flour
milk
1 c sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

Almond Icing
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 t almond extract
3-4 t milk

Beat butter in large bowl for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder and salt.  Beat well.  Add egg and almond extract; beat until well combined.  Mix in flour.  divide dough into 8 sections.  One at a time, roll into 12 inch "snakes".  Put two at a time on a cookie sheet.  Flatten  to 3 inch width.  Brush cookie dough with pink and sprinkle with almonds. 

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  While cookies are still warm, cut diagonally into 1 inch strips.  Cool on a wire rack. 

Make almond icing by combining all three ingredients.  Drizzle over cookies.

3rd recipe

On the third day of Christmas my gift to you from me is my third favorite recipe...

Almond Cardamom Stars

6 c flour
3c  powdered sugar
1 1/2 t ground cardamom
1 1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
3/4 c almond paste (NOT marzipan), crumbled (1-8 oz can)
3 T butter, cold
1 c fresh orange juice
9 T vegetable oil

Icing
4 c powdered sugar
6 T orange juice

Mix flour, sugar, soda, cardamom and salt until blended.  Add almond paste and butter.  Slowly add juice and oil.  Divide dough into three sections.  Wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

One section at a time, roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.  Cut with a star-shaped cookie cutter and cook for 8 minutes.   

To make icing, mix powdered sugar and orange juice.  Spoon over warm cookies.

*You can also just chill the dough in logs, then slice them and bake circles instead of rolling out the dough etc.

Recipe 2

On the second day of Christmas my gift to you from me is my second favorite recipe...

Sliced Potato Soup

1 onion chopped
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced thin
2 cubes chicken bouillon
and enough water to cover potatoes by an inch
1 cup kale or spinach, roughly chopped
1 lb. ham, bacon or spicy ground sausage (optional)
1/2 c fat free sour cream
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
2 T Dijon mustard
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes


Chop onion and saute in butter or oil in a large soup pot.  Add in sliced potatoes, chicken bouillon and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Stir in sour cream, cheese and mustard.  Add meat (if using) and chopped kale or spinach.  Season with salt pepper and red pepper flakes.

12 Recipes of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my gift to you from me is my first favorite recipe.

Sioux Indian Fry Bread

2 c warm water
2 T yeast
1/4 c sugar
Mix and let rise.
In a bowl mix together
4 c flour
1/4 t salt
Pour in yeast mixture and 1/4 c oil. Mix until completely combined. Will be sticky. Cover and let rise for one hour. (If you are impatient or in a hurry, it also works if you don't let it rise.)
Heat some oil in a cast iron skillet. Pinch off a small portion of dough. Flatten it out with your hands or a rolling pin. Fry in pan until brown and crispy, flip over and fry the other side.
Serve with any meal, use as a soft taco, or dredge in butter and cinnamon and sugar for a treat.

Christmasy Things

Well, we have been a bit slow with the whole Christmas thing this year, but we are finally getting on track.  Last week we all piled in the van and drove out to get a tree.  The tree lot we went to was closed, so rather than drive around and find a new one, Lars drove to the local grocery store and picked out a Christmas tree as the rest of us sat in the car holding hands and singing Christmas carols.  (Did you believe that last part even for a minute?  Yeah, I'm a lousy liar.) 

After we got it home we realized we needed to saw off the bottom to make it even.  We couldn't find our saw.  In fact, we haven't seen a lot of things since we moved here.  This move was the first time I didn't stick around and supervise what actually made it into the truck and I'm starting to think that half of it got left behind!  Anyway, we ended up borrowing a lousy saw from our neighbors and it only took about an hour, a wedge, a hammer and finally a log splitter to get through the trunk of the tree.  No, we did not choose a 50 ft evergreen, we just had bad tools and poor lighting.

Eventually we got the tree inside and decorated, complete with a "shooting star" on top.  :)

 N putting the star on top

 L trying

 E taking a turn

 H finally getting the star on

...sort of :)