by Krista | Dec 6, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning! It’s been a cold but sunny weekend, and how I loved the light after so many dark days. Did you have a good break?
I had a jolly weekend celebrating an early Christmas with beloved rellies from Canada, Washington and Amsterdam. We piled on couches for much laughter and story-telling and clustered around the table for Mum’s divine Christmas feast. It was so great having everyone there, watching a movie with heaps of buttery popcorn, making plans for family adventures.
We got to see my brother’s pictures from his vacation to Israel and Lebanon a couple weeks ago and downed cup after cup of strong coffee accompanied by Butter Tarts, Nanaimo Bars and my Danish grandmother’s fabulous Krumkake. They are the prettiest little cookies, baked in a molded press on the stove top. While we Danes eat ours plain, the Norwegians are known to shape theirs into cones and fill them with whipped cream and fruit.
Do you have any traditional cookies that you can’t imagine your holiday without?
This is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays.
Grandma Bjorn’s Danish Krumkake
(Makes 24)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
6 Tbsp water
Directions:
- Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Stir in cardamom and flour, mixing well.
- Add water until batter is the consistency of pancake batter.
- Lightly grease both sides of krumkake iron with cooking spray or melted butter.
- Heat iron over medium to medium-high burner. (Any hotter and iron will scorch)
- Ladle generous tablespoon of batter onto center of the iron. Close iron, squeezing handles together gently to spread batter, but not so tightly that batter leaks out.
- Cook for 30 seconds, flip iron over, and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Flip iron back to initial position, open, and remove and transfer cookie to cooling rack.
- You can also immediately roll cookie around a krumkake cone or the handle of a wood spoon. Cool slightly then slip off and allow to cool on rack.
- Store in tightly sealed container in order to retain crispness.
- Serve alone or filled with whipped cream and fruit.
by Krista | Nov 29, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning! I just love this picture. Makes me want to spend the day in a cozy cabin somewhere, wrapped in a quilt by the fire, watching the snow fall outside. I’m in a hibernating sort of mood, so I’m wearing my favorite granny sweater and indulging in a big bowl of hot millet porridge with coconut. Mmm. It smells heavenly.
How was your weekend? I was so happy to spend time with my rellies and laughing myself sick at my craaaaazy brothers and cousins. We ate entirely too many gummy bears and butter tarts, talked far too late, and had a grand time.
It is good to be home again, happy and comfy in my own little space. Good to have all the dishes done and a big pot of homemade beef vegetable soup to eat this week. Good to be one year older and have the dearest people in the world to love and be loved by.
What do you like to do when you’re feeling hibernatey?
This is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays.
Millet Porridge
1 cup dried millet
4 cups water
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup almond milk
sweetener to taste
Directions:
- Add millet and water to pot and bring to boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
- At 30 minute mark stir in coconut.
- Just before done, stir in raisins, almond milk and sweetener. Heat through and serve.
by Krista | Nov 22, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning!! I’m huddled under a quilt, a red candle burning brightly as I write to you. It’s been wicked cold this weekend, and I’ve been happy to stay home, warm and safe while the snow falls, temperatures drop, and wind howls.
This weekend was one where I needed to slow down, hibernate a little. I felt like I was in my own winter cabin somewhere, tucked up under warm blankets, reading good books, baking cookies, sleeping in, puttering about working on this and that. It was wonderful!
I even braved the oh-so-frigid weather for a walk Sunday afternoon, and within a minute had to wrap my scarf around my face to protect myself from the icy wind gusting through the valley. It was gorgeous but I was SO glad to get back home and wrap my fingers around a hot cup of vanilla caramel tea.
I watched a beautiful documentary called “Hiding and Seeking” about a Jewish American father attempting to help his family work through the pain and fear of the Holocaust by showing them there are good Gentiles in this world. His quest takes them to Poland to track down the family who saved their relatives during WWII by hiding them in a hole under a pile of hay in their barn. It’s a touching story, inspiring and convicting, and I’m so glad I watched it.
It was a weekend of comfort food: pot roast, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and scrumptious grilled cheese sandwiches on raisin toast. Mmm. Thick slices of buttered raisin bread filled with sharp cheddar cheese grilled until they were toasty and melty. Fantastic. 🙂
What is your favorite memory from this weekend?
This is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays.
Grilled Cheese on Raisin Toast
(Serves 1)
Ingredients:
2 slices raisin bread
3 slices sharp cheddar cheese
butter
Directions:
- Butter two slices of bread. Place one piece, buttered side down, in frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Layer with cheese and top with second slice bread, buttered side facing up.
- Cook 1-2 minutes then flip. Repeat until bread is nicely toasted and cheese is soft and melting.
by Krista | Nov 15, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning, dear ones! After waking at 4 a.m. (UGH!) to drive home from Seattle this morning, I had high hopes of arriving in time to write you a long, newsy post. Alas, dense fog, pouring rain, and heavy traffic threw those plans right out the window. Instead as I look out my window at the aforementioned fog and pouring rain, I’m going to conjure up my own little sunny vacation with a few pics of sand, sun and water from a past trip to Cozumel. I hope they cheer your heart as much as they do mine. 🙂
How are YOU? How was your weekend? What is your favorite memory of the last two days?
by Krista | Nov 8, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning! How was your weekend? It’s been a perfectly splendid one for me, and I’m feeling rested and happy. 🙂
Saturday I went to town for the annual Scandinavian Festival and had a jolly time perusing the Nordic wares of the numerous vendors. I love bustling events like this. It’s so fun seeing folks dressed up in their native garb, sporting lavish jewelery and intricately embroidered dresses. I like leafing through books of history and culture, eying the homemade pastries, and choosing the perfect souvenir – this time a hand-painted wooden butter knife.
Then I drove through the rain to my favorite thrift store in search of desperately needed winter clothes. It was so fun!! I found a whole stack of treasures that met my needs and budget perfectly. Woohoo! 🙂
I slept a whopping ten hours that night – yep, I was tired – and woke to sunshine and falling leaves and glorious stillness. Sunday afternoon I lit the beautiful lantern my brother brought me back from Morocco, popped in a Nero Wolfe mystery, and started decorating for Christmas.
I had such a great time hauling out boxes of glittering fruits, shiny berries, and all sorts of fabrics in glistening gold and jewel tones. I still have a ways to go, but I’m so pleased with how warm, cozy and welcoming it all looks. I can’t stop smiling.
In between decorating and cleaning I took breaks for big cups of Vanilla Caramel tea and the last of the Maple Cinnamon Shortbread I made earlier in the week. Mmm. They’re humble looking cookies but absolutely delicious with the nuttiness of whole grain, hint of spice and buttery crispness.
What is your favorite memory from this weekend? When do you start decorating for Christmas?
This is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays.
Maple Cinnamon Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp maple flavoring
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In medium bowl stir flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
- Melt butter and stir in maple flavoring.
- Pour into flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon until incorporated and mixture sticks together. (Add more butter if necessary)
- Press dough onto ungreased baking sheet about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into squares or desired shape.
- Bake 20 minutes until edges begin to brown.
by Krista | Nov 1, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
The rain is thundering down outside my window this morning making me want to stay inside, warm and cozy. Instead I shall brave the weather with a bright pink scarf tossed jauntily around my neck, and start my day with Christmas music and a hot cup of cinnamon apple tea.
How was your weekend? 🙂
Saturday was gloriously lazy and restful. I slept in, read a good book, then got this urge to bake and whipped up a roasted pork pie and an apple-cranberry galette. Mmm. My apartment smelled SO good, I tell you!
Sunday afternoon I spent with dear friends carving pumpkins – I hadn’t done my own pumpkin since I was little! That’s mine on the bottom step above, and my pal Jenny and me carving below. 🙂 It was also my first day as a brunette – thanks to a friends wig! Friends who’ve known me for years didn’t recognize me. It was grand fun. 🙂
We carved, scooped out mounds of pumpkin seeds for roasting, then visited for ages whilst nibbling on chips with homemade guacamole and salsas, crackers dunked in hot artichoke dip, and smoked leg of lamb and smoked pork loin. Mmm. Good eatin!! Folks costumes were so fun ranging from pirates and the 3 of Spades to Napoleon Dynamite and Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly. We even had a cat with whiskers and a tail!
The apple-cranberry galette turned out so cute. A mere 8-inches across filled with an almost candied tartly sweet filling. The tiny slices are perfect little bites for satisfying a craving for something sweet mid-morning.
Do you get the urge to bake on rainy days? What is your favorite thing to make this Fall?
This is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays.
Apple-Cranberry Galette
Ingredients:
1 apple, cored, peeled and thinly sliced (I used Honey Crisp)
1 cup whole fresh or frozen cranberries
3-4-1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch of sea salt
Pie Dough:
(makes enough for 3 galettes or 1 galette and a double-crust pie)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening, chilled
1 stick butter, chilled and grated
1/2 cup ice water
Directions:
- In medium bowl stir together flours and salt.
- Pour flour mixture into food processor, add shortening and butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Dump back into bowl. (If you don’t have a food processor, using pastry blender to cut in shortening and butter.)
- Drizzle with ice water, a Tbsp at a time, and toss lightly with fork until mixture is damp and holds together when pinched lightly.
- Press dough together gently and divide into three. Form each third into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- While dough chills, melt butter in bottom of saucepan.
- Add apples and cranberries and saute over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt, and cook until juices reduce and sauce caramelizes and coats the fruit. Set aside.
- Remove one disk of dough from fridge. Place between two pieces of plastic wrap and roll out to a circle about 8-10 inches in diameter.
- Remove top layer of plastic wrap and invert dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Remove second layer of plastic wrap.
- Chill in freezer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove dough from freezer. Pour fruit mixture in center of dough and spread evenly to within 1/2-inch of edges. Gently fold edges of dough over fruit, pleating as needed to make it fit. Brush with beaten egg.
- Bake 35-45 minutes until pastry is golden brown.
