Homemade Christmas Cards

Last year I snatched up some of these pine tree discs that were scattered on the ground around the Christmas tree lots - leftovers from trimming the bottoms of Christmas trees that were on their way to new homes. I even went back on a separate day with an empty plastic bag to collect a few more, knowing that these little tree scraps would come in handy for a project, or two. I just had to wait for the inspiration to come. And come it did! The first wave of inspiration came last year when I made these cute little seasonal decor stands. 

The second wave of inspiration hit more recently however, when the idea suddenly hit me to make these cute little mini forests. Later I decided they would make the perfect build-your-own Christmas card. I hate to say it, but I had to pat myself on the back for this one. Sometimes when ideas like this come, the resulting product isn't at all what I envisioned. But these little tree forests turned out even cuter than I thought they would. 

You never really know with creative projects. Sometimes they turn out to be huge time and money wasters but sometimes they are the best thing since sliced bread. Either way, when an idea comes that will just not leave you alone, you have to go with it. I am really glad I went with this one. And I am equally glad that my packaging idea worked out as well. I found the perfect sized boxes to mail them in at a local office supply store, and they were on sale! Which is a small miracle in itself :-). 

I only wish I had thought of the idea sooner so that I could make and send even more of these little tree forests out into the world. 

Items needed for this project:

Scrap wood Christmas tree bottoms, or any other suitable wood item to act as a stand

Scrap paper from magazines, catalogues, etc.

A free-form tree template (I hand drew mine)

Glue stick

Toothpicks, cut in half with the pointy ends trimmed off

An awl, or pointy tool, to make holes in the bases for the toothpicks to stand in

Your imagination and a sense of adventure

Have fun!

A Happy Advent Calendar

(Rörstrand porcelain: Starboy)

Happy first Advent of the season! I truly love this time of year in Stockholm and the Swedes really know how to celebrate it with all of the cozy candlelit cafes filled with delicious warm drinks and saffron buns, just to mention a few of the wonderful treats. Starting today you also begin to see paper star lanterns and advent candlesticks in home and shop windows, emitting a soft warm glow and brightening up the dark winter days. 

And of course, there is the advent calendar. This year I decided to make my own to tick off the days until Christmas. Instead of purchasing a pre-made advent calendar with candies hidden behind a paper lock/door, I thought it would be fun to make an advent calendar with things to do each day as opposed to simply eating a small chocolate. Don't get me wrong, these small actions could easily include a yummy treat, as you'll notice number one below commands you to enjoy a hot chocolate. And that means today in case you were wondering.

So instead of going to yoga class this morning, I sat at my desk cutting out and gluing Christmas-themed symbols to represent each day of my calendar. I also shamelessly admit that I listened to Christmas music as I worked. It was very much a meditative act so I didn't feel so bad about missing yoga, and I did go for a run in the afternoon so it seemed justified. My cat was also very helpful (not). She especially loved when I got to the part of attaching strings to each day's symbol. I finally gave her a piece of the string to go play with, which has since vanished. I hope she didn't eat it! (I am pretty sure she did not eat it). 

Below is my list of action messages for each day. Feel free to follow along, or borrow them for your own daily advent action calendar. You could even write them on a piece of paper and tuck them into your children, your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife's lunches, tuck them under a pillow, or tape the message to the bathroom mirror for someone, even yourself, to find each morning. It warms the spirit to have something happy or positive to think about each day. What is more positive or happy than celebrating fond memories, or creating new ones? 

1. Enjoy a hot chocolate to kick off Advent.

2. Give a surprise treat to someone. 

3. Send a handwritten letter to someone you haven't seen or spoken to in a long time. 

4. Watch a Christmas movie to get into the holiday spirit.

5. Call someone you haven't spoken to in a while to brighten their day. 

6. Drink glögg with a friend or loved one. 

7. Bake homemade cookies. 

8. Write your favorite quote or poem on a piece of paper & leave it somewhere for a stranger to find. 

9. Give someone a compliment.

10. Listen to Christmas music.

11. Make Christmas candy.

12. Go for a walk and look at Christmas lights.

13. Celebrate St. Lucia day.

14. Go get a Christmas tree! 

15. Go to the “Pussstation” (literally: kissing station) at Central Station and kiss under the mistletoe.

16. Take a friend out for coffee or fika & talk about your favorite holiday memories. 

17. Watch the movie "Elf" & have something cozy and warm to drink. 

18. Wrap Christmas presents and listen to Christmas music. 

19. Send someone a secret Santa surprise. (Shhh! Don’t tell… it’s a secret!)

20. Eat gingerbread cookies & blue cheese (yes, together… super yummy!)

21. Decorate clementines with whole cloves & red ribbons. 

22. Drink hot spiced buttered rum & apple cider.

23. Eat hazelnuts and play filipin!

24. Do everything and anything that is Christmas-y! 

A Two Kanellbulle Kind of Day

(Two "pepparkaksmuffin" from Fabrique bakery)

Well, it's that time again, a "two kanelbulle day" has rolled back around (wink, wink). I will elaborate on that comment later on but first a little intro. One thing that is pretty neat about Sweden is that you never have to remember to schedule "female" doctor visits. You know, things like your pap smear, mammogram, etc. The healthcare system sends out a notification "calling you" to your appointment and all you have to do is show up. It is pretty nifty. The experience isn't that different here in Sweden, though if you are shy or uncomfortable with getting undressed it can be a bit surprising, to say the least, your first visit. There are no cute little closets to change into a paper gown and, in fact, there are no paper gowns either. It is just "remove your clothing from the waste down and hop up butt-naked onto the table. And relax."

Or in the case with getting the mammies grammed, you are asked to "remove your clothing from the waist up and walk up to the boob squishing device and wait until further instructed." How did I forget how painful it was?! At first you think it will be okay. The technician places your boob onto a flat metal surface (no, it's not cold at all!) and then presses a flat plastic, see-through plate on top of it. Then presses it down even further!!! Um, ouch? To say the least. Luckily it doesn't last that long. But long enough that all you can think about is the kanelbulle that you are treating yourself to afterward for being a good girl. Okay, in all honesty, you've probably been thinking about that kanelbulle since you received your mammogram appointment in the mail.

Though no matter how much you sugar (& cinnamon) coat it, getting your mammies grammed is the same everywhere. You leave with your poor girls flattened, embarrassed, and neatly tucked back into your over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder. Then you race -walk to the nearest bakery selling the famous, Swedish kanelbullar (cinnamon buns). That is one important difference between the US & Sweden. In the US, while there are dozens of tasty substitutions, there are no true kanelbullar to take your mind (& your boobs) off of that horrible experience.

So, from the photo above you have probably gathered that I did not leave the bakery with kanelbullar this time. Was it just a [lovely] coincidence that the bakery had these lovely, boob-like gingerbread muffins with cream cheese frosting? Probably not but I can say with all honestly that they were the most amazing gingerbread muffins I have eaten and the cream cheese frosting certainly sugar-coated my mammy gram experience. I'm not sure but perhaps my new ritual of getting a kanelbulle, or gingerbread muffin, afterward is a good thing. I mean, no one really looks forward to a mammogram but if you have something else to look forward to, the experience can be almost pleasant. Almost. ;-)

(Seriously, how could you pass these up??!!!)

A Beer and Cheese Tasting Party

(Beer & cheese tasting is serious stuff.)

This past summer I had the good fortune to be introduced to beer in a more positive light. I have never really been a “beer person,” normally preferring a glass of wine or a margarita, so I was surprised to discover that I actually really liked beer. Well. certain beer, that is. I guess I am still not quite an overall beer connoisseur. I know that I’ve always liked dark beers, like Guinness stout or a dark porter or chocolate stout, the type of beer my husband likens to “eating a loaf of bread.” I haven't tried too many in between a stout or porter and a pilsner or even an ale, so I didn’t know the vast expanse of beer that existed. Or that I could even one day say that I actually enjoy beer, rather than just tolerate it.

(At Vatten restaurant on the island of Tjörn)

My positive beer experience began when one of my brothers-in-law introduced me to the brand, Poppelman, at a family dinner in Gothenburg. It just so happened that one of the people who started the brewery that makes Poppelman was a friend of my husbands back when he was still living in Gothenburg. We thought that was kind of cool and it made us like the beer even more. We soon discovered that Poppelman could only be purchased at the Systembolaget on the west coast so on our next trip to Gothenburg we stopped by one to pick up a few bottles to take back to Stockholm, where I promptly forgot about beer. 

Some weeks later my husband asked me if I wanted a beer one evening and I said that I’d share one with him, still thinking like a non beer drinker. It happened to be Poppelman’s "Nya Världens IPA (India Pale Ale).” A very, tasty brew with a rich, bitter flavor, that I learned came from the hops. I later discovered that the more hops flavor in the beer the better. Maybe I could be a beer drinker after all.

(A tasty line-up!)

Later, during the summer, Poppelman, now known as just “Poppels,” made a reappearance when we had an informal “beer tasting” with one of my husband’s sisters and her husband, while we were at the family’s summer house on Tjörn (An island off the west coast of Sweden). My brother-in-law had purchased a selection of Poppels' brews for us to sample and we went through them one by one, deciding which were our favorites and noting the differences in flavors. My favorite remained the "Nya Världens IPA". I guess I just really like a “hoppy” beer. Our beer tasting was so much fun that an idea was planted in my mind, though I didn’t really realize it until a few months later.

As fall approached I suggested hosting a dinner party at our apartment. I didn’t want it to be anything too formal, as I am not practiced in cooking a fancy meal for more than four people, so I thought, “Why not have an Oktoberfest beer & cheese tasting party, with a big pot of chili and cornbread?” And so was born the idea. All guests would be invited to bring 6 bottles of their favorite microbrew, or some new brew they've wanted to try. I created a Facebook event and all invitees were asked to write which beer they would be bringing in their RSVP. I then began research to find cheeses to pair with the beers. 

(Nibbles ready to be eaten and mugs ready to be filled with hot buttered rum & spice apple cider) 

The party kicked off with a welcome drink of hot, buttered rum & spiced, apple cider. We then moved pretty quickly into the beer & cheese tasting. Each guest had a sheet of paper with two columns: one for the name of the beer and one for a one word description of the beer. Yes, guests were asked to describe each beer in just a single word. This was probably the hardest thing we did all night.

Just over our half-way point of beer & cheese tasting we decided to take a dinner break and get something of substance in our bellies. Spicy, vegetarian chili with green chili & cheddar corn muffins hit the spot and we all agreed that any of the beers would pair nicely with chili. For dessert I made mini, pumpkin tartlets, served with fresh whipped cream. Everything was a hit.

(Dessert eating and pumpkin decorating)

During the tasting we held a beer trivia contest, with questions such as, “Match the word for beer with the correct language,”  “True or False, In Japan beer is sold in vending machines.” and “Identify the author of this quote (Benjamin Franklin): ‘Beer is proof that God loves us.’” Later in the evening we had a pumpkin decorating contest. Both games with real prizes for the winners, and each guest/couple got to take home their decorated pumpkin.

(Mini pumpkin tartlets with sea salt and roasted hazelnuts)

Below are the tasting results. If you've never had a beer & cheese tasting I would highly recommend it. It was a truly fun event and one I would definitely repeat in the future, and especially during the chilly months of fall and winter. Based on our experience however, I would definitely recommend limiting the tasting to between 6-8 beers, 6 probably being the ideal number. We tasted a total of 11 and it felt like a bit of overkill. And as you can see below, the fun of coming up with one word descriptions and even pairing a cheese with the beer sort of fizzled out after number 8. 

Sigtuna Lager: Light, Bland, Hopsy, Drinkable, Summery & Fresh

Cheese: Goat/Chevre, Ementhaler

Mikkeller Kärlek Höst/Vinter: Piney, Eccentric, Happiness, Flowery, Hoppy, Tangerine-nose, Bitter, Aromatic, Forest, Frosty

Cheese: Manchego, Cheddar, Goat, Brie, 

We Love NY Yellow Cab Lager: Bitter, Hoppy, Flat, Ethereal, Cat-tongue

Cheese: Goat, Manchego, Gouda, Morbier 

Nils Oscar Oktoberfest: Chocolatey, Well-balanced, Delicious, Fall, Easy-to-drink, Smooth, Fresh, Good, Mocha 

Cheese: Cheddar, Morbier, Pecorino, Dark Chocolate, Saint Agur 

Alaska Smoked Porter: Thick, BBQ, Meaty, Smokey, Flavorful, Ham(y), Salami, Hickory, 

Cheese: Gouda, Chocolate, Saint Agur 

Hoegaarden: Fresh, Fruity, Citrusy, “Sliskig” (means icky sweet), Candy, Crisp, Lemondrop, Banana

Cheese: Svarta Sara (stinky cheese), Saint Agur, Goat, Manchego 

Pang Pang, Puttin’ in Hours: Hoppy, Dancing-on-the-tongue, Honey, Citrusy, Apricot, Summer, “After-work”, Flower-power

Cheese: Brie, Ementhaler, Saint Agur

St. Eriks Oktoberfest: Bitter, Dark, Hops, Chocolate, Hoppy, Chocolate+Coffee, 

Cheese: Chocolate, Saint Agur

St. Eriks Mathias Dahlgren: Bitter, Hoppiness, Hoppy, Happy, 

Cheese: Chocolate, Saint Agur

Poppel Belgian Wit: Frisk (Fresh), Acidic, Kvällsdopp (Evening swim), Lemon, Cider, “Pee” Luktig (smells like pee :-O)

Cheese: No cheese selected here. I think we were petering out at this point)

Innis & Gunn Oak: Vanilla, Sweet, Cuba-libre, Rum-cola, Cocktail(y), Pirates, Rum(y), Caramelized-sugar, Rum

Cheese: No cheese selected here either :-) but I think it would pair nicely with a     dessert - especially one with caramel or custard

PS. Yes, chocolate is not a cheese, but it was really delicious with many of the beers we tasted :-).

Butternut Squash & Buffalo Mozzarella Flatbread with Shallots & Fresh Thyme

I am one of those people who is easily influenced when it comes to food. All it takes is seeing a photo of something, such as a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, turkey or vegetarian of course, and suddenly I have to have just that. Right now I find that I am especially influenced by all of the wonderful fall ingredients that are available right now, butternut squash being one of my favorites. 

I was contemplating what I could make for dinner with this nutty, subtly sweet delicacy when suddenly the idea popped into my head: Flatbread with roasted butternut squash and buffalo mozzarella. Yum! My mouth was already watering. Rich and yummy flavors, but also bordering on the healthier side of pizza. A flatbread would also be something simple enough to make that it wouldn't take the entire evening to prepare. 

Off I went to the grocery store to collect my ingredients. In addition to the squash and mozzarella I opted for fresh thyme, shallots, some fake bacon and a little Parmesan cheese. The "bacon" and Parmesan would add a nice element of saltiness to compliment the sweetness of the squash and the mild, fresh flavor of the buffalo mozzarella would round it out to perfection. 

Now, for the butternut squash. I have cooked and prepared butternut squash enough times to know all of the ways that don’t work when it comes to getting the result I want. It is easy enough to merely slice the squash length-wise, scoop out the seeds and lay it face down in a baking dish with a bit of water to keep it from drying out. However, the end result is a mess of flesh that is difficult to use, if it is not to be used in a soup or puree. 

The best method I have discovered so far is to peel the entire squash before carving it up into cubes. This does make it a bit slippery to work with (so be careful!) but in the end it is the quickest and most efficient method that I have found. And you get some nice caramelization on the edges of the squash when it is roasted without the skin. Which tastes amazing.

I recommend roasting your cubed squash in a cast iron Dutch oven but if you do not have one a baking dish in the oven works well too. I place my Dutch oven directly on the stove top. The cast iron heats up really well and the heat distributes evenly so be careful not to have the heat too high. I use about a tablespoon of olive oil and a thick pat of butter. Once the butter stops sizzling add your cubed squash, stirring well to coat each piece. Then place your lid on and let her roast. Check often to control the heat and make sure it isn't "caramelizing" too much. It should take between 20-30 minutes, depending on how high you have your heat.

You can even add a drizzle of maple syrup (if you love syrup like Buddy), when it is nearly done, but I think the sweetness of the squash is perfect all by itself. If you are roasting in the oven, I would place the baking dish in the oven first  to warm it up, then add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted you can add and toss your squash. Bake at 200 C  (approximately 400 F), stirring every so often to avoid burning. Once cooked, allow the squash to cool slightly.

Now you are ready to assemble your flatbread. This recipe is so delicious. I am already craving it again. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Butternut Squash & Buffalo Mozzarella Flatbread:

Preheat your oven to 265 degrees Celsius (approximately 510 degrees Fahrenheit), with your baking (pizza) stone in the oven. I know, this is hot, but it is one of the keys to making amazing pizza & flatbread. If you don't use a pizza stone, you can just put your pan in the oven with the pizza when it is ready to bake.

Ingredients:

2 ready-to-bake pizza doughs (*see tips below)

1 small to medium size butternut squash, peeled, diced, and roasted

1 package fresh Buffalo mozzarella, sliced and hand torn

2 small shallots, sliced in rings 

2-3 slices of fake bacon (or the real stuff if you aren't vegetarian), cooked & crumbled

Fresh thyme, rinsed and separated from the stems

Olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh ground pepper

Sea salt

Directions:

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface. Or if you are not using a pizza stone & pizza peel, place dough onto your prepared baking pan.

Brush dough lightly with olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt.

You can layer the remaining ingredients however you want but this is the order I followed:

Roasted butternut squash

Torn slices of mozzarella

Shallot rings

Bacon crumbles

Fresh thyme leaves

Remaining Parmigiano cheese

A twist or two of freshly ground pepper
Repeat for second flatbread

Using your super peel, transfer to your flatbread to your pizza stone in the oven. Bake for approximately 6 minutes. Keep an eye on it because it cooks quickly. 

Remove your flatbread from oven, transferring it to a round pan. (Leave your baking stone in the oven for flatbread number two). Slice your flatbread and enjoy with a glass of chardonnay or pinot noir.

*Tips that will make your flatbread/pizza making life easier:

- Purchase already made pizza dough from your local pizzeria. They are usually pretty inexpensive and it saves a ton of time. Plus they've already nailed the recipe and you are guaranteed delicious crust every time.

- If you do not already have one, purchase a pizza stone for baking homemade pizzas. It makes a huge difference and is well worth the small investment. 

- Get a Super Peel. Seriously! You really should consider getting one of these. My husband wanted one for the longest time and, thinking it was one of those frivolous, kitchen gadgets that would sit unused in the cupboard until our next big move or kitchen clean out, I sort of refused to get it. Then one day I decided, "Okay, let's try this thing," and I ordered it for him as a gift from my parents. I now have to eat my words. It has been one of our best kitchen purchases and we both love it. 

Bonus: Check out these amazing anonymous photos taken from the top of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Mind Over Matter - Part 2

(Notice there are now three check marks - only one more to go!)

When I last checked in regarding the Swedish Women's Classic (Svenska Tjejklassiker), it was a mere two days before I was to hop into some very cold water and swim 1 kilometer as fast as I could. Well, the water was pretty darn cold but after standing around in my wetsuit for thirty minutes the cold was not as shocking as I had anticipated and the swimming part, while challenging, was not at all as bad as I thought it would be. Looking back now, I’m pretty sure I can also say that I was mistaken in thinking that the swimming portion of this four-part endurance feat would be the most difficult. 

The very next day after the Vansbro 1 kilometer swim, I pulled out my running shoes, dusted off my Garmin, and started training for the 10 kilometer run. The race was just under three months away. It seemed like plenty of time to prepare but I figured I should get started. Ahem. 

Have you ever trained for a running event? If you are already a runner, it doesn't count. I'm talking about starting from scratch, as in from a sitting position on your couch. I'm kidding, sort of, but the minute I started my couch to 10k program, running one minute, then walking one minute, and repeating ten times, I felt that I needed to question my sanity. 

You'd think running for just one minute would be a piece of cake right? (A piece of cake sounds good right now and I miss my couch!) I peeked at my Garmin, merrily keeping time, after what seemed to be a reasonable amount of time, only to discover that I'd been running for a mere 20 seconds. 20 seconds???!!!! Holy cow. How was I ever going to be able to run 10 kilometers? 

I kept with my training however, thinking (and hoping) that it would get better. In the beginning I endured cramps in my lower legs that were so severe, I'd have to stop completely (I couldn’t even walk) and shake out my legs until the pain became bearable enough to walk my minute and start running again. Gradually I built up my time and distance and the cramping stopped but, even so, I continually questioned my ability to build up to the point of finishing the 10 kilometer race. And yet, with a discipline and determination that surprised even myself, I stuck to my training schedule and continued running 3 times a week. Some days I even got up before work to run, which was the biggest surprise to myself. Until....

.... a little under three months later, on Sunday, September 29th, I actually completed the Lidingö Tjejloppet - 10 kilometer run. I personally think it should be called, "The Up and Down and Over-the-Hills and Through the Woods" race, but that is beside the point. It was tough. And by tough I mean probably one of the hardest things I have ever done. But I can also say that it was a truly amazing experience and something I might even do again.

A couple of things I learned along the way:

• Where there’s a will, there’s a way. 

• The body truly is stronger that the mind thinks it is.

Truer words have not been spoken. I encountered a couple of minor injuries along the road in my training. Plantar faciitis in my left foot and runner's knee in my right knee both threatened to stop me. However after speaking with runner friends and other sports enthusiasts, I learned some exercises and things I could do to alleviate the symptoms, strengthen the surrounding muscles, and allow me to keep training. 

After all of this has been said and done:

If you have even an inkling of desire to train and participate in some type of sports event, be it bicycling, running, even walking, I encourage you to start training - like now! It won’t be easy but I can guarantee that if you keep it up, the pain will go away and it will get easier. Your body will get stronger ... and so will your mind! 

I have tried running many different times in my life but due to the horrible cramping I would experience in my lower legs I just thought, “running isn’t for me,” and after a short time period I would quit. No one told me that these pains were normal and that it would take time to build up my endurance in the different muscles and tendons. No one told me to keep going, or that it would get better. Well, I am telling you...

KEEP GOING... it WILL get better! 

And send me a photo of your finish when you complete your first 5k, or 10k if you are crazy like me! 

Like Nike says, JUST DO IT.

Ps. Just one tiny event left for me to do to complete the Svenska Tjejklassik - 30 kilometers on cross-country skis. Double gulp. 

Plum Crazy

An early fall day. Sun shining. Out for a trail run through the woods with a couple of friends. Lunch after on the deck. Perhaps the final day to sit outside without a blanket. A bit chilly but the homemade carrot soup warmed us. Mmmmm. With a yummy arugula, chicken and bean salad on the side. Afterward, picking and eating the cutest tiny little plums directly from the tree. “You guys should take some home with you.” With pleasure, thank you! We were also invited to pick fresh pears and apples from our friend’s abundantly adorned trees. Heavenly!

Once home I contemplated what to do with the plums. I searched one of my favorite food blogs for recipes using these lovely gems. Lo and behold, there was a recipe for a plum galette! Of course! It sounded absolutely perfect. And, I had most of the ingredients on hand. 

Here’s what transpired:

Plums are rinsed and ready to be made into a simple galette.

Pitted? Check. Only a few were eaten during this stage. It is nearly impossible not to. And the entire time I was thinking, “I should have picked more!”

Ready for the oven!

Look at that bubbling gooey goodness. Just begging to be eaten.

Served with a generous dollop of Turkish yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

This galette was good to the last scrape... I nearly licked the plate, as you can see. Instead, I just enjoyed a second piece. :-) Why not?!

Recipe adapted from Mynewroots.org. Since I didn't have every ingredient, I merely used what I had on hand. Changed I made to the recipe included:

• Spelt flour instead of rye.
• Agave syrup instead of maple. 
• Vanilla extract instead of scraped bean pod.
• Probably 1/4 tsp of dried thyme instead of 1/2, but in the future I would use the whole 1/2 tsp, or plan ahead and use fresh. It was hardly detectable with only 1/4 tsp.
• Turkish yogurt instead of sheep’s milk.
• Added a drizzle of honey.

The crust tasted fresh and crisp without the heavy feeling of eating a crust made with butter. And I really loved the texture that the poppy seeds added. I drizzled honey over the top because I love honey with Turkish yogurt and there was so little “sugar” in the recipe. And I thought it was a good idea. 

It is worth noting that my husband ate only one slice of this galette. I pretty much finished it off/gobbled it down over the course of the next four days. 

I think it would be just as tasty with other fruit, if plums are not available or in season.

Happy fall!