Happy New Year!

One year is over

An other will just begin

I am as ready as I can be:

Welcome 2009!

Pear for a pear

I seem to look more like a pear every day

after all this feasting!

Its getting more than enough for me!

I'm starting to long for my New year resolutions!

I'm getting ready, and motivated

and while I do,

I enjoy a fruity pear and wonder how to get through this years last feast:

New Years Eve..

Family brunch

family traditions

foccacia
spicy meatballs
aspic

Laughs, loudness and love

Not another pie!

But whats a girl to do,

when a quick dessert is required

and she has rhubarb and boysenberries in the freezer

Give me a break

and some cream on top.

Cold and warm

Images from a saturday walk

Crisp, cold, colorful and quiet

My cheeks was red, my nose was cold

I needed something to warm my body and soul

Mmmm! Chili!

Warming red color to go with the chicken

A bit of the sweet stuff

In case someone comes over for a cup of coffee:

pastry made of sweet yeast dough

and a bluberry pie


We like it!

Pinnekjøtt

Pinnekjøtt comes from the west coast of Norway,

and is salted or smoked lamb or mutton ribs, which are then dried.

They must be soaked fist in water for 1-2 days before cooked,

to regain their meaty consistency and make a milder flavor.

They are usually steamed over a rack of birch twigs,

hence the name "pinnekjøtt" which means literally "stick-meat".

It can be strong or mild, depending on the production,

but generally can remind one of ham or bacon.

Since it is steamed for several hours,

it become extremely tender, falling off the bone.

after steamed for three hours a couple of moments under the grill

We use little yellow potatoes called mandelpoteter (almond potatoes)
and mash made of swede and carrot

Our Christmas Dinner

Preparing the leg of lambCutting of the lowest part.

(got a saw in my toolbox)

I'll cook the part with onions, garlic, rosemary and celery

to make nice stock for the sauceHerbes for the sauce:

Thyme, rosemary and juniper

crushed in a mortar

I stick a knife in the meat to put pieces of garlic in

Then salt, pepper and more rosmary (a must with lamb)

Using a thermometer I'm in full control

76 C is the way I like it.

The leg is 3,5 kg

It took from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm

and 100 C in the oven

to get ready

While making yorkshire puddings and gratinated potatoes

the meat was resting for an hour

wrapped in foil and a thick towel

Then carving it

and tasting a little nibble... mmm! the tenderness!

The yorkshirepuddings are ready,

a bit to dark but still tasty!

Table is set


I am ready for this!

Merry Christmas my Friends!

Preperations

My cookie-tins are still leaking

Today I've made some more

These are one of my favourites,

better make them just before Christmas

to avoid empty boxes when Christmas is here.

They have nuts, almonds and chocolate in
crunchy and nice!

I put them in an old box I got from my dear grandmother


The lamb of leg has been thawing in the fridge for two days
Tomorrow it'll slow roast for hours, to make a lovely
Christmas dinner


Stockings are up,

ready to be filled

Pre Christmas Grub

We're approaching some days with a lot of meat om the menue

served with all the trimmings.

Before all this starts, we're enjoying some lighter meals:

Apples, onions and red pepper,

with salt pepper and some lovely chili from Le Chien

with minced chicken, pita bread, cabbage and rice

chaotic but tasty!

Next day:

Lightly salted cod, potatoes, carrots and egg

red wine goes well with white fish

Something to remember

In every dark corner of our house

a candle

on top of the fireplace

a candle under my Christmas incense

Now, note to self :

Change battery in Every smoke detector!

We don't want to become a part of the Christmas housefire statistics!

Turning

Today its the darkest day of the year up north where we live

since June it has gradually become shorter

Tomorrow the sun will stay with us just a little bit longer!

I like that!

I'm celebrating with one of my favorite Christmas sweets

Marzipan with chocolate

mmm!