Christmas tree

Now we're ready to take a part of the wood inside

a heavy iron foot is a good idea

Cutting the net ofso the branches can spread

then decorating it

with home made angels and christmas bubbles

flags and lights

little ornaments

We love our tree

Unwrapped

In this box

My new cyber room, my very own..

Its been cold turkey for months

(and I'm not talking about the thanksgiving left overs)

Its here!

Our christmas tree on its way in to our house

after a ride in top of the car

dressed in its net

waiting for its last glory

A packet of "candy" from my friend in New York

just the candy I like: chili, mushrooms, dried meat and popcorn!

Hah! passed custom like a dream!

Ginger bread house

This year we made a little ginger bread house

Measurements judged by the eye

and slightly lack of concentration

(note that the smallest walls are lacking it's top triangle

the architect tried to get a way with it,

by focusing on the need for fresh air)

Anyway, after burning sugar and fingers,

cracking and gluing walls together

It was time for the sweet part.

Little Chef and Pink Princess

was working smoothly together

Just in time, it started to snow

(icing sugar were falling from the sky)

And before we knew it, a nice couple had moved in!

St. Lucia and Sildesalat

St. Lucia

The 13th of December we celebrate Saint Lucia in Scandinavia

Its probably biggest in Sweeden, but here in Norway this celebration

an important thing mostly in kindergarden and school

What is to be served at this day is Lussekatter

(katter means cats dont ask me the connection)

They're made of sweet yeast dough and made yellow with saffron or turmeric

Sildesalat

Even though I don't like herring in general

I do like one dish where you have to use herring

Me and the herring has a troublesome relationship except with this.

I use salted (or picled herring)

Every ingredient should be cut in to small cubes

Green sour apples

Boiled potatoes

Onion

Pickled beetroot and gherkins (no photo of it) and some of its pickle.
I make a dressing out of mayonnaise, quark and sour cream, salt and pepper

and mix it all in to a salad.

because of the beetroot, it gets pretty pink

And I love it!

And since I'm the only one in this house who does

I have it all myself!

On crisp bread, biscuits or bread.

Or by itself.

Pasta Duo

Pasta macaroni double curl.

(thats what we call it anyway)

Easy eating, just grab a fork and eat.

But our taste is different, even in the macaroni departement:

So we make two types:

macaroni with cheesy bechamel
And macaroni with Bolognese,
(or Pasta la Vista (baby) as we call it in our house)

All pleased, no drama.

Christmas baking part two - gingerbread and nutty squares

Cocoa and nutty squares

hazelnuts chopped to pieces

Dough and nyts flat in a pan

They hav to be cut in to squares

when it is stil hot

When cooled down, they get very crunchy!

Not to sweet, jyst perfect with a cup of tea!

Then Gingerbread!

Butter, treacle, sugar, flour, bakingpowder, clove, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper

(in Norway we call them "pepperkaker")

Let it rest cool for a day
Use a rolling pin and shapes to make your cookies

Little Chefs knows the way to do it effectively

And the house smells of spices and Christmas
Maybe we'll have to make an other batch

Cause my cookie tins seem to be leaking!

Puzzle and hope

If you're troubled

and feeling blue

or just need some time relaxing

What about these 1500 little mind soothing pieces

Enough room on a table so that it can stay there until its finished.

And when it is, admire it for 3 minutes, and then put it back in the box

until next time, and check if you have an other one.

Its the puzzling it self that is the goal.

And then a symbol of hope for the New Year
sent to me by my new friend Marina !

She didn't know but I needed that!