Monday, October 24, 2011

Banana Chocolate Muffins

With some very ripe bananas in the fruit bowl, it was about time to bake again...This time a recipe from Nigella Lawson's Kitchen that fellow food blogger from Avonturen in de keuken (Adventures in the kitchen) tested out before me and inspired me to bake...a recipe for Banana Chocolate Muffins! They are really easy to make, and taste really great!


Banana Chocolate Muffins
(makes 12)

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1,25 dl vegetable oil
2 eggs
100 gr sugar
225 gr all-purpose flour
3 tbsp dark cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda

Preparation:
1.) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line a muffin tin with paper cups.
2.) Peel the bananas, and mash them in a medium sized bowl.
3.) Add vegetable oil and the eggs, and mix well.
4.) Add sugar and stir.
5.) Mix the flour, cocoa powder and soda in a separate bowl, and sift it into the banana mixture. Stir well.
6.) Fill the cups twothirds up, and bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.
7.) Let the muffins cool down for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, before transferring them onto a rack to cool down more.

Hubby rating: 4 (out of 6; would have been 5, with chocolate chips added to the dough)

Enjoy!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sunflower Seed Bread

It's Sunday, no supermarkets are open and we're out of bread....With Monday just around the corner, and packed lunches to be prepared....it's about time to try that recipe for Sunflower Seed Bread that I found on the website of the Norwegian dairy company Tine. I'm not the best at baking with yeast, so this recipe for bread using baking powder was definitely welcome....and the best of all, it turned out great! I was afraid that it wouldn't be harty enough, as it's made mainly with all-purpose flour...but the sunflower seeds absolutely weigh up for the lack of more harty types of flour. Two to three slices of this bread will keep you going for a couple of hours!


Sunflower Seed Bread
(makes 1 loaf)

Ingredients:
7 dl all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 dl sunflower seeds
1 tsp salt
3 dl water
0,5 dl melted butter
300 gr quark

Preparation:
1.) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2.) Butter a loaf tin and use about 1 dl of the sunflower seeds to line the loaf tin with.
3.) Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and the rest of the sunflower seeds into a medium sized bowl.
4.) Add the water, melted butter and quark and stir until turning into a dough.
5.) Transfer the dough into the loaf tin and sprinkle with some sunflower seeds.
6.) Bake the bread for approximately 1 hour on the lower rack of the oven.
7.) Let the bread cool down on a rack.

Hubby rating: 4.5

Enjoy!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Christmas Cards

Every year I have big plans for Christmas - especially plans for making my own Christmas Cards - but when it comes down to it, I always end up not sending any... So to make sure that I will stick to my good intentions this year, I dropped by one of my favorite stores in Oslo when I was there earlier this week on a business trip. The Paper Gallery at Norway Designs is like heaven on earth for anyone who loves scrapbooking, origami or any other type of paper crafts.


Norway Designs
Stortingsgate 28
Tel. (+47) 23 11 45 50

It ain't cheap - especially compared to ready made cards - but the selection is divine and as soon as you enter, you feel inspired. So 45 minutes later and 50 euro poorer, I was well prepared for making my own Christmas cards. The result :


I can't wait to send my dear family and friends all these cards to wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Apple Chocolate Muffins

Today is the Day of the Apple in Norway.... No, it's got nothing to do with Steve Jobs' passing away or any of those beloved iProducts... Just those ordinary old fashioned apples... To celebrate this "huge" event, I made some Apple Chocolate Muffins.

As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I bought some pink muffin forms to support the Pink Ribbon Campaign. Would you like to support this great cause, you can buy these muffin forms online at Cacas - a Norwegian supplier of baking and cake decorating equipment.


Apple Chocolate Muffins
(makes about 18)

Ingredients:
125 gr butter, melted
4,5 dl all-purpose flour
1 dl sugar
2 tsp baking powder
300 gr vanilla quark
2 eggs
75 gr dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2-3 apples, skinned, deseeded and chopped finely
1 dl dessicated coconut

Preparation:
1.) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2.) Melt the butter and set aside.
3.) Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder into a medium sized bowl.
4.) Add the eggs, vanilla quark and melted butter and stir, turning the mixture into a dough.
5.) Add the dark chocolate and the pieces of apple and stir.
5.) Line a muffin tin with paper cups and fill each cup two thirds up.
6.) Sprinkle a little dessicated coconut on each muffin. (I made some without the coconut sprinkled on top, and I definitely prefered those with coconut...it made all the different tastes of vanilla, chocolate and apple come together!)
7.) Bake the muffins for 25 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.
8.) Let the muffins cool down for five minutes in the muffin tin, before removing them to a rack to cool down more.

Hubby rating: 3

Enjoy!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Knitted cushion

With the leaves changing colour and the weather getting colder, it is again time for fire crackling in the fireplace, hot cocoa on the couch, new episodes of great shows on TV, swapping to my warm winter duvet....and last but not least...lots of indoor crafts!

My sister has moved into a new appartment and needed something to pimp up her IKEA couch...so this weekend I made some cushions for her. The pattern comes from Drops Design, but I changed it a little bit to make the knitting a little bit easier. Whereas the original pattern has cables both on front and back, I knitted the backside with just garter stitches.....and instead of knitting front and back separately, I used a circular needle to knit front and back together as a tube. That gives you the following pattern:


Knitted cushion with cables

Cast on 88 sts on a circular needle size 12 mm.
Row 1: knit all stitches, putting a marker before stitch nr 1 and nr 45.
Row 2: purl all stitches.
Row 3: knit all stitches.
Row 4: purl all stitches.
Row 5: knit all stitches.
Row 6: purl all stitches.
Row 7: knit all stitches
Row 8:
- first 3 stitches: keep alternating between purling and knitting in continuance with the previous rows to keep the pattern of garter stitches.
- purl 2
- knit 2
- purl 3
- knit M.1 (see below)
- purl 3
- knit M.2 (see below)
- purl 3
- knit M.1
- purl 3
- knit 2
- purl 3
- remaining stitches: same as first 3 stitches - keep alternating between purling and knitting in continuance with the previous rows to keep the pattern of garter stitches.





Continue knitting the pattern described for row 8, taking notice of changes in M.1 and M.2, until the piece measures 46 cm, adjusting the length to M.1/M.2.
Then work 6 rows of garter stitches (alternating between knitting and purling in continuance with the previous rows, and cast off.
Turn the piece inside out, keep stitch number 1 in one corner and stitch number 45 in the other corner, and bind off on one side and sew in a zipper on the other side.



Enjoy!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Cupcakes

It's 11.30 AM...Most of my colleagues are on their way to our cafeteria to eat the sandwiches they have brought along with them from home. I am also on my way out of my office, carrying a tray of plain vanilla cupcakes... Not because it's my birthday, not to share with my colleagues for lunch.... Nope! I've got a different purpose for these delicious cupcakes!

My colleague Kari and I are both passionate bakers - trading recipes for great cakes, sharing tips and tricks, as well as equipment with each other - and avid followers of Passion for Baking, a beautiful and inspirational blog by Manuela Kjeilen. So when we saw that Manuela would be coming to the Norwegian Food Festival in Ålesund to hold a seminar on decorating cupcakes, we knew we just had to sign up for it!

Nearly two hours after we left the office, we are strolling along the different booths at the Food Festival - sampling syrups, cheeses and lots more - as we still had some time left before the seminar....but at 6 PM, the waiting is finally over... the seminar and the fun starts!


After showing us how to make vanilla cupcakes, several types of icing and frosting, Manuela brings out the piping bags and icing tips she prefers to use for decorating the cupcakes. She explains the different techniques for each tip, and continues by showing how to use fondant and silicon molds to create other types of decorations.

Soon after, all participants are having a go at the same techniques - trying to decorate our cupcakes as professionally as Manuela.With a piping bag filled with dark chocolate frosting and a Wilton "1B" tip, I have a go at creating frosting roses on top of my cupcakes... with pretty good result, even though I say so myself.


24 cupcakes, a lot of icing and a couple of sticky fingers later, I show Manuela the final result, have a little chat in Dutch (as Manuela is half Dutch half Norwegian) and say goodbye!


Thank you for a lovely seminar, Manuela! I am already looking forward to your book coming out!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Happiness...

...is coming home to finding not just one great and inspirational magazine in our mailbox....


...but two!


I'll definitely have to try the salmon zucchini muffins, and do some hiking (and musk ox spotting) at Dovrefjell this autumn!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Walnut Chocolate Muffins with Mocha Frosting

After coming home from our hike up Skoften on Sunday, I felt like baking....The result: these delicious muffins!


Walnut Chocolate Muffins with Mocha Frosting
(makes about 18)

Ingredients:
- for the muffins:
230 gr butter, room temperature
230 gr sugar
230 gr selfraising flour
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
100 gr dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
80 gr walnuts, coarsely chopped

- for the frosting:
230 gr butter, room temperature
600 gr confectioner's sugar
1 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp warm coffee
1 tsp Kahlua
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation - muffins:
1.) Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.
2.) Put the butter and sugar into a medium sized bowl, and mix until white and creamy.
3.) Add the eggs, one at a time, and then mix in the vanilla extract.
4.) Add the selfraising flour and fold into into the mixture until the batter is smooth.
5.) Add the walnuts and chocolate, and stir until evenly mixed.
6.) Divide the batter between the paper muffin cases, filling them up to two-thirds. Any remaining batter can be used to fill up to four more cases in a second muffin tin.
7.) Place in the oven on the middle rack and bak for 20 to 25 minutes.
8.) Leave to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) before removing them from the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool down fully before adding the frosting.

Preparation - frosting:
1.) To make the frosting, use a electric whisk to slowly whisk the confectioner's sugar with the butter until smooth in texture and no lumps of butter remain.
2.) Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until evenly mixed.
3.) Fill a piping bag with the frosting, and make a swirl on top of each muffin.
4.) Decorate with chocolate morsels and/or walnuts.

Hubby rating: 5+

Enjoy!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Energy bars

On our hike to the top of Skoften yesterday, we brought along with us some delicious homemade energy bars...So should you go for a hike, you might want to consider making these ahead of time! The mixture of flavours, especially of syrup and peanut butter is really good! (But I may be biased, as I'm addicted to peanut butter!) Ok....lots of energy in these energy bars, and that energy comes from lots of calories...but by hiking before and after eating one of these, you'll burn those calories right off again!


Energy Bars
(makes about 20)

Ingredients:
3 dl crushed bran flakes / rolled oats
1 dl dried / shredded coconut
2 dl nuts (any type), coarsely chopped
1 dl sunflower seeds
1 dl raisins
1,5 dl peanut butter
1,5 dl dark syrup / agave syrup

Preparation:
1.) Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
2.) Melt the peanut butter and the syrup in a pan on medium heat, whilst stirring continuously.
3.) Mix the melted peanut butter and syrup with the other ingredients.
4.) Pour into a small baking tray (20 x 30 cm) that is lined with baking parchment.
5.) Use the back of a spoon to flatten and spread out the mixture.
6.) Put the baking tray into the fridge for at least 20 minutes, to let the mixture set.
7.) Cut the mixture into squares and wrap each square individually with baking parchment.
8.) Put the squares into the freezer and just take out as many energy bars as you will need for each trip. They will thaw just enough during the first couple of hours of your hike, so that they can be eaten without breaking any teeth, yet still be sticky enough to not fall apart.

Hubby rating: 6-

Enjoy!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Skoften

Another Sunday, another hiking day! With only one more Stikk UT (Get OUT) post left to reach the minimum requirement of seven different posts to get this year's achievement mug, my hubby and I packed our backpacks with goodies and drinks, and drove 4 km north from Molde to Malmefjorden to hike up Skoften.


We parked the car at Ukkelberg, ready for the hike up through the forest to the top at 369 metres above sealevel. After opening the gate, the happy cows out on summer pasture readily came to greet upon us and follow us to the next gate right at the edge of the forest.


Following the trail upwards, it soon became pretty clear that this trail is used by the local elementary school for outdoor science classes, as different posts along the trail informed about the surrounding flora and fauna.
The many nest boxes - each with their own room number as part of Hotel Skoften - also gives the pupils the opportunity to do some bird spotting.


But why this trail was so popular for families with small children, first became clear halfway to the top. At a small clearing in the forest,  right after climbing up the trail's steepest part - made easy by the supporting ropes along the trail -, there is a jungle gym with zip lines, slacklines, spider web ropes and lots more to challenge and stimulate the kids' balance and coordination. The bivouac conveniently placed right next to it, gives shelter to the accompanying parents.

With no children of our own, nor any nieces or nephews coming along with us today, we moved onwards to the top. While writing our names into the achievement book, we were enjoying great views all around from the top of Skoften. The rumour of a whale splashing around in the fjord down below - Malmefjorden - kept us looking through the binoculars, but we only managed to spot some driftwood floating around.



With clouds moving in fast, we followed the trail back down to the car park again. Thank you for another great hike, hubby!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Berry season...


... has - along with the summer and it's long bright nights - nearly come to an end, but I still found some nice ripe redcurrants while visiting the farm of my in laws today. I guess I will have them for dessert together with some vanilla sauce tonight.... Childhood memories!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Hjertøya

I've fallen in love today! In love with an island... the island of Hjertøya or Heart Island.

It's Sunday morning, and the alarm clock was set for 6 AM. Yes, I know....ridiculously early for a Sunday! Fortunately I don't have to get up...My hubby does though, as he has to help out at the farm of the in laws. The weather forecast has finally shown that we will have a couple of days with warm, sunny weather - exactly what they and many other farmers in the area need for the second harvest of silage balls.

My hubby sneaks out of bed, trying not to wake me even more than the alarm clock did...but I am already brightly awake. While still lying underneath the duvet, I start to wonder what to do today - all by myself as a gressenke (grass widow - the Norwegian word for a farmer's wife left home alone during the harvest of silage). It doesn't take long before a plan comes to mind...

A tiny notice on the last page of our local newspaper had informed me that - even though the normal season had already come to an end one week ago - the boat to Hjertøya - one of the islands in the fjord of Molde (also known as Moldivene / Moldives) would be in service for one more day. After living in Molde for more than three years, it was about time that I would discover this "pearl out in the fjord" that everyone had been telling me about...


With a backpack filled with some salami pesto wraps for lunch, some oatmeal chocolate cookies for my sweet tooth and lots of other goodies, I step onto my bycicle and race downhill to the city centre to catch the first service out to the island.

After only 10 minutes out on the fjord, the boat moors at Hjertøya and I am off to follow the trail all along the southern coastline to reach my sixth Stikk UT-post and the most western point of the island - Hjertøytangen.


Whereas the trails managed by the DNT - The Norwegian Trekking Association - are marked by the traditional red T 's, the volunteers of  Hjertøyas venner (Friends of Hjertøya) have marked this trail with lovely pink hearts.


I have the trail all to myself and after hiking for nearly 45 minutes I reach the tip of the island. First, I have to write my name into the achievement book...



Next, I get comfortable at the picnic table right there at the end of the island, feel a gentle breeze brushing my cheeks, hear the seagulls and start enjoying the great lunch I brought with me. Life is good! Just wish my hubby could have been there with me...

Soon after more and more hikers arrive, and the great feeling of being all alone out in nature is gone. I decide to slowly return and follow the hearts back to the dock...discovering other great picnic/camping spots along the trail. Instead of walking back the entire way along the coastline, I decide to walk along the nature trail for the last bit... a trail with several posts that inform about the surrounding nature and have activities for children.

All of a sudden I'm out of the forest, understanding why many talk of this island as "the pearl out in the fjord"... as the centre of the island turns out to be a paradise, especially for families with small children. With a large field for camping, soccer, outdoor games and BBQing right next to a shallow beach, this must be a great spot to spend a summer's day! It's near the harbour and the island's museum, as well as the island's little café.



The café across the bay...

The museum
The boat back to Molde arrives sooner than I wish to leave...but I'll be back next summer...together with my hubby! This island has definitely found a soft spot in my heart!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Picnic Time



Guess what? Another delayed birthday gift arrived by mail today! I love this practical picnic blanket from Södahl! With soft fleece on one side and water resistant fabric on the other, you won't be left with a soggy blanket after spreading it out on the grass that still is a bit wet from the morning dew. I am already looking forward to our next picnic! Thank you so much, Margrethe and family!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Happiness...


... is having the right to vote!

This will be the first time I will be able to vote in Norway. Since I'm not a Norwegian citizen, I am only allowed to vote at the municipal and provincial elections....but after the tragedy at Oslo and Utøya earlier this summer, I will definitely use my right to vote and not let our democracy be destroyed, just as prime minister Jens Stoltenberg said in his speech on the day of these tragic events:

You will not destroy us.
You will not destroy our democracy,
And our commitment to a better world.
We are a small nation, but a proud nation.
No one will bomb us into silence.
No one will shoot us into silence.
No one will ever scare us from being Norway.
This evening and this night we will take care of each other,
Comfort each other,
Talk to each other,
And stand together.
Tomorrow we will show the world that the Norwegian democracy will be strong when it counts.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Happiness...


... is coming home from work and finding a package in the mailbox.

One of my best Dutch friends - Sandra - sent me a delayed birthday present - a package of RoyalTea. Well, my cuppa with Prince Harry was great! I can't wait for my tea date with Prince William!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Happiness...


... is finally finding accesories to go with the dress I will be wearing at my sister's wedding on September 9th.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Happiness...


... is getting delayed birthday presents!

I got this lovely lantern and table runner - bought at one of my favourite shops, Kremmerhuset - from our friends that got married earlier this summer. We had invited them and the maid of honour for dinner and wedding photos today, as I had been asked to take photos of the lovely couple throughout the whole wedding day. After many hours of photoshopping - making sure that every photo had the best possible quality - and many hours of working on a digital photoalbum, I could finally show them the results!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Happiness...


... is finally finding a bicycle bell like the ones I had on my bikes while growing up in Holland!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Oslo & Utøya


"If one man can show that much hate,
imagine how much love we can show together..."

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Kaizers Orchestra

It's that time of the year again...The one week in which normally peaceful town of Molde turns into the mecca for jazz lovers from far and near...It's time for Moldejazz - the Molde International Jazz Festival.

Personally I can't stand jazz....To me it seems like most jazz musicians have decided to form a band, but haven't agreed upon playing the same piece at the same time. Luckily Moldejazz also offers some concerts for people like me!

The non-jazzy concerts are normally held at Romsdalsmuseet - the local open air museum - and with the Norwegian band Kaizers Orchestra on the programme this year...we just had to be there!


It was pouring down during most of the concert, but Kaizers Orchestra was brilliant and absolutely worth getting soaked for! After opening with their latest and weather appropriate song Tusen dråper regn (Thousand Drops of Rain), they played all the greatest hits from their last album and from the last decade. Definitely a day to remember!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Patchellhytta & Slogen

Bzzzzz..... Is it another mosquito trying to get a sample of my apparently quite tasty blood, just like the hundreds of other mosquitos that have tried just before? No, thank God....it's just the alarm clock!

It's Sunday morning, 7 AM .....and we are waking up at one of the many cabins Den Norske Turistforening (DNT) - the Norwegian Trekking Association - has all across Norway. Patchellhytta is the name of the cabin we just spent the night at - a cabin in the Habostaddalen valley, right in between Stranda and Øye, just a little southeast from Ålesund.


Every muscle in my body tells me that what we did yesterday, definitely won't pass by unnoticed...What did we do? Well....it won't be an understatement if I say that we hiked and climbed up the most spectacular mountain we have ascended in Norway...so far that is...

It all started on Friday evening. We had planned on renting a couple of sea kayaks to paddle off the coast of the island of Averøya - discovering it's many small bays and islets, and camping out on one of them during the weekend....but the weather forecast made us change our minds....What to do now? Plan B: we pack our hiking equipment and sleeping bags, and drive southwards to Stranda - following the sun.


A couple of hours and ferries later, we arrive at the start of the trail taking us from Liaseter to the Patchellhytta cabin, up the Habostaddalen valley. My hubby has been here before and knows what's up ahead...I am still clueless of the majestic and beautiful valley right at our feet - a valley that would make any human feel tiny and insignificant.


While following the trail marked with the famous red T 's as all of the DNT's trails, I almost feel like some sort of divine power up above is orchestrating a fabulous concert, where the loud thundering of the many mighty waterfalls all of sudden is given a decrescendo to let us become aware of the unrythmical yet melodious tinkling of the sheep bells.


After hiking for nearly an hour, the valley broadens and not only the cabin comes into sight, also the main goal of this weekend - the peak of Slogen (1564 metres above sealevel) .

Me with Patchellhytta and the summit of Jakta in the background

Slogen
We continue along the trail towards the cabin, and after securing one of the few two person bedrooms for the night and a short lunch break, we're off to hike up Slogen. I'm quite anxious as my hubby has been trying to prepare me mentally for the last 50 metres before the summit - apparently so steep that I will need not only both hands and feet, but also a good portion of mental strength....

Nearly two hours after we left the cabin - enjoying incredible views of the Habostaddalen valley and the surrounding peaks, we have come to the steep bit... My stomach turns into a knot, but I am determined...I will reach the summit!

Half an hour later my stomach turns into a knot yet again...This time from the view from the summit - a view of 1564 metres straight down the the fjord down below. I did it! I did it! I can't belief I am at the summit of Slogen!

View of Øye and Norangsfjorden


With dark clouds moving in faster than we like, we only get a little bit of rest before we start the long way back down to the cabin - a cabin that looks tiny from so high up.


Halfway down the mountain we meet upon a lady sitting all alone. Whereas Norwegians normally are quite introvert and hard to get in touch with, up on the mountains and out in nature it is common courtesy to greet the hikers you meet along the way and have a little chat - probably only to make sure that everyone is ok and not left alone when in need of help. The lady tells us she is waiting for her brother to return from the summit, who she agreed upon to meet up with again down at the cabin. She started the descend, but didn't dare to walk further down all alone...so we offer her to come along with us, as we see that she did have neither warm enough clothes nor food with her.

Back at the cabin, she thanks us for the help on the way down...but she doesn't seem to relax yet as she is quite aware of the long way down her brother still has to come. My hubby and I are both pretty hungry and tired from the long hike up the valley and up Slogen....so after preparing dinner, we say goodbye to our hiking companion and settle in for the night, with the alarm clock set on 7 AM sharp. "Nighty night, honey! Thanks for a lovely day!"

Bzzzzz....It's the alarm clock waking us up at 7AM. Why so early? Well, with the cabin completely filled up to it's maximum capacity of 50 persons, you kind of want to be the first to be able to use the kitchen to boil water for a morning wash and for a harty breakfast of oatmeal porridge....


It's still early when we leave the cabin, clean for the next hikers to use. The valley seems to have woken up together with us, as we start to hear birds chirping, sheep bells tinkling and water rushing down the falls...We have the trail to ourselves. In two hours we'll be back at Liaseter - back in society, back to reality...