Henna Inspired Gingerbread Cookies- pausing to reflect, regroup, and rejoice.

Christmas 2014 has come and gone. As I sit in a quiet and empty house (for only a few hours), I think of all the flurry of activity that has transpired the past week. I am also thinking of the past 10 years and the Christmas memories we have accumulated. It was  almost 10 years ago that I had my ninth baby. That year was also the year we sent our first child off to college. In the last nine years  we lost both Farmor and Farfar in Sweden and my three grandparents who lived into their late 90s. Each of these past years we always had December to look forward to as kids returned from college and we had church programs and concerts and Nutcracker ballets to attend. December was always a no school month for sure. We always made Swedish crafts; yarn  tomtens, woven hearts, egg carton tomten girls who are singing and knitting.

And of course, we always baked Lucia bread for St Lucia Day, made a list of cookies from Farmor's recipes, perfected dream cake  and small candies. The highlight of December festivities has been the making of gingerbread houses. This tradition began over 20 years ago when I found a small kit with three cookie cutters-the roof, sides and gabled ends- plus a decent recipe. That first year we invited over two young kids from church who's father was dying. It was such a fun event that we have reenacted it every single year since. We cannot have December without the gingerbread house day. It is always a  challenge to find an open day for everyone and to invite friends. The  real challenge comes when each of the kids wants to invite a friend or two. With nine kids and each of them  inviting a few friends...well the house production becomes exponential!!Everyone is encouraged to bring a unique candy or interesting food item to share. The most  pre-fab houses I have made  is about 30. It is  quite a production. Then there is the icing-or the cement as we call it. Bowls of that are mixed up and served up to the construction site or table. As the years have gone on and the kids get older the houses became more unique-some dream cottages, others log cabins, and some modern structures. We get more and more creative with edible things becoming decorations; pretzels become logs, almonds become singles. When we look at the guest list we try to invite kids who are going through lonely times, perhaps have never made a ginger bread house, or just new people we have met. The list is intentional and deliberate. The mix is always interesting and important. In the past few years  the crowd has gotten older and louder and more lively. I no longer have to go around holding up walls and saving collapsing homes- even more wonderful. The past few years have seen the kids all take over and roll out the dough, assemble the homes for others, and especially clean up the sticky table and crunchy floor.

As we look back and share the creations and the joy of small children and of  kids in their teens and 20s I think if the traditions that have been established here. It didn't start out with an intention to create a tradition for the kids. I was always more about creativity and fun and making everything a learning experience. perhaps even an excuse to call everything school! In hind sight I realize most of what I was doing was trying to create Swedish Christmas for my husband and for the sake the kids to enjoy what was going on in their father's homeland. I hoped that they would be able to relate to his past and to enjoy the beauty of Christmas in Northern Sweden. As I watched them all make Christmas happen this year, I realized that the traditions are theirs now. They will do this whether I do it or not! An they have added in a bunch of new friends who enjoy the traditions and add in some of their own. One thing is for sure, there will be Swedish food and baking, candles, and especially dancing. Always dancing. Oh how they love to dance with each other! We bring out the old Mora Trask CDs and the Swedish folk dancing music and it's childhood fun with today's friends for hours. As I write this I remember the first  young girl we invited to make houses and realize that my kids have run into her  this year at swing dancing and now she is a mother!

Swedish cinnamon rolls-same thing is always good

I'm thankful for the opportunity to have been at home all of these years raising up a small flock. I have been able to design the home life to be warm, fun,creative, sometimes serious, always with God as the One we trust above all, and to seek after Him in all that we do. And, of course, I have fallen short. What I've longed for with all the kids is playing out according to God's timing and will for their lives- not mine. Yet, as I watched the girls help me out this year with all the shopping and using their own hard earned money, inviting, decorating, baking and serving, I had a sense that the traditions were a steadfast reminder of God's steadfast love for us. The world is changing quickly and getting more confusing. Morals wane, Truth is being challenged and diminished  and pushed aside, selfishness abounds in us all and the Lord Jesus is taking far second, at best, in our daily lives. Yet, in His word I learn we can come back to Him always. As long as there is night and day and seasons we can be reminded of his faithfulness.

"The steadfast love of the Lord
never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23


This year, I went back to college after leaving it 32 years ago with only semester left for a bachelors degree. I had quit in 1982 to do the next step in my life. I am reminded of the mind of  a 20 year old as I remembered mine from back then. Today I live  among five of my children in their 20s and I'm praying for more wisdom and grace -daily. This Christmas I taught a young mother who isn't Swedish how to make a dream cake. She learned  it in one day and presented hers far more beautifully than I ever have done! Our two eldest children are now married and had their first Christmas away from the family as they live in  Washington DC and London. We have had a sadness about that for sure. But, we still made Lucia bread, Kanel bullar, dream cake and Farmor's specialty-mocha medallions!
The house is getting noisy again. I don't mind but I'm putting in the headphones. Gearing up for the next year as I finish my bachelors degree in Art and all the while comparing classes and professors and culture with three of the kids who are also in college. Our eldest is coaching me along with Statistics as we plan what in the world I might be doing next year with only two kids left at home to school.

The Lord makes the plans. I love the Psalms. They speak to my heart throughout this journey.

                                    "He put a new song in my mouth,
                                       song of praise to our God.
                                       Many will see and fear,
                                     and put their trust in the Lord.

                                   Blessed is the man who makes
                                       the Lord his trust,
                                     who does not turn to the proud,
                                      to those who go astray after a
                                           lie!
                                     You have multiplied, O Lord my
                                          God,
                                      your wondrous deeds and your
                                          thoughts toward us;
                                      none can compare with you!
                                  I will proclaim and tell of them,
                                       yet they are more than can be
                                                     told"

                                              Psalm 40: 4-5

Here's my gingerbread recipe. Although there are so many out there , I liked this one because I found it scribbled in the back of one of Farmor's old cookbooks. None of the recipes out there are very different from each other. I got good reviews on this one! I love henna designs and have a fondness for India-hence the fancy icing designs. Please enjoy!


GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Set oven to 375

2 1/2 sticks of butter-or 1 1/4 cup
2 cups of sugar
1/3 cup of molasses
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground cardamon
1 tablespoon baking soda
3/4 cup of water
about 6 cups of flour

In a small pan heat up the sugar and syrup on low until all mixed together-not cooked -just mixed. Add the butter and transfer to a mixer bowl.

In another bowl combine the spices and baking soda in about 4 cups of  the flour. Stir these together  with a fork so they are well mixed.

Add to the sugar and butter and syrup. Add the water and mix on medium while adding the rest of the flour a cup at a time.














Add enough flour to make a dough that is workable but not too stiff.

Slightly sticky is OK.. Let it chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Take out dough and let it soften. Roll out onto  a floured surface. Roll from the center out until dough is about 1/4" thick and  then cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Lift up gently with a spatula,

Hearts are always nice.

                                                          

before baking use a straw to put a hole in the hearts so you can hang them in the window or on the tree

Place directly onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 8 minutes. Cool before removing from the pan.

Icing
2 cups of powdered sugar
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Beat egg whites until light. Add the lemon juice and then the powdered sugar  a cup at a time. Pipe through a pastry tube-or place a few spoonfuls in a plastic zip lock bag and then snip a tiny bit from the bottom corner. Squeeze out gently. Takes a little practice but very fun. It becomes a little like drawing.

The Lowly, Worthy Potato- Absolute Best Potato Rolls...and an art project

This unassuming, rather ugly looking food has a very important place in the culinary history of mankind. While it has sustained many people during long cold winters, it's absence due to disease and rot has also led many people to leave their homelands and immigrate to faraway places. Most cultures of the European continent have their longstanding  traditional ways of preparing  potatoes A warm potato dish with a savory meat makes one long for the simple things of home and family. It doesn't take much to dress up a potato-basically some salt and any kind of gravy or sauce or topping. Butter is a perfect compliment to the potato. This lowly dirt grower has gotten a bum rap as being way too high in carbohydrates and as a guilty insulin spiker.  Of course, to add chemicals and fake fats and processed cheese and other impostors to this poor root is  a shame and it  destroys the worth if this valuable and inexpensive food. It sure has served itself well for the hard working farmers and laborers who could build up their energy with a hearty potato dish. Nowadays, to say that  a man is a "meat and potatoes" guy is to  imply that he detests vegetables  and is signing up for heart disease! Yes, there is plenty of room to encourage more leafy greens and lots of hard work in a persons daily life ,but still, I think this great, yet simple and cheap food serves mankind well.

This recipe has been a prize winner at our home on Thanksgiving for many years. We can go without other traditions and newer ideas but Mama cannot forgo the potato rolls. I always begin to make them the morning of Thanksgiving so they have plenty of time to rise and still  have them hot and ready out of the oven by dinner time. Of course, we aren't an early afternoon dinner time people-so I'm talking 6 o'clock dinner time-at the earliest! In my house, crazy as it may sound to many Americans, we have only one oven and and, yes, I cook nearly everyday for at least 8-10 people. I'm thankful for my one oven while many people have two, and yet others and many places have none. I know that I am blessed with a very convenient kitchen. Still, when it comes to holidays and events and my  girls having their ideas for  baking and cooking, we have to literally create an oven schedule so that everything gets done in time. It makes for good planning skills! Sometimes, a cake or dish has to finish up in  mormor's oven-thankfully, she lives only a mile away.
Of course, this recipe can be made any time of the year. It is also good to bake in a loaf pan. All you need is a medium to large sized potato, flour and yeast and salt, and a fat and then you are ready to make the best rolls ever -and your family and friends will beg for more.

                                            Potato Rolls

One medium to large size potato peeled and cubed
2 packages of dry yeast- one package equals 2 1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons of shortening or butter
6 1/3 - 7 cups of flour-depends of the size of the potato and the moisture added with it.

In a small pan cook the potato in 1 1/2 cups of water until tender. Cool until lukewarm. Set aside a 1/2 cup of the liquid.

hand mash the cooked potato

reserved liquid-this is a doubled portion

Mash the potato in the remaining liquid and add water as need to make 2 cups of potato water mixture.

Soften the yeast in the reserved 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

yeast dissolving in potato /water

Combine the potato mixture,sugar, shortening or butter, and one tablespoon of sea salt in the mixer bowl. Mix well, then stir in 2 cups of the flour. Beat this well , then cover and lt rise till about double. It will be very wet and sticky.

 I let my dough rise in the large bowl of the Ankersum Assistant -it rose so well that it pushed the lid off!

rising up!!

After about 45 minutes of  rising time, stir it down and add the remaining flour a 1/2 cup at a time and keep adding until you have a moderately stiff dough. The size and moisture from your potato mixture will determine how much flour is needed. I mix in the mixer until it is time for the last half cup of flour and then finish up kneading by hand so I can get the right feel to the dough. It is also rewarding to have my hands in the dough. It's good work.

this is what makes bread making so rewarding

the quiet, hard working mixer!

Shape the dough into a ball and cover with a towel and let rise till double-about 45 minutes.

this is exciting when it peeps out from under the towel

Now, to form the rolls. Prepare cookie sheets with a piece of parchment paper-or lightly grease the baking pan. Punch down the dough, and on a lightly floured surface pull off an amount that fits loosely inside the palm of your hand . Roll it around on the work surface  under your hand into a small round ball.

rising on the baking sheet

Place them on the pan about 3 inches apart. Cover and let rise another 30 minutes. Set oven to 375 and then brush lightly with milk an sprinkle a dusting of flour on top. Bake about 15 minutes  and  they are light golden brown on top. Cool on  the counter-or better yet-open one up and spread some real butter on it and eat. Oh my!

These  are also great for small sandwiches a day later-if there are any leftover!

ready by dinner time

Potato Stamp Art Project

Here's an idea for a  simple homemade card or art project: the potato stamp. My kids have made so many of these while I was working away in the kitchen, it's also good lesson in printmaking, It costs next to nothing, and it is fun and gives the kids a chance to carve a bit. This is suitable for kids who can handle a somewhat sharp knife. An older person can always help.

First select a potato that has a wide mid section. Think Mr Potato Head! Then wash it up and dry off. Cut it in half. Then draw your design with a sharp pencil. Think about what will be left over to make the image. This is a good lesson in printmaking because it makes you think about what is taken away that will be the white and what remains that will pick up the ink or paint. I like this because my kids and I began to see illustrations in books in a whole new way. We also would do pen and ink drawings and really have to think about what the ink would show-and what the absence of ink would create.
Then, dry off the stamp and use  either an ink pad or brush on paints lightly to your image -make sure you don't fill in the cracks. Then stamp down on the paper. After a few tries you will see that improvements will be needed in order to make the stamp flat and to make dramatic enough spaces to create the image you desire. My boys especially loved the carving part of this activity.

A basic design we started with was a heart shape for Valentine's Day. I also had the kids do their letters when learning to read. Another idea is to make their own stationary. This can progress to other printmaking and layer in the the primary colors. One fun thing to do is to first stamp with blue and wipe off the stamp and then stamp with yellow. Voila! Then we have green. I still remember how exciting it was for me to make my own green. I painted leaves and trees for days.

draw a simple outline

Stefan loved to use his carving tools

paint on color or use an ink pad

One of the big lessons learned with simple print projects is that the image will reverse when stamped. So....backwards letters and animals facing the opposite way teach this very well!



















































































































































































































































































Ofc ourse, this recipe can be amed any time of the eyar. It is alsi good ot ake in a loaf pan. All you need is a medium to alrge sized potote, flour and yeast and salt and a fat and youa re ready to make an amazing bread taht will warm the eharts of your people.

Summer's Last Hurrah- Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

these waited until October to bloom!

When summer finally ends and  the rain and cooler weather comes to Northern California I have to chuckle as everyone pulls out their scarves and jeans to wear, puts on their boots, and can finally justify wearing a jacket. Some even find an umbrella and dust it off and put it to use. It's a bit funny to Jörgen and myself since he comes from the land of Northern Sweden where winter means driving across frozen lakes, and I come from Northern Nevada where high desert winters are very cold, sagebrush gets dusted with snow, and there always seems be a harsh wind blowing.

But, I must say that I love the winters here. I plant lettuce and kale and garlic  in my garden and we have the most beautiful fall leaves everywhere, and, after the first rain the dry grass everywhere becomes lush and green.  One of the best things about our fall is the  remaining flowers arrayed among the pumpkins left over from Halloween. Now that we are looking at December right around the corner, I've decided to give my remaining pumpkins over for fall cookies and pies.

The way I cook a pumpkin is to cut it open, spoon out all of the seeds, place the pumpkin open side down on a cookie sheet, cover it all well with foil, and then bake at about 350 until it is very soft. Next I scoop out all of the insides into a bowl. Here is where I would highly recommend a food processor to puree the pumpkin. I'm anxiously  waiting to add more attachments but for now I simply put my pumpkin chunks into the Ankersrum mixer and ran it on low speed and it worked fine to make a soft puree.

mashing and mixing pumpkin

The following recipe is one of our absolute  favorites. If you don't have  an actual pumpkin  then the canned stuff is always good. It also makes for a more orange colored cookie. But, using what I have around is what I'm all about! So, here's my recipe, and here's to the last of the summer's amazing pumpkins!

Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

Heat oven to 375

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of pumpkin puree-canned or home made
1/2 cup of shortening or butter
2 cups of  all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice mix-this is optional but great for extra flavor
1/4 teaspoon of  grated  fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Mix sugar, pumpkin, butter or shortening together.  Add the flour,baking powder,baking soda spices and salt. Stir in the fresh ginger.

Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet-or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake until light brown.About 8-10 minutes. Remove immediately and let cool.

brown glaze

This glaze on top just makes them near perfect!

In a small sauce pan add:

1/4 cup of butter
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla-I use vanilla sugar when I have it in stock.
1 to 2 tablespoons of milk

Heat the butter on a medium heat until it is a light brown. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in milk unil smooth. If using vanilla sugar instead of vanilla extract you may need to add a bit more milk. It should be smooth enough to pour over the cookies but thick enough that it doesn't all run off.

This is all  I had left for the  photograph!

and this is what happened to the other pumpkins!!

Swedish Pancakes- Longing for Lingonberries

I was so excited this spring when our local nursery actually had lingonberry plants for sale. Seriously, how can this wonderful  Scandinavian forest berry grow in a garden in the dry northern California summer? Sure, it would like our cool and wet winters, but I laughed to think of harvesting enough berries to do all of the wonderful things that my Swedish friends do each fall with the berries they find literally outside their  back doors. So, I bought a few plants and nestled them among the strawberries. That summer one of my Swedish visitors actually laughed at my measly little struggling plants.

lingonberry hopefuls

Well, enough of the lingonberry saga- we have an abundance of another beautiful red fruit-Pomegranates! I have been busy all fall harvesting from my own trees, gathering from friend's trees, and making deals with the farmers at the local Saturday market. In exchange for a nice jar of jelly, they sell me me bags of their not- so -pretty fruit for a great price. The work involved in seeding and juicing is a bit tedious but well worth it.

ready for a few more batches of jelly

One of the most loved foods at our home is the simple Swedish pancake-or plättar. I suppose it would be called a crepe in many other places.  Although any day is  a  good day for pancakes, Thursday in my father -in -law's kitchen meant pea soup and pancakes. He always served them right after the soup and they were in these perfect stacks of about 8 layered with a dab of berry preserves between each one and then topped with a thick mound of fresh whipped cream. Since it is most traditional to have local wild berries such as  lingonberries with the pancakes, I decided to save my small jar from IKEA and turn to my California jelly and  fresh pomegranates to adorn my little pancakes. The result was perfectly beautiful and simple. Well...the jelly took time, but the bright ruby red seeds and the smooth jelly were perfect.
Swedish pancakes are cooked on the stove on a "plättlagg". I found mine long ago at a specialty kitchen store. My crepe pan, used for larger ones that you can roll up, was found at garage sale! Cast iron is best and it seasons well so that you don't need to spray the pan nor use a lot of butter to keep them from sticking.
I've taught the children to make these and there is a little art to knowing when to flip them.
The following recipe is very simple-not any sugar added since that can be added later  in the toppings. I usually double this recipe.

Poor Jörgen, he got home too late for this small batch-kids got home from tennis hungry and others kept walking by and "sampling " them.
That is why we double just about everything here...at least.

Here's what you need to start :

             1 cup of flour

    1/2 teaspoon of salt                                                                                                 

             2  2/3 cup of milk                                                              
             3 eggs
             3 tablespoons of butter melted

a simple hand beater works great

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add half of the milk and whisk it together until is smooth. Add the rest of the milk, beat and then add the eggs.
Melt the butter and stir it into the batter.

Heat the pan until it is hot. Test it by sprinkling a  few drops of cold water on it. If they almost pop and sizzle off the pan then it is ready.

I use a soup ladle to pour about 2 tablespoons into the small wells. If using a crepe pan then pour just enough to cover the whole surface-tilt the pan to get it spread out  quickly.

ready to flip

The pancakes are ready to flip when they appear almost dry on the top. I use a plain dinner knife to gently lift the edges and turn it over. Let it cook for just a short while. Don't fret if you have a few flops! It takes a bit of practice and the ones that are less than perfect are great samples  for those who walk by and can't wait!

they are done when the tops have a nice light brown color and small little circles

Stack them on a pretty platter and you can place a dab of jam or berry preserves in between
them or just serve it on the side . I dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve whipped cream with a tablespoon or two of vanilla sugar added.











Whipped cream-  pour about 2 cups of whipping cream into the mixer, add vanilla sugar or powdered sugar and beat at high speed until just thickened. The Ankersrum Assistant works very efficiently and quickly, so don't walk away or you will get a thick creamy butter!

whip until fluffy and  stays on the spoon

As always, these are a delight for all!

Swedish Sockerkaka

Swedish Sockerkaka with a California twist

This time of year there is abundance of persimmons and pomegranates in Northern California. From farmer's market to established yards and parks it seems most everyone knows someone who is giving away fruit. Since my pomegranate tree is finally producing after about 8 years and my neighbors persimmon tree is over flowing, I decided to add their rich color to my sockerkaka which we made for a friend's birthday. This cake is so popular among our family and friends. It is simple and very pretty. I use either a small 4 cup Swedish cake pan or a 6 cup larger one-thrift stores are great place place to find unique ones. This one in the photo is such a find!

I recently added to my kitchen an amazing new Mixer-The Ankersum Origional. This mixer has been made and sold in Sweden since 1940! Most of my husband's family and friends have one which they call the "Assistant". Many families pass their down to the next generation. Jorgen's cousin has one which is 40 years old and still runs. Baking and serving "fika" with coffee is a very important part of Swedish daily life.

The Ankersum Origional with batter mixing bowl 

Here in California we live fast paced lives. We love good food and especially real food. There is little time for food preparation -let alone baking. Yet, in our home we have made it our Swedish culture to cook often, and especially to bake Swedish  cookies and cakes and breads. This cake, much like an American sponge cake, is quick, simple, and can be dusted with powdered sugar, presented with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or in the summer with a small cluster of fresh flowers decorating the plate.
The ingredients are simple as with most Swedish cakes: real butter, sugar, fresh eggs, baking powder,milk, and vanilla sugar or lemon zest. 

Often we are asked to bake this cake for friend's birthdays. Just this past week we had a busy Wednesday and after a  full day of kid's school, my class, making dinner, ballet,  so I quickly mixed this cake up and had it ready for one of the kids' friend's 21st birthday. Our neighbor had loaded us up with persimmons and we had a few pomegranates left over form jelly making, add a few raspberries and we had a beautiful cake for the celebration. Of course, there was a bowl of whipped cream to add on top of each slice!


Sockerkaka recipe

Oven 350

Prepare pan:

A small bundt pan that hold about 3 cups works well.

brush softened butter into every nook and cranny

lightly dust with flour or fine crumbs

I like to use a stiff brush and softened butter to get into all the spaces of the pan then dust with flour or crumbs.

2 eggs

¾ cup of sugar

1 ¼ cup of flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla sugar or  1 tsp vanilla extract

or grated zest from half a lemon

Melt the butter on the stove. Let cool a bit.

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients and the vanilla sugar and/or zest.

Add this to the egg mixture. Then add the milk and melted butter.

Beat well until light and well mixed.

Pour into the pan and bake on the lower half of the oven for about 40 minutes. The cake will be slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan and the color will be golden, and your tester will come out clean.

Cool on the counter before removing from the pan. A trick I learned from an old cookbook in Sweden is to drape a  slightly cool, wet dish towel over the upside down form for a bout 5 minutes. The cake will cool under there and come out easily.

Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with seasonal fresh fruit. Amazing and great with coffee.