No Parking

There is something about this baby bliss that makes me so restless. I'm locked to this baby, so unlike my sign parking is allowed, as long as I accept that a baby is attatched to my boob.

I keep craving freedom, and I find myself loudly shooshing my family (and probably strangers soon) as soon as Little Brother sleeps. 

These are my minutes of freedom, and if anyone wakes the boob-monster before I have managed to for example a) take a shower without rushing, b) sit down with my mac or c) tidy something that I've stared at whilst having a baby attached to my boob, I totally freak out.

And it doesn't help having been stuck in the house for a full week with a sick Big Brother. Cabin fever galore!

On the pluss side all this pent up creative energy which builds up while the milk guzzling goblin is doing it's job explodes as soon as I manage (yes he's fussy) to get him to sleep. 

Now, where's the sewing machine? I've got some pillow covers to make.

Easy Life

Scones

... for breakfast. Made with kesam, a fresh low fat cheeze, instead of butter. And rolled in loads of sunflower seeds. Yummy. Recipie from here (in Norwegian).

4 dl rough flour
4 dl fine flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons baking powder
3 dl kesam
1 dl water

Mix the dry stuff and the wet stuff divide into 12 pieces and roll in sunflower seeds.

Bake at 250 degrees celcius for 10 to 15 minutes.

Kitchenscapes

I love to have Big Brothers dinged up lunchboxes on display, and I keep buying him more. And the rustier they get, the more I love them. I like the thought of his kids one day finding them, marked with his name, in a carboard box somewhere.

The little pandaboy is a favourite at the mo. I've realised that I'm addicted to playfull and colourful things all over my home. The tea-light is Iittalas 'Kivi'.

More lunchboxes. My breadbox, and a Danish butterdish that doesn't fit Norwegian butter.

The pirahna and tractor lunchbox is from the Norwegian designer Blafre. Just got a really cool new one for my niece in Vancouver for Christmas.

A white collection. 'inner calmness' bought at the Danish Design Centre in their soul supermarket (at least that is how I remember it). The matryoshka measuring cups were a Christmast-gift from Sister.

My Auntie Gwen made the possum print. My cookbooks on the top shelf, along with wine that I never get to drink. And below, musli, chanterelles and condiments in the morning light. The little bowl is filled with Maldon salt, and I can't live without freshly ground black pepper.

Pancake Medicine

Big Brother has been sick for the last four days, and with a less than normal appetite it was time today to bring out the big guns. Medicine Pancakes.

You need eggs.

His fever finally seems to be breaking. His cough is a little looser. Maybe I'll get released from my house arrest soon.

Milk. (Yes we have people on skis on our milk cartons here)

Special import, from Sister in Vancouver, Maple Syrup.

Crack three eggs, add sugar to taste.

Whisk together with milk and flour.

Use real butter.

Then you get lacy, yummy, pancakes.

Things I Love About Our House

Rosettes on our celing. Original too.

Our new bathroom, and the light in it.

Our original doors, and handles. Even though none of them shut properly.

Rough stripped walls. Almost 100 year old timber.

Materialism

It's funny how new things can make me so happy. I guess that's consumerism for you. But I still have to show you my new pad, te-light and cake stand all got from my favourite shop Bohemia.

I actually didn't spend a penny on the things, as they were a Christmas gift from work. Yay for gift vouchers.

Sunday Chook

 

One of the Aussie traditions that I have inherited is the Sunday roast chook. I have great memories from Auntie Jans in Sydney roasting two chooks and getting to eat the bacon protecting the breast while she litterally pulled the golden juicy chickens apart and served them with soft rolls.

I usually love mine with roast veg and gravy. Normally I make stuffing, but today I wasn't fussed with it. 

I seasoned it with a bit of smoked salt and pepper and stuffed a garlic, a few sprigs of parsley and half a lemon inside the carcass. This time I browned it on the pan before roasting it for a couple of hours at 175 degrees.

Once I get the chook in the oven I start preparing the veg. Easy. This time I had parsnip, sweet potato, carrots, potato and fennel. All in even bits, and then tossed in a bit of oil, salt and pepper.

The good thing about browning the chook off in the pan before putting it in the oven (apart from the crispy skin) is a pan ready for making the gravy. A couple of spoons of flour and some stock, and then just add the panjuices later.

While the chicken rests, bang on the grill and brown off the veg. Pull the chicken into bits and serve with loads of the yummy gravy.

If All Else Fails ...

Felt like I needed a new header, and whipped up something in a hurry while Little Brother was sleeping. Uploaded it, and wtf? It was all fuzzy and pixelated. After exporting my header a load of times I decided to go back to my old header. Fuzzy too. Bugger blogger. Blogger bugger.

I was just about to throw my Mac out the window when I realised I hadn't googled my issues. I litterally wrote "can't upload header without being pixelated", and Google answered my prayers.

Thank you bloggy world! You all rock!

Love,

A very gratefull MissBuckle

Meatless Monday

 

You probably wouldn't believe that I was a vegetarian for almost five years, from the age of 17 untill 22. I even had a stint as a vegan in there somewhere.

I chose to not eat meat for environmental reasons first most. In Norway where meat and potatoes are a staple, people really didn't understand the argument that a vegetarian diet is more environmentally sustainable. Today it is widely inderstood that a diet with less meat in it makes less of an impact on the planet.

Today I actually eat, and enjoy, meat. Although a good vegetarian dish doesn't go astray with me. And untill a few meals ago a good bulgur salad was my go to lunch dish. But my hip and happening sister, who lives in the health capital Vancouver, introduced me to quinoa and I havn't looked back. I put it in baked goods, soups and salads, and apparently it is the healthiest thing since, sardines?

I love introducing people to the grain. The other day I served it with avocado and roasted walnuts, just lightly dressed with a little good olive oil and lemon juice. The grains looks like little curls when cooked and have a great bite to it.

Not really being a new years resolution kind of girl, but a lover of fresh starts, I still have decided to go vegetarian one day a week.

Just maybe not Mondays.

Forging Friendships

 
It's funny how being plonked into the same life situation connects people. I'm now a member of the official baby neighbourhood, and here we talk about spit-up, pooey diapers and babysmiles. I love it!

And in these connections I realise how intertwined people are. This person knows that person, and suddenly they are not so strange anymore. 

Just spent the last three hours talking to girls who not so long ago were complete strangers.

A cup of coffee and a brownie is all it takes.

Housescapes in Neon

I Love My Mum

She is full of advice, even if I don't always take it. She listens, and gives me an honest answer. She makes the best pavlova ever. She will be there in a second if she knows I really need her. She sees through my bullshit. She's smart. She's a logistical genious. She sais funny things, and sais things funny. She understands. She cares. She is not a pushover. She's my Mum. I love you!

Project 2011

The morning light over my neighbours roof tops can be breathtakingly beautiful, and I have often photographed them.

And it struck me that I could make a photo project of it, albeit probably an irregular one. As the sun rises earlier I might not be able to catch the light, but there might be a little man waking me up early.

My last two posts I have also presented the other view down my street. Over the roof tops and into the mountains. And I've decided to document these too, as regularly as I can manage. Although the mountains look gorgeous in the morning light, I think these can be shot all day long, so I might manage one a day. No promises though.

The results will be presented on my flickr, and can be reached through the picture links in my sidebar. 

And if you're impatiant like me, and you need everything served on a platter, then click on the triptycks below to go there now.

My Street

My View

Morning Vista Again

Grey skies

Sleeping boy

Morning Vista

Pastell skies

Sleeping boy

Plyboard Rolls

These knobbly and sandpapery looking rolls are one of the more delicious things I've baked lately. And they are healthy too.

I can't take credit for inventing them. I saw them being made on morning TV, and it looked so easy. Of course I adapted it a little, but the original recipie is here.

And guess what? It was easy! 

They have been tested on My Men and guests and they all raved. I prefer them with a slathering of real butter, but they are apparently good with white or brown cheeze.

Musli Rolls with Figs and Walnuts

1/2 kg rough wheat flour

1/2 kg rough rye flour

50 grams yeast (or equivalent in dry yeast)

2 ts salt

3 dl wheat bran

2 dl oat bran

1 dl linseeds

300 grams chopped mixed nuts (I used walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds)

200 grams chopped dried figs (I would use whatever I have in the pantry)

12 dl tepid water

Mix all but 2 dl of the flour mixture together with the tepid water mixed with yeast. This gives a loose batter/dough that you can mix by hand or in your machine (I used my Kitchen Aid) for five minutes. Add the rest of the flour untill you have a thick and sticky dough. Leave to cure for an hour in a warm place.

Litterally blob the now stringy and sticky mixture onto a baking tray lined with waxed paper. I think I made 32 rolls. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 225 degrees celcius for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.

We ate loads for lunch on Sunday, and I have split some and frozen them so I can pop them in the toaster in a rush.

Sticky Chocolate

... the joys of baking. And being a kid.

Green and Pink

... is a delicious combination. Fresh prawns from the North Sea with an avocado-mousse. Easy peasy, and totally yummy.

And in the background: my favourite sauvignon blanc, Twin Islands, and the best part is that I get to drink some after almost a year of sobriety.

Skål!

Feet Hands Bliss