TAD 2011 - Day 13: Do You Know the Muffin (Wo)Man?

Do you know the muffin man, The muffin man, the muffin man, Do you know the muffin man, Who lives in Drury Lane. When you wake up with an English nursery rhyme like this, you know, that you should make birthday muffins for your colleagues (yep another year) to bring to work tomorrow :o) The recipe is one of the easiest ever - and since you use oil and not butter, it is not as heavy as some muffins are - and where berries is mentioned, you can use whatever you want like chocholate chip, nuts, fruit etc. My favourite is either apple+cinnamon or chocolate chip. 200g (7 ounces) berries 150g (5,2 ounces) sugar 1 large egg 1 tbsp. vanilla 1 dl (½ cup) sunflower oil 1½ dl (3/4 cup) milk 2 tbsp baking powder 250g (8,8 ounces) wheat flour If you are using berries, make sure that you drain them for juice. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, then gently add the berries. Use paper cups (chose some who match the occation or opt for a not so cheap batch from stores like DollarStore, Tiger, PoundEmporium etc. - mine was found at Ikea for a bargain price) Bake 20-25 minutes in preheated oven at 180 Celcius (350 Fahrenheit) - a batch makes 12 muffins. Cool them off before eating. Just looked up the nursery rhyme, and it is actually mentioned in a Jane Austen book - is that a hint, that I should spend time on my couch reading something by her? Something only a few of us realise - a muffin in the old English days was nothing like the cake we know so well. Needless to say - I made more than one batch, so I will treat myself with one now.

TAD 2011 - Day 9: Eat Your Handbag

How do you even show your friends, if you pass by something that you really want to share with others.... but alas - you forgot your camera ??!! Well in my case I have to remind myself, that I am actually always carrying a camera, as my iPhone has one :o) I passed by this confectioner's shop and saw this wonderful handbags, that you actually want to eat...... Bon appetit!

P.S. click on the picture, I you want to view a bigger version of it

TAD 2001 - Day 8: Sharing My Heart With....

... well I am not that into Valentines Day - mainly since my birthday is February 13th. And there's no significan other in my life at the moment. Which means that I will share my heart.... well this crochet heart with readers/other bloggers :o) The first time I used a crochet hook was half a year ago - but with this tutorial from Teresa, I could challenge myself once again....still work in progress - as in I still have a lot to learn, in 2-3 more attempts, and I should get it right...maybe too much stuffing and yarn not thick enough?

TAD 2011 - Day 7:Crisp Bread

Today does not have to do with scissors, tape, paper etc. But flour, oil, sunflower seeds, dried pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, wheat flakes, salt, baking powder, linseed... Would have been cheaper just to buy Wasa crip bread at the supermarket - but this way I can decide exactly what goes inside.... and it helps my stomach being on the right track. YumYum :o)

With a Little Swedish Help....

... I am getting just a little bit closer to my 4th goal 4. Baking and other "kitchen stuff" from the 4 Simple goals challenge :o)

I went to Sweden for a prolonged weekend a while ago, and I could not resist buying the baking form and the cookie cutter - these two figures represent something really Swedish: a Dalecarlian Horse (Dalahäst - shaped as the wooden horse dating back to 1624) and a moose (elg). And the shop where I bought it: IKEA. What could be more Swedish?

Friends and familily - they all know, that travelling plays a big part in my life - so they will get the personal touch, when I serve baked cake/cookies for them in these new shapes.

While writing this blog post, I just realised, that I could do something for my fellow MS'ers while getting the treatment at the hospital in December - bake them gingerbread cookies. A lot of them are unable to do it themselves and have to buy cookies at the store unless their friends/families assist them with the home baking - and I will be able to momentarily redirect their thoughts from the MS and give them a taste of Christmas spirit.

The Great Baking Day / 4 Simple Goals Update

In 2004 producers of eggs, flour, sugar etc. launched a common initiative The Great Baking Day (Den store bagedag) in Denmark - it was to take place on the Thursday of week 42 (week 42 is the fall vacation for Danish school kids), and its aim was to gather the whole family in a non stressing environment while baking.

The initiative was welcomed by a lot of families that were stressed about having to entertaining their kids during this vacation week, and can you think of anything nicer than bringing the family together around homebaked goods an enjoying the flavours with coffe, tea or cocao. This has now become a yearly event.

As a "teaser" to this day with the family, kids are encouraged to bake some cakes and sell them in small pieces - Bake for a Cause - the profit is donated to the Danish organisation for children's wellfare, thus enabling the kids to support other kids in Denmark that are less fortunate. I think it is a great way to learn kids to support less fortunate people.

Well today is Thursday of week 42 - so this has definately inspired me to either bake bread or a cake, have yet to decide on a recipe. Once again my chance to do something about my 4 simple goals while keeping a tradition alive - well I might not have kids, but it is the baking that is in focus today.

Did I Really....

....do all that today?!

I really need to check the contents of my breakfast, because somebody must have put some extra-charged batteries in it :o)

Went to the local park and brought my camera - todays picture is one of the shots that came out just as I wanted... and I have several more to use in upcoming posts.

I baked some buns inspired by one, I had years ago at a coffee house - buns with made of Italian durum flour, small pieces of olives, pumpkin and sunflower seeds plus sundried cranberries.. they are yummi and goes perfectly with brie (cheese)... and perfect for a quick, light meal. Also made some crisp bread since the oven was already warmed up.

Crotcheting - my creative mentor told me to find something with yarn, that I really admire - eg. inspiration by a blog and make it my own... Make it my own?? I have struggled with that phrase for a few days and I suddenly realise what she meant: Try to create something similar but with my pattern. I came a long way today, and the result - well that is gonna be a seperate blogpost in a few days.

While reading this post, my mind was suddenly on my 4 Simple Goals.... for 2010 - 3 out of 4 were toggled with today without having planned it :o) I had only hoped to do some baking today and the rest is bonus..... 

Well ready to invade my couch with a hot  cup of tea and a chick flick in the DVD-player.

Knitter's Café

A luscious raspberry knitted top dangling from an antique cupboard caught her attention. It looked as soft as, well, as silk. She checked the tag. Eighty percent silk, twenty percent cutton. "Oh yes", she thought, as she fendled the top, letting it caress her skin, seductively soft. She noticed the light, open weave of the stiches. The pattern alternated open and closed sections running lengthwise down the scalloped edge. For the first time in her life, Kelly wished she could create something like this. Sure enough, right at her feet was a bin brimming over with those same silk and cotton yarns, a rainbow of spring and summer colors. Kelly could swear she heard the silk whispering to her.

"Knit One, Kill Two"

Maggie Sefton

A while ago, I went to my first encounter with a knitting café and must admit, that I will make sure, that I go to these events as often as I can. The atmosphere of the place reminded me of Kelly at Lampspun when knitting with her friends - and everybody were nice and helpfull.

I tried to absorb as many tips as possible, listened to their experience with patterns, yarns, needles etc. never feeling out of place, since we all shared the desire to created something using yarn. They managed to make me feel not so lost - since almost all of them still have some small things, that they from time to time still have small problems with... but are now quicker to adjust and get the desired result. I discovered a new place in the world, where I feel at home :o)

"An Apple a Day Keeps The Doctor Away" - 4 Simple Goals Update

Well in my case, that is not quite true :o) But I love to eat them anyway.

In little old Denmark, the Apple Day (the 6th of its kind) is celebrated today and initiates the apple feast, a series of events going on through the rest of the year. There is a huge variety of recipes for baked goods etc. containing apples, as thee are some very fine types of apples growing there.

Ohh.... my excuse for making a traditional Danish Apple Cake after a recipe, that has been in my family for years - guess it was written down 3 generations ago. It is so easy to make and is yummi - well at least according to my taste buds. And wait.... that actually is in accordance with the 4th goal of my 4 Simple goals: Baking and other "kitchen stuff".

If you are wondering about the apple cake - here is the recipe:

Traditional Danish Apple Cake   - serves 4

2 lb cooking apples

3 oz sugar

A little water

1 vanilla pod

Breadcrump mix:

½ cup sugar

½ oz breadcrumbs

3 oz butter

4 big or 8 small macaroons

• Peal and core the apples, then slicing them into small pieces - boil them with some water and the split vanilla pod until they are all mushy.
• Remove the pot frm the heat and add the sugar. Stir it and let it cool off.
• Mix sugar and breadcrumps.
• Let the butter be golden in a saucepann and add the breadcrump-sugar mixture.
• At low heat, fry the mixture until it is crispy and golden - keep stirring the mixture until it is ready.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and add crushed macaroons.
• Put the apples and the breadcrump mix layer by layer in a bowl - start and end with breadcrump mix
• Add whipped cream on the top - about ½ inch - the whipped cream helps sweeten the cake, as it can be a bit sour due to the amount of apples

Velbekomme / Bon appetit.

Knit, good woman, knit, knit!

Paid the hospital the monthly visit today - and I saw something, that I have not seen there before when getting the treament: two women were actually knitting - it made me smile and I wished that I would be able to do that while at the hospital. They were not fellow patients, but relatives supporting their loved ones while getting their treatment.

Watching that, and a line from somewhere popped into my head "Knit, good woman, knit, knit!".... and the more it spun in my head, the more curious I got: Where had I heard that originally? Who said it? .. The good helper was google. I laughed - from the tv-series FRIENDS, and said by Chandler Bing.... this is my all time favourite tv-show :o)

The picture is actually from two projects of mine (yep the colors are the same as in the blogpost with the granny square - the yarn was at hand then, when I decided to do that first crocheting) - and I recently found out, that it is not unusual for knitters, to have more than one project going at the time. Previously it would have freaked me out to have more than one unfinished project - but now I am relaxed about it :o)

Having read knitting mysteries by Maggie Sefton (Kelly and the Lampspun friends) and Sally Goldenbaum (the Seaside knitters), it makes more sense, that you are letting your mind work with all sorts of stuff, that has occupied your mind and subconcience. Yes running and walking can actually do that also, but sometimes I just need to sit and relax with a good cup of tea instead of being outside exercising (I use my bicycle to get to/from work, so I do get my share of exercise every day).

Back to the knitting projects. One of them is actually a summer top, but looking at the calendar: fall starts tomorrow, and it is already to chilly to wear a top outside - I have thus decided that that project is my long term project. The other one is a cosy sweater and I have gotten surprisingly far already, so that will be finished and used during the upcoming fall and winter.

Looking for the origin of the quote in my head, I stumpled over a blog, where a knitter is writing about her using a lot of airplane time knittin: I had no idea that knitting needles would even be allowed on a plane!! I travel a lot by air, but I have yet to see one knitting.... But hey, maybe that first one could just be me :o)

4 Simple Goals.... 2nd Update

Fingerless gloves aka wrist warmers.

Ever been cold indoors (due to draft or a malfunctioning aircon)?? I decided, that it would be too much to wear gloves indoors, but needed an alternative, so I can stay warm indoors and be able to hit the correct keys on my computer's keyboard. Since I have challenged myself to be more creative, I did not buy them but set out to make them myself.

I found a pattern here - I took me four knitted attemps before I made something acceptable to wear. I used black yarn for my first pair, as it blends in with most my work attire (conservative office look) and made a matching Knit-Wit rosette (circular).

Had some difuculties with the photos, I could not take the picture of them while wearing them, so decided that some gloves could assist a bit... also the result is kindda dark, but even in reallife you have to get up close to see the rosettes. But know I know the basics and will try to make some more with colors matching some of my clothes.

4 Simple Goals.... Baby steps

I realised today that my 3rd attempt on a project, that I started last week, was not quite right either..... Undid it all.... Actually I do not feel to bad about it, because I firmly believe, that I can learn from my mistakes.. and yet: want to wait a few days before beginning on the fourth attempt.

Bought a magazine today, which included a picture of a crochet pattern + the pattern itself.... resembling the granny square pattern and yet being totally different.... still something with yarn, but complete different on what I was originally working on today....

Saw a YouTube link a while ago to a crochet granny square tutorial - using that as a guideline it seemed possible...

I made my first granny square using a crochet needle a bit oversized for the yarn used, but still gave me a chance to get to know the granny pattern myself.... in fact this is also my first attempt on crocheting...yep a bit uneven at the edges, but again my first attempt.....

Maybe I want to do a project with crocheted granny squares someday.. if I can do this, can I crochet some flowers, that I can use when making cards? The possibilities seem endless, and my creative idea list is once again growing....

4 Simple Goals.... for 2010

Reading Oh, My Darling's blogpost sent shivers down my spine...

Why?! The other night I wrote in my journal, that my thoughts are spinning with soo many creative projects, that I don't know where to start.... guess I just needed someone to give me a litl' push in the right direction and make me transform my creative ideas/impressions into goals.

Her inspiration comes from this blog, where you can also find the "rules" - if you want to learn more you should look at that blog belonging to a very creative Elsie Flannagan.

Here goes:

1. Knit more...or doing something with yarn

Recently startet knitting again and is now ready to taggle bigger knitting projects - already have some ideas puzzling and even bought the yarn for some of them...Time to get started.... Crocheting is also veeeery tempting.

2. Use the camera more 
...and not just for pics supporting my blogposts. I need to learn to take quirky pictures, not just the usual "tourist shots" or portraits... maybe even something color-theme-something

3. Start using the sewing machine
...that I got from parent almost 6 years ago. Only used sporadic when I got it, but various patterns are too tempting...need to give it a try.

4. Baking and other "kitchen stuff"
Just a small portion of berries and you can make your own jam etc... And the price of bread is once again about to get more expensive. Once you get going, you enjoy the results afterwards