Who laid what?

Called “Turkey Ball”
Click Here for Turkey Ball

My grandmother, direct from Stockholm, Sweden moved to the US when she was in her 40’s I think — just about my age.  She brought over, on the boat, her antique furniture — which I remember being in her rather large apartment. Particularly a couch and two chairs in an elegant claw-foot style with caning on the sides. I remember it being upholstered in a green silk, so that on the rare occasions I was allowed to sit on it, I would slide off. That was great fun, until I got caught

When my grandmother moved in with us, when I was 9 years old, her furniture came with her. At some point, she recovered it in a hideous maroon velvet. Gack! It was horrible, and that was the condition of the couch when I inherited it last year. You might want to shield your eyes before looking at this picture!

Eeeek!

My eyes! My eyes!!!

I’ve had it in my living room that way for about a year. No the dog isn’t dead, he decided that was “his” bed and I didn’t have the heart to kick him off when he was a puppy. But now, he has learned to stay off, because after two weeks of sewing and cussing and sewing some more, the couch looks like this!

Yay me!

In the shortest days of winter, the kids are up before I am. They have a mission — to get their schoolwork started and finished so they can enjoy the daylight in the afternoons. When I started this homeschooling journey I did not know what expect. I had plenty of doubts about my ability to make this work. I should have had doubts about my ability — I am notorious for starting lofty projects and burning out quickly –  but about my kids’ ability? There is where my doubts should have stopped. They have embraced this challenge whole-heartedly. I commend them for that.

The first turnout after the blizzard:

Run, Fancy, Run!

We’re outta here!

I peeked at my daughter’s blog this afternoon. She had a big day yesterday:

Today I got a new hair cut called a pixie cut. You have to be very brave to get one.

I LOVE my new hair cut!!

Plus I got toe shoes for ballet! I am finally going on pointe!

I still have to sew the ribbons on.

Remember the baby turkey poults? Well, two died as babies. Just keeled over. They do that. Two got “lost” in the woods. Four survived. Two nice big Gobblers and two hens. See how handsome?

So why did we not eat turkey on Thanksgiving or at Christmas?

This is why:

They LOVE ME, mom!

This Jul I did an experiment with making homemade Limpa Bread — a staple to the Smörgåsbord . Also known as Vörtlimpa (“Wort loaf”), Swedish limpa bread was originally made from the fermented brewer’s wort produced in beer-making. My Limpa is a rye bread that is sweetened and flavored with anise, caraway, fennel and grated orange peel.  I tried several different recipes I found, all with ingredients that made me raise my eyebrows (cumin? Really?) I finally settled on a recipe that seemed “right.” It turned out fantastic!  I made sure to use King Arthur Bread Flour which has a higher protein content and works well with rye flour to help it rise. It is so dry in South Dakota, that I have found yeast breads to have trouble rising, so any little bit to help!

Right in the middle of my first rise, the power went out! Oh no! I didn’t have my trusty Kitchenaid to use to knead the bread — which needs a good 10 minutes of kneading to develop the gluten! Ack! Luckily I have twin daughters and we took turns kneading the bread. Right when we set it for the second rise the power came back on. Figures!

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups orange juice
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup dark molasses
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. caraway seeds
• 1 tsp. anise seeds
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. freshly grated orange peel
• 2 1/2 cups medium rye flour
• 2 to 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour

Preparation:

I highly encourage trying this recipe. It is very wholesome, with only natural, good ingredients. I may try a version substituting honey for the molassas and brown sugar and see how that works. I’ll keep you posted –

The rest of the menu:

Meatballs –flavored with cardamom, allspice and ginger

Sill — pickled herring

Ham — Mark made this glazed with honey and bourbon

Pickled cucumbers

Pickled beets from the garden pickled last September. Mmmmmmm

Hardtack

Brown beans

Cheeses: Danish Havarti, Jalsberg, Swedish Fontina (missed out on the Bondost -doh!)

Now It’s Christmas again. . .

Making Spritz cookies!

Kanelbullar ready to go into the oven after the second rise.

Homemade Limpa Bread

Dream cookies waiting to be dusted with confectioners’ sugar.