Christmas Cookies

Blake and I both have a bit of Norwegian in us. It is really the only specific recognizable heritage that we both share. His grandma is also Greek and my grandma is Italian, and I'll claim a little bit of that too. However, the predominant cultural influence in both of our childhoods was the Norwegian. My grandma always made Lefse during the holidays and to this day I look forward to smearing butter and sprinkling sugar on that potato flatbread. Last year I tried my hand at making it myself.. turned out pretty good (if I may say so myself) ;).

I've been trying to make a new Norwegian dessert each Christmas. Last year I made små brød (small bread) that is kind of a scone dough in a pretzel/wreath shape. It was pretty good.

This year, thanks to my recent acquisition of a mysterious Jøtul iron during our most recent beach trip.
(Remember this?)

                        

Tonight, I put it to use! Through some research (Google) I discovered that this old cookie press is intended to make the following cookie:

Goro, also called Goro Kake

Ingredients:
  3 eggs
  1 cup sugar
  1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp. vanilla)
  1 cup whipped cream, whipped to firm peaks
  1 cup butter, melted
  1 Tbsp. brandy or cognac (optional - I didn't use)
  6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
  1 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
  1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional - I did use)

Preparation:
Trace a rectangular pattern the same size as your goro iron onto parchment or other paper; cut out. Spray goro iron lightly with cooking spray and heat, closed, over medium-high burner until a drop of water sizzles on the surface when opened.

Beat together three eggs, sugar, and vanilla sugar (or vanilla). Fold in whipped cream and melted butter. Stir in cognac, if using. Sift together 6 cups of flour, cardamom and cinnamon, then mix into batter. Add additional flour, if needed, until dough is very firm (it should be about the consistency of pizza dough).

Separate the dough into thirds, and roll each portion out on a floured surface to a 1/8" thickness. Place paper pattern on dough and cut squares the size of your goro iron.

Transfer each dough square to the goro iron, close iron, and cook the first side for 3-4 minutes, pressing the iron's handle together lightly to impress pattern upon the cracker (Note: keep a wet towel on hand to immediately wipe up any butter than leaks from the press). Flip iron and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until both sides of cracker are golden brown.

Transfer cracker to rack to cool; while still warm, cut into the individual sections and trim off outside edges (if desired). Repeat process with remaining dough (rerolling scraps as necessary).

These cookies originate from the 1700's and were considered an expensive cookie because of the specialty iron and all the butter, cream and sugar needed for the recipe. It was fairly time intensive and I can't say that I'm super excited to make these more than once a year! They remind me of a cardamom scented waffle cone. Kind of a cross between a sweet cracker and a cookie. Fairly plain and simple, but also elegant and tasty.

Black & White

We have had some serious fog around here lately. It has made for an interesting drive home from Pendleton at night but also a beautiful one. Something to do with a low pressure system that keeps the air stagnant in areas creates fog that doesn't go away. 

It has also been below freezing for over a week which causes freezing fog. This can be dicey on the roads but beautiful to look at. All week I've driven by this tree near Pendleton and finally had to stop and take a few pictures because I find it so intriguing. They're not the greatest photos, but I think you get the idea. Just wanted to share!

It is located behind a semi-truck sales lot (of all places).

Isn't it pretty!

 

It's crazy how the fog freezes layer by layer onto everything that holds still. This is a piece of tall grass by the side of
the road. I don't know if you can see it very well, but it's pretty neat in person!

This is a random picture, but I thought it was so strange how the frozen fog just coats everything, even the
fence and stray sagebrush that is stuck in it. 

How To Leave A Comment

I've had a few people mention that they are either having trouble commenting or aren't sure how to comment. I thought I'd make a comprehensive comment tutorial as a post, so that people can look at it as needed. If you know some of this, feel free to skip around. This post can also be found on the right side of the page between Labels and Archive.

I know that there have been times that I've tried to post on someone's blog and no matter what I try... it just won't go through. Sometimes blog servers have bad days too and the comments just won't work. Try again another day or let me know if it happens time after time!

To get started you click, "Comments" at the bottom of the post in the dark gray area. If someone has already commented it will say "1 Comments" (poor grammar, I know) or "2 Comments" etc. This will open up a new window, in which you can write your comment.

Generally, I type in my comment and then immediately select the text and right click, "copy", because there's nothing worse than typing out all those thoughts and having something go wrong and having to re-type it!

Next you type in those funny letters (see above). I know this is kind of a pain but it is a necessary evil. There are people out there that create programs to search out comment fields and leave icky or pesky comments. The word verification just ensures that you are, in fact, human.

Next, choose an identity. 

Because my blog is owned by Google, they give that as the first option. If you have a Google account, such as Gmail, Blogger or Picasa (but there are more), then you can log in with your Google username/password and leave a comment with that username. If you don't have one, you can create one by clicking that option and hitting "publish your comment."

If you have an account with another blog server or website, some of them allow you to log in with those accounts:  LiveJournal, WordPress, TypePad or AIM

 If you do not have any of those accounts and don't want to create them, you have two options.

You can enter your Name/URL:

This will post your comment with whatever name you enter and if you also enter a URL, then it will make your name a link to the website you enter. The URL has to be a website, and cannot be an email address - I tried that and it doesn't work. So if you don't have a blog or website, then just leave the URL blank and enter your name. This is what it will look like:

Your last option is to comment anonymously.

This is really a feature for people that want to share their opinion but do not want their identity known. Some people don't like having their name on the internet or just don't want to be associated with the comment they are sharing.

However, sometimes this is the only option that will work (at least that's what I've found on other blogs). So if you have to use this option and you want me to know who is commenting then just sign your name at the end of your comment. It will post your comment like this:

Hope this helps!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

CHRISTMAS!

Have I mentioned that I love Christmastime? Oh yes, that's right. I did.

Well this weekend we had a little getaway with our friends the Sauras. We went to Lake Chelan for a night and enjoyed some good food, wine tasting and attempted the world's second most difficult puzzle (VanGogh's Starry Night). Now, we are experienced puzzlers, but we got about a border and ten pieces into it and decided that it wasn't a one-night puzzle. I think that one will have to wait until our next long weekend at the beach!

Wine tasting with a view of Lake Chelan.

On Sunday, we did some antiquing and hunted for a long sought after gift - which cannot be named because 1) it was not found and 2) the receiver of the gift reads this blog on occasion. Someday we'll find this elusive item and then I will give it and share with the world what we found.

After antiquing... the real story begins. We made our way to Leavenworth, Wa where it, in fact, has been looking a lot like Christmas for some time now! They have a Christmas Lighting Festival each weekend from after Thanksgiving until the last weekend before Christmas. This was the first time experiencing this for all of us and it was quite enjoyable. Another first for all of us was eating chestnuts roasted on an open fire. The verdicts is mostly in on the chestnuts.. not all that great. Kind of tastes like a cross between a real sweet potato (not a yam), a parsnip and something else that I can't remember now... but you get the idea. Not really nut like at all, a little more like a root vegetable. I'm glad we tried it thought! It added to our experience!

We also got some Christmas shopping done and found the last few items on our stocking-stuffer list!

Waiting for the festival to start
in Leavenworth

After all the lights have been lit and we're about frozen!

We also {finally} took some pictures for our
Christmas cards.. this one didn't make the cut
but I do like it :)

Whitney and Jason

Hosting

A friend asked me to host a table at our church's Women's Christmas Dessert Party. She asked me because she know how much I like to bake. I also love to host. I really do. I enjoy the planning, the brainstorming, the intermittent periods of stress, but most of all, I enjoy the blessing. Or at least that's my goal - to bless people.

The requirements were:  Arrive by 5:45, guests would arrive at 6:30 and provide the following:

• table cloth
• a coffee carafe
• water pitcher
• centerpiece
• eight name tags
• reserved signs for seats that were filled
• eight party favors
• dessert for eight hungry women (some might not have time for dinner - like me!)

Here is what I came up with... I really wish they were better pictures, but I only had a few seconds to snap some:

Table cloth: check. Coffee carafe: check. Water pitchers:
check. Desserts: check, check and check. 

Name tags: check (actually made by my friend on
the left in the picture above).

 Reserved signs: Check. Party favors: Check.
The reserved sign is a book mark. It says,
"Sorry, I'm booked" hehehe. Doubles as a
favor and sign. But also the little black
 favor box has chocolates.

Centerpiece: Check.

This was my experimental dessert: Apple Pie Cookies.
Also served were my usual standbys
cheesecake and baklava. 

I wonder

I wonder what is going on right now in your life. I wonder what happened to you today. What happened just before you got in your car or before you answered that phone call. I wonder what happened to you yesterday to change you today. I wonder.

When I hear stories about someone's baby being born, someone's child meeting a milestone, a family member being in an accident, etc. I think, what was I doing just then? Was I complaining about something, was I taking my blessings for granted, was I busy or bored? What was I doing when this life altering thing happened to you?

It's so interesting to think about the six-billion-plus moments that are going on around the world right now. I can barely keep track of my own moments, but God keeps track of all of those moments.

I'm reminded at moments like this, when I'm milling the minutes away until my next task, that something is happening to someone right now. Something huge and exciting, something tragic, something life changing, or something just as normal as my moments right now.

I wonder.

Anticipation

I love Christmas. I love everything about it. I was realizing the other day that I might love looking forward to Christmas almost more than I love the actual day.

I love decorating (albeit simply) and watching the world get decorated. I love the crisp air, the red Starbucks cups and warm seasonal drinks, the wool coats and bright scarves. I love that the whole world - or at least the country - is recognizing the same season of giving that all started with God's gift to us (like it or not!). I love that songs about the birth of our Savior fill the airways, even in the most secular places. I love the list making and list finishing. I love that everyday has a bit of purpose in getting you toward that big day. I just love getting ready for Christmas.

All of these things bring back warm memories from childhood and stir up leftover warm-fuzzies from past Christmases. The anticipation of Christmas is the gift that keeps on giving - from a few days before Thanksgiving through the candle light Christmas Eve service. There is just something different in the air, the hopeful expectation is almost tangible.

: :

Part of this appreciation for looking forward comes from my friend Whitney. She always makes sure to have future plans so that she has something to look forward to during a busy week or stressful month. Whitney is also very good about making sure that we always have a plan for when we will see each other again soon after our latest get together. It has kept our friendship thriving. Through her, I've learned to make sure I always have something to look forward to - adding some joyful anticipation to every day.

On one hand, looking forward to something puts us at risk for wishing today away for tomorrow, but it can also be that that ace up a sleeve that you pull out to lift a crummy mood or brighten a long day. I have found that enjoying every moment of anticipation helps me to appreciate the days until something, instead of just wishing away time.

Anticipation is a way to stop and smell the roses along the journey.