Almond Paste Rolls

50g fresh yeast
150g butter or margarine
5 dl milk
1 1/2 dl sugar
1 teaspoon salt
10-13 dl flour
(1 teaspoon cardemom, optional)
1 egg

I used ready almond paste from Sweden but here is a recipe how you can make your own. I have not yet tried it myself but it's supposed to be good.

Almond Paste
200g almonds
200g sugar
scald and peel the almonds. Mix the almonds in a mixer. Add sugar and mix for 5-7 minutes, until you have a warm, smooth paste.

Heat oven to 250 degrees.


Crumble the fresh yeast.


Melt butter in a pan and add milk. When lukewarm pour over the yeast and stir until yeast is dissolved.


Add salt, sugar (and cardamom if you are using) and about 10 dl flour. Work the dough for about 5-10 minutes and then add flour until it's easy to work with. Be careful not to add too much flour.


Let the dough rise under a tea towel for 30-40 minutes.



Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out the dough and spread with butter.


Grate almond paste over.


Roll into a tight roll and cut the rolls. Place in paper cups or on a baking sheet.


Let the rolls rise one more time. After about 15-20 minutes whip the egg with a fork and brush the rolls.


Bake in the middle of the oven for about 7 minutes, until golden.

Kladdkaka

In Sweden we call this cake kladdkaka but I think it's what the Americans would call brownie.



Kladdkaka
2 eggs
3 dl sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
4 tablespoons cacao
1 1/2 dl flour
1 dl melted butter

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C and grease a cake pan. Mix ingredients carefully together and pour batter into the cake pan. Bake for about 20 min.

Carrot Pancakes

When i was little my grandfather always used to make this small carrot pancakes for me and my sisters. I now make them for my son and I serve them with homemade applesauce.

Small Carrot Pancakes

3 eggs

9 dl milk

5 dl flour

pinch of salt

Add all the flour and stir until there is no lumps. Then add the rest of the milk and salt. Fry them in pan.

This usually makes enough to put some in the freezer. They are great to have when you quickly need something serve.

Applesauce

2 apples

water

sugar and cinnamon

Peel and cut the apples in smaller bits. Put in a small pan and add water, just enough to cover them. Cook until tender. Take aside and mix together with a hand mixer. Add sugar and cinnamon after taste and heat quickly so sugar dissolves.

Chicken in Sweet Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (trimmed and pounded flat)
1 can of crushed tomatoes
3 spoons of rape seed oil
1 onion (finely chopped)
juice from 1 lemon
3 spoons of soy sauce
5 spoons of tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

Fry your onions in 3 spoons of oil until soft (about 5 minutes). Add your chicken breasts (seasoned with salt and pepper) and fry until golden brown. It takes about 5 minutes on each side.
While you are frying your chicken make the sauce. In a bowl mix 5 spoons of tomato paste with lemon juice, soy sauce and all of the crushed tomatoes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as you see fit.
Pour over the chicken and

Annabel Karmel

One of my son's favorite food is sticky salmon with rice, a recipe from Annabel Karmel.

Sticky Salmon with Rice
400g salmon
4 dl rice
1 carrot
3 dl frozen peas
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use the sweet one)
vegetable oil

Marinade
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp dark brown sugar

Mix all the ingredients for marinade in a sauce pan. Cook carefully until sugar has dissolved. Put the marinade aside and cut the salmon into cubes. When marinade is cool, pour it over the salmon and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Cook the rice with a chopped carrot according to the instructions on the packet. A few minutes before the rice is done, add the frozen peas.

Cover an oven tray with foil and add the marinated salmon. Leave until salmon is cooked thru.

Heat some oil in a wok and add the cooked rice and soy sauce and cook for a few minutes. Serve together with the salmon.

Quick Lunch

When I, like today, lack ideas or I'm to lazy to cook something I make grilled cheese sandwiches.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
bread
honey mustard
cheese
butter

Spread honey mustard over 2 slices of bread, add cheese and put together. Butter outer sides of bread. Place on pan and fry on both sides until golden and cheese is melted.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

I prefer to make my own hamburger buns instead of buying.

Hamburger Buns

50 g fresh yeast (or 1 package of dry yeast)
50 g margarine or butter
5 dl milk (or water)
1-2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
10-12 dl flour

Crumble the fresh yeast into to the kitchen machine.



Melt butter in a pan and add milk.



When the butter and milk is 37 °C, pour over yeast and mix until yeast is dissolved. Add salt and sugar.



Add flour and mix the dough in machine for about 5-10 minutes. I use white flour and either spelt whole wheat flour, usually half of each.



Let the dough rise for 30-40 minutes under kitchen towel.





When dough is done, divide into 15 pieces and form them into balls. Place them on baking sheets and press them so they are about 2-3 cm high. Let rise for another 30-50 minutes.



Bake them in the middle of oven for about 7 minutes. Let them cool.



Usually I press the buns in a plate with sesame seed before I place them on baking sheets but I did't have any at home today.

Back Home!

Back home after 2 days of good food, wine, sightseeing, shopping and many Crème brûlée.

Paris!

Now I'm off to Paris. No cooking and washing dishes for 2 days.

Taco Seasoning

A good idea is to make your own (free of additives) taco seasoning.

Taco Seasoning

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon oregano

Combine all ingredients in airtight container and shake. Done!

Taco Seasoning
2 čajové lžičky soli
2 čajové lžičky sušeného česneku
2 čajové lžičky chilli
2 čajové lžičky kmínu
2 čajové lžičky sušené cibule
1 / 3 čajové lžičky kajenský pepř
1 lžíce papriky
1 lžíce oregána

Spojit všechny složky v hermeticky uzavřeném kontejneru a protřepejte. Hotovo!

Chocolate Balls

My son loves to make and eat these chocolate balls.

Chocolate Balls

100 g butter

2 tablespoons cacao

1 dl sugar

3 dl oats

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl with your hands. When everything is mixed together, roll small balls and put them on a plate with pearl sugar and roll them until covered. Put them in the fridge before serving.