Kranse kake stenger- Traditional Norwegian almond cookies

I usually make these cookies for Christmas. They are simpe to make with only three ingredients, and so delicious that when Christmas comes around, they are all gone. So I have to make an other batch.



500 gm almond meal ( I use almond meal from Trader Joe's. )

500 gm powdered sugar

3 egg whites

1 egg white for the following day.

Optional: almond extract, to your liking (apr. 1 -2 caps)


Mix sugar and almond meal, add 3 egg whites and almond extract. Kneed well.
Then kneed the dough in a pot on low setting until the dough is too hot to handle. Be careful not to burn it.

Let sit to the following day.

Kneed in 1 egg white.

Let the dough sit in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.

Take a handfull of the dough and roll until it is apr 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut into apr 3 inc pieces.

Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes.

Norwegian Jule Bread

The holiday season is not the same without this moist tasty bread. It is even better with Norwegian Gjetost which is a brown and sweet cheese popular in my home country. You can find it in some stores under the name Ski Queen.

Ingredients:

Dry yeast;1 pk

Milk;  2 cups, tepid

White unbleached wheat flour; apr. 6 cups

Butter; 175 grams

Sugar; 150 grams

Egg; 1

Cardamom; 1-2 teaspoons

Raisins or cranberries; 1 cup

Citron 1-2 packages, Apr. 100-150 grams

Directions:

1) First make a loose dough of half the flour, 50 gm sugar, all the milk  50 gm butter and dry yeast- mix sugar flour and dry yeast, melt the butter add milk and warm and mix with the dry ingredients. Let rise to double size.

2) Whip the rest of the sugar and butter white , add the egg. Mix this with the loose dough. Then add the rest of the flour and the cardamom. Let rise to double size. Add the dried fruits and kneed the dough. Make two round breads, or use bread forms. Rise for 30-45 minutes. Bake 350-375 degree F for 30-40 minutes in the lower part of the oven.  I usually bake them on a warm pizza stone. Enjoy.

Winter is chili time

Chili with a fruity twist

This is the season for a heartwarming chili.  I never follow recipes, not even my own, so this turns out slightly different every time I make it.  

Ingredients

1 package ground turkey or chicken 7% fat.

1 cup pinto beans, kidney beans or/and black beens (soaked over night or use canned)

1 green pepper diced

1 can tomatoes, diced or crushed
1-2 cups mushrooms, chopped, optional

1 Trader Joe's pineapple salsa ( or a salsa to your liking)

1 yellow onion, diced

1 apple, diced

Corn form one cob of corn (or frozen corn), 

1/2 cup raisins or/and dried cranberries

Soy sauce

Salt

Chipotle pepper in adobe sauce or dried

Garlic, minced

Cumin

Lemon or lime juice from one fruit

Dash of brown sugar, molasses or another sweetener that you like 

Oregano

Cilantro, chopped

Directions

Cook the soaked beans in water until soft if you use dried beans.  Use the bean water in your chili. If using canned beans, rinse under cold water

Brown onions 

Add turkey- let cook until turkey s cooked through.

Add the chopped mushrooms, cook for 4 minutes

Add the rest of the ingredients except lemon/lime juice and cilantro which you add just before serving. 

Add liquid for desired consistency. 

This can be made in a crock pot.  Fry the onions and turkey as above. Add the the rest of the ingredients and the soaked beans. By the time you eat the beans will be cooked through. Be sure to add enough liquid for the beans.

Enjoy.

Sunday Brunch Muffins

 It has become a tradition in our household to have muffins for brunch on Sundays. The ingredients in these muffins can be improvised . I never panic if I've run out of one type of flour or fruit, there is always a substitute.  

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 ½  cups flour (1 cup spelt, 1/2 cup each of almond flour, oat flour and millet or teff flour)

1 teaspoon cardamom

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 1/3 cups butter milk

1/3 cup oil

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

dash of almond extract

1 cup fresh or dried fruits 

Walnut topping:

3 table spoons room temperature butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tea spoons flour

1 teaspoon cardamom 

2/3 cups pecans or walnuts

Directions:

Make the topping: ½ cup dark brown sugar, 2 table spoon flour, 3 table spoons butter, 1 tea spoon cardamom. Mix. Add the chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Oil muffin tin. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in a second bowl, then combine them with a few swift strokes. Do not beat the batter. Add 1 cup of fruits. Scoop the batter into the tins. Top with the Walnut topping. Bake about 30 minutes in the lower part of the oven.

Variations:

Mix different kind of flours for a total of 2 1/2 cups.

Add 1/3 cup of flax seeds.

Add grated carrots. I like to use the pulp after making juice.

Replace cardamom with cinnamon or other spices of your liking.

Add grated lemon or orange peel.

Use any kinds of fruits. I like blueberries and raspberries, or a ripe pear and cranberries.
Use yoghurt or kefir instead of buttermilk.

This recipe was inspired by Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.