Thursday, Out with the old!

      I think this about sums up how all of us feel about 2020, although that sweet little baby standing there may not look much better when we go to toss him out. I will say that I feel good about 2021.  I feel positive.  Things may not change for a while, but we made it through this last year and we can do it again.

     When I think about 2020, I have many positive things to say about it.

1. We had two new grand children that have given us such joy.

2. We actually moved, a huge goal that has so much improved our lives.

3. We learned to stay home, set routines,and endure.

4.I think many people learned to do more things for themselves. 

5.We learned to appreciate things more than we did before.

6. We learned to be grateful for what we have.

     I actually got up at about 10:00 am yesterday so I slept late and I was back in bed after my blog post.  I slept all day until dark and then got up and had some leftover meatloaf. Hubs and I then went to two different grocery stores to get things for our New Years day seafood meal with our girls.  As both were in lock down over Christmas we are having a big meal tomorrow.    After putting groceries away I went back to bed and slept all night.  I feel much better this morning.  I think I was just over tired. Hubs knew better than to bother me when he asked if I wanted to go get a soda and I said no.  This means Kim is either sick or dead.

Now I do have to get busy and clean this house as the kids are de in later today or this evening.  We will have pizza for dinner.  I just decided.  One less thing to stress over. I can make a large salad and clean up will be a breeze.  Great way to kick out the old year.

Cleaning list today:

1.Deep clean guest room 

2. clean and vacuum master bedroom

3. deep clean master bath (it is our only toilet right now)

4. dust and clean front room

5. dust and clean family room

6. clean kitchen

7. mop all floors

8. set dining room table for dinner tomorrow

This should take me most of the day, but I am ready for it.

Thrifty Thursday

1.Saved money traveling home by not stopping to eat

2. bought gas at lowest prices and filled up out at reservation

3. started my $5 bill savings for next year already have $25.00 saved

4. skipped all the after Christmas sales, as I need nothing!

5. really reduced the # of stocking stuffers to just  candy and treats.  Saved a ton of money here.

6. Started saving all my change again in my pig bank.

7. cooked from scratch and ate out of our pantry and freezers.

Well I have a lot to get done, so I had better get moving.  I am so stoked about the New Year.  I don't know why, as very little will change.  But I have a huge amount of debt to pay off with this move and house.  Well huge to me.  I have many savings challenges and debt pay off goals for next year.   I am excited to see what I can do and I hope to take you all along for the ride.  Note: It may get bumpy!

Did any of you discover blessings or things you learned last year because of the lockdown? Anything positive?

Have a wonderful New Years Eve!

I will catch you all tomorrow.

Kim

Wednesday, Resting

 We drove up to the kids place just in time for daughter to get in a run and pack her things for Spokane.  Of coarse we enjoyed Schmills and Kelsa.  She wants to sit up now, but is so small she has to be backed into everything with pillows. She took a snooze on Hubs chest for an hour and he hated it as usual.  She just loves sleeping on her grandpa.

Look at those little toothpick legs that barely stick out of the chair.  She stands up so straight on them while you are holding her and they look like little skinny spindles.  My last two girls were tiny but not this small.

I bought both daughter and Kelsa CC beanies that matched.  I just want to squish her she is so cute. After we came home I went right to bed for a nap.  I don't know what is wrong with me.  I have so much to do, but I have been napping.

There are 4 loads of laundry on the couch to fold and put away and I need to run to two stores for things for New Years day dinner.

Lil sis is doing well and we are just waiting for results of her test. But right now she feels fine.  So strange.

I am going to make a cheese cake for New Years day dessert it just sounds good.

Mother in law gave me 12 pint and quart seals so I cam make jam next week.  I really need to get all that fruit out of the freezer before it burns.  I was so happy to get them from her.

Why am I so flipping tired?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Tuesday, Well laid plans....

Lil Sis yesterday

      I was on a roll yesterday, actually getting a few things done, not at a quick speed but putzing forward.  Lil sis called me about 4:30 p.m. and said she did not feel well and that her resting heart rate was 135.  Her fit bit was going off alerting her.  Since our mom had a terrible time with A-fib the last 20 years of her life, I was very concerned.  She of course tried to downplay it, but I told hubs I had ground beef thawed for meat loaf, and he was just to make himself a burger. I was going over to check on her.

     She was definitely running a fever when I got there ( I was masked) and her heart rate was 125.  We could not find her blood pressure cuff.  She was coughing and had sinus.  It was pretty obvious that she was not feeling well.  She said her chest felt heavy and I just took her to the ER.  Of course I was not allowed to stay.

     They checked her temp at the door and it was normal, but she was starting to break down crying, which is not something she would normally do.  I left and waited for her call.  When she was examined in the actual ER her temp was 102.2 which explains the heat radiating from her skin, her heart rate, her tears and chills.  She reported back that her blood pressure was very high also.  They kept her for about 3.5 hours.  She had a rapid covid test, which came back negative.  But they stabilized her with IV fluid, and meds.  After running every test they could think of, they did another long term covid test.  I took her home about 8:30 last night and this morning she says she feels a lot better.  Now she is quarantined, working from home until the test comes back.

So while waiting for news from her, I ran to the store and picked up a few veggies for salad.  Forgot the eggs and milk.  Hubs made me a burger, and I did not get much else done, other than getting the laundry started. I did put the groceries away and got most of our gifts put away.  We wanted D#2 to bring the kids down, but there was  ice and fog on the Polouse.  I really need to see my baby.

I have wanted a label make forever.  This will make food storage and the garage so much easier to navigate. I was happy to receive this and can't wait to use it! The problem is nothing is organized enough for me to label right now.  It is a work in progress.  But when I take down Christmas decor you can bet your life I will use this!

My new cordless vacuum is charged and ready to roll.  Hope I can use this today and I helps me stay on top of this house a little better.

Also I can use it to vacuum the furniture as it has attachments.  Our dog has a bed but he often jumps up on the navy blue sofa.  Our cat is grey and leaves hair everywhere.

I actually wore out or broke my cast Iron skillet a couple of years ago.  The handle just snapped right off.  I had that for years, Like 40 years.  My youngest bought me a new one for Christmas.  It is a little smaller than I would have bought, but if I like it Hubs is going to get me a larger one also.  As much as I cook, an extra will be good.

I just found out D#2 is taking the grand kids to Spokane at 2:00 as she has to work the next 2 days.  So I am going to drag Hubs up there after lunch so I can get in some Kelsa and Schmills hugs.

I probably won't get anything done today.... Oh well

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Monday, Catch up,clean up, give up

 We are home and boy, is it tough to come back and unload everything. Now as much as we enjoyed our holiday, we have to find a place for all of our gifts.  There is about 3 loads of laundry to do.  We have to unbox gifts left here.  I did not clean the house before we left and it is a mess.

    Every trash can is full, how did I not notice that?  I have a talent! All the ceiling fans and window blinds are dusty.  I can see the dust on the molding around the floors.  Let's not talk about the floors. The only nice thing about taking down all the Christmas decorations is that it gives you an excuse to clean. 

As we are having the girls and Lil sis here for New Years Day I will not take down the decorations until after the New Year.  That means I have to really deep clean many areas of my house.  Well at least it is a good  work out plan.  I can work up a sweat just trying to get things put away.

Hubs gave me (upon my request) a cordless vacuum for Christmas. With all the animal hair and  a floor that shows everything, I needed an easier solution, than dragging out the large vacuum everyday.  I hope this is the answer.

Here is a picture of Hubs blowing out the sparkler on his birthday cake.  That is his little sister (who is my age) Hubs turned 70 on the 19th.   His mom was so happy we came down there to celebrate.  When we got there (as I told you before) I checked the fridge and found some carrots and a gallon of milk and some eggs.  Then there was a bunch of containers of things that needed to be thrown away.  I was alarmed.  Now she does have a good freezer full of meat and lots of food, but it does not appear as though she is cooking much.  She does still make homemade ww bread and freezes it, but that seems to be what they are eating.  Although when I would ask for something she always seemed to be able to produce it. More on this later.

We had a lovely Christmas eve meal, and daughter and I made lefsa Christmas eve and then in our floury aprons, and Swedish Sweaters we took a plate of warm lefsa over to an older Swedish couple in her church.  We arrived with a Yule Bakka ( A large goat made out of straw) under one arm.

They were pretty astounded.  It was about 8:30 at night.  They were certainly happy to get some Lefsa as she does not make it.  But they had never seen our daughter be funny and silly.  I think she wears her prosecutor personality at church. Where if you really know her she is a nut like her mother.

Christmas morning we received so many lovely gifts.  We watched the grandsons open theirs and then we packed up and took off for Hubs folks again. Hubs younger sister and her Husband joined us.  Hubs has three younger sisters. One is my age, one is 5 years older than me and the other a year younger.  It was his sister that is 5 years older than me that came over. They arrived about an hour after we got to mom and dads.

We had a great seafood dinner.  Too much food!  But so good. Hub's sister agreed to help me make up some freezer meals for their mom.

So we stayed an extra day and Saturday the 4 of us went out to get a few groceries.  Much of mom's food storage is really outdated.  I am not talking about canned goods.  But all of her olive oil was rancid and we found food stuffs from 2007 (jars of mayo) yikes!  Hub's sister and I threw many things away.  Hub's mom is a terrible cook, and I believe she will use rancid things.  We will usually not eat there unless we watch what she uses. Neither will either of her daughters. She hasn't had good smell or taste for years and no it is not covid.  She is very, very frugal.  I mean selfish frugal, even with herself. She has many wonderful qualities, but generosity is not one of them.

His sister and I made up lasagna, stuffed shells, manicotti, tater tot casserole, potato and leek soup and we froze a large container of left over crab meat we picked from the shells. Also froze two conditioners spaghetti sauce.

Here are the casseroles we made.

Mom and dad have wonderful foods in the freezer, and plenty of potatoes and onions, (Idaho thing) but I just don't think mom really tries to cook much anymore on a regular basis.  She gets tired very quickly.  She will be 93 this coming year. Hubs sisters and I talked about one of us coming down at least every month.  Hubs and I will try and be back in February. We will see what she uses and then add the things they like to eat.  Each of these casseroles will feed them for at least 2 if not three days.

We also replaced some things in her kitchen. She just will not throw anything away and replace things if they are worn or even dangerous.

Anyway we made it home and now I have to face the messy house, the boxes, the shop.

Look at the mess I left my shop it while we were gone.  There have been 4 clients here today and one more due over later.

I have no excuse not to be busy.  But what I really need to do is just get this house cleaned up.  I am just getting a headache thinking about it.

See what Slugs sent  me in my Christmas goody box, sorry I already scarfed down the chocolates.  Sluggy keeps me in hair dye and make up.  Between my daughters and Sluggy, I have had to buy no makeup or touch up dye for about 4 years. Saves me money makes me happy.

I am so tired and I have such a mess here.  I guess I will start with the laundry and the kitchen.  I am also going to make a couple of meat loaves.  One for the next couple of days and one for the freezer.  We also have to go get a few groceries this evening as we have no fresh things for a salad.

Well that about catches me up and now I have to go and clean, but I want a nap.  I may just take one.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, Christmas eve.

 

So my well laid plans took a turn when daughter called from the courthouse and asked if one of us would run out and get some fennel, that she had forgotten to pick up for a salad she makes every Christmas.  

Hubs and our oldest grandson and I had to go into 4 grocery stores before we found fennel bulbs.  I also wanted to pick up some diet coke to take with us to my in laws.  Not one store had any!

It was crazy busy in two of the stores.  Well all were busy, but two of them were like a nightmare. We finally found fennel, but I do not want to do that again.  It was a good laugh with all of us and Danny will certainly remember this trip.

Last night daughter and I made another batch of caramels, and I did some mending for her and bound a quilt she had embroidered for Oliver. Usually when I come she puts the word out and I have a pile of alterations from her colleagues but I think they felt sorry for me as it was Christmas.

Thrifty Thursday:

1. Ate all meals at home no fast food

2. filled our gas tank at the reservation before we left and found the least expensive gas we could when we filled up in Nampa. 

3. stopped no where to eat on the way down. just drove through to avoid contamination

4. found 3 pennies while I was down here, all at Winco

5. Did a lot of shopping down here, without buying.  Just fun to look.  If I did not need it why buy it?

6. talked daughter into cleaning out fridge to eat left overs instead of going out.

7. really cut back on stocking stuffers.  Just a few edible treats. Saved a ton of money

8. saved my 10% off coupon from my flu shot for daughter to use at Albertsons for the seafood saved her $20.00.

We will have a large meal tonight and then again tomorrow at mom and dads.  Hubs and I will not eat until we get to our meal tomorrow or I am afraid we would get too much rich food and not feel well.

Have a very Merry Christmas all of you.

Kim

Wednesday, just putzing around

     

Daughter slept in yesterday and it was nice for her She works very hard at a job that is very stressful.  We started out making caramels and the first batch she forgot to put the sugar in.  It was so funny.  Te sugar container was out, but I think there was to much distraction.  We had a good laugh.  We then made two more batches. My youngest grandson helped be put caramels into bags for Daughter office staff.

     I made fried chicken again for my son in law.  He loves my fried chicken. Daughter wanted to order out tonight, but we have left over meat balls and spag and chicken and potatoes so I declared we needed to do a mustgo night.  We will clean out the fridge in prep for the Christmas eve and Christmas day meals and everything mustgo.  Save some money and don't waste.

     Daughter and her husband have much more money than we ever had, but are both what I would call reasonable with their resources. Daughter balks against my frugality at times.  I think just growing up in a home where finances were always an issue made her less likely to scrimp. But I must say she is very generous with others.

     Hubs mom called yesterday and said that hubs sister and her husband that live in Ashton will be there Christmas afternoon, so we have two more for our dinner and that will be nice. Ashton is about 15 miles from the entrance (Idaho) of west Yellowstone.  They have a lot of snow there. It will be nice to see them. I am hoping she will help me make up some meals for mom.

     Today I am going to do some deep cleaning for daughter, and also go to a few stores, just for fun. Tonight we will go get the seafood she ordered.  I saved my 10% off coupon from my flue shot for this trip as I knew it would be expensive. 

     Yesterday was too windy and cold to walk, but I am hoping to get out today sometime.  It is so nice to be someplace where I don't feel I have to have an agenda all the time.  Just do what I want at a pace I want.  I think daughter has some mending for me, this evening.

     I am really hoping we can come back here in March for a while if Covid co operates.  I miss seeing my kids on a regular basis.

     Any of you have last minute things for Christmas?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Tuesday, We are at daughters!

      I really should have some pictures but I am operating on a new computer, and I am lucky to get it turned on, let alone download anything.  It is nice to see the family.  I love my grandsons, they are just so fun. Daughter took today off work so we could do so baking for her colleagues.

     Last night we drove out to try and see the Christmas star but there was too much cloud cover.  So we will try again tonight.  Our son in law got a really good shot of it from their house on the Polouse.  I guess we should have stayed home for that.

     We celebrated Hub's 70th birthday with his folks and sister and it was very nice.  I am a little worried about Hubs folks.  His dad is really far gone mentally and his mom has full care of him, plus all the work of running the house.  She is frail and it is starting to wear on her physically.  I don't think she gets out enough and I certainly think she does not cook a variety of foods like she used to.  When we got here she had some wilted carrots in her fridge and some milk and I am not sure what the rest of the inedible mess was.  Now when I stated cooking she was able to produce most of the things I needed.  She has a full freezer of meat, and all sorts of food stored.  She still makes  delicious home made WW bread which is what I think they live on.   She just lacks the energy to really cook up much.  I just noticed a real dip in her energy level.  But at 92 close to 93 I don't think we can expect much more.

     We will go back on Christmas day for a big seafood dinner and then I plan on getting things this week to cook up some freezer meals for her.  We will stay on Saturday and I will cook.  I told hubs we would have to check on them every month to 6 weeks and get serious about watching them. 

    It is so fun to be in a place  where there is some shopping.  I just love to go and look at all the stuff.  Not buying said stuff, but fun to peruse.  The traffic in Nampa was horrific, and I am so happy I don't live there.  After living in a small town for over 35 years, traffic bothers me.

     Daughter and I are going to make caramels today and I am not sure what else.  Her mother in law made a homemade tiramisu that was so good and rich.  I wish my Sissie was here she would have loved it. We had homemade Italian meatballs and spaghetti last night. 

Well maybe tonight I will get my son in law to help me download some pictures for my post tomorrow. 

Hope you guys are all having a good pre Christmas!  I personally  think the prep for Christmas is as much fun as the Holiday!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

 Well we are about packed and ready to take off. We still have a load of things to do in town to drop off at different places. Our youngest daughter just came down to pick up a gift we forgot to take last night and I sent her home with more veggies than might have gone bad.

We will be gone until the 26-27.  Lil sis will be coming in to feed and check on the cat. the very spoiled cat I might add.

I did not get the jam made I wanted to make, but the berries are all still frown and I am taking down several jars from my stock to my mother in law and my daughter.  I will make jam in the new year.

We are surprising Hubs folks as they do not expect us until tomorrow.

I am excited to get out of dodge so to speak.  Can't wait to see my daughter and her family.  The boys are so excited to see our dog Roscoe.

I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas.  This is a tough year in so many ways.  Christmas will not be what a lot of people are used to. We have been so careful and do not plan on entering any places as we travel.  We will stop at pumps to get gas and fast food if needed.  We will distance and stay away from others.  I know Hubs mom and dad have been no where so we are safe with them.

All of our family has been exposed and some have had the virus.  Our youngest has been with her husband and baby all through their bought and has had no symptoms.  Some people are just immune. I still have fear, but not enough to keep us from going.  We will just be careful.

I hope to be able to post once I get to daughters, but who knows if I will be able to get through, all the pass words and crap.  Do any of you have problems posting when you travel?

Take care of yourselves, eat lots of cookies, drink lots of spirits and remember, we are all in this together and next year will be better.  I know it will.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

 

KIm

 

Thursday, Making progress, Thrifty Thursday

 Well the gifties are all wrapped and it was quite a job let me tell you. D#2 was here last night and picked up hers.  We 're taking our youngest daughters gifts up this evening, then it is just packing everyone elses gifts in the car.

I have delivered all my cookie plates, and I am down to just a couple of plates left which we will take with us.I feel pretty darn good about this progress. Never thought I would get here. Could I possibly be becoming more organized? I doubt it.

Hubs has finished Schmills bookcase so we are going to drop that off.  Then I will pack for Twin Falls via Nampa where we will celebrate hubs 70th birthday! I can't believe he is that old.  Even better his parents are both still alive. Amazing.

I want to get my nails done and grab one more gift for my Lil sis and then home to start gift running.

Thrifty Thursday

1. ate all meals form home except one

2. all meals cooked from scratch

3. when I did order a pizza (because we were deep in cookie baking) I got the special and used a coupon.

4.Only bought butter for $1.79 a lb this week and will go back a couple more times as it is limit two. I went through all my butter Christmas baking.

5.Saved all  my 5 dollar bills, up to $465.00 which I will use for our upcoming food and travel expense.  We have two seafood dinners to prepare one for hubs parents and one for our girls here on New Years.  I know it won't come to that much but it is nice to have the extra money right now.

6. Just looked through the fridge and found everything that will not last until we get back and I am cooking those things tonight for dinner.  I don't want to come back to a bunch of spoiled produce.

7. taking some lettuce and things to daughters to use up

8. used a coupon for a zipper at Jo Ann's

9. Did all my Christmas baking, with loss leader items, sugar, flour, butter, chips, etc.

10. Cookie plates were purchased last year at after Christmas sales for .25 a piece. 

11. In general stayed home and out of stores.  You can't spend money if you don't shop.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Wednesday, That's it, I'm done

 My third batch of caramels turned out perfect.  I had to get these done to get them shipped.  Also the Linzer cookies, which are so good.  I think the last two cookies I made are some of my favorites.  If I had to list cookies, I would say, #1 Peppekakkor, #2 Linzer, #3 almond crescents. You will notice I make them last.  If I made them first they would be all gone before I even got my trays made.  As it was I had to make another batch of Peppekakkor, because well.....

These are Lil sis's favorite.  Just use a wedding cake cookie recipe, but add chopped almonds instead of pecans or walnuts.  Also replace vanilla flavor with almond extract.   Shape into crescents. place in fridge to get cold and then bake.  This is so they will hold their shape. Roll twice in powder sugar.  The first time the sugar will be absorbed by the butter, and then the second time it will cover.  So good.  Addicting in fact.That's it! I am done baking.  Then hubs last night when I finally got the last of the dishes in the dish washer, wanted to know if I had made any raisin filled cookies yet?  I just gave him the look.

Have to, HAVE TO,get in the shop today.  Really all very easy things to do, just have to do it.  Then I must make cookie trays up and I have to get gifts wrapped. So happy I made a stew yesterday and have leftovers so I don't have to cook dinner.

Things I need to accomplish:

1. put check out for paper boy's gift

2. patch two pairs of pants

3. fix a dog coat

4. replace zipper

5. minor alterations on two dresses

6. call clients

7. make up cookie trays

8, Do some laundry

9. deep clean the kitchen

10. wrap presents

Now I know I have been asked and some of you are thinking, why do I put myself through the expense and time of baking at Christmas?  My answer is LOVE. It is my way of saying you are impotent. Important enough for me to go about this effort.  My kids love it, it brings them joy.  I love the memories it brings me of my mother and my aunts and my grandmother.  I love the traditions of making all the old recipes.    Can one say reindeer meat? It is listed in one of my great grandmothers recipe cards. I swear coffee in almost every baked good?  I bake for nostalgia.  I think giving something from your kitchen is giving from your soul.  It is a lot of work?  Yes!  Is it worth it? Yes!

 I need to get into the shop and go switch the laundry over.

 

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative. 

Kim

Tuesday, Yikes! Running out of time...

Just thought you should have a little early Christmas cheer.  Oliver is completely recovered and just as cute as a button.  I just want to reach out and kiss his drooling little face.

  Linzer hearts are a double layer fine sugar cookie spread with jam and then stacked and sprinkled with powder sugar.  They are our youngest daughter's favorite.  Plus a whole batch of Peppkakkor for my favorite someone, who shall not be named.  My father insisted that this cookie always be on hand year round.  He ate them like crackers with butter.  It is a wierd Swedish thing.

I was able to get most of my sewing list done yesterday, but still have a few things to do today if I can ever get into the shop.

This morning three sister missionaries came over and helped me knock out a few more batches of cookies.  They also frosted everything for me.  Yeah!

I still have one more cookie to make and then I am done. They are almond crescents. Much like a wedding cake cookie but shaped into crescents and chopped almonds instead of  walnuts of pecans.

I finally gave the kitchen floor once over late last night, it was so bad.  But I also want to make jam tomorrow so I am not going to work too hard on it until I am through.

The time to travel is coming on too soon. D#2 just called and needs us to pick up kids at school and drop Schmills off at home and bring two others down to Lewiston to grandparents house.  She just had three extra kids dropped off at her house and she does not have enough seat belts. So that will be a round trip of one hour at least.  Luckily Hubs can do it.

This is what my kitchen looks like.  There is clean laundry on the sofa to fold.  The toilet needs cleaned. You know if house work would just take a hiatus I could get more work done. 

Things to do today:

1.Get packages in the mail

2.wrap third batch of caramels (finally perfect)

3. go get kids at school (Hubs)

4. make a new batch pf peppekakka ( we ate all the first batch)

5. make linzer cookies

6. make almond crescents

7. find rings and lids for jam (check canning boxes on garage)

8. thaw out fruit for jam making

9. fix dog coat for client

10. mend two pair of work pants

11.replace zipper

12. call bride about her dress

I think that is enough.  My real focus to day was to get packages out and finish cookies. If I can replace that zipper which I had to buy last night I can call the client as her stack is done.

So I am off to the post office.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Monday, lots to do and almond cake recipe!

 

So Lil sis and I rolled up our sleeves again yesterday and started out our time at my house by making Krumkakke.  She had never made this before.  We had mom's recipe and she made it up and figured out how to use the iron, which takes a few tries to get it right.

I putzed around getting other things cleaned up and ready for our next cookie.  Which is everyone's favorite and probably the most difficult.  

These are fried in oil and you use irons that are dipped in a batter.  They can be tricky and you have to practice to get it right.  There is only 2 tablespoons of sugar in these so they are pretty low calorie.  But then you do sprinkle powder sugar on top after they cool.  But everyone asks for these.  Of course the hardest cookie is always the most popular.  Sissie has a group of friends that get together every year and make hundreds of these to take to nursing homes in the DC area.  I think making Rosettes is becoming a lost art as most people just don't want to mess with irons, the hot oil, the frustration when the cookies don't want to come off the irons. But we did it!

Lastly we made Lefsa.  I love Lefsa.  I just remember it as a child.  It is quite easy to make but again requires stuff.  I guess you could do it without, but boy does the stuff make is fast.  As in a covered board with a washable cloth to roll it out on.  Also a special grooved rolling pin which buy the way is a must as far as I am concerned. Also you must have a lefsa turner which is that long thin stick that you see in the picture.  It slides under the lefsa as you pick it up and turn it.  This stick hangs on my wall in my kitchen.

Also a Lefsa griddle is sure nice.  Lefsa is made with potatoes and flour and cream or milk and butter.  It is like a Swedish tortilla.  It was really a form of bread that could be used and made over an open fire.  We take the Lefsa and cut it into wedges, butter it and sprinkle it with sugar and roll it up.  It is so good.  You can buy Lefsa at IKEA and even at the little tiny grocer in Turtle Lake ND (pop 808)  If you live in a Scandinavian community you can buy it at the grocer.  It is expensive. Cheap to make.

So we were able to get this done yesterday and then hubs and I delivered cookies to several people.

I still have a mess in the kitchen to clean up and a busy day of sewing ahead of me.  The holidays are catching me by surprise as usual.  As I realize I only have 5 more days until we leave.  Yikes!

 

Here is the almond cake recipe so many of you asked for:

Follow directions exactly:  As easy and simple as these ingredients are this cake must be done in a certain order.

Almond Cake

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons almond extract

2/3 cups of milk

beat all this together until smooth

add 1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

mix until smooth 

Last add 1 cube melted butter or margarine mix to form a medium thick batter.

 pour into a loaf pan or Almond cake pan that has been sprayed with flour/oil spray and sprinkled with slivered or sliced almonds.  This is important if you want it to come out of the pan. 

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes to an hour check with a wooden skewer..  Allow to sit in pan for 10 minutes and then invert.  Makes a dense pound type cake.  Usually served with fruit and whip cream.  We just slice ours and eat it.  So good!

I must really sew today, and I hope to get everything done I need to do in the next two days as far as the shop is concerned.  Then I have to get a card off to my brother, a package out tomorrow at the latest.  I have two more cookies and another batch of caramels to make.  I am going to do the caramels tonight and get one of the cookie dough's made up tonight.  I have missionaries due over tomorrow at 10 to help me.   They can decorate, wrap caramels (please let them turn out alright) and help make up the other two cookies.  I must then get to the post office and stand in line.

List for today:

1. hem three pairs of jeans

2. hem a pair of jeans

3. mend a pair of jeans

4. mend another two pairs of jeans

5. mend another pair of jeans

6. shorten two sets of shirt sleeves

7. replace zipper in a pair of pants

8. alter 1 pairs of pants and 4 shirts for  a little client

I just realized I have a lot to do.

I probably should clean the kitchen, let's not talk about the floor.....

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Sunday, More baking and overwhelmed.....

 Lil sis and I baked for about 8 hours yesterday and we were both exhausted.  I am still in p.j.s and not functioning at full capacity right now.  She just informed me she has been up and made all her rice krispie wreaths and four more almond cakes.   I will attribute  that two the fact that she is 2.5 years younger than me.

Here are our spritz cookies, we had lots of laughs over these, especially when I turned around with a pan to put it in the oven and the parchment sailed off on the floor, cupboard  and stove.  We only lost two cookies!

Our Swedish sour cream cookies are ready to frost.  I am leaving mine for Tuesday when the missionaries come over on Tuesday.  They can decorate.  Yeah!

We dipped pretzel rods.  Broke them in half much easier and made more.

We also dipped pretzels and topped them with sprinkles or peppermint candies.  Mom always did these and we both decided these were too aggravating and we would not do them again.

We made two almond cakes, as I have the pans, but Lil sis can't find hers. These will be coated with powder sugar.  So delicious.  So smarty pants has knocked out four more of these this morning while I slept.

I love dipped apricots on a Christmas cookie tray.  They are so pretty and it does allow you to maybe feel good about what you are eating? I don't know I probably had 12 yesterday and my butt is dragging.

My second batch of caramels was also a fail, as these were too soft to wrap, so we mixed caramel with pecans and dipped them and these are delicious, we did not waste, but I swear this next batch.... I need a gas stove. So aggravating.  Take so long and still fails.

 

So today we are going to do rosettes and Krumkakke which are both aggravating and require special tools.  Also we will make Lefsa. Lil sis is due over here after we have church.

I need to get my kitchen cleaned up as I collapsed last night and it is a sty. I want to get stations set up to do the other three traditional cookies.  But I have to find the counters first. Yikes!

What kind of cookies have you made? Have you started your baking?

Have a blessed and peaceful Sabbath.  Mine will be sweet:)

Kim

Saturday, Recipes, baking

      Here are the recipes requested.  See yesterday's blog for pictures

Kokokassa: 

1.5 cups butter

1.5 cups sugar 

4 cups white flour

1 tbs. cocnut

1 egg

1 tsp baking powder 

extra sugar and coconut for topping

mix you sugar, flour and baking powder with a whisk add butter, you can either cut it in or use a mixer until it resembles course crumbs, add your coconut and egg, mix to a crumbly dough now turn out on lightly floured surface and knead into a dough.  Roll into 1.5 inch logs and chill  cut into 1/8 in slices top with colored sugar and coconut bake at 350 until lightly brown.

William  Had to spell that for Schmills who is standing next to me.  He wants people to low who he is.

Lemon Sucre Kasse or citron Sockakakors

1 cup butter room temp

1 cup vegetable oil 

1 cup sugar

1 cup powder sugar

beat this all together with electric mixer

add 2 eggs

1sp vanilla

1tsp lemon flavor

1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

You can also add 1 small package of lemon instant pudding but that is also optional

4 cups of flour

This will make a soft dough. Put in fridge for a few hours or over night.

I scoop this out with a melon baller and then smash with a stamp, you can use the bottom of a glass or a fork, then top with yellow sugar, bake 350 for 12-15 minutes.

I was able to get all my army uniforms out yesterday after baking and fixed the one dance costume last night before I crashed.

Now I am going into finish up the Peppekakkor and start on the sugar cookies.  Lil sis is due over sometime this afternoon to help create more chaos.

Ah Christmas you gotta love it right?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Friday, Finally some baking!

 

Well I guess I just needed a shove to get me going.  Last night as I was teaching a class I got a text from some sister missionaries that wanted to come over and bake today.  They needed to have plates of cookies to deliver as part of their Light the World campaign.  So I ran to Lil sis's after the classes and we hashed out our baking plan. I was home by 9:30 with only one costume in tow.  Of course someone busted out of an invisible zipper (have I told you how much I hate invisible zippers) I have to pancake a tutu, replace a zipper and secure straps, that costume was possessed. But only one so I was grateful.  Still have not fixed it yet, but I will do it later this evening.

After getting home I immediately whipped up a pan of this very easy and delicious fudge. 

1 cube of butter

1 8oz package of cream cheese

1/2 cup or less of coco powder

1 tsp vanilla

soften all in micro wave mix together.  Now add 2 lbs (yes 2 lbs) of powder sugar.  I use a bosch mixer which is a work horse.  So get those stirring musicales ready if you don't have a strong mixer.  Now add nuts if you like.  Smash into a square pan refrigerate.  That's it, that easy. Try it, and let me know what you think.

Then I rinsed mixer and made up the dough for 4 different kinds of Swedish cookies that all have to be refrigerated before baking.   It really only took about 15 minutes to make up each dough.

Lemon Sucre Kasse or lemon sugar cookie, so tender.  These are easy as they are pooped on a cookie sheet with a melon baller (Sluggy no comments) and then stamped down with stamps my mother made years ago and sprinkled with yellow sugar.  These are very tender and wonderful cookies.  They kind of melt in your mouth.

Koko kasse An easy coconut shortbread.  This is made into logs and sliced it goes very fast.  Again a light crumbly cookie.

My favorite Peppakakke or pepper cookie.  These are crisp, and usually decorated at Christmas with white icing and red hots.  Yes they do have 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in them.

Then I made a large double batch of Swedish sour cream cookies, that we did not get made up today.  These are the ones we frost with colored icing and Lil sis has very specific cookie cutters she wants me to use. 

My mistake, in the evenings mess was to think I could do a batch of caramels.  First of all I don't have a gas stove and if you want to make candy a gas stove is the best.  I started the caramels at 11:45 and they were not done until 12:45.  Whew!  On my old gas stove 20 minutes tops.  Plus I overcooked them.  They are still good, but could have been a little softer.  I need to learn how to use this stove.

I was in bed with a clean kitchen (except for the 

floor) by 1:00 a.m.

The missionaries and I had 5 items plated in a coupe of hours. I only did about 1/2 the peppakakke dough.  The sugar cookies are still in the fridge.  I will have to make another batch of caramels and another batch of fudge.

D#2 is due  down here to spend the night with the two kids as she has to be at the studio at 9 tomorrow and if she stays here she can just get up and go.  She will not have to try and get two kids ready and out the door.  We of course are thrilled.

Lil sis and I are going to make more cookies tomorrow.  Rosettes, krumkkake, and lefsa along with finishing up the dough in the fridge. We will also do Spitz, and Krinzla double layer jam cookie then I am done.  We will dip apricots and pretzels.  Busy, busy.

I am tired.  I think daughter just got here.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, Trifty Thursday and can I please just get something done?

 

See these plates? They need to have cookies on them.  Do they?  NO!  Why? Well I just can't seem to be left alone long enough to finish anything.  Okay rephrase, I can't be left alone to start anything.  I am blessed with people who need me,  That is a positive way to put it.

 No military ball to haunt my dreams this year, but New army dress uniforms are all needed tomorrow.  So nice to find out yesterday.  I am seeing green and not because it is Christmas.

I have two sets of fatigues, to do also.  I did manage to get on full set of dress greens done yesterday and they are picked up, but we had Kelsa last night and all I got was these sets ripped.  Ugh!

D#2 is up in Spokane working for a doctor so I have to go up and pick Schmills and his buddies up from school and distribute at their proper homes. Then I have to rehearse all her dancers from 5:30 to 8:30 and do a costume check.  Which I know means the costumes don't fit and I will need to take various things home and fix them before the virtual performance Saturday.  So when can I make cookies?

But when I ran to check on Lil sis last night who by the way was feeling better, but still swollen, she was getting rid of more Christmas.  I sagged this Fitz and Floyd cookie jar.  Which is sadly still empty.

 Also scored these little candles holders, that look so pretty when the candles are lit at night.  See what a scrounge Kim is, I just wait until I get get things given to me, especially when it comes to Fracca (word for something you would value that really has no value).

Well with in a 1/2 an hour I have to go pick up kids, so let's get onto money saving or Thrifty Thursday.

1. emptied my yearly saving pig bank scored almost $50.00 for Christmas extras.

2. saved  another $20.00 in my $5 bill savings.  Total $425.00

3. cooked all meals from scratch

4. bought only loss leaders from store this week for storage and a few fresh veggies. Love to stock pantry like that even though we were limited to either 2 or 4 of said item.

5. Scrounged more Christmas decor for free

6. bought gas at reservation saved .26 a gallon.

7. Combined two days loads in dishwasher so ran it less.

8. found an old can of stain for Hubs projects he was going to buy a new one. 

9. finished a nice gift for son -in law with scraps I had on hand.

well it is time

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

 

Kim

Wednesday, Quilt #1 finished

 

Here it is in all it's glory.  One done and hopefully two more to go.  I have no reason not to complete them as I have the materials and I am not that busy in the shop.  Although today I have to get uniforms done and a pair of jeans hemmed. That is my quota.  Yesterday it was to get a wedding dress altered and bustled.  I can't believe that I am having to make myself sew.  This covid has really ruined my mojo in some ways.  Will I ever get it back?

We went to the church last night and helped put together boxes of something not sure what?  Lots of wrapping of odd items.  It was nice to see people, but I was afraid there were too many and too close.  We all had masks and tried to stay apart as much as possible.  I think many of us just miss the social interaction so much.  It is hard.

My Lil sis ordered me this sign as an early Christmas gift.  We no longer have a fireplace to hang stockings, although I had them hanging below the TV cabinet, but Hubs attached it and I think it is such a nice early Christmas gift.

These were $1.48 a lb which I think is a good price for chicken breasts.  This package contains 6 breasts.  Hubs and I can split one for a meal.Two of these will be made into strips and fried for taco salads. I will bake the other four for later and either refreeze or use in the next couple of days.

We love to cut breasts in slices and roll in egg and panko and fry in butter.  I mash some potatoes, and make gravy and add a vegetable.  You can do this in the time it takes the potatoes to cook. If you have a family use one breast for two servings. You should get 4 good slices or strips out of 1/2 a breast.  These are delicious  reheated in the microwave.

There are some good buys in the paper today so I am going to go out later and pick up a few loss leaders. I also need to check on Lil sis.  She was just starting to feel better late yesterday. Poor darling.

Well if I can get through, some housework, my sewing quota, and a little shopping, I might just whip up a batch of some kind of Christmas cookie.... Hmmm....

Have any of you started you Christmas baking?  What do you do with the things in order to store them and keep from eating everything that comes out of the oven?  My mother used to put all her cookies in containers and put them on the stairs going up to our bedrooms.  It was a rule that if something was placed on the side of the staircase you carried it up to the respective room.  Of course none of us ever did. We just tripped and fell over it numerous times.  Mom said the safest place to store containers of cookies was on the stairs.  We never touched them.  True story, we truly never figured this out.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Tuesday, My pig was starving, easy meal

 Well December 7th is my pig day.  It was my grandmother's birthday which always made her sad as it was Pearl Harbor day also.  That would be a hard day to have a birthday. Anyway I digress. Miss Piggy only had $48.97 cents this year.  I knew it would be light as things have just not been normal at all.

  We have been locked down, have not shopped, have not traveled, have not eaten out. We moved and our careful financing went out the window for a while.  I started to pull back about 6 weeks ago, but will really get myself into a new way of thinking January 1st.

Hubs and I both  have been throwing our loose change which all used to go into Miss piggy into our cars change cup to help pay for our diet cokes so we don't have to break a bill. When we seriously locked down here and everything was closed, Hubs and I would go out once a day and get a soda at Mc D's.  It was our treat, it got us out of the house, we looked forward to it and my saving all my change went out the window. This will stop.  If we want a soda we will have to break a bill and I will put the money in the bank.

Our resources are seriously down this year with covid.  My shop is very, very slow and the revenue is almost 1/2 of what it was in previous years.  This is due to people not shopping and buying new clothes as they either can't afford to, or  don't need to when they are working from home. Hubs High school job is down by about $ 5,000 this year due to no concerts, recitals, or banquets. But we are truly blessed as we are getting by just fine. So it is no surprise that Miss Piggy's revenue shrunk.

I use Miss Piggy for Christmas fun money.  So I will buy some edible stocking treats with this.  I am so happy that the rest of Christmas is taken care of for the most part. I will do better next year.  Who knew that this was going to happen?

I was able to get my car quilt tied, and I hope to get it bound today after I get my quota done in the shop.

Tonight we are going to have German sausage soup. This is a recipe that I got when I worked at a cafe when I was in college.  We had a soup everyday and this cafe was famous for its soups.  I worked there for 3 years until I became pregnant with Franka.  We only had one car, which Hubs had most of the time. I rode a bike to campus for a 8 and 9 o'clock class then rode the bike over a huge bridge to downtown and worked from 10:30 to 2:00 then back to campus for a 3:00 class then rode home to meet Hubs who would pick up our oldest from his mom's place. I remember the doctor having a fit becasue I was under 100 pounds and he said I either had to stop running, or taking a ballet class everyday, or stop riding my bike. Well I loved to run to clear my head, and the dance class was a credit I needed and I had to get to class and to work. Funny how you remember things.  Okay soup....

1lb of sausage (I use brats that I get on sale when they are $2.00 a package or you can use any sausage)

2 whole onions sliced thin

6 large potatoes sliced thin

chicken broth

milk

butter 

flour

salt/pepper

Peel and slice your potatoes and boil in salted water

While they are cooking peel your sausage if necessary and brown in skillet, now transfer to a soup pot

after sausage browns remove and brown onions in sausage grease when they are translucent set them aside with sausage.  Drain almost all fat left, add 1/4 cup of butter to skillet.

You will now make a thick white sauce, by this time your potatoes should be almost cooked and you need to drain, and put them in pot with meat and onions.

salt and pepper your white sauce after you brown your flour (1/4 cup )in your butter, add milk until you have a thick gravy.  Now add to you meat/onion/ potato pot.  You can thin out this soup with chicken broth or milk. It is very good with a salad.  This makes enough for 6 good servings.  I like the spicy sausage as it gives the soup a pep. Or you can add a pinch of hot pepper flakes while browning sausage.

I can usually have this on the table in less than 1/2 an hour. It was a favorite at this cafe, usually served with a side salad and a roll.

Well I am off to get some work done.  What are you going to accomplish today? Is your revenue down this year due to covid?

Kim

Monday, out of Quarantine

I have one car quilt top finished and am well on my way to another.  Now that quarantine is lifted I can go to Joann's for a few supplies.  This was made with the hems of jeans I cut off for customers and saved.  The flannel is remnants I pick up for .75 percent off.  I still have to buy the cotton batting and the flannel backing but will do it with a coupon.  This is for my son-in law Nathan for Christmas.  His dogs can lay on it.

I can officially say I am done with my Christmas shopping.  But my heart goes out to those that will not be shopping this year do to the financial circumstances of COVID.  I think this whole mess has just made me more grateful than ever for the things I do have.

Hubs just went out and started the snowblower to make sure it was up to snuff.  It is so old and I keep expecting it to die a natural death. Our flag lot driveway is over 100 feet long and we share the beginning with an elderly not so easy on her feet older single woman, so we are responsible to keep it clean.  But it started right up we might just get another year out of the old girl.  Snowblowers are girls? Just asking?

Lil sis is suffering from an abscessed molar, so I ran over some meds to her last night.  (class 2 or 5 ? felony according to my daughter) Her face is so swollen on that side and she was in terrible pain. She is finally on an antibiotic.  I felt terrible for her.  I think tooth pain is the worst.

Daughter  is due over with kids in an hour or two. Schmills and Kelsa always welcome.  She is such a smiley happy baby.  Oliver is doing much better, daughter is feeling a little locked down and I can't say that I can blame her.

We will sure appreciate each other a lot more after this mess is over.  At least I hope we do?

I actually got some sewing done for a client today, don't die of shock.  This hiatus I have been on must end. And I am going to start my Christmas baking this week. Also setting a quota on my sewing to force myself to do it.  If I would just do a daily quota like I used to I would be out of work in a week and then I wouldn't have to feel guilty about doing other things.  Like making caramels.

I have less than an hour to get to the bank and Jo anns before daughter gets here, so I had better get moving.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim