Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Last month we went to hubby´s home town in England for few days.  We went there to visit hubby´s family and of course to go shopping. Everything in England seems much much more cheaper than Norway. 


One of my favorite shop in England is TK Maxx. TK Maxx is a shop where you can get nice stuff with a cheap price. When i was there last time i found a box set of 2 cooking books from Julia Child "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" for only £15 !!! you wont get cheaper than that for sure! :D so without thinking twice i grabbed that box!! . The books were on the clearance shelf and it was reduced 3 times. The Books were on the very back shelf, and it seems like someone was trying to hide them :-).. too bad i found them hehe.

I knew about Julia Child from a movie called Julie & Julia that James (hubby´s first son) told me about and i have already seen it 3 times. 


The way Julia Child describes these books is different with any other cookbooks i know. She explains every single detail as if she is telling a best friend. For example, the type of equipment to use, techniques for chopping, slicing and dicing and not least what compliments each and every meal. These books are simple yet so complete. Don´t think twice to buy them! :-).

My passion

When i moved in Norway in 2009, i knew nothing about cooking or baking. All i knew was just eating and eating :D. During the first few weeks since i lived here we ate either ready made food or went out for fast food and of course after few weeks i got fed up with it. I remember hubby told me that one of his friend's made a very good curry, So i asked hubby to invite him to our house so i could watch/learn and try new ideas. Steve did come and he did teach me how to make it ^_^ it was so easy and it tasted soooo good. So i said to myself if he can cook, then why not me. Since then cooking and baking have become my passion and hubby is very pleased with almost everything i make.

Hubby has also helped to buy me many cookbooks,baking equipment and encourages me to try new things. From the very begining i started to collect recipies from different places/friends and now have a good selection of favorite meals and desserts.

Condolences to Norway

I feel so sorry for all those who have lost their lives due to the tragedy that happened in Oslo and Utøya Island on the 22nd of July 2011. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

Nigella's Totally Chocolate Chip Cookies

A month ago, me and hubby got dinner invitation at Gina's (my Norwegian course friend). She invited us to celebrate her husband's birthday. Not only me and hubby, she also invited Nicole (also my Norwegian course friend) and her hubby for dinner. One day before, me and Nicole dicided to make Chocolate Chip Cookies (CCC)to bring to Gina's. We made CCC from Nigella's recipe. 


Since then i made these CCC 3 more times, each time they turned out slightly different. One of the differences was due to the preperation time, i didnt let the melted chocolate cool enough so when the cookies were cooking they spread out more than they should have done a.k.a flattened hehe. The other difference was due to a change of ingredient. I use white chocolate instead of dark chocolate. Regardless of this hubby still loves these cookies very much :D. Here i share the gorgeous Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Totally Chocolate Chip Cookies

by: Nigella Lawson

INGREDIENTS

125g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids

150g flour

30g cocoa, sieved

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

125g soft butter

75g light brown sugar

50g white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, cold from the fridge

350g (2 bags) semi-sweet chocolate morsels or dark chocolate chips

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the 125g dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.

2. Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.

3. Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. (I use my freestanding mixer, itself an odd source of comfort to me.) Add the melted chocolate and mix together.

4. Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate morsels or chips.

5. Scoop out 12 equal-sized mounds – an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job – and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them.

6. Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.

7. Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4–5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

Thanks to Nigella Lawson for the recipe and thanks to Nicole for introducing this recipe to me :-).

Kongsberg Jazz Festival 2011

This is an anual summer event in Kongsberg that takes place during the 1st week of July every year.  The jazz festival always starts on the first wednesday in July and lasts for four days. This year was from the 6th until the 9th of July. You can check it here for more information. 

 
I always look forward to this event, not because of the Jazz music (since im not really into Jazz) but because this is the only time when Kongsberg becomes alive!!!.. For four days Kongsberg is transformed from a VERY quiet to a VERY busy town :D. You will see many more people on the streets than usual. The road above is closed for seating and a stage erected where various artists perform where you can see for free. Around the town you can see profesional artists, street performers (get yourself a caricature) and buy various nick nack from street vendors.

 This Pic was taken last year

On the other side of town in the town square you can see the Tubaloon.  According to hubby Tubaloon is a big white inflatable acoustic sculpture with a stage. 

 
These Tubaloon pictures were taken one day before the festival began. I intended to take a picture today but it was raining so i think i will take some pics later. We will see :D.

BBQ

We had a bbq 2 weeks ago and we invited some friends over... That was our first bbq since i moved here in Norway 18 months ago. Actually we have a small building a few meters from the house. Hubby called this building a "summer house" Basicly its a bbq area with roof (which is perfect for me so i can be in the shade when its hot hehe) but now we use it as a wood store :-(.

Because its not convenience using the bbq in the summer house, hubby decided to make his own "yardie" bbq. It was a stainless steel watertank cut in to two halves and topped off with a stainless steel shelf (grill top). im not kidding you! :D..

Terry, hubby's friend marinated the chicken with pepper, salt and garlic powder. After he put the chicken, onion and paprika on the skewers he made bbq sauce from tomato ketchup, honey, brown sugar, sambal oelek (chili paste) and lemon juice. While hes making bbq sauce he asked me to make nasi goreng or fried rice without chili... what!! nasi goreng without chili !?!?! for me thats not a nasi goreng :D.. but i had to make that fake nasi goreng :p because most of our friends dont eat spicy food.


Overall..it was a nice bbq. We had a fantastic sunny day, great food and company.

Hubby's "yardie" bbq

ended with a cold coke in a beer glass :D cheers