Tuesday 24 March 2009
morning traffic
I like slight morning traffic, not jams, as it is the perfect opportunity for morning kisses :)
Monday 23 March 2009
lovely lasagne
something warm, slightly spicy, were the different layers enhances the taste of each other - a lovely lasagne!
For your information the taste is nothing like the ones you buy already made, nothing like the ones you sometimes get in a restaurant with a layer of fat floating on top, no need for tomato sauce to cover the whole thing up - but just lovely yummy tastes. Perfect on a cold day or for inviting people over as it is almost tastier even the day after.
For 4-5 people, you need:
- the bolognese sauce from the previous recepy (approx. 2/3 will be used, the rest is great to freeze in for a fast spag bol another day)
- lasagne sheets - I use the green ones from Barilla
- cottage cheese, 300-400g
- grated parmesan cheese
and
- béchamel sauce
Béchamel sauce is best to make your own - it's quite easy, and the good thing is that even if you mess it up a bit and don't manage to get it completely even it won't be noticeable in the lasagne ;)
The recepy is usually mentioned on the box of lasagne, but includes approx:
- 40g butter (I use a bit less, perhaps 25-30g)
- 40 g of flour
- 9 dl of milk
- salt, pepper
- muscat (if you like it, I don't so I skip it)
You melt the butter, add the flour and whip it together (crumbles is the right consistency), add a little bit of milk and whip into a paste, then add the rest of the milk and stir together. Put back on the stove, quite low temperature, and let it heat up again but not boil over. The heat will make it thicken. Make sure to stir very regularly to ensure that it doesn't burn in the bottom!! Finished.
Lasagne - the making:
You need a pan for the oven, approx. 40 cm long, 25 cm wide (or something of the same size) and at least 5 cm high.
Layer 1:
- a thin layer of bolognese (spread directly on the bottom of the pan, no butter needed)
- a thin layer of cottage cheese
- a thin layer of béchamel
- cover with sheets of lasagne
Layers 2 and 3:
- a thin layer of bolognese
- a thin layer of cottage cheese
- a thin layer of béchamel
- spread grated parmesan thinly all over
- cover with sheets of lasagne
Layer 4:
- cover with béchamel - make sure that everything is thinly covered
- spread parmesan all over, a bit thicker than on the other layers
Put in oven at 220° for 20 min (or whatever time is written on the pack of lasagne).
YUM!!
For your information the taste is nothing like the ones you buy already made, nothing like the ones you sometimes get in a restaurant with a layer of fat floating on top, no need for tomato sauce to cover the whole thing up - but just lovely yummy tastes. Perfect on a cold day or for inviting people over as it is almost tastier even the day after.
For 4-5 people, you need:
- the bolognese sauce from the previous recepy (approx. 2/3 will be used, the rest is great to freeze in for a fast spag bol another day)
- lasagne sheets - I use the green ones from Barilla
- cottage cheese, 300-400g
- grated parmesan cheese
and
- béchamel sauce
Béchamel sauce is best to make your own - it's quite easy, and the good thing is that even if you mess it up a bit and don't manage to get it completely even it won't be noticeable in the lasagne ;)
The recepy is usually mentioned on the box of lasagne, but includes approx:
- 40g butter (I use a bit less, perhaps 25-30g)
- 40 g of flour
- 9 dl of milk
- salt, pepper
- muscat (if you like it, I don't so I skip it)
You melt the butter, add the flour and whip it together (crumbles is the right consistency), add a little bit of milk and whip into a paste, then add the rest of the milk and stir together. Put back on the stove, quite low temperature, and let it heat up again but not boil over. The heat will make it thicken. Make sure to stir very regularly to ensure that it doesn't burn in the bottom!! Finished.
Lasagne - the making:
You need a pan for the oven, approx. 40 cm long, 25 cm wide (or something of the same size) and at least 5 cm high.
Layer 1:
- a thin layer of bolognese (spread directly on the bottom of the pan, no butter needed)
- a thin layer of cottage cheese
- a thin layer of béchamel
- cover with sheets of lasagne
Layers 2 and 3:
- a thin layer of bolognese
- a thin layer of cottage cheese
- a thin layer of béchamel
- spread grated parmesan thinly all over
- cover with sheets of lasagne
Layer 4:
- cover with béchamel - make sure that everything is thinly covered
- spread parmesan all over, a bit thicker than on the other layers
Put in oven at 220° for 20 min (or whatever time is written on the pack of lasagne).
YUM!!
beautiful bolognese
If I can say so myself I make a very yummy delicious bolognese and an even yummier lasagne :)
And it seems that most people agree with me, if I can brag like this that is ;)
So, bolognese sauce for approx. 5-6 servings
- 1 table spoon of olive oil (max)
- 2-3 onions (chopped up) - 1 garlic clove (chopped up in tiny pieces)
- 1 chilli (cleaned of seeds, chopped into small pieces) optional
- 500 g of nice minced meat (if you live in Switzerland, I can recommend against the one at Migros which I find awful - Coop or Manor's is better - and if you get it a half price at 9.90/kg it's even nicer)
- 2 big carrots (peeled and cut in small pieces)
- 300-500 g of button mushrooms champignons de Paris (cleaned and sliced)
- 2 squash (peeled and cut in small pieces)
- 1-2 dl of red wine
- 500 g can of peeled tomatoes
- some water
- salt
- pepper
- a handful of oregano (remember to crush them in your hand for more flavour)
- 2 teaspoons of ajvar (very nice Balkan mixture, if you can't find it use 1 teaspoon of tomato purée instead plus some extra paprika powder)
- paprika powder
- Optional: 1 teaspoon of chilli if fresh chilli wasn't used
Fry the onions and garlic plus chilli if used until they start to colour, add the minced meat. Stir it until it's cooked through. Add carrots, mushrooms, and squash - let cook for a little while and then add wine. Add the peeled tomatoes and cut them up roughly in the pan. Add some water, half the can approx. Add all the species and let the whole thing cook for 45 minutes. Stirring regularly and adding water as needed. Taste it off - note that for using as base in lasagne it's nice to have it really spicy, but for use directly with pasta, spare a bit on the spices.
Enjoy!!
And it seems that most people agree with me, if I can brag like this that is ;)
So, bolognese sauce for approx. 5-6 servings
- 1 table spoon of olive oil (max)
- 2-3 onions (chopped up) - 1 garlic clove (chopped up in tiny pieces)
- 1 chilli (cleaned of seeds, chopped into small pieces) optional
- 500 g of nice minced meat (if you live in Switzerland, I can recommend against the one at Migros which I find awful - Coop or Manor's is better - and if you get it a half price at 9.90/kg it's even nicer)
- 2 big carrots (peeled and cut in small pieces)
- 300-500 g of button mushrooms champignons de Paris (cleaned and sliced)
- 2 squash (peeled and cut in small pieces)
- 1-2 dl of red wine
- 500 g can of peeled tomatoes
- some water
- salt
- pepper
- a handful of oregano (remember to crush them in your hand for more flavour)
- 2 teaspoons of ajvar (very nice Balkan mixture, if you can't find it use 1 teaspoon of tomato purée instead plus some extra paprika powder)
- paprika powder
- Optional: 1 teaspoon of chilli if fresh chilli wasn't used
Fry the onions and garlic plus chilli if used until they start to colour, add the minced meat. Stir it until it's cooked through. Add carrots, mushrooms, and squash - let cook for a little while and then add wine. Add the peeled tomatoes and cut them up roughly in the pan. Add some water, half the can approx. Add all the species and let the whole thing cook for 45 minutes. Stirring regularly and adding water as needed. Taste it off - note that for using as base in lasagne it's nice to have it really spicy, but for use directly with pasta, spare a bit on the spices.
Enjoy!!
dreamy dessert
this weekend's yummy dessert was a very easy business but oh sooo yummy :)
taking advantage of the oven being heated anyway for making lasagne, and the time available while the lasagne was cooking, this is the recepy for strawberry & fig crumble:
5-6 fresh strawberries in slices
3 dried figs cut into small pieces
half a tablespoon of sugar
half a tablespoon of cane sugar
crumble:
20g-25g or so of butter (recepy calls for 40, but i prefer to use a bit less)
1 tablespoon of sugar
0.5 dl of oatmeal
1 dl of flour (or as much as needed, start with half and then add for correct consistency)
put the strawberries and figs in a small oven pan, cover with the crumble, ca. 20 min in 220°, serve for 2 with ice cream and fresh sliced strawberries. yum
taking advantage of the oven being heated anyway for making lasagne, and the time available while the lasagne was cooking, this is the recepy for strawberry & fig crumble:
5-6 fresh strawberries in slices
3 dried figs cut into small pieces
half a tablespoon of sugar
half a tablespoon of cane sugar
crumble:
20g-25g or so of butter (recepy calls for 40, but i prefer to use a bit less)
1 tablespoon of sugar
0.5 dl of oatmeal
1 dl of flour (or as much as needed, start with half and then add for correct consistency)
put the strawberries and figs in a small oven pan, cover with the crumble, ca. 20 min in 220°, serve for 2 with ice cream and fresh sliced strawberries. yum
Friday 20 March 2009
How to feel at home in a new city
The website spotted by locals gives you tips from locals regarding where to eat, where to go out, what to do in several cities around Europe. I have checked out the restaurant tips for Geneva and 9 out of 10 are among restaurants I appreciate. So seems like a good site.
Saturday 7 March 2009
running in 15%
Am in Slovenia visiting my dad and little brother, down by the coast in a nice place called Secovlje. And had the great idea today to go for a run since it was feeling like spring with the sun shining from a crisp blue sky.
Chose to go uphill away from the sea, have walked there before but never run. Hence never realised what it really means to run uphill in a 15% inclination. Have done 6% at the gym, but wow was this a difference. Might have been faster if i had walked - that's how "fast" i went. Great challenge let's say that. Or more negatively, I thought I might fall over, my breath was coming out in gasps... and is that road long.....
However, once up, and once I had caught my breath next to some resting horses, I turned around and started the downhill, rather easier I must admit and with a beautiful view. Below me the saltbanks (secovljes) spread followed by the blue sea and finished off by the snowcapped Italian and Slovenian Alpes. On my side, hill after hill with olive treas and right in front of me, an almond trea in bloom.
What a reward, a well deserved one making it all so much sweeter.
Chose to go uphill away from the sea, have walked there before but never run. Hence never realised what it really means to run uphill in a 15% inclination. Have done 6% at the gym, but wow was this a difference. Might have been faster if i had walked - that's how "fast" i went. Great challenge let's say that. Or more negatively, I thought I might fall over, my breath was coming out in gasps... and is that road long.....
However, once up, and once I had caught my breath next to some resting horses, I turned around and started the downhill, rather easier I must admit and with a beautiful view. Below me the saltbanks (secovljes) spread followed by the blue sea and finished off by the snowcapped Italian and Slovenian Alpes. On my side, hill after hill with olive treas and right in front of me, an almond trea in bloom.
What a reward, a well deserved one making it all so much sweeter.
Thursday 5 March 2009
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Slovenia here I come
A bit excited today about leaving for Slovenia in two days. Haven't seen my dad and little brother for a year and a half now - so about time too! And they've got a new dog - which of course I love to see. And my dad and I are planning to go skiing for at least a day which will be fun - think last time I skied with my dad and in Slovenia was about 16 years ago, so about time.
Part of the trip will be vacation, an extended weekend, and then I'll finish with 2 days of work in the beautiful capital Ljubljana - one of my favourite cities. Sometimes my job is good :)
Part of the trip will be vacation, an extended weekend, and then I'll finish with 2 days of work in the beautiful capital Ljubljana - one of my favourite cities. Sometimes my job is good :)
Tuesday 3 March 2009
B-day -15
Just realised that it's soon my birthday :)
Nothing big this year, just another year to add to my number, bringing me into an age which just doesn't feel like me. But oh well, considering that I have already started putting this new age into the machines at the gym perhaps it's time that I get used to it....
So, 15 days to go before my birthday - any ideas on what should be on my wish list? Except of course for the things that are always on the list: winning the lotery, world peace, getting rid of my student loan, making the environment 'breath' again, stop starvation and all those horrible diseases...
This year, I will start the day wakening up to my mum's singing in Stockholm and will end the day hopefully with a romantic dinner or dinner with friends, and then falling asleep in the arms of my love in Geneva. A perfect day hopefully :)
Nothing big this year, just another year to add to my number, bringing me into an age which just doesn't feel like me. But oh well, considering that I have already started putting this new age into the machines at the gym perhaps it's time that I get used to it....
So, 15 days to go before my birthday - any ideas on what should be on my wish list? Except of course for the things that are always on the list: winning the lotery, world peace, getting rid of my student loan, making the environment 'breath' again, stop starvation and all those horrible diseases...
This year, I will start the day wakening up to my mum's singing in Stockholm and will end the day hopefully with a romantic dinner or dinner with friends, and then falling asleep in the arms of my love in Geneva. A perfect day hopefully :)
Monday 2 March 2009
1 CHF = 7.81 SEK
Why did I pay off the money due for my student loan this year already in January? I hurried on, trying to use the 'good' exchange rate at that time, although it had just dipped down since the prognosis was that the Swedish economy would start getting stronger again. Wrong! If I had waited and paid the money now I would have saved at least 430 CHF. Grrrrrrrrrraur
By the way, this is the strongest the Swiss franc has been against the Swedish crown for the 11 years I have lived here. When I moved here, 1CHF = 5.8 SEK, and then it went up and has been around 6/6.1 for about 9 years or so. The Swedish economy is really in the shit right now. Unemployment steadily augmenting, companies going bancrupt, commodities getting more expensive due to the bad exchange rate. Hopefully it will soon be time for Sweden to turn around!!! In the meantime, I will take advantage of the CHF being worth so much and enjoy myself when I go to Stockholm in 2 weeks :)
By the way, this is the strongest the Swiss franc has been against the Swedish crown for the 11 years I have lived here. When I moved here, 1CHF = 5.8 SEK, and then it went up and has been around 6/6.1 for about 9 years or so. The Swedish economy is really in the shit right now. Unemployment steadily augmenting, companies going bancrupt, commodities getting more expensive due to the bad exchange rate. Hopefully it will soon be time for Sweden to turn around!!! In the meantime, I will take advantage of the CHF being worth so much and enjoy myself when I go to Stockholm in 2 weeks :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)