Sweet paul

Happy New Year!

I can't believe how fast this year has gone.
Its crazy. I now totally understand my grandmother who always was complaining about how fast the years went.
Funny, because as a kid I always wanted time to pass much faster and now I'm like..."Hey, slow down time."
A new year is upon us and I wish you all a fantastic new year, may it be the best one ever!
Love
Paul

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They are voting for the best online magazine of 2011 over at Casa Sugar.
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Thanks!

Happy Holidays!

Dear Friends.
I want to take this time to wish you all the best for the Holidays.
Wherever you are in the world and whatever you celebrate, I hope all your dreams and wishes comes true.
And a special God Jul to my mom, I know you are watching us all.
All my love
Paul

Holiday Countdown Dec 23rd.

The day before the day

In my family we would always wait until the 23rd to decorate the tree.
My grandmother always refered to that day as "the day before the day".
Ever since I was a kid that day have been spacial to me.
Dad would get the tree from the garage and get all the boxes with ornaments from the attic.
The radio would be on with christmas carols, there would be plenty of cookies and marzipan and not to forget Mormor's lam pies.
The filling had been cooking all day and driving us crazy with its amazing smells.
We would ask all day when they where ready and the answer was always the same, "When the tree is decorated and lit".

I forgot to mention one thing, we where all in pajamas and robes.
Don't know how that started, but that was the rule.

The tree got decorated more or less the same way every year. Red apples, silver ornaments, red ribbons and my collection of old ornaments that I bought at local flea markets.
The year 4 off them fell of the tree and broke is still called the Annus Horribilus.

When all was done and the tree was lit the door to the kitchen would open and Mormor would carry out the pies.
Then we all knew christmas is here!

Mormor's lamb Shank Pies
Makes 6 small pies

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 lamb shanks
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato pure
1/2 teaspoon sugar
puff pastry

Heat oven to 375F.
Melt oil and butter in a large pan.
Rub the shanks well in with salt and pepper.
Brown on all sides in the pan.
Take them out and add onion and garlic.
Saute until the garlic is soft.
Add bay leaf, cumin, red wine, stock, tomato pure and sugar.
Stir well and add the shanks.
Put on a lid and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
Take them out and let it cool.
Pull of the meat and add the meat to the sauce.
Put the mixture into small pie pans.
Roll out the puff pastry and top each pie with it.
Cut out hears and place on top.
Bake at 375F until golden.
Serve varm.
Photo by Melina Hammer

Holiday Countdown Dec 22nd.

This is a very scandinavian holiday tradition.
I use box because I love how shiny it is, but you can use whatever greenery you have.

You need:
A few branches of fresh box
cutter
6" metall wreath
Florist wire
Stick
Flowerpot
Flower foam

Start with cutting small pieces of the box.
Make small bouquets and fasten them to the wreath with florist wire by twining the wire around the bouquet a few times.
Overlap the nest one and work yourself all the way around.
Cut to size and put the flower foam in the pot.
Add the stick and some box to hide the foam.
Fasten the wreath to the stick with a little wire.
Will keep green for a few days and then dry beautifully.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski

Holiday Countdown Dec 21st.

Toy Ornaments
Turn your kid's toys into cool and festive ornaments for the tree.

You need:
*small plastic animals
*2" pieces of white string
*super-glue
*small brush
*craft glue
*silver glitter

Start by folding the string in half and supergluing it to the back of the animal like a loop.
Using the brush add glue where you want the glitter to be.
Drizzle the glitter over the glued parts, make sure you get it in every nook and cranny.
Let them dry and your cool ornaments are ready for the tree.


Photo by Alexandra Grablweski

Holiday Countdown Dec 20th.

Ok, I have to admit that I haven't been baking as much as I should this holiday.
I usually bake a bunch of cookies, but somehow this year I'm not in the mood.
That said I will bake one of my favorites, the german Pepper cookies.
They are a mix of the scandinavian Pepperkaker and a Spiced sugar cookie.
Really good and easy to make.

makes 30

1 stick butter, soft
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup ground pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.
Beat eggs and sugar until smooth.
Add molasses and vanilla and beat well.
Add flour, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking powder and stir until you have a smote dough.
Roll dough into walnut sized balls and place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.
Bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes.
Let them cook slightly on a wire rack and then roll in confectioners sugar.
Photo by Hector Sanchez

Holiday Countdown Dec 19th.

Now its really time to think about gift wrap.
These are gifts wrapped in plain white paper and I used a "photo booth" set from Paper Presentation.
The kit comes with glasses, lips, moustaches and bow ties.All ready to use.
So I simple glued them direct to the gifts.
Easy as pie.
Photo by Frances Janisch

Holiday Countdown Dec 18th.

This is a great holiday soup.
Becomes even more festive with the star toast.

Roasted cauliflower soup
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cauliflower, broken into pieces
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup cream
salt and pepper
start toast, use a cookie cutter and cut out stars from toasted bread

Preheat oven to 380F.
Place onion and cauliflower in a large oven proof dish and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
Roast until golden.
Place the cauliflower and onions in a large pot and add stock.
Bring to a boil.
Let it boil 5 minutes, add stock and season with salt and pepper.
Pure in a blender and serve with a toasted star, a little olive oil and some pepper.
Photo by Dana Gallagher

Holiday Countdown Dec 17th.

Go to holiday cake
We all need a go to holiday cake and this one is mine.
Is simple to make, tastes great and you can dress it up or down depending on the event.
You can serve it as it is, or with some whipped cream and berries, some frosting and a few cookie stars like the image or with hot chocolate fudge and vanilla ice cream.
It's really versatile.

Sweet Paul's "Go to Holiday Cake"
Makes one loaf/cake

1 1/2 stick butter, soft
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
confectioners sugar
water
shredded coconut
a few star cookies

Preheat oven to 375F.
Grease a loaf tin.
Beat butter and sugar until light and airy.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Stir well.
Stir in flour, baking powder and vanilla.
When you have a smooth batter pour it into the loaf pan.
Bake until firm to the touch, about 1 hour.
Cool on a wire rack.
Stir confectioners sugar and water to a smooth and thick glaze.
Remove from pan and decorate with glaze, coconut and star cookies.
Photo by Ellen Silverman