Mar 20, 2012

Lost in Florida.....

As I know I won't have time to post anything tomorrow (busy with farewell drinks for a colleague and packing), I thought I'd just drop you all a quick note to say Au Revoir!
As of Thursday morning, we are off to Florida for 12 glorious days.


Most likely, I will not want to, nor will I have time to, spend time in front of the computer but rather enjoy the outdoors, so the next blog post will probably be only in a couple of weeks. I can promise that I will take lots of photos, so stay tuned ;))
Until then, take care, be nice and smile lots!!
xox

Mar 18, 2012

My week of baking

This week, besides my business trip to Milan, has been aaaaall about baking. I can't remember ever baking so much in one single week. The reason? Well, at work we have a birthday baking list you can sign up for. This is optional, but once you are signed up, somebody bakes a cake for your birthday and then it's your turn to bake for the person whose birthday comes after yours. A great and fun idea!! 
Well, only one little "problem".......you see, I am signed up for two of these baking lists, one of my own department and one with the marketing department and guess what? The people I was baking for both had their birthday's in the same week ;)) On top of this, we had guests this weekend, so I wanted to make them and our landlords some cupcakes. All fun, but quite exhausting! Especially the cakes as they were baked in the evening and decorated only in the morning. Now I think I will have a baking-free few weeks to recover my baking energy =))

All though experimental, they all turned out pretty great, both in looks (all though not perfect ;)) and in taste, so I will share my recipes with you!


The 3-layered Chocolate Shock Birthday Cake
Ingredients, Cake
200g butter
3 cups of fine, brown sugar
2 tablespoons of vanilla essence
4 eggs
3 cups of milk
5 cups of flour
1.5 dl cocoa powder of good quality
3 teaspoons of baking powder

A pinch of salt
1 teaspoons of vanilla powder
1 teaspoon of ground ginger

200 g's of Dark Chocolate
Bread crumbs


Directions: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Beat butter and sugar and vanilla essence until creamy. Separate the eggs and stir in the yolks with the butter cream. Combine flour, cocoa powder,  baking powder,  vanilla powder,  ginger and salt. Gently fold the milk and flour mixture into the egg mixture. Melt the chocolate in a water bath or in the microwave and fold it gently into the batter. Beat the whites to a froth and fold them into the batter. Spread the batter evenly over three buttered and breaded cake molds with removable bottoms (I used a 24cm in diameter mold). Bake each one in middle of oven for about 15 minutes. Put them on a cooling rack.


Ingredients, Chocolate Mousse Filling
200g of good quality,  dark chocolate 
4 egg yolks 
5 dl's of cream
Directions: Stir in the egg yolks one by one. Stir carefully between each one. Melt the chocolate carefully in the microwave and let it cool down to NOT HOTTER THAN 65 degrees Celsius (otherwise the egg may coagulate). Let the batter cool down., Whip the cream. Not too hard. When done,  carefully stir everything together and put in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Once the cake foundation has cooled down, put the chocolate mousse in between each layer. Be careful as the cake itself is quite heavy so use moderate amounts and you might have to smooth the edges before putting on the exterior frosting ;))


Ingredients, Chocolate Frosting
200 g softened butter
5 dl's powder sugar
2 dl's of good quality cocoa powder
Directions: Mix all the ingredients together with an electrical mixer until smooth and properly blended. Put on and around the cake as desired.
When done, keep the cake refrideratored until it's time to serve! 
Voilaaaaaaa!



Sticky White Chocolate Cake
Ingredients, cake
400g of white chocolate
200g butter
2 cups of flour
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups of white sugar
2 tablespoons of dark rum


Directions: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Melt the butter in a pan. Remove from heat and add the chocolate while stirring until it melts. Beat the eggs and the sugar until fluffy. Stir in chocolate,  rum and flour. Pour the batter into a greased and breaded or "coconutted", 24cm in diameter mold with a removable bottom (I use grained coconut instead of bread crumbs to get a nicer flavor, but both woth fine ;)). Bake in the bottom of the oven for roughly 30 minutes. Please note that the cake should still be sticky inside! Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack. 



Ingredients, Glazing
200g white chocolate
1/2 cups of cream
2 dl's powder sugar
Topping of your choice (I'm using fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and lime and a little bit of powder sugar).
Directions, Glazing: Chop the chocolate. Boil the cream. Remove the cream from the heat and add the chocolate while stirring until it melts. Let the glazing solidify about 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator. Spread the glazing over cake and let it harden in the fridge. 


Apple and Cinnamon Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Topping
Ingredients, 12 Cupcakes
Roughly 250g's of flour (I didn't really measure)
2 dl's of white sugar
1 table spoon of real Vanilla powder
1 egg
1 apple
0.5 teaspoons of bicarbonate
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon of Cinnamon
0.5 dl's of of Sunflower oil
2 dl's of Milk


Directions: Pre-heat the oven to about 175 degrees. Chop the apple into small pieces. Blend all of the ingredients together with an electrical mixer until properly blended. Spoon the batter into 12 cupcake liners.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.
Ingredients,  Vanilla topping (cheat version ;))
Swedish version: Marsankräm
English version: Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
Blend according to pack.
Looks very nice decorate with chopped nuts or cinnamon.


Enjoy and if you try them, let me know what you think!!
xox

Mar 11, 2012

WeekEND

It's here.....the end of another great weekend! I am on a train on my way to Milan where I'll be working for the next two days.
We've had some really lovely visitors this weekend! It's been relaxed and great! I baked cookies, Chris made thai curry for us and I also experimented with a dessert which, in my gead, was supposed to turn into a creamy Banana and Coconut Pannacotta, but I used too much gelatine, so instead of creamy, it was spongy (poor guests!)....oh well, I'll work on it! Practise makes perfect :))
Today we had a nice walk in sunny, but incredibly windy, Rolle. I can't tell you how happy I am that spring is here.....and a spring with soooo many great plans!
I hope you all had great weekends!
xox
Linda
The lake of Geneva, in Rolle
Premiere of sitting on the balcony, reading a magazine....
A swan at the lake of Geneva
My coconut macaroons
My Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Mar 9, 2012

In 13 days......

....we will be on holiday somewere here:

....and we will most likely go here:

....and hopefully here:

....and for sure we also need to go here:

....if we're lucky, we might just go here as well:

...and at least one day will be (or should be) spent here:

...and hopefully, countless hours should be spent with these kinds of views:

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this upcoming holiday!!!
If you have any tips of what we shouldn't miss while we're in Miami, please DOOOO tell??
I am officially counting down the days........

xox

Mar 7, 2012

I've been tagged!!

So, Cherry from the blog "A day with me" has tagged me. Being tagged comes with some rules which are:
1. You must post the rules.

2. Post 12 fun facts about yourself in the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you in their post and create 12 new questions for the fellow bloggers you plan to tag.
4. Tag 12 people and link to them on your blog
5. Let them know you tagged them.

So here goes....... 12 fun (?) facts about me:
1. I never bothered to learn how to do Crawl, so I swim like a grandma: Breast strokes with my head, always above water ;)
2. Allthough I love watching and buying nice shoes, I avoid wearing heels as much as humanly possible..... I hate walking in those things!
3. I love birthdays and never get tired of having them! I wake up with a smile on my face every year.... I don't really care about my age.
4. One of my favorite things to eat, especially if I don't have a lot of time to cook, is Fishsticks with Macaroni, mayonnaise and ketchup! Many people find this combination incredibly weird....but I love it =p
5. Back in 1994, I submitted a slogan for a very popular Swedish chocolate. I won and a few weeks after, I could see my wording, my slogan, written on advertisements literally everywhere! They are still using this slogan to this very day and even though there is no direct evidence that it's actually because of me.....well....a bit of a coinsidence, no? ;)
6. My parents wanted to name me "Maria", but my big brother prefered "Linda" from a book he was reading, called "Linda's laundry day".
 
7. "Foods" or drinks I can not get enough of (read "I am obsessed with" ;)): Hot chocolate, Popcorn, Cupcakes, anything with Coconut flavor, Cheese fonude, Shrimps (the Nordic kind), Cola light, Strawberries, Flavoured Soy Latte's, Mango, Avocado, Thai and Indian food (in general), Sushi, Pinkberry's frozen yoghurt, Ben & Jerry's, Pancakes/Crepes, Cinnamon buns, Caramel sauce, Italian food, Soft ice with sprikles or nuts, Salty liqorice, Chris's homebaked Butterzopf, and almost anything with warm lentils.....
8. The last time I did something really different with my hair was 13 years ago! I had bangs and it was horrible as it kept separating. After this mistake, I never dared to try anything that could be called a "hair style".
9. I am a "lipgloss-o-holic" and always carry with me at least 3-5 different kinds in my hand bag or jacket pocket.
10. One of the next challenges I'd like to take on is underwater photography. I already have the camera house, so now I only have to improve my diving skills before I get started.....
11. Sometimes I wish I was doing something completely different in terms of work..... I am a supply chain manager, but sometimes I dream about having a little Cupcake cafe where people can come and read their favorite books, blog or just chat with friends and family.
12. I am a Pescatarian, meaning I eat only fish and vegetables.....no meat.

12 Questions To Answer:
1. What does Urban Dictionary say about your name? Check it out!
Linda Spanish or italian for "Cute girl".
Mira, aqui viene Linda. mira a Linda que linda es...
Prettier than thou!
......etc.


PS. Please note that this is a copy+paste of what the Urban dictionary is saying!!

2. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Sexism....especially in the workplace. Sexist comments almost makes me want to punch someone in the nose and I sometimes have to work hard to contain my temper.

3. What's your favorite line from a book?
“When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.”
From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

4. Are you a day person or night person?
I would say I'm a "Anything BUT a morning person".

5. If I give you a flying carpet, what place comes into your mind that you want to visit first and why?
These days, it's all about going home to Sweden to visit the friends and family that I miss so dearly....but of course, since I have this amazing tool at my disposal, I'd also take it for the occasional trip to New york or to a nice far away beach as well ;))

6. If your life was a book, what would be the title and why?It would be called "To be continued...." as I have the feeling the best is yet to come.

7. If you could be in a TV show, which would it be and what character would you like to portray? Why?
I really don't want to be in any TV shows.....but if I was forced to choose, maybe I'd be Miss Piggy in The Muppet show! I used to love the Muppets when I was a child.

8. If you are a time traveler, what time in the past would you like to go back? Why?
I would go back to 1994'ish......before my grandmother passed away. I would take her with me to a SPA so she could have some nice, relaxing time which she so desperately deserves. Then I would hug her and tell her how much I love her, how much she means to me and what an amazingly beautiful person she is. I would also take Chris with me as I would have loved for them to meet and I'm sure she would love him and be proud of and happy for me.

9. Do you cook? If yes, what's your specialty?
I looooove cooking!! I wouldn't say I have a specialty though, but like to vary a bit..... I very very rarely use recipes though. I love cookbooks though and never get tired of looking in them, but I mainly breeze through them for inspiration.

10. Do you have a phobia? If yes, what is it? How do you handle it?
Snakes and heights and honestly, I'm not managing them at all....... I only try to avoid facing them as much as possible.

11. What is your opinion about online dating?
A great way to meet people in a very casual way. It's also much less uncomfortable and independent as you don't need to have anyone going out with you to do it, but can be managed even from bed in your PJ's. Of course it comes with risks, but so does any other normal dating.....or living in general for that matter ;) Both of my parents (who are separated since a long time) met their new spouses this way.

12. What is romantic for you?
Probably the most romantic thing, or at least what I appreciate the most, is when someone cooks for me. On top of this, it's rather the little everyday things rather than big gestures! Examples would be to get a little note written for me or when I have been traveling somewhere and come home and Chris is picking me up, sometimes even waiting for me with some Cupcakes or Macaroons in a little box because he knows how much I love them. I also find it so lovely that Chris always prepares a flavored latte macchiato for me in the morning =p  These things are for me all very romantic....

Pheeeeewwwww......those were not easy questions....honestly! But I am anyway tagging the following people, hoping to read their answers shortly:

Erleene of Cocoa and Clementine
Maddie of Sprinkle diary
Elisa of Globetrotting in Heels
Emma
of Om en tjej
"Carried away" of The Book of Faces
Sada of Dressology HQ
Katja of Katja's Corner
Carin of My Pink Life in Holland
Carola of Loving and Living
Lina of From Lina
Frida of Fraidi
Hannah

...and here are the questions you will have to answer to honor this tag:1. If your best friends were to describe you using three words, which words would they choose?
2. What is the most useful thing you ever learned how to do?
3. In school, what was/is your favorite subject and why?
4. Where do you want to travel to next?
5. Which beauty products are you not able to "live" without?
6. Your favorite movie?
7. If you had the power to change something in your life right now, no limits, what would you change and why?
8. Do you have any eating habits that others call strange?
9. What are your guilty pleasures?
10. If you had the opportunity to go to space, would you? Why/Why not?
11. What is the most frequent compliment you are receiving?
12. What is your favorite music lyric?

xox
 

Mar 5, 2012

You know you're a Swede living in Switzerland when you.....


 ...receive the Swiss tax declaration form and it makes you feel like you want to run home to mommy in tears or makes you want to leave your job just to avoid having to do it again.
...look in the fish department while grocery shopping and wonder why there are no REAL shrimps?
...jaywalk while everyone else is kindly waiting for the light to turn green and it makes you wonder if maybe you should go back to lend a hand as maybe they need help to cross?
...the only thing you find even remotely cheap in Switzerland is maybe, possibly, having a bottle of wine in a restaurant.
...go to the doctors office in a defensive mood, all armed with evidence at hand, just to realize that the doctor actually believes you are there because you are sick (wow) and hypochondria is NOT one of the diagnosis given.
...you sit for 2 hours after the dinner is over and the coffee is served, wondering when someone is going to offer you some more wine? ....as in Sweden, after dinner is when we really start to drink wine ;)) The wine for dinner is just to tease your taste buds by matching it with the food.
...realize that Mountain biking is an actual sport, not just means of transportation!
...when you go into a SPA with that joyous "Finally I'm gonna get to relax" kind of feeling but as soon as you open the door to your first sauna, you run out of there to the reception screaming in panic "There are NAKED people in there!!!!!".
...in the beginning of your Swiss living, you spend countless of evenings hungry as you struggle to understand that grocery stores really close at 18:30 (you had been thinking every time you went there at 19:00 and it's been closed, it has surely been for some kind of exception....or emergency.) and you don't have anything in your refrigerator.
...try cheese fondue for the first time and think that you finally found the explanation as to why Switzerland has an army (to protect the cheese!!! Of course! That makes complete sense now!!)! 
...get flashed quite frequently while driving and you slowly but surely realize that actually every single camera has a functioning device inside and they are e v e r y w h e r e.
...plan an evening dinner picnic or an evening BBQ and completely forget that it's NOT light until 23:00 in Switzerland....and hence, your plans to play "Kubb" after dessert completely fails.
...you go into a bar and ask for your favorite drink. The reply is that they don't have it, so you say "Ah, no problem, just mix me anything with Raspberry, Vanilla or Apple Vodka". You are now faced with a confused stare and the bartender kindly ask you to specify "Do you want a blue, green, red or a yellow Vodka?". In reply, the bartender gets the same confused stare back....
...you have to learn the hard way that Sunday in Switzerland is practically holy and things such as vacuum cleaning, disposing of your garbage or recycling from yesterday's dinner party gives you an actual fine.
...taste "Apfelschorle" for the first time, thinking "What a genius and delicious drink!!", just to find, out while googling to find its secret recipe, that it's basically just apple juice mixed with sparkling water ;)

Btw.....this is exactly how my blog's name turned into "Lost in Switzerland"! He he!
Swiss-based-Swedes.....did I miss anything? ;)


xox

Mar 4, 2012

Video Blog: Spring time in Essertines-sur-Rolle

Spring has finally arrived here in our little village and it was not one of those "sneaking-up-on-you-slowly-and-quietly" kind of appearances that she, the queen of spring, decided to make..... Noooo, on the contrary! It was a complete turnaround over just a couple of weeks! I never even saw the snow melt..... Guys, it's soon PICNIC SEASON!!!! Can you believe it?? I am deliriously happy and want to spend lots of time out in nature this year. Yesterday, I went for a lovely walk around the village and decided to make another video blog. Here's the result.....


I hope you all had a lovely weekend!


xox

Mar 3, 2012

Yep, this is my kind of humor!!

Found these postcards in London and couldn't stop laughing!! =)))



xox

A February weekend in Sweden

It had been way too long (I believe June last year?).....honestly, I don't go home nearly as often as I should or as I want to. Hopefully, this will change once my new job is less new to me and I will have more time in the future.


After having spent the first evening and morning with my friend Aryan, I travelled on by train to Köping, where my family and my oldest friend (Madde) lives. I stayed with my brother and his Josefina and their daughter (my precious little niece, Cindy). The feeling of seeing your family again after such a long time is almost unexplainable......so many things have changed and yet, you can always pick up exactly where you left off. Nothing feels unfamiliar or strange. It is as if just the presence bridges the gap....the gap being the time you've spent apart. 


It was an amazing weekend! Mainly spent cuddling and playing with my niece, but also attending my father's and Paula's wedding, hanging out with my mom and my stepdad and I also spent half a day shopping with Madde in a nearby city called, Västerås.


I have fallen head over heels in love with my niece and saying goodbye was not easy =(( The good news is that they will probably come to visit us in late spring/early summer...


I am back home since late Tuesday evening. Feeling refreshed by having been surrounded by an abundance of love....but unfortunately, on top of all the precious memories gathered, I also brought with me some kind of vicious "flu" that had me stuck in bed throughout most of Thursday afternoon and Friday. Still feeling a bit sick, but it was surely worth it ;))


Some photos:
Here she is, my little angel niece, Cindy <3
Cindy and me
Cindy as a little fairy princess ;)
My dad and Paula
The wedding cake! So cute!
Mom
Mom and I went for a walk around Strömsholm

Spring was in their, but had not yet melted away all the ice....
Madde after our shopping spree ;)
At the airport on my way home, I finally got the change to eat my favorite food: a Swedish shrimp sandwich
Honestly, I could by a ticket to go home just for this! Tastes like heaven =p
This weekend will be spent recovering from my "flu", editing all the photos from Sweden, planning our upcoming holidays and hopefully, if I feel better today, getting some fresh air!


Oooohhhh and by the way, if you want to see a real nailbiter, watch "A lonely place to die"!!! Not a feel good movie, but a great action flick that had us almost out of breath yesterday evening ;)


Enjoy your weekends!!
xox