Saturday, October 31, 2009

Chef D' Einalo


Was missing Chef D' Angelo's Shrimp and Spinach Pasta, so I thought I'd give it a stab. Needs a little tweaking, but not bad for my first attempt.

This dish was one of the many contributors to my extra college poundage. After ordering it numerous times, I one day discovered (or maybe I'd just repressed it?) that an order was meant for sharing and not as a single serving. Oops!

[Photo taken at 1827.]

How could I refuse chocolate at 80% off?


As much as I wish that I could chalk it up to will power, the answer lies in the expiration date. I was at the store on the 30th and these had officially expired on the 29th. Although, seeing as there's bound to be some time allowance, maybe it was will power after all.

I actually bought a box last week when they were still at 75% off. It was the perfect way to justify chocolate eating because:
1) chocolate being on sale is a rare phenomonen that one must take advantage of; and
2) I didn't have to pace myself because I had to beat the expiration date --- and I succeeded!

Am now kinda wishing that I'd bought a box yesterday and that I were eating it right now. About an hour ago, I had to relinquish my KitKat stash to trick-or-treaters that popped up unexpectedly lest they take the "trick" in "trick or treat" too seriously.

[Photo taken at 1525 on 091030.]

Sunday, October 25, 2009

My first batch of croissants!


I've never tried making puff pastry before because it just seemed too complicated.

It turns out I was wrong. These croissants took less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish. Isn't that impressive?

[Please proceed to post below.]

Of course


...our friends at Sara Lee had already done most of the work for me.

They forgot to include one step in the instructions though and I only realized it after baking, do you know what it was?

I wonder if they also make a wienerbröd/danish version.

[Please read post above if you haven't already.]

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Saw this outside the window


...and had to investigate. It's not a real piano, but apparently comes in handy as a home for misplaced gloves.

Not the optimal lecture hall


...if you're easily distracted. OTOH, there wasn't much activity outside.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Heading home


We got to wear blue tops and white pants at the clinic today as opposed to our usual all-white garb. The color change doesn't actually mean anything though.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Time for a confession


The leek soup project was supposed to last 48 hours. I started at around noon yesterday, but pulled the plug by 2100. Before that, I even managed to cheat at about 1700 by eating a banana walnut muffin.

In my defense, I did drink up all of the soup. I must not have added enough water though because there was only enough soup to last a day.

Still have about half of the boiled leeks in the refrigerator. Am thinking of dipping them in some batter and then frying them...my apologies to the author of "French Women Don't Get Fat".

Baked the WeightWatchers Cheese&Tomato Muffin seen above when I got back from the movie.

Who am I kidding?!


Of course, there was eating involved.

It's not everyday I see corn in a cup in Stockholm. Used to buy this at the canteen back in high school. Only they use grated cheese here whereas the school canteen used that orange cheese powder.

Pity had to throw it away with about a third left so I could get on the bus, but it was either that or wait 30 minutes in the cold for the next bus.

[Photo taken at 2012.]

Took a break from all the eating


...to go watch a movie. "Up" did not disappoint, but I thought it was rather sad for a children's flick...or maybe that's just me.

I think this is the first 3D movie I've watched that's 3D throughout (save for that deep sea documentary narrated by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet) and at some point you just sort of get used to it and cease to be aware that it's 3D. Or did I just miss the prompt to remove the glasses?

Sunday, October 18, 2009

This soup better be magical for real!


Bottoms up!


Wish me luck


Am cooking up some "magical leek soup" from the book "French Women Don't Get Fat".

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Down pesto memory lane


The coffee shop/restaurant where I first ate pesto and whose pesto was "just right" as far as I was concerned --- why do many restos in the Philippines go crazy with the oil? --- went the way of the dodo once Starbucks set up shop nearby.

I hold no grudge against Starbucks though since I can make my own pesto, but not my own frappuccino.

If you want to make your own pesto, just google Giada de Laurentiis' recipe.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

It's beginning to look a lot like din-din


...with chicken in apple (and rosemary) sauce.

Miss Piggy rules!


Finally started reading this last night and finished it this morning.

What struck me was that what little French I know apparently must have been learned from Miss Piggy.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

In for a penny, in for a pound


Had to buy some tiramisu from Sbarro to take home of course.

Seizing the opportunity


Okay, so it hasn't even been an hour since I had breakfast, but there's only one Sbarro restaurant in Sweden and it's out of the way. Therefore, I must eat there when I'm in the area.

Have been wanting to try McDonald's pancake breakfast for a while


Mission accomplished!

Friday, October 9, 2009

It's that time of the year again


...when the moon is still visible when you head out for the day.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Calories for a cause


Went back for the brownies I mentioned 2 posts ago.

Supporting a cause is one way to justify purchasing and eating cakes and pastries, but days devoted to particular sweet breads also come in handy. For example October 4 is Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Roll Day). Due to an oversight, we didn't get our cinnamon rolls until the 6th, but what's important is that we still honored and celebrated the cinnamon roll especially since it was the 10th anniversary.

As for the brownie, sorry Pressbyrån, but future brownie purchases will be made at 7-Eleven.

Stress relief or cure for boredom?


Got to draw a question for the oral exam and this was on the back of the paper.

[Photo taken at 1545.]

Aragorn vs. Brownies 1-0


Was at the counter when I spotted the elusive brownies. The store had been advertising them for days but they finally made their debut appearance today.

Decided to take a raincheck on the brownies, but will come back for them this afternoon. Hey, it's for a good cause! x% percent of the proceeds will go to the Rosa Bandet (Pink Ribbon; breast cancer awareness) campaign of Cancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society).

Anyway, having resisted the brownies and on my way out of the store, I spotted Viggo Mortensen on the cover of Reader's Digest and just had to buy it.

So Viggo, you beat out the brownies! You have no idea what a great honor that is in my world.

P.S. I also considered buying the Reader's Digest issue with the Obamas on the cover a few weeks back, but didn't. Still, trust me when I say that the win over the brownies is a much greater compliment coming from me.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Dylan McKay, is that you?


Did a doubletake when I saw that Luke Perry was in the cast of this Swedish film.