Scandinavian-Style Open-Face Sandwiches

Back in October, my daughter questioned me on what we'd be doing for Leif Ericksson Day. She asked me since I really get into off-beat holidays. However, I didn't realize it was really a day! Now I know that it is, I have been researching viking & Scandinavian foods, amongst other things, to add to our holiday & foodie repertoire. 

I've also been quite drawn to the Nordic designs on sweaters & things...so I began to look into the culture of their Christmastime rituals, too.

Quite some time back, I learned a cheater shortcut to making easy Danish-style pastries & added my own twist (recipe HERE), which I also recreated some Love Danishes to follow up my New Year's Ham & Beans (recipe HERE).

In my researching...I noticed that simple open-faced sandwiches are kind of a staple. And I've been wanting to try some. So I had hoped to serve some up for some company coming over...

One of the things I did not get to do, and had planned on for the non-pork/non-ham-&-bean eaters, was to make some Scandinavian-style open face sandwiches. I didn't get it done in time for the crowd that came over, but I still played with the idea later on New Year's Day. I only used hard boiled eggs for the test run. Here's what I did:

~~~~~~~~~~

SCANDINAVIAN-STYLE OPEN-FACE SCANDWICHES

Ingredients:

* sliced rye or other harder bread (even pumpernickel), crusts removed

* 2-4 hard boiled eggs, sliced

* mayo/mustard/honey-mustard

* ground mustard (optional)

* chives, fresh or freeze-dried (I used freeze-dried)

* dill weed, fresh or dried (I used dried)

* salt & pepper (optional)

Directions:

~ hard boil your eggs in the best method that works for you - I did mine in the oven (usually 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes...but wanted to speed up the process & did 375 degrees for 15...wishing I used the 325, but it was still OK), peel & slice them; set aside

~ take a slice of your bread of choice (I used Pepperidge Farms Rye) & remove the crusts, leaving the bread in a rectangular shape

~ take your condiment(s) of choice & spread onto the bread - if using mayo & want some of the mustard, sprinkle a pinch of ground mustard on top or mix it in (I used French's honey mustard AND some Miracle Whip with olive oil)

~ sprinkle on some of the chive pieces

~ take a few slices of the hard boiled egg & arrange onto the bread

~ top the egg slices with the dill, salt & pepper (I did not use the salt & pepper this time)

~ serve

~~~~~~~~~~

As I researched these sandwiches, I know there's salmon & fish involved, even veggies. I look forward to adding some salmon on them & just play with the idea more, in general!

I used the eggs & honey mustard since my daughter, the non-pork eater, likes scrambled eggs with honey mustard. She isn't fond of hard boiled yolk, apparently, so I can try the egg white rings & egg ends for hers. 

If you noticed, I made designs with my condiments & egg arrangements. They were so mod & adorable! And the rye gave it a really great flavor background.

Along with the arrangement of condiments, I even used the olive oil Miracle Whip AND the honey mustard, too.

These are fun, adorable, EASY, kiddos can help assemble these things easily, and are perfect for a tea, luncheon, brunch, or part of a big ol' smorgasbord!

Pepperidge Farms also makes a rye/pumpernickel swirl sliced bread that I might want to try, too.

Oh the possibilities!!!

Side Note: My friend, Rachael, should be happy I posted this on Thorsday. hehe

ENJOY!

**********

Update:

Finally got some Rye & Pumpernickel swirl bread, along with some smoked salmon & shrimp...

It's the swirl bread with Miracle Whip, honey dijon mustard, pickle relish, a hard boiled egg (sliced), shrimp, smoked salmon, dried dill (sprinkled) & sprigs of baby dill. So pretty, amm-i-rite?

Served it up as a traditional-style Scandinavian lunch with strawberries.

So beautiful...

So yummy...

And I also tried this, too:

Pumperye (yeah...I just named it that) with Miracle Whip, honey dijon, pickle relish, kale (massaged in lemon juice & sea salt), smoked salmon, cocktail shrimp, freeze-dried chives, dried dill & a sprig of baby dill plated along with sliced strawberries & lingonberry fake-out pastry roulade pastry slices.

YUMMY!!

Easy Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Growing up, I did not understand the cranberry thing at Thanksgiving. When the large part of the family got together, there would be a couple of small dishes on the table, each containing a deep red cylinder with ridges that strongly resembled the shape of a can...but people were actually eating from it! There were even times when the cylinder was horizontal & sliced on the ridges so folks could get a disc of the cranberry loaf.

Even as a kid, it never seemed appetizing to me. I think, in my young mind, they might have been beets or something. I just know that there was no way I was gonna have any of that!

Now, I would drink things like Ocean Spray's Cran-Apple or Cran-Grape juices. Eventually I'd have to make the jump to straight up cranberry juice now & then due to some...uh...issues. But I don't mind cranberry juice. And you know what? I never associated the juice of cranberry to be from the same source as the cranberry loaf! So I obviously was OK with them.

I also remember stringing actual cranberries with popcorn for a school Christmas tree. They were pretty beads, in my young mind. I never put it together that those are where I liked the juice from...and cringed from the gel loaf it made.

Not too long ago, I came across the easiest cranberry sauce EVER! I made some at the house & the family might have thought I was a genius! Or just crafty for half of a moment...whatever. But they really liked it & do ask for it sometimes!

The recipe I found was on Pinterest by One Good Thing by Jillee. (recipe HERE) So easy; so divine.

But, with it being the holidays, and having apple cider to work with (I love using apple cider during the fall in recipes!), I thought I'd use some of that for our Thanksgiving gathering.

So, here's what I did...

~~~~~~~~~~

EASY HOLIDAY CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 bag fresh cranberries (like Ocean Spray)

1/2 C apple cider or juice

1/4 C granulated sugar

1/4 C brown sugar

1 T apple pie spice

Directions:

~ in a sauce pan (which I sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray first), add the cranberries

~ pour in the liquid, the sugars & the spice

~ stir until well mixed

~ turn on the burner until the mixture is boiling, stirring occasionally

~ once boiling, turn to low heat as the cranberries continue to pop (the skins will burst...and it's so cool) & break down

~ I like to mash up the berries as I stir it, but it should be turning a beautiful red color & into a great chunky sauce

~ after about 15 minutes, total, on the heat, remove from the heat & allow to rest as the sauce settles a bit

~ serve warm (my family's fave), at room temp, or chill it in the fridge & add some whipped cream to the top

~~~~~~~~~~

Oh man, this is so yummy!!!! And my youngest even helped out.

I'm looking forward to Christmas so I can make it with orange juice instead of the cider. Or I might mix 'em. We shall see. 

I know some people like to throw in some walnuts or pecans, too. Totally optional. I love the sauce as it is.

Oh, and by the way, a big gathering meant doubling the recipe. That also insured some leftovers!

Now it's your turn!

ENJOY!

Blue-Faced Arnold Palmer

Through these last couple of months, I have been taking part in a really fun photography-type scavenger hunt contest. There were several categories to enter pictures into, and there were 100 pictures on the list. And there was no way I'd be getting some of the topic requests on the list, but it made me do some searching...and take some additional creative moves.

One of the categories on the list was "Colors"; one of the photo topics was "a blue mixed drink". I really thought I'd be in the vicinity at some point of SOMEONE with a blue mixed drink! That was not to be. But I got thinking. Yes...this can be scary sometimes, but I came up with a non-alcoholic mixed drink that is blue in color!

OK...stay with me:
On the last day of submissions for the contest, I was trying to get as many photos in as I could. I was determined to get that mixed blue drink! My hubby & I are wine drinkers, so blue liquor was nothing we had on hand. But I do have kids...and I have so many packets of Kool-Aid, it's ridiculous.

I used to make cupcakes with Kool-Aid mix that was raspberry lemonade flavored. Boy, was it ever tart!!! I didn't have any of that on hand, but I did have blue Kool-Aid, lemonade...and I needed to make a jug of tea.

I made a version of an Arnold Palmer (you know...lemonade & iced tea) that would be perfect for this photo challenge as well as for the future...

Here's what I did:

~~~~~~~~~~

BLUE-FACED ARNOLD PALMER

Ingredients:

~ 1 envelope Kool-Aid, lemonade flavor
~ 1 envelope Kool-Aid, berry mix flavor: MUST BE BLUE (I used Berry Blue flavor)
          * makes 1 gallon

          OR

~ 1 or 2 envelope(s) Kool-Aid, raspberry blue flavor (if available)
          *1 envelope for 2 qt or 2 envelopes for 1 gallon

~ brewed unsweet, slightly sweet or sweet tea, iced
~ crushed ice


Directions:

* Mix the Kool-Aid to package directions, chill in the refrigerator (I used the 1st option mix)

* Brew tea & add the selected amount of sweetness, if any; chill in the refrigerator

* In a glass, add crushed ice, then begin to add 1 part tea & 1 part blue Kool-Aid (you may do 2 parts 1 drink to 1 parts the other drink, if preferred)

* Marvel at how pretty & adorable this drink is & consume


NOTE: 
- If the appearance of layers is good! It gives the drink a really awesome appearance. It may layer better if you pour the tea first. (so it looks more like the right side of the above picture)
- If you put this in a taller glass, use a really fun straw! Add an umbrella, too.
- Before filling the glass, wet the rim & dip the rim in sugar for presentation
- Yes, you can spike this if you'd like, but this way is definitely family friendly...and Arnold Palmer does order his nonalcoholic...with a wink.

~~~~~~~~~~

This drink is so fun & so yummy!! Your kiddos will love it, too!

And be sure to go visit my friend, David, at Hipstabear Photography (website HERE) and on his Facebook page (HERE). He's the one who actually inspired me to make this drink...all for a photo challenge! And his photos are really spectacular, too!!

ENJOY!

Rudolph Nose Candy

This past Christmas, since my family decided to indulge in more holiday treats of their choice, I decided to dive into making some of the treats any given family member selected...and then some!

I found a recipe for a very simple candy to make: Reindeer Noses. This past year was the 1st time I'd ever heard of or seen them...but they seemed to be everywhere! And since the seemed so easy, I thought of adding them to my foodie repertoire.

Now I have seen several version of this. But they all involve a small pretzel base (preferably round), a small milk chocolate candy (I've seen Hershey Kisses/Hugs & Rolos used), and then a topper of sorts - like a single M&M, a candy corn or pecan. I have seen them used & posted for all kinds of holidays, too...

But this time...I wanted to make the Christmas ones! But I ran into a couple of problems when I went shopping for ingredients:

1. I couldn't find the holiday M&M's. I really wanted a lot of red.
2. I couldn't get a hold of any round pretzels.

*sigh*

So I had to make due...and had to get my brainy-brain working quickly.

After some quick thinking...here's what I came up with:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RUDOLPH NOSE CANDY

Ingredients:

~ small pretzels
~ 1 bag of Rolos
~ maraschino cherries, halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Either coat cookie sheet (preferably one with a lip around the edges) with cooking spray OR cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Cover the cookie sheet with a single layer of small pretzels.

Set a Rolo on top of each pretzel.

Place in the oven for about 3-5 minutes.

While the Rolos are still warm & squishy, quickly place a cherry half on top of each Rolo & smash it down.

Let the candy set for about 10 minutes to cool & set up.

Carefully remove each "nose" candy from the baking sheet & place on a serving plate or platter.

Store in a air-tight container.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are so easy! Even the kiddos can help you make them!

Plus...this version of the candy is sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, chocolaty, fruity...and so darn adorable! My family could not stop eating these! They went very quickly. Even after 2 or 3 batches...they didn't last very long at all.

For some different options, you could use about any variety of Hershey's Kisses or Hugs, Reece's mini peanut butter cups, or a Dove Promises variety.

As for how long to store them for...I don't know. They didn't last long enough for me to figure it out!

ENJOY!