Monday, February 28, 2011

Lessons in Lefse

I am quite proud of my Norwegian heritage, and there are certain traditions that I've grown up with and feel deeply connected to.  As with most cultures, Scandanavian food has a taste all its own and one of my favorite fairs has got to be lefse.  It's a simple food, that isn't so easy to make, so when my grandma offered to teach me, I jumped at the chance.  If you're not familiar, lefse is a sort of potato flatbread (as tortilla is to Mexico, or Pita bread is to Greece.)  It's also a food that is traditionally only eaten in the chilly months of winter, and my family eats with a spread of butter and a dusting of brown sugar.  They can also be eaten with jelly, or corn syrup, and in Norway they even eat them with ham and eggs, or other sorts of savory meats.  So last Sunday I made my way to my Grandma and Grandpa Erickson's and spent the afternoon in the kitchen (and although I've far from mastered the art of lefse making, I'll be asking for a lefse griddle for Christmas next year!)




You will need:
A lefse griddle
A cloth covered board
A cloth covered rolling pin (with ridges)
A lefse turning stick
A potato ricer 
 
Ingredients:
- 3 cups rice potatoes (Idaho work best)
- 3Tbsp. whipping cream
- 3Tbsp. softened butter
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- About 1 cup flour
 
To make-
- Peel the potatoes then boil them.  Rice and mash the potatoes to remove all lumps.  Add, whipping cream, butter, sugar and salt. 
- Take one cup of the potato mixture and mix by hand with roughly 1/3 cup of flour (until it handles well.)
- Divide the dough into thirds.   Turn your griddle on to 500.
- Keep the board floured.  Start to roll out the dough.  Make sure your lefse stick stays clean and the cloth on the board stays dry.  While rolling out the dough, flip it over with your lefse stick several times.  Get the lefse as thin as possible.
- Place the lefse on the griddle.  Cook on each side about one minute, until little brown spots form.  
- Once cooked, remove from the griddle and place in a kitchen towel.  Let cool completely, for several hours in the towel. Then Place in plastic bags.  Store in the refrigerator. 
- Repeat the process.  Make sure the cloth board stays as dry as possible and the lefse stick stays clean.
 
 
 
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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Oscar Magic

The Academy Awards are one television event I look forward to every single year.  The best part, is obviously the clothes.  Below are some of my favorites so far.  I'm just going to take a stab in the dark and say that Ms. Hathaway's attire will be my favorite (I'm already loving dresses 1 and 2).  Who is your favorite?



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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Blog Makeover

Hi my lovies!  As you've probably noticed, Hush n Wonder has a brand new look!  I've been wanting to give my blog a makeover for a while now, and finally pulled the trigger and decided to do it when I found Little Blue Deer.  Shari is the creative genius behind it all and I can't begin to explain how fun it was to work with her in redesigning my site.   Go here to see other blogs she's designed and check out her inspiring interior design blog!






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Friday, February 25, 2011

Kate Bosworth for JewelMint

I've been admiring Kate Bosworth more and more lately.  Her style is so polished and all her own.  So when I heard she partnered with friend and stylist Cher Coulter to form a new jewelry line, JewelMint, I was interested.  When I found out what JewelMint actually was, I instatnly signed up. 

To get the jewelry you pay $30 a month to become a member.  From there, you create your own style profile that picks items specifically for you.  The best part?  You can skip months, so you only pay when you use it.  Like I said, I signed up, so I'll let you lovies know how it is! Visit http://www.jewelmint.com/ to check it ou!











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Still So Sexy @ 90

While my heart has been in London for the past week, I wouldn't have minded popping down to Milan for a bit either. Specifically to enjoy Gucci's 90th anniversary show.  Luxe fabrics in jewel tones, sexy feathered fedoras, plunging necklines, thigh-highed slits, and hints of python and patent leather made one fact perfectly clear - over the top glam is back for good. 

Tips to take from Gucci's Ready to Wear F/W 2011 Line:
  • Pussy-bowed blouses that are sweet n sexy.
  • Mix unusual colors (like ochre and pumpkin orange? Genius.)
  • Feather, fur, patent leather - all things over the top.
  • Thin belts to cinch the waist.
  • Wide legged trousers that give a 70's feel.
  • Looks that are perfectly tailored with amazing attention to detail.
Take a look at the collection below.  Isn't it so pretty, it's like art.  What trend are you picking up?




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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Pretty Kate

I just had to share this because, well, Kate Bosworth looked breathtaking while attending Burberry's show.  Ugh, get me something studded, STAT.





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Better Window Than Door

Sweaters are a wardrobe staple I gravitate towards.  They're cozy, can be dressed up, worn billions of ways, and I'm always bummed to put them away for the summer months.  But alas, this problem is solved with one of spring's hottest trends - open weave sweaters!  They're delicate, and the perfect companion to white tanks and maxi skirts.  Or denim cut-offs and pretty bras.  Or sultry sundresses and gladiator sandals (am I proving how versatile these beauties are, or what!?)  They're the perfect go-to when summer evening get brisk but not cool, and can be worn this annoying time of year when we're all wanting to dress for spring but temperatures are still freezing (because they're perfect with layers.)  Get a feel for the look below....







Let's Shop...

1) Helmut Lang, Knit Silk Sweater $295
2) All Saints, Elkin Jumper $199
3) Topshop, Rose Knit Ope Cable Jumper $90
4) 3.1 Phillip Lim, Knit Cotton Sweater $375
5) Elizabeth and James, Dottie Crocheted Sweater $275
6) French Connection, Knit Cable Jumper $158





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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Take me to London for Mulberry, Please.

So my fairy godmother came to me last night and granted me three wishes. I politely asked....

Wish 1:  Take me to London.
Wish 2:  Get me into all the fashion shows.
Wish 3:  Give me everything in Mulberry's Fall/Winter line.

Shoot, that was just a dream.  But it's pretty easy to see why Mulberry's F/W 2011 collection could leave a girl mesmerized.   We'll start with the scarves.  The oversized checks in the coolest of colors (purples, golds, grays) and they're so big, they just look cozy.  The whole look of the collection is part glamour girl, part outdoorsy chic (note the fishing pants and shooting jackets), a combination that I'm not sure has every been pulled off quite so effortlessly.  Mulberry's creative director Emma Hill described the season's inspiration: "She's a gorgeous girl living in a dilapidated country estate, popping outside for a cigarette."

The fushia and teal that snuck it's way into the collection look fresh amidst the grays and camels.  It's pure magic the way that pleats, quilted patterns, and oversized gold buttons and detailings take this look beyond elegant without being overtly sexy.  And I haven't even mentioned the bags.  The gorgeous, to-die-for bags every model was lucky enough to carry as she took to the runway. 













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Monday, February 21, 2011

My New Home

Welcome to my new home!  Please feel free to follow, and click on the link above the header to subscribe to my blog! 


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