what's for dinner, week 21

part of the Constitution day potluck dinner

Our fridge was filled to the brim during the weekend due to the Constitution day celebration; we had friends over for potluck dinner and we ate all night. I thought there would be leftovers to play with for this week's dinners - no such luck! The fridge is not completely empty though, but beer, cake leftovers and cheese crumbles do not make a fulfilling dinner. Or maybe it does?

Monday: homemade meatballs (from the freezer; Sølve made a huge batch a while ago and we are finally seeing the end of it), guacamole (I hope the avocados have not gone bad yet), and a salad of mixed lettuce, blue grapes, couscous and balsamic cream. It is my first time using grapes in a salad. I have a feeling it will work very well. I often use sweet fruits like melon and mango in salad; grapes are kind of the same, if you understand what I mean. 

Tuesday: a warm salad of roasted carrots, garlic and yellow beets (first time I have ever seen them in the grocery store, so I just had to get them), barley, sausage and salted/roasted pumpkin seeds

Wednesday: white beans, tomato and feta salad

Thursday: pan fried cod filets (if the store has them), spinach/chickpeas/garlic (if the store has spinach) | backup plan: whole grain spaghetti with homemade kale pesto (from the freezer) and salmon (our local store always has salmon)

Friday: Deadline for my exam, so we need something simple and very comforting: homemade pizza (from the freezer) - I planned to eat this pizza last Friday, but got instantly inspired by this article that I read that Friday morning, so I made burgers instead.

- - -

about this project

- every Monday I post the week's menu

- there might be links to recipes, but the menu will mostly just be basic ideas for the dinners - often just based on what ever is in our fridge, freezer and cupboards

- Saturday and Sunday dinners will often not be planned ahead because we have a habit of buying whatever looks good in the store when we are out grocery shopping Saturday morning

PS: my pantry essentials | thoughts on dinner planning and grocery shopping

things I like lately

From last year's Constitution day celebration at Voss. Sara was 1,5 years. Sara does not have a bunad yet, so she'll wear the same dress tomorrow - it fits so much better now! My bunad is a beltestakk from Bø in Telemark (my mum is from Skien). 

- we bought a house!

- celebrating the house with Champagne 

- this post about Birkenstocks over at the ever so stylish Bleubird (because I looove my Birkenstocks - have been wearing them for years)

- these photos by Maria and this article about her birth photography business

- look up, of course

- the Bonne Maman peach jam I brought home from Paris

- finding Sara's hoodie in kindergarten when I thought it was lost for ever (those mittens on the other hand are lost)

- Alyson's mama & baby pin board

- brick, grey, white

- this post by Alice

- hiking up mount Ulriken in the sun earlier this week and running in the rain yesterday - feels so good to exercise again! 

- having film developed; a slide film from our Easter at the mountain cabin + the test roll from the camera I bought at a flea market (it works!)

- working in the garden 

- The Simple Things magazine

- exploring magazines on issuu.com; these are beautiful: t.e.l.l., Good Company and Magnolia Rouge

- tripod diaries

- ekstremt bra utrolig fint

- this post - lots of great blog tips, including this space - thanks a lot Tiril!

- the news about a dear friend's pregnancy

- the first rhubarb of the season (in the grocery store) - planning to make this favorite: roasted rhubarb 

- straining plain yoghurt to give it the lovely thick Greek style yoghurt feeling

- Sara scooting to kindergarten (instead of using the stroller) 

- the beautiful evening sun light has returned to our living room (as seen in the top photo here)

- getting the weekend/Constitution day grocery shopping before the big rush

- running into a sweet blog reader at the grocery store (hei frumarkmus!) 

- the way Sara says "hipp, hipp hurra!" (a typical cheer in the Constitution day parades): "pipp pipp huja"

- looking forward to celebrating the Constitution day with our friends tomorrow 

- making pavlova for dessert tomorrow  

- being inspired by an article in today's D2 to make hamburgers for dinner tonight 

- - - 

things I don't like lately 

- being very, very little productive when it comes to my exam work
- slugs in the garden 

we bought a house!

Yesterday, around 1 pm, our offer for this house in Stavanger was accepted. We are super happy! One of the things we love about the house is the big garden. It has an old plum tree, red currant and raspberry bushes, rhubarb, lilacs, a cherry blossom tree and a Japanese maple (one of my favorites). There is even a flag pole! The floor plan is great, so is the location. Unfortunately there is no view, but it looks like there is a lot of light - win! We are planning to do quite a bit of renovation, especially in the basement. Not sure if I'm ready for another big renovation project so soon after our last one, but I know it will be worth it. I'm really looking forward to start a new chapter of our life in this house - already at the end of August. 

London, IV

life, week 19

We came home from house hunting in Stavanger and saw this light. I almost cried. 

I'm a little fed up by orchids, but this one is nice - especially in sunset light.

During the weekend Sara observed that the weather had changed. "The sky is white, mamma. I want blue sky." The forecast says rain all week; I sure will miss all the beautiful blue skies we have had lately. 

No more summer weather; fire in the wood stove and wellies by the front door.

She cried big, big tears when I left her in kindergarten. It breaks my heart. But I know she loves being there, playing with the other kids. She'll be fine. 

I'm surprised that I find so much comfort in packing our belongings for the big move.

I always pause for pretty light.

Sandnes bound | the move has juuust started

good morning, Stord

she made it

See what I mean?

This kitchen window view is another thing I will miss deeply when moving from this apartment.

I watched her throw sticks and stones into the lake where I grew up. It was chilly but nice.

Bergen bound | looking for fish whilst waiting for the ferry

Did I mention that sunset light?

dinner with a view | student life

He said he loves this kind of Italian style big family gatherings filled with a big table with plenty of food and kids frolicking around in the garden.

home sweet home

sleepless | thinking that we should buy that house we saw today

- - -

Week 19: May 5-11

what's for dinner, week 21

from the archives | carrot soup looks a lot like red lentil soup, so it fits this post rather well | Kodak Portra 160, Canon EOS 500N

Monday: chicken leftovers from Saturday

Tuesday: red lentil soup (We already have everything we need, plus we have some fresh coriander sitting on our kitchen counter that is not very fresh anymore, but it will be perfect to blend into this soup.)

Wednesday: wholegrain spaghetti with kale pesto (from the freezer), bacon and tomatoes

Thursday: chicken filets (again). There are a couple of beautiful, fresh filets in the fridge that needs to be eaten before they go bad. Also, I want to eat them whilst fresh instead of freezing them. Sølve is an expert at making them tasty and juicy, so I'll probably just make a salad to go with them. Maybe this one.

Friday: homemade pizza (from the freezer)

Hmmm... No fish this week. Note to self: Have fish for dinner during the weekend! 

- - -

about this project

- every Monday I post the week's menu

- there might be links to recipes, but the menu will mostly just be basic ideas for the dinners - often just based on what ever is in our fridge, freezer and cupboards

- Saturday and Sunday dinners will often not be planned ahead because we have a habit of buying whatever looks good in the store when we are out grocery shopping Saturday morning

PS: my pantry essentials | thoughts on dinner planning and grocery shopping

- - -

So, what are you planning to have for dinner this week?

things I like lately

from the archives | Åmot Operagard, December 2010 | Kodak Portra 400nc, Minolta SRT 101

- strawberry stains on the wooden cutting board, because it makes me think of summer
- Beth's photostream and the little stories each photo tells
- working in the garden after Sara has fallen asleep
- Mother (via Bleubird)
- komle for lunch at HSH
- meeting my fellow PPU (PGCE) students again and keeping up the tradition of having dinner at Brygga 11
- being surprisingly happy about starting packing for our big move
- Sara counted her toes - in English!
- swapping a stack of magazines for a jar of homemade aioli - made by the ever lovely Ingvild
- spending the weekend with our families in our hometown Sandnes
- MAV's clear out tips (here are my thoughts on wardrobe clear outs)
- nibHJEMME issue 4
- the return of this joy+ride
- my father-in-law's freshly made orange juice for breakfast

- - -

things I don't like lately

- Sara's sleep routine is still not back to normal

randoms, on film

Kodak Portra 400, Minolta SRT 101