Friday, September 28, 2012

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies!

Happy Foodie Fridays!

These are Kevin's favorite cookie! and the rest of his teammates enjoyed them too!
This is my take on the traditional "Peanut Butter Blossoms", but since there are no Hershey's Kisses here :( I had to make do with just blocks of baking chocolate. I chose dark chocolate, because I love dark chocolate, it's better for you, and it tastes really great with the peanut butter cookies! Using the block of chocolate also seemed like more chocolate than a Hershey Kiss which I really enjoyed too! The peanut butter in Sweden is much different then our peanut butter at home from what I hear. Luckily I haven't had to try it yet, because we bought a large thing of peanut butter at Costco before we left and brought it with us! :)


Total Time Prep and Baking: 1:45- 2:00 Hours

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
Sugar for sprinkling
Block of chocolate or unwrapped Hershey's Kisses

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 190° C/ 375° F (I am using Celsius over here).
2. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl and mix together until smooth and fluffy.
3. Add egg, vanilla extract, and salt and continue mixing.
4. Add flour and baking powder and mix until smooth.
5. Refrigerate dough for 30-60 minutes it will be easier to mix into balls.
6. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet about 2-inches apart.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.
8. Immediately sprinkle sugar on top of cookies and press chocolate into center. 
9. Remove cookies from sheet and then allow to cool!

Swedish Word of the Day:
Jordnötssmör ("your-d-nuht-smoh-re") meaning Peanut Butter

PEACE & LOVE,
Kevin & Amanda

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Tingsryd, Sweden!

This is Tingsryd, Sweden.. Pictures of the lake, scenery, shops, stores, homes, and buildings located in the current city Kevin and I are staying in Tingsryd. It's a lot of pictures! Tingsryd is a locality and the seat of Tingsryd MunicipalityKronoberg CountySweden with 3,037 inhabitants. Tingsryd is the referred to as the "horse capital". See previous post Häst!


The path I usually run on along the water!





The gas station owned by the GM of the hockey team!


The Hotel and gym!



The hotel and gym!


Yellow house white trim!


The huge furniture store!




The drapery store!


Christmas cross-stitch and embroidery!


Local Cafe!



Mmm looks like good pastries and treats!


The Liquor store! They can only sell liquor with an alcohol content higher than 3.5% in these stores in Sweden and the I.D. to purchase age is 20, but you are able to go out to most bars at 18 and drink. Anyone can buy beer and wine that has a 3.5% or less alcohol content at the grocery store!


Flower shop!


The sun coming out! The weather goes from grey to rain to sun in seconds! I thought Michigan weather was unpredictable, this is way worst! It rains everyday here!


A lot of the homes have very pretty gardens!



Salon!


Another flower shop! I think I was suppose to work at..




Probably the nicest apartments in town! The goalie and his girlfriend live there!



Tingsryd's most famous store! Börjes Tingsryd is a family owned store that opened in 1944, and was originally the sales of textiles in a 20 square meter room! The company has gradually grown and is today in a 5000 square meter space offering a variety of products from: food, grocery, clothing, textiles, utensils, toiletries, tools, home accessories, linens, flowers, garden, toys, sporting equipment, horse things and their is also a cafeteria located inside! Börjes Tingsryd


Get your Tingsryd Hockey Fan gear!






Kabob and pizza stands are all they really have for food throughout the city!


The bank!


Eye glass store!


The local radio shack!


China and chotchkies!


Like the small rose window on this home!


The sports store!


The local Art Gallory!


Liked this tower!




I noticed that they typical paint their homes and buildings in yellow/gold, brick red, sea foam green, and ivory!


The tanning salon!


Knit shop, hair salon, and tanning salon all in one!


The lake in the distance!


The Tingsryd Dentist! Hope I never have to go here!


An old barn! thought it looked cool!




A clothing store!




The Church! See post Tingsryds Kyrka! for more information and pictures!


Cafe and retail space all in one!





Beginning to look like fall!



Just some Tingsryd houses!



Tingsryd sun setting!

Swedish Word of the Day:
Regn ("(tonge-roll)ray..n") meaning Rain

PEACE & LOVE,
Kevin & Amanda