Nordic Bliss

New website

2013-03-10T23:43:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone- Nordic Bliss has moved to a fresh new site : xoamys

Out of Photo storage & Paris on my mind

2012-11-28T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hey Sweets,

It has been some time since I have last written an entry, sorry about the delay but there is a valid excuse. Apparently I am out of storage space for photos and now I should start paying for more space.. wtf? So now I have to strat paying for blogging, does anyone have any experience with this? Sounds kind of ridiculous, so no photos today... I don't even know if I will continue blogging if I cannot upload photos- But anyways, this young lady is leaving to Paris tomorrow for five days. My friend and I are living in Saint Germain (Hotel Odéon), on the left side of the bank that is supposed to be an idyllic area full of little cafes and boutiques. Is there any better way to do Christmas shopping than in Paris? And of course I fail to mention that most of the shopping is going to be for ourselves :) My suitcase is packed and we have pre-ordered a cab to pick us up at 5.30 am :) uuhhh early wake up....

Bon Voyage xxx

A must have: Moroccanoil treatment

2012-11-14T08:39:00.001-08:00

hey ladies!

I've been using 'moroccanoil', a hair oil for a little over a month now and it is become one of favourite products and a recommendable one for all you lovely ladies! The oil is applied to the roots of the hair and used as conditioning and styling. It is filled with proteins and contains fatty acids, omega- 3 oils and shine vitamins & antioxidants. It is residue- free and has worked wonders for my typical Scandinavian light hair. I think it makes the hair look and feel stronger and using oil-based products is a nice change. It does not make the hair oily, instead it becomes easier to style and work with. I also bought the Moroccanoil hydration mask for intense conditioning that I use once a week.

These are must have products.

Spinach ricotta pie

2012-11-11T00:13:00.000-08:00

12 small pies or one large

To make the crust

(or then buy a ready-made- melt the dough and roll out on tin base, no need to pre-heat)

3 dl of bread flour

3/4 dl of butter

pinch of salt

3/4 dl of milk or cream

Mix together the dried ingredients and then add the butter and milk to form the dough. Roll the dough out and place on pie base. Optional: Pre cook this in the oven (200 C) for 10 minutes.

Filling

In a saucepan, add butter, 1-2 shaved garlics and a large finely chopped onion. Let them cook for a couple of minutes and then add 300-400g of spinach leaves. Leave a handful of leaves to the side for later use. Add a little cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

In another saucepan melt 50g of butter and add 4 tbs of flour while continuously mixing. This forms a thick paste, add cream (about 2-3dl) to loosen and add a handful of parmesan, chopped basil and a chicken stock cube. Mix well and combine this with the spinach leaves. Add 200 g of ricotta cheese and taste for seasoning. Mix in 1 egg and the filling is ready.

Pour this into the base and add the uncooked spinach leaves on top of the filling. Bake in the oven until golden brown at 200 C for about 45 minutes.

Good Morning

2012-11-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

still in bed... ahhh cozy

Early Saturday

My favourite thing about early Saturday's is the silence over the city. The day feels much longer and I enjoy the non- chaos and calmness before the city awakes. Although I have to admit, waking up early has become a lot more difficult when its becoming darker and colder outside. But today, there is no hurry... so let's enjoy this blissful morning. My all time favourite thing is to take a looooong shower and soak my skin into the warm dripping water. A bowl of porridge and a refreshing walk with Bella to start this day.

xoxo

porridge with blueberries to start the day ...

and a handful of nuts filled with vitamins

rubber boots & colourful leaves- morning walk with Bella

to the shower I go

One tiny & Pure bistro

2012-11-02T02:14:00.001-07:00

One tiny champagne bar at Stockmanns

Rain rain go away, come back another day.

Its pouring with rain and its dark outside but at least it's Friday and the weekend is ahead of us. Last Friday I had such a great girly day. My friend and I got manicures, went shopping, ate sushi and enjoyed a glass of champagne at Stockmanns ONE TINY bar. This bar serves various drinks ( but mainly Moët & Chandon) and tiny bites to eat, such as macaroons or canapes. It's a great place to sit for one drink and relax if your running around town or waiting for a friend. Later we had dinner in town in a relatively new bistro that opened during the summer called "pure & bistro"- a modern restaurant and bar that is small and cozy filled with people chatting away. Thank you girls for a fun evening.

Yesterday I met two of my lovely friends and went to have dinner at Hanko sushi in Kluuvi- it was super delicious especially the scallop and eel nigiri. We laughed and reminisced on last Saturday's going- out and just enjoyed each others company. A great week all in all and now one of my dearest friends is visiting from Madrid which is just the cherry on the icing.

xxx Have a safe weekend everyone

beanie, silk top & rugged jeans

One Tiny

Pure Bistro

great tapas - shrimps, jamon serano, joselito, cheeses etc. - nice vibe

Hanko Sushi - Kluuvi

yummy!

Autumn Day

2012-11-01T05:58:00.001-07:00

A day in Porvoo's old town. boots-gant, vest- hilfiger, jacket- RL

ciao rosy cheeks!

We have already captured first glimpses of snow, the degrees are dropping and slowly all the autumn leaves are falling, baring the colourful trees. One month till Christmas, yet somehow it seems surreal how quickly it came this year. Gosh, I now know what my parents used to tell me about time travels faster when as you get older. I have to say I like the anticipation of Christmas and the pre decorating and the cozy feeling that it brings with it. Mr. N and I have our own little Xmas traditions that involve ice skating, watching certain movies etc. That time is precious and I love minimalistic Scandinavian Christmas time (check out my Christmas inspirations on pinterest & get some great ideas). Although it's dark and windy today, there have been some beautiful autumn days that I thought I would share with you guys.

xxx

idyllic autumn scenery

Weekend

2012-10-21T02:48:00.003-07:00

a spoonful of spagetti

Hey sweets,

On Friday I had a fabulous girls evening, it was so great so see everyone <3! The night carried on until early morning so yesterday was a pure chill out day. "Raindrops are the perfect lullaby", so lets enjoy today despite the typical autumn weather. Oh, I ordered a painting from London last week so it should arrive home in a couple of days.. *excited- time for decorating*. At the moment I'm also obsessed with signs/ large numbers (or sayings) as paintings. This could easily be recreated by yourself, so I might give that a try at some point.

xxx Sunday love

screenshot from my pinetrest page- here you can see the type of paintings I talked about

bree, basil & fig

Bella loves to sleep when its raining outside

sunday breakfast & a new interior book

my fav. jeans at the moment- Gina T.

Saturday lunch

It's easy being this pretty when you wake up and go to sleep with permanent eyeliner :)

bedroom

Creamy non- bake Cheesecake

2012-10-19T05:24:00.000-07:00

cheese cake without toppings

Base (about 24 cm diameter):

190 g bastogne ( or digestive) cookies

100 g of melted butter

Filling:

400 g Philadelphia cream cheese

1,5 dl sugar

3 tbs vanilla sugar

1 juicy lemon

4 gelatin leaves

2 dl double cream

2 dl creme freiche

Garnish:

berries

Topping (optional)

50 g melted butter
100 cream cheese
1/2 lemon juice
1.5 dl icing sugar

Crush the cookies in a food processor and add them to the melted butter. Mix evenly and press into the bottom of a buttered cake tin. Place into fridge while you prepare the filling.

In a bowl, mix the sugar, cream cheese and creme freiche. Place the gelatin leaves in cold water for about 5-10 minutes, remove the excess water and add into heated lemon juice. Let the liquid cool and add into the cream cheese mixture. Whip the cream and add this in as well.

Pour the filling into the cake base and let it cool for at least 4 hours or until the next day.

Melt the butter in a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Spread on the cake.

Decorate with berries.

Vanilla mint vs. Berry yogurt

2012-10-13T00:19:00.001-07:00

Sweets for my Sweets

Creamy Vanilla-mint pie

4-6 individuals or 1 large cake depending on tin size

Begin by placing 4 gelatins in cold water.

Base: mix 150 g of bastogne or digestive cookies in a food processor and add 75 g of melted butter to this.

Press the crumble into a buttered tin base & let it sit while you make the rest.

In a saucepan, heat (at low temperature) 2 dl of double cream. To this add the seeds of a vanilla pod and a generous handful of finely chopped mint. Add 1-2 dl of sugar and a squeeze of lime juice. In a bowl, mix about 200g of natural yogurt and 150g of crème fraîche or cream cheese.

Add the gelatins ( remove excess water) into the warm cream and mix until they dissolve. Then pour the yogurt mixture into the cream and mix until a smooth texture. Taste and see if it needs more acidity or sweetness. Pour these into tin bases and cover well. Place into the fridge preferably overnight. Decorate with berries and fresh mint leaves.

Berry Yogurt pie

4-6 individuals or 1 large cake depending on tin size

Begin by placing 4 gelatins in cold water.

Base: mix 150 g of bastogne/ digestive cookies in a food processor and add 75 g of melted butter to this.

Press the crumble into a buttered tin base & let it sit while you make the rest.

In a food processor mix 400g of fresh (or frozen) strawberries (200g) & raspberries (200g). The mixture can be slightly chunky. Add this to a saucepan (low heat) with 2 dl of double cream. Add 1-2 dl of vanilla or caster sugar and a bit of juice/water if the consistency is too thick. Then add the gelatin's until they dissolve and 200 g of natural yogurt. Mix well and pour this velvety mixture into your tin's and cover. Refrigerate over night and decorate with nuts & blueberries.

soft white tones

2012-10-11T22:56:00.001-07:00

great classic silk top- zara

Friday love!

Lets start the weekend with soft white tones, something that creates personal interior calmness. Yes, white = peaceful sanctuary

What a great morning, we are all packed and ready to leave the city and enjoy a beautiful autumn weekend at the cottage. I'm just having a hot cup of earl gray and running a few last errands around the house (emptying dish washer/ taking out trash) before going. You know what... I can't believe we are getting closer and closer to Christmas- it hit me today when realizing our local shop began selling wrapping paper. Let's hope for a beautiful white Christmas, but before that..lets enjoy these stunning vibrant fall colours.

breakfast

Albino raindeer skin from Finland- my favourite thing in the house at the moment

nude colour silk top

Tiny Happiness

2012-10-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

smoked salmon & roe garlic baguette

Spruce up your day with something small.

why do days always have to be ordinary? I've realized that simple doings & gestures can better a day and barely requiring any work. Ladies, we do not always have to resort to shopping, but simply spruce an ordinary day with small beauties around us. So, I say go hand pick flowers/ modern branches to add life to your interior. Light a scented candle and wear a cute top with warm woollen socks. Read a couple of pages from your favourite book, enjoy a hot shower and make a delicious treat to indulge in. The list is endless.

pouched egg, sour cream & sweet peaches

yogurt panna cotta

2012-10-11T03:15:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

Berry sauce for the bottom

200 g Fresh raspberries (frozen berries work good as well)

1 dl sugar

3 spoonfuls of lingonberry jam ( I used homemade jam that is rather sour)

3 gelatin's

yogurt panna cotta

1 vanilla pod

1 dl sugar

1 dl vanilla sugar

2 squeezes of lemon juice

200g natural yogurt (Bulgarian or Turkish)

2 dl cream

3-4 gelatin's

Begin by creating the berry sauce for the first layer of the panna cotta. Place the gelatin's in cold water for about 10 minutes. In a saucepan, heat the raspberries, sugar and jam. Add a little water if the consistency is too thick. Then with a food processor smoothen into paste. Once the mixture is still hot, add the gelatin's ( squeeze away excess water) and mix well so they dissolve into the red lusciousness. Let the sauce cool a little and pour into cute glass jars. Place into the fridge to let it harden and begin the second phase.

home made with love- cute jars

To make the panna cotta, begin by placing the gelatin's into cold water for about 10 minutes. Heat the cream, vanilla pod and sugar. Mix well and add lemon juice. Let the mixture cool down a little and then add the natural yogurt and mix well. Add the gelatin's and make sure they dissolve. Pour this on top of the berry sauce and close the jar lids. Place into the fridge for 3 hours min. Decorate with berries and mint leaves.

Come dine with me

2012-10-11T02:43:00.002-07:00

Hey,

Last week we had friends over for a dinner party and I thought I would share some photos of the table setting & foods.

white roses in a riviera Maison vase

For starters we had some gratinated mussels with lots of garlic, parsley & chili

For appetizers we used this colourful pasta from Florance- spinach cheese sauce with fried perch and roe.

blue silk top & curly hair

yogurt panna cotta in a rustic jar

Nordic Bliss on Pinterest

2012-10-10T04:51:00.001-07:00

Dedicated to all things beautiful.

Come and follow Nordic Bliss (nordicb) in Pinterest from this link.

Lunch at an old ranch

2012-10-08T06:28:00.003-07:00

A coulourful sunny autumn sunday, where we had lunch at an old ranch.

black agnus farm

Cauliflower based vegetable soup

2012-10-03T10:59:00.002-07:00

Finely chop (1 carrot, 2 onions, 2 garlic gloves, 1 celery) and fry in a saucepan with butter. Let them soften for a while and then add 2 medium sized finely chopped cauliflower's. Add 2-3 dl of water, salt, pepper and a chicken cube stalk. Let the vegetables cook for about 20 minutes and then blend them into a fine/ smooth paste. Add 1-2 dl of cream and grated ( generous handful or two) extra mature cheddar cheese. Let the soup cook on low heat for about 15 minutes more. To finish, add a small cube of butter and garnish with black pepper and basil leaves.

A thick and rich soup for a beautiful autumn day.

Fresh

2012-10-02T10:16:00.001-07:00

you are what you eat. Yes the best ingredients for cooking are butter and cream but it is good to have healthy snacks once in a while :)

avocado's, seeds, lemon, black pepper and salt

Tapas Evening

2012-09-29T02:45:00.001-07:00

Dry and crispy manchego cheese & lamb cheese with a rosemary crusting

Mr. N and I spent a tapas evening with the family. Listening to 60's classics, looking through old photos and laughing our butts off and tasting delicious treats we brought back from our recent trip to Spain. Lots of cheese, wine and lomo in great company.

silk top & statment necklace- zara, longer necklace- Efva Attling

beautiful delicate flowers from mommy dearest

gratinated porcini (herkkutatti) dish picked from the forest the day before

We made the olive oil ourselves- a great idea inspired from Corsica

Fossilized wood

2012-09-29T02:23:00.001-07:00

Close to nature. Fossilized wood keeps appearing in interior magazines world wide and I finally decided to catch up with the world and get one too. I chose a fairly light coloured piece as it suits my interior better... I use it as a candle base or a sushi platter and love it's simplicity and granite-like appearance. I would love a larger one to use as a side table.

After the Rain...

2012-09-25T02:01:00.000-07:00

When the rain stops, the city awakes

all the new smells

breakfast in the sun

Just a Dream

2012-09-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

September Interior Dreaming
Photo credit: Just the Design

Minimalistic Bench

2012-09-23T01:07:00.002-07:00

Siberian Birch Creation

For quite some time now, I have been looking for a minimalistic narrow bench that I would use as a interior piece to hold books & candles. No where to be found, we decided to build it ourselves and this way I get exactly what I want and naturally appreciate it even more. Well, I helped with the coating and in the overall aesthetic design but Mr. N did the actual handy work and building. Now this beautiful 2 metre Siberian birch bench lives in the living room, opposite to the fire place.

xxx It's pooring with rain, lets stay indoors

Lingonberry Morning

2012-09-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday

This morning started with a dazzling bright red lingonberry breakfast and a lovely nature walk in the forest. There is no better way than to start the weekend bright and early in the midst of the colourful nature where you breathe fresh air and listen to the birds singing and watch Bella exploring the woods. The forest was filled with funnel chanterelles (suppilovahvero in Finnish) and we picked some for today's dinner. The sun was still shining during the day, so we enjoyed a glass of champagne at Mattolaituri and watched the sparkling sea flickering in the horizon.

Holiday ♥

2012-09-21T09:50:00.002-07:00

Hey Beautiful's, its Friday...

We are back in town from a wonderful adventures holiday. I was going to post something already earlier, but yes ladies.. Mr. fifty shades has gotten the best of me too..he has been keeping me occupied this entire week as I simply cannot get my nose up from the book Fifty Shades Darker (2nd book of the trilogy) and I can honestly say, I'm hooked! Soooooo hooked! I'm going to be a bit sad once I've finished all three- but now I understand what all the hype was about, its sinfully great and addictive in its own way!

Our Mediterranean holiday was great <3. We got to visit our dear friends in Madrid and Valencia and enjoyed their much needed company! It was so warming to see one of my best friends and how happy she seems to be...this makes me happy. Thank god Spain is only a plane ride away. Madrid had the most amazing food market filled with dreamy tapas' and amazing local wines. This place had to be one of the highlights of our trip- thank you L. for taking us there!! I will never forget those heavenly tastes in my mouth. Overall, the places we visited had such culinary and cultural depth to them where the history beautifully shows through the art and architecture. Florence and Pisa were beautiful and dramatic where Corsica's turquoise waters were breathtaking to watch. I never made it to Rome as I was sick with an intestine infection and had to rest and our camera was stolen on the last night of our stay in Madrid, but thank god I have unforgettable memories imprinted in my head. ( and luckily some on my iPhone :)) On our last day when we arrived back to Valencia, we rented a convertible mini and drove back to Madrid through the countryside. We found the most amazing local restaurant/ tapas bar/ farmer's market where we eat incredibly well for so cheaply and bought wonderful cheeses and lomo (dried ham) back to Finland.

It was nice to come back home too and clearly autumn has stepped into place here. Quite the shock coming from + 35C, but loving the crisp clean air here. No pollution. Now I'm enjoying a glass of red wine and going to continue reading and enjoy the warmth inside when its so dark outside already!

seafood platter

morning tea & shopping

postcards & a mimosa