TWD: Swedish Visiting Cake + Foodie Exchange

This week the lovely Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs got to pick the recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie and she did a good job! She decided on the Swedish Visiting Cake that can be found on page 197 of Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan or here at Nancy's blog.

A Google search for Swedish Cake soon came up with Toscakaka, also spelled as Tosca Kaka, which basically is a lemon sponge topped with crunchy almonds. Sound familiar? It looks familiar too, except that the layer of crunchy almonds is thicker than Dorie's. Could this have been Dorie's inspiration for the Swedish Visiting Cake? I might give this recipe or this one a try one of these days as it looks really tempting!

Anyways, I baked this on Easter Monday, which is national holiday here in The Netherlands, expecting no visitors and thought this would be another great cake to bring into work with me on Tuesday. It was very easy to put together, I was done in no time and I made it exactly as written: no changes this week! I was quite surprised when the doorbell rang shortly after I put the cake into the oven: it was my mom who had decided to take her dog out on a walk and visit me because the weather was so nice.

As soon as she walked into the door, she asked me what that lovely smell was. I told her to be patient as she could have a taste of the Swedish Visiting Cake when it was done. She loved it and took two pieces home with her (for my dad and herself of course!). So I only had 3/4 of a cake left for about 20 coworkers and not enough stock in my pantry to bake another one. My colleagues were a bit disappointed that they only got slivers of cake, because they loved it, as did I!! Thanks for a wonderful choice Nancy!

On another note, I have registered at Foodie Exchange for my 101 in 1001 challenge. So I've started my second goal on the list, #2: Take part in 5 Foodie Exchange. Basically what Foodie Exchange is is a group for foodies from around the planet who wish to exchange their local food specialties as a care package with other foodies. The items in the care package should be limited to about $10.00 in cost, shipping is extra. Each month you can sign up on the monthly exchange thread in the forum where members match themselves up with partners. When you received the package you can share the story by adding you blog post to the Blog Posts section.

I have started several goals, such as signing up for a two-day assertivity training (#90) that will take place in August and starting a new skin care routine (#18), which I will tell you about late this week. I already completed one goal: #80 Register as an organ donor

101 Goals in 1001 Days

Today is Day Zero. Yes, that's day Zero of my 101 goals in 1001 days. I came across Day Zero Project and thought this was a fun way to set myself some goals and keep track of them too! These goals have to be achieved by me by January 6, 2013.

So here´s my list!! By posting this I´ve already finished goal #1. The goals that I have completed will be in red, the ones that are in progress will be blue

Blog / Food

#1 Blog about 101 in 1001

#2 Take part in 5 Foodie Exchanges

#3 Try 10 new recipes (not TWD, Taste & Create or Craving Ellie in My Belly

#4 Have a giveaway on my blog

#5 Make croissants from scratch

#6 Host a tapas party

#7 Go to a foodblogging event

#8 Try 5 new foods and blog about them(0/5)

#9 Leave 101 comments on 101 blogs (TWD-blogs not included!!)

#10 Blog on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for at least three consecutive weeks

#11

Make a birthday cake for someone

#12 Blog about each completed task

#13 Set up my own website

#14 Design my own website lay-out

Body /Mind / Diet

#15 Grow hair past shoulders and don't cut it short for a year

#16 Go to the hairdresser to get my hair highlighted for the summer

#17 Get a manicure/pedicure

#18 Develop a better skin care routine

#19 Put lotion on at least once a week

#20 Plan my check-up appointment at the dentists

#21 Whiten teeth

#22 Workout 2 times a week for a month

#23 Take a Zumba dance/aerobics class

#24 Loose 11 kilos to achieve a weight of 84 kilos

#25 Loose 16 kilos to achieve a weight of 79 kilos

#26 Loose 21 kilos to achieve a weight of 74 kilos

#27 Loose 26 kilos to achieve a weight of 69 kilos

#28 Drink no alcohol for a month

#29 Eat an apple a day

#30 Keep a food journal for 30 days in a row

#31 Buy only what is on my grocery list for one month

#32 Drink nothing but water for a week

#33 Give up all fast food for one month

#34 Eat a vegetarian diet for a month

#35 Remove sugar from my diet for one month

#36 Eat breakfast every day for a month

#37 Eat more fish

#38 Take a multi-vitamin every day for a month

#39 Polish up my Spanish

#40 Read 50 books

Home

#41 Sell my appartment

#42 Buy/rent a new appartment in Arnhem

#43 Move to Arnhem

#44 Make my bed every day for two weeks

#45 Clean out and organize every closet in the house

#46 Do laundry once a week for a month (folded and put away)

#47 Keep every room in the house clean for a week

#48 Go through my closet and get rid (or refashion) my old clothes

Family & Friends

#49 Have Harm & Lotte over for dinner

#50 Get back into contact with Florian

#51 Go to the cinema with Kelly to see 'Eclipse'

#52 Surprise my mom with flowers

#53 Visit both my grandmothers graves and leave some flowers

#54 Cook a meal for friends

#55 Attend a friends wedding

#56 Give 5 'just because' gifts

#57 Make a collage of photos of me and my friends and frame it

#58 Send out Christmas cards

Travel / Fun

#59 Visit Paris (France) and get some macarons at Pierre Herme

#60 (Re)visit the east coast of Canada

#61 Go on holiday with a friend

#62 Go on a vacation with my mom

#63 Go out with the girls and don't go home until the bars close

#64 Have a picnic with friends

#65 Go to a theme park

#66 Watch a 3D movie

#67 Meet an Online Foodblog Friend in real life

#68 Stay in PJ’s and watch movies all day long one day.

#69 Subscribe to a new magazine

#70 Take a cooking class

#71 Paint every nail a different colour and leave them be for a week

#72 Try 5 new restaurants

#73 Spend an afternoon reading at the park

#74 Go barefoot for a day

Misc

#75 Buy a new laptop

#76 Make myself a dress for my friends wedding on June 12th

#77 Learn to knit a scarf

#78 Write a letter to myself to be opened when the 1001 days is over

#79 Write my Will

#80 Register as an organ donor

# 81 Write in my diary daily for at least a month

#82 Keep a dream diary

#83 Buy a harddisk to save my pictures on

#84 Stay off the internet for a week (non-professionally, 'cause I need the Internet for work)

#85 Go a week without watching television

#86 Purposely leave my phone at home all day

#87 Go through my phone’s contact list and delete all the people who I no longer talk to

#88 Don't swear for a week

#89 Don't complain about anything for a week

#90 Go to a two-day assertivity training

#91 Do speed dating

#92 Go on a date

#93 Ask someone out on a date

#94 Fall in love

#95 Go to bed before 10 and get 7 hours sleep per night for 2 weeks in a row (never been done!)

#96 Get a henna tattoo

#97 Take one picture every day for a month

#98 Buy a lottery ticket

#99 Put all my loose change into the piggy bank for 3 months

#100 Put away 5 euros for every goal completed

#101 Donate 5 euros to a charity of my choice for each goal that I do not complete