Great for Entertaining!

The season of entertaining is coming to a close, but we can make your final shindigs of 2011 delicious!  Drop by our Swedish Food Market and pick up our recipe card for a quick prawn cocktail, and a half-pound bag of peeled shrimp for less than $5!

Grab a couple bottles of sparking juice so even non-drinkers (and your young ones!) can toast the new year, too.  Available in pear and apple/lingonberry for $3.99.




Prawn Cocktail (serves 4)

1/2 bag RAKOR UTAN SKAL peeled shrimp
1 small head of lettuce
2 eggs
4 thin lemon wedges
grape or cherry tomatoes

Rhode Island Sauce
(if not ready-made)

1 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp chili sauce
a couple dropped fresh lemon juice
salt and ground white pepper
1/2 tbso cognac or Madiera (optional)

For Decoration:
4 tbsp mayonnaise
Sprigs of dill

This is how you do it:
1. Rhode Island sauce: Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, chili sauce, lemon juice, sale and white pepper. Add cognac or Madiera if desired. Chill until serving.
2. Hard boil the eggs and chill with cold water. Rinse tomatoes and cut in half. Cut the eggs in half. (This can be prepared ahead of time.  Refrigerate the items covered in plastic wrap.)
3. Rinse and shred the lettuce, and cover the bottom of your serving dishes (or stemware.)  Add some Rhode Island sauce and fill with tomates and prawns. Place a dollop of mayonnaise on each egg half and garnish with a sprig of dill.  Put the egg halves and lemon slices on top of the prawns and tomatoes.

Thank You, from IKEA and Twin Cities Toys for Tots!

Our donation bin was filled to

overflowing during the weekend

after Thanksgiving!

I just got back from my final drop-off at the Twin Cities Toys for Tots warehouse!

All-told, our customers and coworkers donated almost 300 toys!  That means a big difference in the holiday celebrations of some deserving kids in the Twin Cities AND nearly $400 to UNICEF and Save the Children for deserving kids around the world!

Thank you so much for your generosity this year.



Don't worry, you can still make a difference in the life of a child!  Our Soft Toys for UNICEF campaign runs through December 24th!  For every soft toy, children's book, or kids' meatball combo meal sold, IKEA will donate $1 euro (about $1.35 US) to UNICEF and Save the Children!





Look at all the cuddly friends waiting
to get packed up and given to

deserving kids in the Twin Cities!




I was able to fill my car TWICE this
season for Twin Cities Toys for Tots!
Thank you, generous customers!





The Never Ending List #29 - Giving the Gift of Light

In June 2009, IKEA started the SUNNAN solar lamp campaign.  For every SUNNAN lamp sold in IKEA stores worldwide, UNICEF receives a SUNNAN lamp.  These lamps are distributed to enable children in homes without electricity to do their homework, even after dusk.  (It also lets them read and play, too!) Our goal is to donate 1 million lamps in the year 2011.

SUNNAN lamps combine low energy LED technology with solar cell panels. Since there’s no need for electricity, you can use it anywhere indoors. Just charge the panel for 9-12 hours in the sun and get three hours of lamplight.

Read more about this initiative and how it’s making a difference in India! Go to the UNICEF site.

The Tradition of Santa Lucia

On the morning of December 13th, the eldest daughters in households across Scandinavia dress in white robes with red sashes with wreaths of candles upon their heads.  They wake the members of their family with coffee, ginger cookies, and “St. Lucia” buns. Younger daughters follow holding single candles, the boys (called “star boys”) wear pointed caps. The whole procession may also sing traditional Swedish Lucia songs.

Before the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, this day fell on the darkest day of the year: the winter solstice.  Winter nights are cold and long with up to 21 hours of daylight and only six to seven hours of daylight in the brightest regions.

Signifying the return of light to the world, St. Lucia symbolizes resilience and hope that spring will come again. She combats the dark, cold, harshness of the winter with the warm, gentle glow of her candles.

 

Read more about the legend and traditions of Santa Lucia, and a wonderful recipe for Lucia Buns (from the American Swedish Institute) here.

One Light Bulb for Change!

If every household in the United States replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an compact fluorescent light bulb, the energy saved could light 3 million homes for one year, save about $600 million in energy costs per year, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions in a single year (the equivalent emissions to 800,000 cars!)

Is it time for you to jump on the CFL bandwagon? If you haven’t yet, why not?

The light from CFLs isn’t the same as my incandescent bulbs.

CFLs still have a reputation for giving off a cool, eerie light that doesn’t flatter anyone’s skin tones.  Manufacturers now offer a wide variety of bulbs with different Kelvin (K) ratings. Bulbs ranking under 4,000K will have a warmer light. Those above 4,000K have a cooler light.  Look for “soft white” or “warm white” bulbs to most closely mimic the light from incandescent bulbs.

Visit http://green.yahoo.com/18seconds/ (the time it takes to change a light bulb) to find out where your state ranks in the CFL switch, (Minnesota is #25!) and get tips on selecting the right bulb for your needs.

CFLs are too difficult to dispose of.

CFLs contain about 4mg of mercury (compared to about 500mg found in a conventional mercury thermometer.) This does not pose a safety risk at home, but could add up if disposed in a landfill.  Disposing of your used CFLs shouldn’t be an inconvenience: keep in mind that they have a much longer life than traditional bulbs. You can dispose of them at your local Household Hazardous Waste collection site, and many retailers that sell CFLs also accept them back for recycling. (Like IKEA Twin Cities!  In fact, if you bring in your bulb to be recycled Monday – Thursday, you can receive 15% off any item in As-Is priced over $20.)

The CFL bulbs I used didn’t last as long as promised.

Following the correct guidelines for usage is key! Don’t use a CFL with a dimmer, unless the bulb is labelled as “dimmable.” Also, choose CFLs for rooms where you leave the light on for an extended period of time (more than15 minutes.) Frequently switching the bulb on and off will shorten its life.

Compact Fluorescent bulbs last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.  Generally, an incandescent bulb will last less than 1,000 hours (about a year, if used 3 hours per day) while a CFL last about 10,000. So, if you install a compact fluorescent bulb in your dining room for your child’s first birthday, that same bulb may be casting light on dinner of their tenth birthday as well.

The time is now! We can all band together an build a more sustainable life at home. Visit www.ikea-usa.com for more tips for all the areas of your home.

(Check out this great article at WIRED about the future of LED bulb technology!)

Extendable Solutions for Your Extended Family

It’s that time of year!  Gathering family and friends together to enjoy company, cozy spaces, and food. But has your circle of friends and family outgrown your entertaining space? Don’t let that limit your invitations! Use some smart ideas and furnishings to keep your holiday entertaining going all season long.

Dining table getting a little crowded? A table with extendable leaves (drop, pocket, or even ones that store inside the table) can give you floor space for the everyday, but also seating space for entertaining. The NORDEN gateleg table folds up to just 10” wide, perfect to tuck away or use as a entry table, but opens to seat four comfortably. (And the six drawers are great for storing linens, cutlery, or candlesticks!)

Table top too crowded? Using a tiered serving tray lets you go up, not just out – leaving room for those other important things... like plates and silverware!

Not enough chairs to go around? Folding chairs are quick to set up and don’t take a lot of storage space. Or, set up a seating area around a low table (like a coffee table) with cushions or low stools.

 

The most important thing to remember is that friends and family gathering together is always a fun time. These tips will make your event run a little smoother, but the people surrounding you will make the party! Enjoy!

Smörgåsbord!

Julbord is the traditional Christmas smörgåsbord in Scandinavian countries. Traditionally, it has three courses and features family recipes as well as local dishes.

Course One: Fish, Fish, Fish!

Start your holiday Julbord off right with some fabulous pickled herring and lox! For some traditional pairings, try your herring with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs, washed down with strong spirits. (Snaps, Aquavit, or Brännvin – your choice!) Some other popular dishes in the first course include: baked salmon, smoked eel, and crab canapes (with a variety of sauces and dips.)

Course Two: Cold Cuts Galore!

This is when the Christmas ham makes an appearance, usually paired with a strong mustard. Other traditional cold cuts include sausages, head cheese, and liver paste. Soft and crisp breads serve as the base, and various cheeses and relishes top off the creations.

Course Three: Warming it Up

A traditional start to this course involves dipping bread into the stock from the Christmas ham.  Other dishes include Swedish meatballs, roasted pork ribs, small fried sausages, and a potato casserole of matchstick potatoes, cream, onion, and anchovies called “Jansson’s Temptation.”

(Wait... what about the lutfisk? It is traditionally served for dinner two days following the Julbord feast.)

...Did you think I forgot dessert?

Julbord desserts vary according to traditions and tastes, but a staple is rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon.  An almond is hidden in the bowl, and whoever finds it receives a small prize or recognized for their luck. Ginger cookies, sandbakkels, and krumkakke often make an appearance as well. (A delicious pairing with the rice pudding, IMHO.)

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Want to try a Julbord, but don’t know where to start? We’re hosting one!  Join us at IKEA Twin Cities on December 9, 2011 for a fabulous all-you-can-eat feast of Swedish fare.  Tickets are $9.99 for adults, $2.49 for children 12 and under. We will have two seatings this year, one at 5pm, and one at 7pm. Live music and a cash bar ensure much singing and toasting throughout the evening! Tickets are on sale now at the IKEA Twin Cities restaurant, and will sell out – don’t wait!