Bagel Dogs

I'm thinking of changing the name of my blog to: What Stupid Thing Toni Did Today.  I think it has a nice ring to it!

Sunday morning, I just got home from church and was puttering in the kitchen.  I have the tiniest kitchen and I was back and forth from the counter to the sink to the stove.  All the dogs were in the kitchen with me, in case I dropped something, and I turned, took a step and slipped on a dog tail.  I rolled my ankle and fell flat on the floor.  My ankle hurt, my chest hurt (I got got a huge lecture about being careful until the stitches are healed from reconstruction and all the dangers...) so I lay on the floor and had a moment (meaning crying hysterically).  My poor husband saw me go down and rushed to help, very concerned because I hit the edge of the table before I fell.  I hobbled over to the sofa after a little bit of a cry 😉 and iced my ankle.  It is a lovely shade of blue and green, but I can walk on it and it didn't swell much. But all in all, nothing is wrong with me (and don't post "that's debatable," dear husband).

So I'm telling you all this to explain why I might have been distracted the first time I made this recipe.

My niece brought bagel dogs over for Superbowl Sunday and I have been craving them ever since.  I just got a new keto cookbook, Craveable Keto by Kyndra Holley, and bagel dogs was one of the recipes.  Perfect!  That was what we were having for dinner.  My husband graciously volunteered to help make them since I was so clumsy uncomfortable and was trying not to walk much.

Now, I had the cookbook and was giving directions.  One of the first things you do is melt the mozzarella and the cream cheese together.  I told Dave to put the whole package of cream cheese in the bowl...the WHOLE 8 oz. package.  We were both surprised at how soft the dough was, and I used parchment to get the soft, sticky dough to roll around the hot dogs.  But it somehow worked and we baked them.  They didn't look at pretty as the picture and so I re-read the recipe to see if there were any tips or tricks on making them.

Thats when I realized you only add 1 oz. of cream cheese, not 8 oz.  No wonder the dough was so soft.  I had to make them again so I could get it right so I'll be eating hot dogs for lunch for the next two weeks!

Edible,  but not really pretty

The second time around, things looked a little better.  Good thing I like hot dogs.

Bagel Dogs (the right way)
Craveable Keto, Kyndra D. Holley

For the dough

1/4 cup blanched almond flour

3 Tbsp. coconut flour

1 tsp. garlic poweder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

1 1/2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup butter

1 oz. full-fat cream cheese

1 large egg

6  beef hot dogs - I like Applegates when I can find them

For the topping:

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 cup Everything Bagel Seasoning - I bought some at Trader Joes on one of my work trips, but      couldn't find it (Cal did I leave it at your house?), so I used the recipe from the book

Everything Bagel Seasoning

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. poppy seeds

3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. dried minced onions

2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt (I thought this was too salty, so I doubled everything else after I tried it once and now have a big batch in my cupboard for use anytime)

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

To make the dough: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning.

In a separate microwave safe bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese, butter, and cream cheese.  Microwave for 1 minutes 30 seconds to soften.  Mix together until everything is well combined.  If it gets stringy or is not quite melted enough, put it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.

To the cheese mixture, add the dry ingredients and the egg.  using your hands, mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.  If you are having a hard time mixing the ingredients together, put the bowl back in the microwave for another 20-30 seconds.  If the dough starts sticking to your hands, wet your hands slightly and continue working the dough.

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.

Working on a silicone mat or sheet of parchment paper, use your hands to roll each portion of the dough into a thin cylinder about 10 inches long, resembling a breadstick.  Starting at one end of a hot dog, wrap the dough around the hot dog until you reach the other end.  Repeat with the remaining dough portions and hot dogs.

Place the dough wrapped hot dogs on the lined baking sheet.  Brush each one generously with the melted butter, then top with the bagel seasoning.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with condiments of your choice.

Store left-overs in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  Reheat in a preheated 250° F oven.

2 years ago:  Almost like King Hawaiian Rolls and the "Big Rat" in the house

3 years ago:  Chicken Picatta and Cleaning Blood off the Kitchen Floor

5 years ago:  Ultimate Decadence Brownies and Being a Mouth Out of Control

February 27, 2018   Sunrise 8:06 am  Sunset 6:01pm  Temp. H 15/ L -7°F

Chocolate Chip Cookies

WARNING!  TMI about Boobs, my boobs, well really my fake boob.

I don't know what it is about my body, but it sure doesn't like getting this new breast.  Four days after I finished the routine antibiotic everyone gets put on for this surgery I woke up at 4:00am really uncomfortable.  I waited until 6:00am and went downstairs to call the Dr. office (this was a Saturday morning and I woke up the poor dr. on call, because you can do so much at 6:00am Saturday when nothing in the world is open and the doctor's office is over 350 miles away).  We talked about my symptoms and he said he would call in a prescription for me AS SOON AS THE PHARMACY OPENED. (He didn't yell it, he was oh, so kind and even when I apologized for waking him up, he said he was glad I called and just focus on getting well.  I was just a dork and wasn't thinking when I called him so damn early).

Well, I had some coffee, read my daily devotion, cried because I felt bad and was having a pity party (I'm allowed once in a while) and I knew I wouldn't be able to go have coffee with Donna...I was really crying.  I woke Dave up at 9:00 to get my meds, Dave had to call Donna to say that I couldn't make it and I went to bed.  Dave woke me up to take the two new antibiotics and I slept through Saturday and Sunday.  Dave did wake me up for the last 40 seconds of the Super Bowl so I could see who won.

This is the beginning of our very busy time at work, so I get up and check email while I drink my coffee at home.  Go to work for as long as I can, go home and take a nap, and then work from home for a bit before I go to bed.  The bug drugs (what Donna calls antibiotics) are doing their job, I'm starting to feel better and the swelling is going down.  I'm hopeful that when the two weeks are over, and then four more days just to be sure, the infection will be gone and I'll be cleared to start my travel season because I have a stop planned in Seattle to see Grayson and his people on my first trip.  I'll be really bummed if I have to stay home and send someone else.

So, as part of my "taking care of myself and getting well" routine, I'm giving myself lots of treats!  I have my favorite breakfast of cream cheese waffles, at lunch I get dessert (this week it is chocolate blender mousse) and I put some sugar free chocolate syrup in my coffee in the morning that I got in my Keto Krate last month (YUM!)

I love these double chocolate cookies from Peace, Love and Low Carb (I've made them about 16 times), but it was time to try a new cookie recipe.  I found these on Keto Connect and thought they would be the perfect treat for me this week.  I can even put some in a baggie in my purse for after my doctor's visit in Anchorage to check on the infection (Can I take 2 cookies through security these days?).

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Keto Connect, Blog

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 Tbsp. beef gelatin
1/2 cup Swerve granular sweetener, or sweetener of choice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

In a small bowl, whisk together almond flour, beef gelatin, Swerve and  baking powder.

In a large bowl combine the melted butter, egg and vanilla extract using a whisk.  In two batches add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine until uniform.

Fold in the chocolate chips.  Using a cookie scoop, make 16-20 cookies, depending on your size preference.

Bake cookies for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Allow to cool for 20 minutes before eating.  Enjoy

2 years ago:   Ricotta Cheesecake for Suzanne's Birthday
3 years ago:   Lemon Mug Cheesecake and the Lost Wedding Ring
5 years ago:   Fried Dill Pickles

February 20, 2018  Sunrise 8:31 am  Sunset 5:39 pm  Temp. H 30/ L 18°F

New Dishes

I have an addiction, and while I try to keep a handle on it, do what I need to do to keep it under control, I do have some pushers that keep me supplied.  My husband is one of them and he has purchased multiple set of vintage china for me.  Well, my niece has now become  a supplier too. She travels a lot for work and on her last trip she was walking through some antique stores and made a find.  I got this text from her:

O.K. the last two texts are from a different
conversation, but something has changed
with my computer, or blogger, and I can't
upload from iPhoto anymore so I couldn't
photoshop it out.  Anyone with
knowledge on how to do that, please let me know.

So I wasn't sure if she was looking for herself, or for me, but either way it was a great deal and a lovely set of vintage dishes.  Well, they came over for the Superbowl and had the dishes with them.  The cost to have them packed for shipping was more than the dishes, but still so worth it!  AND, they were for me!  I love them.  They are my new February dishes and we are using them now.  It makes me smile each night when I set the table that my niece thought of me enough to do this for me, and I'll treasure them always.

2 years ago:    Beef Pot Pies and Getting Ready to Travel
3 years ago:    Sausage and Quinoa and Hurt Feelings
5 years ago:    Pear Upside-down Cake and Catching up on Downton Abbey

February 13, 2018   Sunrise 8:55 am  Sunset 5:15 pm  Temp H 24/ L 11°F

Keto Hamburger Buns

I wanted a cheeseburger.  I wanted to grab one and take a big bite, bun and all.  I wasn't craving bread, I haven't missed it at all, I was craving just eating a burger with pickles, lettuce, cheese, and having a big bite.  So I decided to try one of the many keto bun/bread recipes I've seen on Pinterest and in my keto cookbooks.  I've decided they are o.k. for a bun, but I also tried it toasted and it wasn't my favorite.  Dave didn't mind it for a bun but he didn't want to try it as toast.

The key is to really beat the egg whites until they are stiff and dry.  I have these rings I used as molds, they used to be used to make english muffins, and they are perfect for this.  You don't need molds or you could cut the top and bottom off a tuna can and use that.

There are a million different recipes for keto buns, cloud bread, low carb buns.  I'll try some others too, but right now these hit the spot.  And so did the moose cheeseburger.

Fill the ring with batter.

Carefully remove the ring, you have the perfect bun size.

Smooth the top for even baking.

3 buns ready for he oven.

Three keto buns, waiting for dinner

Moose cheese burger with a keto bun.

Look at this handsome guy.  He is so good looking I can
forgive him for wearing a white undershirt to the dinner table.

Keto Buns

The 30 day Ketogenic Cleanse, Maria Emmerich

Find the recipe in this book:

2 years ago:  Celery Salty Dog and the Repeating Questions

3 years ago:   Better Than Sex Mug Cake

5 years ago:   Kind Prayers for My Friends and Oatmeal Cookie Bars with Fudge Filling

February 7, 2018   Sunrise 9:15 am  Sunset 4:55 pm  Temp. H -11/ L -23˚F