Coconut-Almond Chocolate Bars

Every year I try to grow Anaheim chilies so I can make Chiles Rellenos for Dave, one of his favorite dishes.  In the past, Tucker would always eat them so I quit even trying.  Well, now with Tucker gone, I figured I could try again.  I plant them in planters so they get warmer and have enough time to grow in Fairbanks.  This morning, while I was watering, Mooree ate the plant.  He ate the whole thing except this little piece I pulled from his mouth.  Damn puppies.

I don't think this will be very filling.

So I made a treat for myself, Dave is just out of luck.  He doesn't like sweets so I'll share some with the neighbor and eat all the rest myself.  I guess, if I was a really nice wife, I would go to the store and buy chilies to make rellenos...don't hold your breath for it though.

Coconut Almond Chocolate Bars
You can find the recipe in this cookbook:


2 years ago:   Hazard Lights and Coconut-Banana Refresher
3 years ago:   Patriotic Pie and the Kitchen Disaster
5 years ago:   "Free" Gravel and Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

July 31, 2018   Sunrise 4:47 am  Sunset 11:03 pm  Temp. H 84/ L 59°F

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce and double ordering

I'm loving Carolyn Ketchum's book The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen.  I've been using it so much I ordered her new Easy Keto Desserts.  I guess I loved that so much I ordered the dessert book twice!  I don't know if that says something about how much I love Carolyn Ketchum's books or how much I love dessert.

So I have two of the dessert cookbooks.  I decided to give one to the curly haired boy and the DIL because they have been talking about going keto.

Now, double ordering things is something I have done in the past.  Once there was this special brownie pan that I thought was going to be so cool, I ordered one and then forgot and bought one at the store.  I ended up selling both of them at a garage sale because I never used them. Then there was the time I ordered shoes online only to see an ad for them on Facebook a few days later and I ordered them again.  Thank goodness the shoes could be returned (one pair at least).

This is an easy dinner and comes together quickly.  It gives you extra time to do some online shopping...just keep a list of what you have already ordered.

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut
adapted from  The Ketogenic Kitchen, Carolyn Ketchum

1 lb. halibut, cut into 4 pieces
4 slices prosciutto
pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. butter

Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce
1 cup roasted tomatoes and garlic (I do this)
dash of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup heavy cream

Dry each halibut fillet with paper towels, sprinkle with pepper.  Wrap each fillet with one piece of prosciutto. Melt butter in medium frying pan, add wrapped fillets.  Cook over medium heat about 4-6 minutes, until prosciutto is crisp.  Turn fish over and cook another 4 minutes or until prosciutto is crisp and fish is cooked through.  Place on warming plate while you finish the sauce.

Place roasted tomatoes and garlic in blender with red pepper flakes.  Blend until smooth, pour into small saucepan.  Add cream and heat through.

Place 1/4 of the sauce on each plate, top with fish fillet and serve.

2 years ago:  Grapenut Bread
3 years ago:  Coconut Mojito and Surfing Lessons
5 years ago:  Adult Root Beer Floats

July 17, 2018   Sunrise 3:59 am  Sunset 1:57 am   Temp. 62/ L 44°F

Chicken Salad

Gman (our grandson) and his people came to visit for a week.  We were very busy and on more than one occasion Dave said,"This is why young people have the children."  When they left at the end of the week we were wore out.
We went to Creamer's Field a couple of times...

Alaska Land (I don't care if they changed the name to Pioneer Park, it will always be Alaska Land to me) for a train ride, a carousel ride, and ice cream...

Camping one night (note to self, 4 adults 5 dogs and one baby do NOT all fit in a motorhome, I don't care how big it is) and some 4 wheeler rides...

We were beat!  But that didn't stop us.  The kids left on Saturday afternoon and we hiked Angel Rocks on Sunday with our neice and nephew.  It is a 3.6 mile loop and, according to my niece's apple watch, 67 flights of stairs in elevation.  My only complaint is the mosquitoes were so bad at the end, I think I gave 4 pints of blood.

Before we headed out for our hike.

Dave headed up the hill.

A quick rest at the top.

Snacks and shoes off at the top.

Well, Monday came and we had to go back to work.  Monday morning after 10 days off is rough, that and I didn't make it to the grocery store so I was scrambling for breakfast and lunch.  Breakfast was easy, it was my go-to keto shake of almond milk, 2 oz. cream cheese, some strawberry extract, some sweetener and ice. Lunch was going to be tougher.

Luckily, I had some chicken in the freezer so I cooked up some chicken breasts and made this delicious chicken salad.  I love it over a bed of lettuce, I love it with cucumber "chips" for dipping and I love it plain.  It was a nice treat to look forward to since I had to go back to work and the baby is gone.

Mmmmm, bacon...

Loaded chicken Salad

adapted from The Pinning Momma (found on Pinterest)

2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced (I have also used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)

1/4 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

3 green onions, sliced, divided between white and green parts of onion

1/2 cup bacon, chopped and fried crisp, divided

salt and pepper to taste

Mix mayo and sour cream until well combined, add celery 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, all the white and most of the green parts of the green onion (save some for the top), and all but about 1 Tbsp. of the bacon.  Mix well, taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  Stir and transfer to serving bowl or divide into individual containers for taking to work/school.  Top with remaining cheddar cheese, green onion tops, and bacon.  

I have also added pecans to this on occasion.

6 (1/2 cup) servings 

114 calories, 9 g fat, 3 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 9 g protein 

2 years ago:  Zip Line in Talkeetna

3 years ago:  Chocolate Cake Pops

5 years ago:  Spicy Grilled chicken Wings

July 13, 2018   Sunrise 3:46 am  Sunset 1:56 am  Temp. H 76/ L 51°F

Meet Mooree

Dave got a new dog about a year ago.  I am still not a fan. He is a big dog and full of energy.  A couple weeks ago I was cleaning up a mess on the floor and Tek came over to play.  I pushed him away and he came barreling back, thinking I was playing with him (because that is all he thinks about), I pushed him away again and he came back and bit me, right on my fake boob (or reconstructed breast as Dave puts it.  He doesn't like me calling it a fake boob but even the plastic surgeon who made it called it fake, so there).  Anyway, I got a little freaked out about it and decided Tek needed a playmate besides me.  So I decided we needed a puppy and I started watching the animal shelter.

Dave and I made an early trip this spring but the dog was 9 years old and not a good match for the energy of Tek, so I kept watching.  Then the animal shelter posted they had 6 puppies available for adoption that day.  I texted Dave...

So the four top texts were sent to him over about 15 minutes, and he didn't respond until the last text, then he called me.  He did meet me at the animal shelter to look at puppies and we picked one.

The last two texts are about Zach, the curly haired boy in the Seattle area and he got a teaching job.  We are very proud of him and so happy for this next adventure he is starting.

So I'd like to introduce you to Mooree.  His name means black duck and when we took him to our vet for a well puppy check our vet called him Tek support!  His mom was an Australian Shepard mix and the dad is unknown but must have had a lot of black lab in him.  Mooree is a sweet pup and loves to play with Tek.  They are very happy together.

So we are back to house training, plant rescueing, and leash training.  It is a good thing puppies are so cute.

2 years ago:  Lemon Bar Mug Cake and the Weak Stomach

3 years ago:  Chocolate Heart Cakes for a Wedding Rehearsal

5 years ago:  White Water Rafting

July 10, 2018   Sunrise 3:36 am  Sunset 1:56 am   Temp. H 66/ L 51°F