Dinosaurs

When Gman and his people visit they have to attend to Grandma's naughty dinosaurs.  While we are all asleep, those naughty dinos do all kinds of things, and we have to clean up the mess in the morning (I totally stole this idea from Pinterest).  Gman talks about the naughty dinos and when we Face time he sometimes asks where they are so we have to show him where the dinos are sitting at that moment (The first time he asked, I had to frantically take them out of the box without him seeing - you gotta love Face time!)

So, this year we had four mornings with Gman, and 4 adventures for the naughty dinos.

Dino nest with Kinder eggs.

Eating Gman's favorite fruit snacks.

Not quite sure what this lesson is about.

Eating Grandma's Thanksgiving flowers.

We will keep this up until he is way too old for it.  I can picture us now, Gman is 14 and we are trying to sneak the dinos around so they can be naughty and he looks up from his video game and says "Not again Grandma!"

1 year ago:    Happy Thanksgiving and the Season of Eating

3 years ago:  Crock-Pot Chocolate Lava Cake and Playing in the Snow

5 years ago:  Leah

7 years ago:  Carrot Apple and Mint Salad

November 30, 2018  Sunrise 10:16 am  Sunset 3:02 pm   Temp. H 8/ L 9°F

Chocolate Cream Pie Martini - Drink of the Week

Picking up Gman from the airport.

Gman and his people were here over the Thanksgiving holiday.  We had an untraditional Thanksgiving feast, the DIL and Dave don't like turkey so we had prime rib instead, and lots of play time with Gman.  He is a connoisseur of t.v. because his screen time is limited.  Current favorites are Peppa Pig and Octonauts.

The annual dog sled ride.

Throwing snow at Grandma.

We did enjoy our Thanksgiving drink of the week, but we also enjoyed a couple more.  This is an all time favorite.  Unfortunately these are not keto, so I limited myself to one, but boy is it good.  I'm looking for a sugar free version of Rumchata and chocolate liqueur so I can enjoy this more.

Chocolate Cream Pie Martini

1 oz. chocolate whipped cream vodka

1 oz. Rum Chata

1 oz. chocolate Liqueur, I love Godiva 

chocolate syrup, for glass

Swirl chocolate syrup around the sides of a martini glass.

In a shaker full of ice, add vodka, Rum Chata and chocolate liqueur.  Shake until very cold, strain into prepared glass.  Serve.

You can add a dollop of whipped cream on the top if desired.  I find that is just gets all over my nose and in the way of my drink.  But I'm classy like that.

Warming up with Hershey after playing outside.

Gman would not sit on Santa's lap for our annual
Santa picture.

But he sure would take the candy!  Santa is so awesome.

1 year ago:    Ritz Cracker Toffee and the Oven Explosion
3 years ago:  Crock Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal with Pears
5 years ago:  Apple Butter and Visiting with Tony
7 years ago:  Whole Wheat, Millet and Dried Fruit Bread

November 29, 2018   Sunrise 10:13 am  Sunset 3:04 pm  Temp. H 13/ L 6°F

Pumpkin Bread Trifle

My friend Suzanne over at Front Range Fork and Cork, posted about some pumpkin bread she made for her new neighbors and the Pumpkin Trifle she made with some extra loaves of pumpkin bread.  I read her post and wished she was still my backdoor neighbor so she could share some of that delicious looking trifle with me.

Well, I can't talk her into moving back to Alaska, so I'll have to make my own.  If you are a sugar enjoyer go to her blog and use her recipe.  I've linked it above.  If you don't enjoy sugar I've made a sugar free, grain free version of her trifle.  I'll eat it and think fondly of her.

Pumpkin Trifle

for the pumpkin bread*
1 cup smooth almond butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1.5 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup confectioner's Swerve
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350° Spray or grease a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper with two sides hanging over the edge for easy loaf removal.

In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer to mix all ingredients until well incorporated.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let cool completely, don't worry if the center sinks a little.  Cut into slices and serve.

*I used two slices of pumpkin bread per trifle.


for the whipped cream layer
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. confectioner's Swerve

Sugar Free Caramel Sauce, I used ChocZero
chopped pecans

In a small bowl, whip heavy cream and confectioners Swerve until firm soft peaks form.
Cut four slices of pumpkin bread into about 1" cubes.
Using two dessert dishes layer a dollop of whipped cream, a layer of pumpkin bread, a swirl of caramel and a sprinkle of pecans. Repeat layers two more times.  Serve and think of friends far away.


1 year ago:   Comfort Food - Biscuits and Gravy
3 years ago:  Ganache filled Cupcakes and Complaints from Family
5 years ago:  Hasselback Potatoes and a Mouse in the House
7 years ago:  New Wood Stove

November 27, 2018   Sunrise 10:07 am  Sunset 3:09 pm   Temp. H 19/ L 15°F

Pumpkin Mug Cake

This week is everything pumpkin.  We had a pumpkin martini on Monday and today we get a pumpkin mug cake.  I'm pretty excited, this is the season of eating and I am home for three straight months before I travel again for work.  I'll get to spend the whole season of eating at home, checking out Pinterest and eating anything I want to cook.

Gman and his people are showing up tonight for Thanksgiving.  Gman will be asleep, but I'll have the martinis and this mug cake ready for the older two.  I'm sure they will need a snack after that long 3 hour flight from Seattle to Fairbanks! This is warm and delicious with the buttery pecans on top...mmmm. And this is keto so no sugar and no grains, you don't have to feel bad for the splurge.

I wish you a happy Thanksgiving full of food and family and friends.  The rest of the season of eating is before us, and oh so delicious!

Pumpkin Mug Cake
Link is here from Sugarless Crystals

1 year ago:   Breakfast Chili
3 years ago:  Home Again and the Sob Story and Hot Buttered Rum
5 years ago:  Pumpkin Muffins and How Alaska Skews Your Knowledge
7 years ago:  Sweet and Spicy Smoked Salmon - a Blog Favorite

November 21, 2018   Sunrise 9:47 am  Sunset 3:25 pm  Temp. H 19/ L 13°F

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Martini

I have so much to be thankful for. If you think about it, we all have something to be thankful for. A few things on my list this year include; my husband, my parents, my kids, my grandchild, extended family, coffee, chocolate, my pets (yes, pets come after chocolate and coffee because I need the chocolate and coffee to deal with them), food, my work, adult beverages...you see, the list just goes on.

One thing I am really thankful for is modern technology.  I get to Facetime with Gman and his people a couple times a week, I get daily pictures of that little guy, and text messages from all my kids.  I don't know how my mom dealt with not hearing from me weekly when I moved from Kansas to Alaska (I might not have been the best about calling home).

Well, on Sunday, my Cali DIL texted me this:

How cool that she asked!  I went home and sent her the recipe then went to make it myself and realized I didn't have vanilla vodka the recipe called for, so I made mine with chocolate whipped cream flavored vodka and decided it was a keeper!  When I run out of the chocolate whipped cream vodka I'll go buy some  vanilla vodka, make more of this drink and let you know how it is...all in the name of thoughtful, selfless blogging, I'll suffer through those drinks for you.

So, Cali DIL, this is a little different than what I sent you, if you haven't got your ingredients yet, get the chocolate whipped cream vodka for the win!

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Martini

1 Tbsp.Brown Sugar Substitute
 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice* to rim glasses

2 oz. chocolate whipped cream vodka
1.5 oz. spiced rum
2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. confectioners Swerve
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*

Mix the brown sugar substitute and pumpkin pie spice together on a small plate.  Lightly wet the edge of a martini glass and dip in sugar/spice mixture.

In shaker full of ice, add the other ingredients, shake until very cold.  Carefully pour into two glasses.  Top with a little sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

*if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own with 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg.

1 year ago:    Missing Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
3 years ago:  Meeting My New Great Niece
5 years ago:  Kentucky Kiss and the Sprained Ankle
7 years ago:  Roasted Tomatoes

November 19, 2019   Sunrise 9:40 am  sunset 3:31pm   Temp. H 21/ L 15°F

Gman is packed and ready to come to
Grandma's house for Thanksgiving!