Pumpkin Spice-Kahlua Coffee

 My friend, who left me alone in cold, dark Alaska, used to come to my house on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and visit with me while I made pies.  We visited, laughed and drank this delicious hot beverage of coffee, Kahlua and pumpkin spice creamer.  It was a holiday tradition I loved, and made making 6 or 7 pies so much happier.

She lives in the real world now and we text or FaceTime, but it just isn't the same and I miss her.  Well, she just send me this text and picture.  Looks like she had her pre-Thanksgiving game on and is already drinking our Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving-pie-making-drink.

So, I thought I would join her.  I'm making the keto(ish) version of our pie-making drink and if she can start early, so can I.  I have a keto version of Kahlua and I have a pumpkin spice latte mix I'll use.  Maybe I'll give her a call and we can FaceTime and have our pre-Thanksgiving coffee.  

Pumpkin Spice and Kahlua Coffee

• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin spice latte mix
• 1 shot Kahlua

Stir pumpkin spice latte mix into coffee, add Kahlua.  Enjoy.

1 year ago:    Raspberry Clafoutis and Big Breakfast Sundays

3 years ago:  Keto Biscuits and Gravy

5 years ago:  Chocolate Filled Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting and the Messy Kitchen

7 years ago:  Leah

November 18, 2020  Sunrise 9:42am  Sunset 3:29pm  Temp H -8/ L -13°F

Paint Your Own Cookies

 

Tomorrow is the big dress up day!  I love seeing all the kids dressed up.  Here are my paint your own cookies I made for some treat bags I put together.  Each cookie set has two cookies, an edible paint pallet and a paint brush.  It is a fun little activity and then you get to eat the results!

I sent a dozen or so down to Gman and his cousins so they could paint their own cookies.  I made chocolate cookies, vanilla royal icing and used some templates I got from The Cookie Countess.

So, have a happy Halloween, don't eat too much candy.  Don't forget to set your clocks back on Sunday morning, and I can't believe this, but it's November!  

October 30, 2020  Sunrise 9:34 am  Sunset 5:33 pm  Temp H 15/ L 9°F

Strawberry Hot Chocolate Bombs and Halloween Preparations

Strawberry Hot Chocolate Bombs

 

I don't know where this week has gone, I woke up Monday morning and now it is Wednesday!  Work has been unusually busy this week and I've had all kinds of things to do in order to get ready for Halloween.  I've made hot chocolate bombs, paint your own cookies and now I'm working on some truffle stuffed chocolate frogs all for our little trick or treaters.  

Chocolate hot chocolate bombs ready for bagging.

I love seeing all the kids in their costumes, of course in Alaska it is hard to see the costumes under their coats, hats, gloves and boots.  But you get the idea (with most of them) and those little boys always think they are so tough and/or scary and the little girls are alway so beautiful in their princess costumes. (YES, I am generalizing and not all boys or girls dress up in those gender typical costumes, give me a bit of grace.)

Mummies  for Mummy Milk

We pull our fire pit to the front of the house and have a fire going all evening, people stop and warm up.  We also have hot apple cider out front and Dave and I stay outside and visit with everyone as their kids stop by for candy.  It  is such a fun evening.  This year we will have to do it a little different.  We will have the fire going but Dave and I will sit back by the house and let parents warm up, to maintain social distance.  Candy bowls will be on a table and kids will help themselves, and hot apple cider will be available, but it will be strictly serve-yourself.  

Dried Strawberries decorate the 
strawberry hot chocolate bombs.

The strawberry hot chocolate mix makes a ton, so I made some for trick or treat bags (we have about 12 special kids I make bags for) and the rest of the mix will go into Christmas treat bags.  If I have more time I'll post my process to make bombs then, or you can search it on Pinterest (that's what I did).

Hot Chocolate Bombs packaged and ready for
trick-or-treaters

I love Avery printable labels.  

I just run them through my printer.

Chocolate truffle frogs, ready to hop in your mouth!

Happy Halloween! I hope you enjoy more treats than tricks.

Pink Hot Chocolate

1 cup Nestlé Strawberry milk mix

1 1/2 cups powdered milk

1 (3.3 oz.) pkg. instant white chocolate pudding mix

2 cups white chocolate chips, or white chocolate bomb shells

marshmallows

Mix strawberry milk mix, powdered milk and white chocolate pudding mix.  If not using white chocolate milk bomb shells, freezer white chocolate chips.  Once frozen blend until finely ground.  Mix white chocolate into strawberry mix.  

To make strawberry hot chocolate.  Mix two tablespoons with 6-8 oz. hot milk or water.  Top with marshmallows.   

Pour hot water or milk over the bomb

Out pops marshmallows and a delicious cup
of hot chocolate.

1 year ago:    Moose in the Morning and Keto Black Widow Cocktail

7years ago:  Cranberry Liqueur

October 28, 2020  Sunrise 9:27am  Sunset 5:40 pm  Temp H 23/ L 10°F

The Quiet After Moose Camp

 

The hunters have all gone home.  Moose season ended September 25th for us and on the 26th they broke camp and headed home.  Then there was the flurry of all the unpacking, cleaning, drying, organizing and storing until the next moose season.

We were fortunate and got one moose.  The meat has all been cleaned and taken to the butcher to be processed and packaged, I love getting it back all wrapped and and ready for the freezer.  The freezer has been cleaned out and reorganized so the moose would all fit and freeze before we divided it between the hunters.  The last out-of-state hunter was hauled to the airport this morning (at 3:30 am) and they are almost home as I write this.  

My brother was the last to leave(3:30 am, thanks bro).  Airlines are not serving food yet and it is a 3 1/2 hour flight from Fairbanks to Seattle where he'll have to change planes.  I made him a little breakfast to-go sack with hard boiled eggs, cheddar cheese and homemade pumpkin bread.  I still really owe him after he brought up my grandma's baking cabinet.

This recipe makes two loaves so I sliced half of one loaf for my brother's breakfast, the other half got sliced and sent across the street to the neighbor.  The second loaf went to my friend who is dealing with injured family members from an ATV accident.  I hope that pumpkin bread adds a little joy to everyone's day.

Me, I'm enjoying a quiet house after 4 days of clean-up activity and I'm happy to have a full freezer for the winter.

Pumpkin Bread

• 1 cup vegetable oil, I use avocado oil
• 3eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 (15 oz. can) pumpkin puree,
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Generously spray 2 (8 1/2 X 4 1/2")loaf pans with cooking spray, set aside.

In large mixing bowl combine vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla.  Mix well.  

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, mixing until well combined.  Divide batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.  Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick, stuck in the middle of the loaf, comes out with few moist crumbs.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely before cutting.  Enjoy.

• 1 year ago:    Crispy Chicken Wings and a TV in the Living Room
• 5 years ago:   Pasta with Spinach, White Beans and Chicken and the Ruined Pedicure
• 7 years ago:   Beer Bread and Retiring from the School District

October 5, 2020  Sunrise 8:14 am  Sunset 7:01 pm  Temp H 51/ L 39°F

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I know I'm a little late, but it has been a very busy year for me so far.  I went to meet my new grandson, EZ, the day after Christmas.  And after a wonderful week of new baby snuggles and playing with Gman I got home in the evening of Dec. 31, and I was sick.

Of  course urgent care wasn't open on New Year's Day, and I wasn't sick enough for the emergency room so on Jan. 2, Dave bundled me up and took me to the doctor, where I got a breathing treatment and some antibiotics and went home and slept for 2 days.  The meds kicked in and I started feeling better on Saturday. So, I figure I got my sick days out of the way early and I'm moving on to a healthy rest of the year.

And it is really cold.

Sunday was my birthday.  We had a friend over and we played cards, ate soup (that is what I chose for my birthday dinner) and I made a cheesecake with some blueberry swirled through it.  It was delicious and our friend couldn't tell it was sugar free.

Keto Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake.

So, now I'm back at work and ready for my birthday resolutions.  One resolution is to go 30 days alcohol free but I started that on January 2, because antibiotics, which means I get to have a cocktail on Super Bowl Sunday!

My nightly "cocktail"

I'm still working on figuring out some other resolutions, I'll keep you updated.

What resolutions are you working on this year?

1 year ago:    Happy New Year
3 years ago:  Happy New Year
5 years ago:  Espresso Caviar and Chocolate Mousse

January 6, 2020  Sunrise 10:46 am  Sunset 3:06 pm  Temp H -31/ L -35°F

Hot Chocolate Spoons

I like to take a little treat to co-workers.  It has been getting colder so this holiday I decided to help warm them all up by making some hot chocolate on a spoon.  I used the peppermint spoons I made for the handles and everyone can have some warm pepperminty hot chocolate to warm them from the inside out!

I'm wishing you a happy and warm holiday, however you celebrate. 

Hot Chocolate Spoons
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 (12 oz.) bags chocolate chips, I used milk chocolate
1 (4 oz.) dark chocolate candy bar, broken into small pieces
1 tsp. vanilla

36  paper sticks, paper or bamboo spoons, or cinnamon sticks

optional toppings:
marshmallows
candy canes
cinnamon and chili pepper (for Mexican hot chocolate)
caramel bits

In a medium bowl add chocolate chips and broken candy bar pieces, set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat milk and cream until just bubbling.  Pour over chips and candy bar, let sit for 5 minutes, add vanilla.  Stir until completely combined (I added mini marshmallows at this point, just make sure it is cool so they don't melt).  Pour into a 9X8 pan or scoop into individual candy wrappers or very small cupcake holders. Add any toppings, if desired. Let sit about 10 minutes to firm up then add paper spoons, candy canes or paper sticks.  Makes about 36 servings.

To make hot chocolate:
heat 6-8 oz. of milk, add chocolate (minus any paper wrapper) and stir until chocolate is melted.
Enjoy.

5 years ago:  Donna's Pumpkin White Russian
7 years ago:  White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn and Snow Day Cooking

December 23, 2019  Sunrise 10:58am  Sunset 2:41 pm  Temp H -11/ L -15°F

Chocolate Sugar Cookies for Christmas Platters

Christmas time is my most favorite.  The house is all decorated, the outside has a million lights (I tease Dave and say you can see our house from space), and my nativity is up outside.

I kind of have a thing for nativities.  I have 5 of them for inside and one big one outside.  Dave added to my collection this year with a nice one from Costco, only about 100 million people have it, because Costco, but I love it and was so pleased when he brought it home.

This week I made Christmas cookie platters.  I made chocolate sugar cookies and I really liked the dark cookie peeking out from behind the green frosting.  I use this old cookie cutter that used to belong to my grandma Stejer.  She alway used to send us boxes of cookies around the holiday and now I need to start doing that for my grandsons!

My Grandma Stejer's cookie cutter.

Well, these cookies went to work and they were gone in a flash!  Delicious and beautiful.

Chocolate Sugar Cut-Out Cookies

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
8 tbsp. butter, softened (one stick)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large egg

In a medium size bowl whisk flour, cornstarch, salt and cocoa powder together.  In a mixer beat butter with sugar for 3 minutes until fluffy and light in color.  Add egg, vanilla and vegetable oil.  Mix well.  With mixer on low, add flour mixture with a large spoon, until flour is just incorporated completely.  Roll dough to 1/2 inch thick between two sheet of parchment paper.  Cut desired shapes and place on parchment lined cookie sheets.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Bake cookies for 12 minutes.  Be careful, it is hard to tell when these are done because they are already so dark.  Decorate as desired.

5 years ago:  Early Christmas Gifts and Candy Cane Cocktail
7 years ago:  Roasted Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Oregano


December 14, 2019  Sunrise 10:50 am  Sunset 2:40 pm  Temp H 12/ L 2°F

Grandma's Naughty Dinosaurs

Gman and his dad showed up Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.  Gman's mom has to stay home because she is too far along in her pregnancy to fly.  I think it is very generous of her to let her family leave her for the 4 day weekend, but she says she is looking forward to the time home alone.  I sent her a big tub of flavored popcorn for her to snack on while she binge watches something on Netflix.

I had big plans on posting over the weekend with my Thanksgiving keto options, but once that little guy showed up all my attention was on him.  So, I'll post some holiday favorites after the Thanksgiving feast, but before Christmas when I'll be making most of these again.

While Gman was visiting, the naughty dinosaurs were at it again.  They snuck out of their little cage during the night and got into all kinds of mischief.

They got into the waffle mix, so we had to have waffles for breakfast...

One night they partied and opened the paper poppers...so we had to pop the rest of them in the morning.

This is the look my husband gives me when he thinks I'm
getting carried away with all this fun!

I guess I wasn't good with pictures because there were two more mornings, one morning they brought this giant egg that had all kinds of dino activities in it and one morning they had some Paw Patrol temporary tattoos Gman likes, so we put on tattoos.

I also didn't get around to posting my Thanksgiving cookies.  I made pumpkin spice sugar cookies and decorated some pumpkins and some slices of pumpkin pie to give to friends.  

Thanksgiving cookies for the decorating cookie challenge.

Pumpkin pie cookies ready for giving.

Cookie boxes for friends.

Each place at our table had a cookie name card.

And now we are full into the season of eating...I hope you had a filling Thanksgiving and have a peaceful holiday.

1 year ago:    Antipasta salad

3 years ago:  Oreo Cheesecake and Teasing the Baby Boy

5 years ago:  Easiest Roast Ever

December 6, 2019  Sunrise 10:32 am  Sunset 2:50 pm  Temp. H -10/L -11°F

Homemade Vanilla Extract

I made these cute little gift bags for everyone at work and handed them out before Thanksgiving.  I made some pancake mix, added a small bottle of pure maple syrup, and a bottle of homemade vanilla extract.  It didn't matter how hard dinner was to get together, breakfast was easy!

I thought I shared how to make homemade vanilla extract back in August, but it appears that I didn't.  You need about 3 months for it to fully develop, but it is so easy, cheaper than buying it, and makes a great gift.  Everyone always comments about how good it is.  I buy the Kirkland vodka from Costco and the B vanilla beans from Amazon and I'm in business.  I split the vanilla beans and drop them in the bottle of vodka, give it a shake every day for about a week, then sit it on a shelf in the pantry for three months.  You can tell when it's done because it smells like vanilla when you open it, not vodka.  Rule of thumb is about 4 split beans for every cup of vodka.

I usually use my beans twice.  For the first use I empty all but about a 1/4 of the bottle. Then I refill the bottle with more vodka, shake for a week, and then let it sit for 3-4 months.  I have found that a third try does not give me enough of a vanilla flavor so the second time I empty the bottle I cut the vanilla beans and stick a little piece in the gift bottle when I give it away.

Homemade Vanilla Extract
vanilla beans
vodka or bourbon
time

Split vanilla beans in half and place in vodka or bourbon, you need 4 beans for every cup.
Shake at least once a day for 1 week.  Let sit in a cool, dark place for 3 months (I like to shake once in a while).  Pour into small bottles for gifts and/or use in your own cooking.

1 year ago:    Keto Eggnog With and Without
3 years ago:  Oat, Seed and Nut Crackers
5 years ago:  Sometimes Homemade Bread is Love, Potato Loaf

December 2, 2019  Sunrise 10:21 am  Sunset 2:58 pm  Temp. H 15/ L 3°F

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  May your day be full of treats and your night be full of trick-or-treaters.

Our neighborhood gets hundreds of spooks looking for treats.  Dave pulls the fire ring out to the front driveway and we hand out candy to the kids and visit with parents while they warm up by the fire.  I have a table set up with hot apple cider for a warm drink before they march on in the snow and cold.

Tonight, it is going to be snowing/raining so Dave will put the pop-up next to the fire pit so I can stay somewhat dry while I hand out the candy.  I love seeing all the kids costumes with the winter coats and snow boots!  It is supposed to be about 30˚F tonight,  a warm night for trick or treaters.  I remember nights of 30 and 40 below zero on Halloween!

Where ever you are I hope you have warm cider and cookies, and very few tricks.

October 31, 2019  Sunrise 9:35  Sunset 5:32  Temp H 29/ L 21°F