On a lighter note, a delicious new recipe…Quick and easy home cooking…Tomorrow, Part 2, Pet-friendly travel…

My four baked tuna melt patties.

I found this recipe online at this site but made a few modifications to make it more to our liking. The recipe called for making nine patties, but I made 18 since we preferred to prepare enough for two nights, cooking nine each night for dinner. The half-batch of batter left after making the first batch kept well, covered in a glass bowl with a lid in the refrigerator, enabling me to prepare a freshly baked batch each evening just before dinner.

Also, we had a large salad with chopped romaine lettuce, chopped celery, grape tomatoes, diced red bell peppers, and shelled edamame, tossed with homemade yogurt dressing: Greek yogurt, sweetener, Himalayan salt, a dash of organic vinegar, made-to-taste. Tom had rice on the side.

Keto Tuna Melt Patties

SERVINGS: 18 patties

  • 6 large eggs, hand beaten
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 cans well-drained (5 ounces each) wild-caught water-packed tuna
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 ℉ (205 ℃). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray or brush with oil.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together eggs. Stir in chopped onions, shredded cheese, well-drained canned tuna, and softened cream cheese. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
  • Take a handful of the mixture and shape it into a patty. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture. This recipe makes about 18 patties baked in two batches of 9.
  • Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip the patties over. (If the patties are still too soft to be flipped over, bake for a few more minutes.) Bake for about five more minutes until the patties look golden brown.

Two carb grams per patty, perfect for keto, low carb, or any chosen way of eating. Although these have a higher carb count than I’d usually prefer for a dinner entree, I made an exception and kept the carb count low for the remainder of my day with hard-boiled eggs and raw veggies for breakfast and Fage Greek yogurt for an after-dinner snack.

These tuna patties are so delicious that I must avoid making them too often. When Tom likes a dish, as a picky eater, I’m tempted to make it often, especially in a case like this recipe, which took no more than ten minutes to put together and another 20 minutes to bake. I try to make various dishes and rotate them to avoid losing interest in any of our favorites. This dish is now on our favorites list.

We’re staying in today, but tomorrow, we’re heading to the new Costco store in Chaska for Tom’s hearing aid appointment. While there, we’ll purchase additional grocery and toiletry items. Tom’s appointment was initially scheduled for August at the Eden Prairie store, which is only blocks from here.

But after the Chaska store opened a few weeks ago, they called and asked if he’d like an earlier appointment at the new location, and he was thrilled about it. Doing so would allow him to make any necessary adjustments before we leave Minnesota on August 25.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back with Part 2, Pet-friendly travel…Hotels.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 16, 2014:

In Madeira, we spotted fishing boats in the village of Camara de Lobos. For more photos, please click here.

Taco Monday here in Apache Junction…Adapting to varying environments…New recipe…More family coming to the park…

We never figured out why all these scarves were on this metal fence in Morocco. Were they here to be used by visitors who failed to observe local customs?

It looks like we’re all going to the VFW today for Taco Tuesday, which is held on Mondays in Apache Junction. Its somewhat of a funny experience for me, going to a VFW for a meal. I’d never been to a VFW until I met Tom. We always laugh about how I’d never been to a party in a garage or a bowling alley until I met him. Our lives were different from one another.

But, over the almost 33 years we’ve been together, we’ve adapted to one another’s differences and preferences, and our relationship has flourished in many environments. Perhaps, in a way, that prepared us for traveling the world together based on the fact we adapted so well to varying environments.

Whether we’ve stayed in a tented camp in the bush, a luxury hotel, a tiny cruise cabin, a riad in Morocco, or here in a park model in an RV park, we’ve adapted so well. No, we wouldn’t necessarily want to live permanently in any of these scenarios, but while we do, we both make the very best of it.

Typically, neither of us complains about the nuances or circumstances in a new environment. As we learned from the beginning, we both have the capability and desire to embrace wherever we go. The exception to that was most recently in Ecuador when I had so much Afib, and we stayed in that oddball gated community so far from everything. I bet I complained at least once a day and had difficulty getting the weird aspects out of my mind.

But that is all behind us now, and we enjoy every moment of each day. Knowing what’s ahead for me puts a little damper on it. I don’t bring it up to Tom very often in an attempt to keep an upbeat attitude between us while we wait to hear about the appointment. Luckily, if I need to whine or discuss it, I can easily reach out to my family and friends. Also, we’ve received countless emails of support and love from numerous readers worldwide

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Yesterday afternoon, we brought the tuna patties, dipping sauce, and salad to Colleen’s, where we all had a nice dinner. Following is the recipe for the easy-to-make tuna patties. They were delicious, and I had all the ingredients to make this easy recipe. See the recipe below:

Keto Tuna Melt Patties

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large eggs
  • 50 grams onion ½ small onion, chopped
  • 10 oz canned tuna 2 cans well-drained
  • 1 cup shredded cheese 120 grams, Gouda or cheddar
  • 4 oz cream cheese 113 grams, softened

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 ℉ (205 ℃). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray or brush with oil.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together eggs. Stir in chopped onions, shredded cheese, well-drained canned tuna, and softened cream cheese. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
  • Take a handful of the mixture and shape it into a patty. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture. This recipe makes about 9 patties.
  • Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip the patties over. (If patties are still too soft to be flipped over, bake for a few more minutes). Bake for about 5 more minutes, until patties look golden brown.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1 patty Calories 126, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein11g, Fat 8g, Fiber 0.1g, Sugar: 1g
 I made a double batch, which was plenty for six people, with a large salad. The double recipe made 20 patties. Next time I will make a double batch again for just the two of us so we’ll have leftovers for the next meal.
Today, Tom’s sister Rita and husband Tom have more family coming to visit, including their adult son and adult granddaughter, along with her toddler son. It will be interesting to see how well all nine of us fit in Colleen’s kitchen. I don’t know if we’ll still play cards, but time will tell. Hopefully, all of us will be going for “Taco Tuesday on Monday” at the VFW today to get at least one meal taken care of.
Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 22, 2014

Our photo from January 2014, when we visited the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre in Hoedspruit, South Africa, is a day we’ll never forget. For more photos, please click here.

Part 3 (of three parts)…Month by month, emotional and memorable events from our world travels in 2023…Happy New Year!…

Happy New Year to all of our readers, friends, and family. May your new year be filled with wondrous surprises, health, and well-being. We love you all!

Last night, New Year’s Eve was more festive than anticipated. With Tom still not feeling well, we’d agreed to lay low and stay in for the night. Yesterday, when I was in the fitness center working out, I met a lovely woman who told me that at 9:00 pm, there would be music by a DJ and fireworks shot off over Lake Las Vegas.

Thank goodness, it wasn’t as cold as it’s been, and the distance to the DJ stage at the beach was only a five-minute walk after we went down one flight of steps, all downhill and a little more challenging coming back when heading uphill to that stairway. It was worth every step when we were amazed by the crowds, the twinkling lights, the oldies music, and the energy from the hundreds of people waiting for the big event beginning at 9:00.

Suppose I hadn’t been in the fitness center, most likely. In that case, we’d have figured it out when we saw all the people downstairs, eventually hearing all the fireworks blaring into the air. We are glad we went. In a way, it was magical. If only Tom had felt better, we could have celebrated with everyone else.

In any case, Happy New Year everyone! We didn’t quite stay up until midnight and nodded off about 11:30. It would have been difficult not to kiss one another at midnight, which we always do when we were afraid I’d catch his illness. Instead, we wished one another “Happy New Year, Lover,” with the utmost warmth, love, and sincerity.

This has been a busy morning. We slept until after 8:30, and I bolted out of bed to begin making pizza, which took a while. I made a separate pizza with less cheese and more veggies using a new low-carb crust recipe called Paleo Pizza Crust. Here’s the link to the recipe. I took a taste when the crust was done cooking and loved the taste.

For the first time in ages, I burned Tom’s two pizza crusts in the oven, which cook separately from the actual pizzas. It cooked much faster and hotter in the oven here, so I have to start that all over again. Oh well, at least I have plenty of ingredients to start over. I was not about to ruin his favorite dish with burnt crusts.

I’m back after putting the two new crusts in the oven to bake, lowering the temperature and cooking time. I’d instead jump up to check them every three minutes than burn them again.

Today will be a rest day from working out, which I’ll take once a week. I will take plenty of steps by cooking, tidying up, and folding the dry laundry out on the rack on the veranda. Tom’s napping now on the sofa at noon, and soon, I will search for the Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey game starting in two minutes. I love watching these games. It’s pretty fun.

Today will be the final day we post photos from the past year for our “year in review.”  As it turned out, after reviewing the post, we traveled a lot more than we thought. It was a busy year, filled with challenges and health issues, but now we are content to be staying put for the next few months, taking life easier than ever in this beautiful location,

So here are our photos from where we left off yesterday as we wrap up 2023. In many ways, it is “good riddance” for some.

Be well.

September 2023 – Henderson, Nevada and Eden Prairie, Minnesota

With a horrible WiFi connection on the two cruises, one to Norway and the second to Greenland, we didn’t post many photos of the few weeks we spent back here in Henderson, Nevada. Below are some of the friends and family members we saw while in the above two locations, which ultimately are more important to us than scenery photos.

Our grandson Vincent and Tom after skeet shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Grandson Vincent, daughter Tammy, and daughter-in-law Tracy joined us for dinner and trivia at Pizza Luce, walking distance from our hotel in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Our granddaughter Maisie when she and I went to dinner for a “girls’ night out.”
My former business partner and dear friend, Theresa.
My dear friend Chere, whom I always manage to see several times when we visit Minnesota.
Our friends and Tom’s nephew Kevin and Kristi, whom we’ve seen a few times in the past year.
Our dear friend Sue, her husband, and our dear friend Chip (who passed away before we left) were wonderful friends and neighbors for many years.
Our newer friends, Gary and Marilyn, whom we met in Marloth Park when as readers of our posts, came to visit us in Henderson while we stayed at the Green Valley Ranch Spa and Casino. They live in Utah. We will see them again in July when they return to Marloth Park.
Tom, on “White Night,” sailing through Norway’s fjords on the Azamara Journey.
Our dear friend Connie, second from the right, invited us to a special dinner for the one-year anniversary of her husband and our friend Jeff’s passing at our house in Marloth Park on September 21, 2022.
Here are long-time friends, also years-long readers of our site, Rita and Gerhard, whom we met in Marloth Park and flew from Washington (state) to see us for eight hours while we were in Henderson last September.

We have been so blessed to make such amazing friends and have such loving family members, and many more not shown here, who have become integral people in our lives over the past years, before and after our world travel.

October 2023 – Eden Prairie, Minnesota ( to see family)

Heather and my son Greg at a Mexican restaurant in Chanhassen, Minnesota. We are so happy they are together and enjoying their loving relationship.
Miles, 15, and Mad,14, two of Greg’s three children and our grandchildren. It’s always wonderful to spend time with our kids and grandchildren.
Tom’s son TJ’s lake cabin in northern Minnesota, where he stayed with TJ and daughter Tammy while in Minnesota.
While on a cruise in The Galapagos Islands, Tom was seated on a bench surrounded by giant iguanas.
Baby tortoises will grow to be giant tortoises, a highlight to see in The Galapagos.

Tom was thrilled to get this photo of whitetip sharks in a channel. Whitetip reef sharks are one of the most abundant Galapagos reef sharks. They can be seen from the surface to over 300 meters under the ocean. Although they prefer shallower water and are rarely seen deeper than 40 meters, they occasionally venture into open water from the reef.
Photo of blue-footed boobie also prevalent in The Galapagos. If you’d like to see more Galapagos Island photos, please check our archives for October 2023.

On October 31, 2023, we celebrated our 11th anniversary of traveling the world while we were already staying in Mirador San Jose, Ecuador, which was not our favorite location during our travels. We didn’t do anything special that evening since there was nowhere to go for dinner within an hour’s drive. It wasn’t safe to drive in the dark on the highway.

November 2023 – Mirador San Jose, Ecuador

We spent all of November in Ecuador at the house on the ocean. We don’t have any particular photos we’d care to share, especially since it was so recent. Please our archives for more photos.

December 2023 – Mirador San Jose, Ecuador – Lake Las Vegas, Nevada

We spent half the month waiting to depart Ecuador and look forward to arriving in Lake Las Vegas at this beautiful location and condo. We couldn’t be more content to be here and spend time with Richard and his SO and relax and unwind after a very busy and complex year.

Have a fantastic New Year that fills your heart with great memories and your mind with unforgettable adventures, big and small, wherever you may be. Tomorrow, we’ll share our photos from New Year’s Eve.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, January 1, 2014:

Last night at Jabula Lodge, bringing in the New Year. For more photos, please click here.

Wow!…Humid today!!!…A great non-keto dessert recipe for a friend and also, a duplicate for “Guess who?”

This bowl is huge. This is 36 large apples, peeled, sliced and cored. We made eight times the recipe.

Over the years I have made apple crisp (or “apple crumble” as it’s called in South Africa) to bring as a dessert when we are invited to dine at the homes of friends. It’s been a popular choice since everyone seems to like it and I am the only one who doesn’t eat it. I have tried making a low-carb version using lower-carb blueberries. But it never was quite as good as the original.

I’ve mentioned making this dessert in many past posts but was unable to find anywhere that I’ve actually posted the recipe,  although on several occasions I posted photos of the finished product. Since we are totally out of new wildlife photos, I decided to post the recipe today which required me to retype the entire thing.

For some odd reason, my old version of the recipe didn’t allow me to copy and paste it when it was in a format from 20 years ago that wasn’t editable. That’s the reason I never posted the recipe in any of the past posts.

I am making this today as a special treat for Leon. More of his family members are coming to Jabula tonight for which they are having a private dinner in the pool area, away from the regular guests . I had planned to make Leon his favorite dessert, an apple pie, but with the heat and humidity I wouldn’t be able to roll the dough for the crust. I learned my lesson about trying to make pie crusts on hot and humid days, on the post entitled, “Yesterday’s pumpkin pie hell,” found here at this link.

This is Leon’s pan of apple crumble , before baking, which is an oversized roast pan. This could easily serve 18.

Instead, we’re (I say “we” since Tom peeled 36 apples while I cored and sliced them) making a huge pan of apple crisp which works regardless of the weather, that they can have as a dessert for tonight’s dinner. With the small size of their family group there will be enough left for Leon to enjoy later.

There was no way I would make apple crisp without making a pan or two for Tom to savor. He’ll have one now that should last several evenings and another to freeze for a future time. We bought two half gallons of vanilla ice cream to go with it. I don’t nag Tom about eating an occasional sweet treat these days, since he is currently at his lowest weight since we began traveling.

He quit eating the junky muffins from the market, and has only had homemade treats, some low-carb, some not, and he’s lost several pounds. As a result, he can enjoy his pans of apple crisp with ice cream, over the next few weeks until we leave for Seychelles in 12 days. Gosh, that’s coming up quickly!

Speaking of weight, I have had to” tighten my belt” the past few days when I restarted the prescription for my headache. That drug, Trepiliine, (aka Amitriptyline,10 mg). even in the low doses used for pain, it causes weight gain. In a three or four month period, a patient can easily gain 10 pounds, 4.5 kg to 20 pounds, 9 kg. No thank you! That’s not going to be me. I can’t have a situation where none of my clothes fit nor can I risk increasing health issues from added weight.

The crumble topping for the three pans. Here again, I made eight times the recipe below.

No more low-carb snacks after dinner, a strict two meals a day of healthful foods and absolutely, no snacking during the day. Since I’ve had this headache after having Omicron, I’ve gained a few pounds and that has to stop right now. Even though, we are going on this fancy cruise I have no doubt I will be able to control what I eat to ensure I don’t gain weight or even lose a little if possible. My willpower is back on track! The motivation to be healthy is far more important to me than anything and I know I can do this.

Surely, my mouth waters when smelling the apple crisp baking in the oven (once load shedding is over, of course and I can use the oven). But, I’ll stay determined and as always, avoid any temptation to even give it a taste.

So, here’s the recipe folks. Feel free to copy and paste it into your recipe files. And, of course, enjoy!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jessica’s Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
Filling
  • 3-4 apples, mixed variety, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2-3 tbs lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbs almond flour or other gluten-free flour mix (or white flour if you aren’t gluten free)
Crist Topping
  • 6 tbs butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup quick cooking oat (an equal amount of chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans may also be added)
  • 1/4 cup almond flour or other gluten free flour mix (or white flour if you aren’t gluten-free)
  • 3 tbs white sugar
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg, if preferred
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F, 190C
  2. Peel and slice apples into thin strips, 1/4 inch slices
  3. Place in medium bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix well.
  4. Add sugars, flour, and cinnamon
  5. Mix together very well
  6. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish, size dependent upon how thick you want it
  7. Place softened butter into same bowl used for mixing the apples
  8. Add oats, (nuts if including), flour and sugars and squish with your cleaned fingers until crumbly
  9. Sprinkle crumble over apples in baking dish evenly
  10. Bake for 23-30 minutes, checking oven every few minutes toward the end of the baking time

Cool slightly before serving (5-10 minutes). Serve with ice cream, whipped cream  or cream, as preferred. Store in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave, if preferred, before serving leftovers.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leon’s finished pan of apple crumble (as they call it in South Africa).

Tonight, again, we’re off to Jabula to drop off the dessert for Leon and Dawn and the family and then head upstairs to the restaurant for another delicious dinner at the bar while engaged in lively conversation with one another and other guests who stop by.

The sun is trying to peek out and hopefully the humidity will go down. The rain has stopped and a few of our animal friends are returning to say “hello.”  I’d better grab the camera!!!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 12, 2021:

It’s that piglet time of the year. Three little pigs are less than two days old. The Mom was here with her big belly 48 hours earlier by herself. Then she appeared yesterday with the three little pigs in tow. She is the mom of Barbara and Lori, whom she “kicked to the curb” a few weeks ago. For more photos, please click here.

Tom’s laptop died…Its not easy to replace it in South Africa..A time consuming recipe…

Kudu females and their young stop by frequently, wondering what’s on the menu.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 4 warthogs – inc Lonely Girl and others
  • 10 bushbucks – inc. Thick Neck, Bad Leg,
  • 15 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 1 dove – inc. our favorite, Miss Dove
  • 4 Frank and The Misses

Regardless of where we’re living in the world, at some point, our digital equipment has to be replaced. But, unfortunately, ordering replacement products is pointless to ship to South Africa due to the high cost of shipping, delayed shipping times, and customs inspections and fees.

Crooked Face and Hal stop by for a few pellets.

In some countries, ordering a laptop from the US is relatively easy and painless such as when Tom needed a replacement laptop while we were in Fairlight, Australia. We ordered a new laptop for him from Amazon.com, and a week later, it arrived, not incurring customs fees. But, of course, we always have to figure in the shipping costs, which exponentially impacts our final price for the product, at times as much as 40% or 50%.

Yesterday, when Tom’s Samsung Chromebook’s screen cracked when he opened the lid, we knew we’d better order another from South Africa. But, unfortunately, he couldn’t take the risk of a later delivery and the fact it could easily go “belly up” with its current touchscreen status, and he’d be without a device.

A busy garden on a sunny morning.

We considered the possibility that we may be in the US on July 1, and he could purchase a new device when we were there. But, with that trip up-in-the-air at this point, we couldn’t take a risk and possibly leave him without a working machine. Thus, the online search for another Chromebook, an operating system we both have learned to use and like, after total frustration with Windows 10, we were determined to find another Chromebook.

Chromebook is not popular in South Africa. After hours of research on numerous websites, we finally found a suitable Asus model with a touchscreen and the Chromebook operating system. Recently, we’ve been ordering several items from South Africa’s version of Amazon.com.

But, finding such a model was tricky regardless of what I entered in the search field. It was more of a fluke that I stumbled upon the model we purchased. Fortunately, it will arrive on June 9, only four days from today. Takealot is fairly reliable regarding its promised delivery dates, so Tom needs to make his last only four more days.

A little altercation between Medium Daddy and warthogs.

Tax and delivery were included in the price of ZAR 6200, US $462, a little more than we paid in the US in 2019 when he purchased his current model. If a laptop lasts us two years, we are fine with that. With all the stress on laptops when traveling, we figured two years is a reasonable amount of time for them to last. We haven’t noticed any other more expensive models lasting any longer.

On another matter, since Tom is at his lowest weight and holding his own, even when eating a few higher carb items, I decided to make him some of his favorite low carb meals, maybe once a week, making enough for two or three nights for him. However, because these recipes have too many carbs for me, I won’t eat these meals; instead, I will make separate meals for myself such as chicken, fish, liver, and lamb, all meats he doesn’t care to eat.

Kudus stopped by in the muddy garden after the rain.

I don’t mind making separate meals for us for a few nights each week. But I’d forgotten how labor intensive some low-carb recipes can be. Today, I made Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie, one of his favorites, and long ago, one of mine. But, I have no problem resisting this meal. To aid in my determination, I made individual servings for him in rectangle-shaped tin foil pans. This way, I won’t be tempted to take bites of a single bigger pot pie. For my dinner tonight, I made extra chicken breasts and chicken liver. This will be fine for me.

This morning I got up earlier than usual to begin the multi-step process of making five nights of chicken pot pie for Tom, freezing the extras for other meals. By 11:00 am, I had everything completed and his first pot pie ready for the one tonight. While prepping the many ingredients, I ran back and forth to my laptop, searching for Tom’s new laptop.

Bossy, Big Daddy, and Little hanging around for pellets, carrots, and apples.

With both tasks completed, my dinner ready to re-heat at dinner-time, the remainder of the day can be spent wrapping up today’s post, working on corrections while continuing to recover from my recent illness. All that remains from the flu I had (not Covid) is a cough, no longer painful and gradually waning, a little each day.

Last night, as always, we had a fantastic dinner with Rita and Gerhard at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant. It was so cold, we all wore jackets while eating on the restaurant’s veranda. We didn’t stay long after dinner since it was so cold. When we returned to the house, I was so cold; I wore socks to bed. I haven’t done that since we were in Minnesota in 2019.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, June 5, 2020:

Even imperfection has a certain beauty. For more from the year-ago post, please click here.

Day #259 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Tom’s Irish Cream recipe…Do we miss the holidays?…

Tom and I and Lisa and Barry, our new friends. They visited us in Ireland in 2019, and we are close in touch.

Today’s photos are from a South American cruise in 2017 where we met friends Lisa and Barry, as shown in the above photo. Today’s also included is Tom’s Irish Cream Recipe which we’d posted on this date, with the holidays on the horizon. For more, please click here.

As the holiday season approaches, we thought it would make sense to post Tom’s Irish Cream recipe today rather than wait until closer to Christmas, allowing plenty of time for those who may consider giving this as a gift for co-workers, family members, and friends.

Here are our comments and the recipe from that 2017 post, although we’d posted this recipe on posts from other years.

“Each year at Christmas time, we receive many requests for Tom’s Irish Cream recipe, which is comparable to Bailey’s Irish Cream, without all the chemicals and artificial ingredients used in commercial production. 

For those who may want to give bottles of this delicious concoction, glass bottles of this holiday beverage make perfect gifts, generally costing around US $12, INR 921, per bottle. 

Bottles with corks can be purchased at any winemaking store or home good stores at TJ Maxx, where they usually carry very decorative glass bottles.  Tom made about 150 bottles each year that we gave to friends and family, including a non-alcoholic version.

Boat in the harbor in Arica, Chile.

Some years we saved wine bottles as we used them, washing them in the dishwasher and storing them in bottle boxes from any liquor store. This avoided the cost of the bottles.  In those cases, we only had to buy the corks.

Now that some wineries use screw-top caps, avid wine drinkers of those varieties can save those bottles and caps for future use as long as they’re sterilized in the dishwasher or hot water before filling them with the mix.

Also, using our home printer’s label-making feature, we made labels to ensure all recipients were made aware that the product needed to be refrigerated and kept only for 30 days.

The stick-on label would read something like this often with a decorative photo of your choice, which could be a photo of you and your family.

Image result for holly jpg
 Lyman’s Irish Cream
From our home to yours…
Have a happy holiday season!
Please keep this product
refrigerated and stored for
no more than 30 days.

Tom Lyman’s Irish Cream (Comparable to Bailey’s Irish Cream)1 can sweeten condensed milk

1 pint half & half or natural whipping cream

Three pasteurized eggs (important for safety)

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

One tablespoon chocolate syrup

1 cup Irish Whiskey or other bourbon or whiskey

Blend all ingredients in a blender for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup whiskey, measuring into the empty can of sweetened condensed milk to remove every last drop of the creamy sweetened condensed milk.

Blend for another 30 seconds. Pour into a glass bottle using a funnel with a tight-fitting cork.

Keeps refrigerated for 30 days.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions regarding the preparation of this recipe. We’re happy to assist! Enjoy!

After many years of making these bottles, we stopped making them in 2011, our last Christmas in Minnesota. The cost for such large and continuing-to-grow numbers of recipients became prohibitive.

Although neither of us drank it, we always kept several bottles to share with guests visiting during the holiday season. It was always a welcomed addition to a cup of fresh French pressed coffee.”

Each year we made dozens of bottles to distribute to family and friends in the weeks before Christmas. Tom handled the blender and filled the bottles while I made the labels, rinsed and dried the bottles’ exterior, and placed the labels when dry. Fortunately, we had an extra refrigerator in our basement where we kept them fresh as we distributed them.

It was one of many traditions we had over the holidays, many with family members and friends. Do we miss all of that? It would be impossible not to miss the memorable events with family and friends. But, when we decided to travel the world in 2012, we left that all behind and embraced our new life.

Dinner for one of our tablemates on the cruise, who ordered the roasted duck.

Again, comparable to the Christmas and New Year’s we spent in a hotel in Buenos Aires in 2018, awaiting our upcoming cruise to Antarctica, Tom’s birthday on December 23, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day will be spent in this hotel room, uneventful, without ceremony, while we watch the days tick down to departing India on January 12, 2021.

That will be in 37 days.

Be safe, be healthy, and begin enjoying the holiday season (for those who celebrate), although it will be different this year for all of us worldwide.

Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2019:

Photo from 2016. Penguin statues were everywhere in the adorable town of Penguin, Tasmania. For more about the year-ago post, please click here.

Recipe request from many readers…More fraud on one of our credit cards…

One of several giraffes we spotted last night when dropping Rita and Gerhard back at the Hornbill house. The partial moon is shown in the photo. For more, please click here.

After yesterday’s post and mention of our dinner last night, we had many requests for the recipe. I must mention this high-fat recipe is only recommended for those on a keto or low carb diet, having converted their bodies from burning sugar for fuel instead of consuming sugar-inducing foods such as sugar, fruit, wheat, and other grains and starches. (More on this way of eating here).

We both decided to resume intermittent fasting several days a week to aid our health as described here, which may be highly effective in maintaining health and losing weight. These two means are effective for many health conditions, including heart disease, as described in a Harvard study.

(Please keep in mind, we are not providing medical advice nor recommending you eat this way. Please check with your physician before starting any new health regime or diet).

Many, who have been following us all along, may wonder, “If these ways of eating were so effective, how did I end up with the cardiovascular disease and the subsequent bypass surgery?”

The doctors in both South Africa and the US explained that I’d had hereditary CVD for 30 or 40 years, long before I started this way of eating. Also, I exercised all of my life. They stated that my low-carb diet and exercise most likely prevented me from having a fatal heart attack. 

Also, this way of eating and exercising prevented me from having type 2 diabetes, another hereditary condition. Before I started eating this way, my blood sugar was construed as pre-diabetic. Surely, by now, I would have been on medication.

Everyone has to make decisions that work best for them based on many factors, including heredity, lifestyle, sleep patterns, and stress. When my children were young, and I was a single parent with two young sons, owning a stressful business with no child support being paid, my life was exceedingly stressful. 

At that time, I drank caffeinated beverages all day to maintain a certain level of energy. However, I exercised all of my life and, at that time, consumed a low-calorie, low-fat diet. This, coupled with my bad genes, was highly instrumental in my developing severe cardiovascular disease.

I began this way of eating in 2011, and there is considerable information here on our site. If you type in ‘”low carb” into the search box on the right side of our home page under the word “Search” located below the advertisers, you find many posts on this topic.

Thus, here is the link to the recipe mentioned above, which we found many years ago. If you decide to make this, let me know if you love this dish as much as we do.

Today is a busy day, taking care of financial matters. We had another credit card number used fraudulently. That’s two-card numbers stolen since we arrived in Arizona. Go figure. This is more fraud than we’ve experienced in any other country. We’re awaiting the new card in the next few days.

May your day be pleasant and fulfilling!

Photo from one year ago today, January 13, 2019:

I’ll feed gentle Ms. Bushbuck from my hand, one of few instances in which we do so. For more, please click here.

Day 15… Cruise to South America….Tom’s special homemade Irish Cream recipe…

Tom and I and Lisa and Barry, our new friends.

“Sightings from the Veranda while Cruising”

Boat in the harbor in Arica, Chile.

Each year at Christmas time, we receive many requests for Tom’s Irish Cream recipe which is comparable to Bailey’s Irish Cream, without all the chemicals and artificial ingredients used in commercial production. 

For those who may want to give bottles of this delicious concoction, glass bottles of this holiday beverage make perfect gifts, generally costing around US $12 a bottle. 

Bottles with corks can be purchased at any winemaking store or at such home good stores at TJ Maxx where they usually carry very decorative glass bottles.  Tom used to make about 150 bottles each year that we gave to friends and family, including a non-alcoholic version.

Some years we saved wine bottles as we used them, washing them in the dishwasher and storing them in bottle boxes from any liquor store.  This avoided the cost of the bottles.  In those cases, we only had to buy the corks.

Now that some wineries use screw-top caps, avid wine drinkers of those varieties can save those bottles and caps for future use as long as they’re sterilized in the dishwasher or hot water before filling them with the mix.

Also, using our at-home printer’s label making feature, we made labels to ensure all recipients were made aware that the product needs to be refrigerated and keeps only 30 days.

The stick-on label would read something like this often with a decorative jpeg of your choice :

Image result for holly jpg
 Lyman’s Irish Cream
From our home to yours…
Have a happy holiday season!
Please keep this product
refrigerated and store for
no more than 30 days.
Tom Lyman’s Irish Cream (Comparable to Bailey’s Irish Cream)1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint half & half or real whipping cream

3 pasteurized eggs (important for safety)

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

1 cup Irish Whiskey or other bourbon or whiskey

Blend all ingredients in a blender for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup whiskey, measuring into the empty can of sweetened condensed milk in order to remove every last drop of the creamy sweetened condensed milk.

Blend for another 30 seconds. Pour into a glass bottle with a tight-fitting cork.

Keeps refrigerated for 30 days.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions regarding the preparation of this recipe.  We’re happy to assist! Enjoy!

After many years of making these bottles, in 2011, our last Christmas in Minnesota, we stopped making them.  The cost for such large and continuing-to-grow numbers of recipients became prohibitive.

Although neither of us drank it, we always kept several bottles to share with guests visiting during the holiday season.  It was always a welcomed addition to a cup of fresh French pressed coffee. 

Speaking of French pressed coffee, yesterday for the first time since we embarked on this cruise on November 23rd on Thanksgiving Day, I ordered my first cup of low carb (my version) of Caramel Macchiato.  I requested decaf espresso using whole cream (instead of milk) and sugar-free vanilla syrup (instead of sugary caramel syrup) which they had on board much to my delight.

Last night at dinner one of our tablemates had the roasted duck.

It was the first coffee I’ve had in a while and it was such a treat!  This morning as we’re sitting in Cafe al Bacio, I’m sipping on my usual turmeric tea with cinnamon, unsweetened coconut cream, unsweetened cocoa, and a touch of my usual sweetener.  Actually, this drink is almost as tasty as the above-mentioned coffee drink.

In the afternoon, after we uploaded yesterday’s post, we played Five Crowns card game with Lisa and Barry and had a blast.  This afternoon, we plan to play one final time since their portion of the cruise ends tomorrow while we’ll continue on for the second leg of the back-to-back cruise.

Tonight after happy hour, we’re all going to dine in the specialty restaurant, The Tuscan Grill and no doubt will have another delightful evening.  We’ll take photos to share in tomorrow’s post.

May you have a delightful day and evening!
                      _________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2016:

View from our vacation home/holiday home in Penguin, Tasmania, Tom’s favorite town in the world.  For more photos, please click here.


A must share recipe after many inquiries…Non-foodies, please bear with us…New readers, why do we eat this way?

The repeat photo is shown in yesterday’s post. After many inquiries, more details and the recipe is included here today. Food is a big part of our world travels, as we’re sure it is for most of you when traveling, whether homemade or dining in restaurants. We tripled the recipe below to result in four meals, freezing part of it.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica

This is a Social Flycatcher, a different species from that which we presented in earlier posts. Thanks to new friend and neighbor Charlie, he named this species for us. Thanks, Charlie!

Many moons ago, Tom suggested I stop frequently mentioning food in our posts. But, based on my special diet, which has enabled me to be well enough to travel the world for this past almost five years, it’s somewhat difficult to stay mum on the topic.  

When I wrote about Tom’s comments, many readers immediately wrote to say it was fine to mention food, recipes, and meals. They wanted to see what we were eating. And, let’s face it, food is a part of our daily lives in one way or another.

Many of our readers continue to inquire about recipes we mention in posts when something sounds appealing to their tastes and desires. Such was the case and motivation for today’s post when we posted a photo of a meal we made on Wednesday with a photo we posted yesterday.

I often suggest readers contact me by email, and I’ll send them the recipe. In this particular case, we had dozens of inquiries which led us to decide we needed to post the recipe and photos once again and update the reasons for this way of eating with those who may not be aware, having started reading our posts since the last time we posted this information.

We continue to be looking for new and taste-tempting recipes that fulfill our mutual desire for good food, healthy and rich in taste and nutrients. It’s a constant challenge when we strive for variety to introduce new local foods we may encounter along the way. 

For our new readers, let me reiterate what the diet consists of on a simple basis:

  • Grain free
  • Sugar-free (no fruit except avocado and tomato)), no agave, no honey, etc.
  • Starch free – no potatoes of any type, no corn, no beans, no rice, no quinoa (or other gluten-free grains)
  • High fat
  • Moderate protein
  • Low carb – from 20 to 30 grams of carbohydrates per day

What is allowed on this way of eating:

  • Grass-fed meat, free-range chicken and eggs, and wild-caught fish (avoid farmed fish) when available
  • Butter, full-fat cream, hard natural cheeses, cream cheese in blocks, full-fat sour cream, and other full-fat dairy products in moderation (if you tolerate dairy)
  • Olive oil, coconut oil (unrefined, organic, high quality)
  • Nuts (in moderation), except cashews (high sugar), peanuts (not a nut but a bean), and nut flours, including almond flour, coconut flour, ground flaxseed, etc.
  • Vegetables, non-starchy (no corn, no potatoes), mostly green – unlimited quantities (easy on carrots and beets that contain a lot of natural sugar);  celery, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, lettuce, kale, etc.

By following this strict eating method, I became totally pain-free after three months of eating this way, from a chronic spinal condition from which I suffered for decades. Since beginning this way of eating, the condition is held at bay, and we can continue to travel the world, albeit with caution to avoid injuring my spine.

Although I still have the condition, I experience no pain due to a lack of inflammation in my spine. This diet doesn’t make me (or anyone) exempt from other painful situations, conditions, or pain of injuries, such as in Bali in 2016 when I injured my back in the pool, bumping into a stone wall. It took five months to heal. But, for me, it works for this heredity condition. It may or may not work for you.

My elder sister (four years) has by lying in bed 24/7 for 12 years with the same condition. Lying in bed, unable to cook has made it impossible for her to eat this way of eating easily. It breaks my heart to know she’s in pain, but she has an amazing spirit and positive attitude. When we were in Las Vegas in July, I spent considerable time with her, staying in close touch since we left.

Following this way of eating isn’t easy. But, for me, the fear of pain keeps me on track. In the past six years since I began this diet, I haven’t put one morsel of food not included in this way of eating in my mouth…not a cookie, cracker, candy, taste of a dessert, ice cream, or french fry…not a bite.

Not everyone is motivated enough to do this. But as time goes on, more and more people have come to understand that the bill of goods sold to us by the government is not producing a world of healthy people. I won’t get into this.

Over these past years of eating this way, I’ve continually searched online for new main dish recipes.  I used to make low-carb desserts but gave up eating after dinner when none were worth the effort. I’ve rid myself of my sweet tooth, although I still have voyeuristic tendencies when walking past a bakery.

Generally, Tom follows me on this way of eating although lately he’s been eating fruit and he hasn’t suffered any ill effects, no weight gain, no illness. Everyone’s body is different. We all react differently to foods and substances in our environment. One must choose what works for them.

We took this photo before basting the “bakes” with egg white and parmesan cheese before baking. Then, we made them and placed them in the refrigerator, adding the egg white and parmesan before placing them in the oven.

Since we began posting in March 2012 and discussing this way of eating, many of our readers have inquired about how to commence on this eating this way. In each case, I suggested they read some books on the topic, which will lead them in the right direction. I am happy to send each reader inquiring a book list I put together that helped me on this path. 

Upon reading a book or two, they can decide along with their medical professional if this way of eating is suitable for them. This is not a “hit and miss” process. It’s a lifetime commitment to changing one’s diet. For most health will return, the weight will be lost, blood sugar will stabilize (work with a doctor on this), energy will increase, and more positive effects will become evident.

Anyway, after all the email inquires for yesterday’s mentioned recipe, here it is. Please keep in mind that we always make huge portions last for three or four meals, freezing part of each recipe for those days we don’t want to cook. 

This recipe is enough for two to three servings or more based on the preferred portion size. We liked it so much we each ate one of these huge portions per dinner. 

However, we only eat once a day (less Tom’s fruit in the morning) and may enjoy a little larger portion for our evening meal than others who eat three times a day plus snacks. (Our way of eating reduces appetite so much that it is the primary reason we only eat one meal a day). 

We don’t eat when we’re not hungry but, 24 hours (intermittent fasting) after my last meal, I’m always looking forward to dinner. Once dinner is over, I don’t put another morsel in my mouth. Tom may have a few pieces of hard natural cheese, such as a quality cheddar which we always keep on hand in case hunger pops up during the day.

Here’s the recipe, renamed after I found it online and after I’d made several changes to it to enhance its flavor, which proved worthwhile:

Jess’s Low Carb Chicken Bake – Grain Free
Prep time, 1 hour. Cook time, 40 minutes
It may be fully prepared in the morning, refrigerated, and cooked later for dinner
Yields 3 or 4 chicken bakes, based on size preference
Dough Ingredients
·   8 oz. shredded mozzarella
·   3 oz. cream cheese
·   1 egg (the dough mixes easier if it is room temperature)
·   1/3 cup almond flour
·   1/3 cup coconut flour

·   1/3 cup ground golden flaxseeds

Filling Ingredients:
·    2 cups chicken, shredded or cubed (for easy prep, use already cooked roasted chickens)
·    1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
·    1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
·    1/4 cup bacon crumbles
·    3 T sour cream
·    3 T mayo
·    1 tsp garlic powder
·    1 tsp salt
Topping Ingredients
½ egg beaten white
Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
1.  Preheat oven to 350F, 178C.
2.  Put mozzarella cheese and 2 ounces of the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for one minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds. Stir. At this point, all the cheese should be melted. Microwave 30 more seconds until uniform and gloopy (it should look like cheese fondue at this point). Mix in the egg and baking mix. You will need to dump it onto wax paper and knead it by hand to incorporate the ingredients thoroughly, or you can do this in a food processor with the dough blade.
3.  Press or roll into a large rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. It helps to use wet hands or cover the top with the second piece of parchment. Cut the dough into 3 or 4 rectangles.
4.  Combine all the ingredients for the filling. Divide the filling between them. Gently pull the sides up and around the filling pressing the seams together to stay closed. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with the parmesan.
5.  Bake on a pizza stone or baking sheet covered in nonstick foil or parchment paper for 40-50 minutes until golden brown.
Happy dining!
____________________________________________
Photo from one year ago today, September 22, 2016:
Sunset from the veranda in Bali.  For more photos, please click here.

Jess’s Poppy Seed Strudel Recipe and Tom’s Homemade Irish Cream recipe…

We made 5 giant Poppy Seed Strudels today, rolling the dough with a tall bottle of flavored water.

With guests arriving soon for the holidays, it was time to put aside my culinary restrictions and start baking for those that do enjoy high carb, sugary, mouth-watering pastries and baked goods so appropriate this time of year.

One of our favorites is an eastern European recipe for Poppy Seed Strudel, Tom’s favorite, having missed it over the past year and a half on our restricted way of eating. 

I love this delectable pastry beyond words, a slice warmed in the microwave, covered with unsalted butter.  Unfortunately, I consumed very little in the past knowing it could cause a spike in blood sugar.  Now I will have none of it, not a taste.  My health is more important, especially now that we are only 13 days away from leaving the US.

So here is the recipe reminiscent of Tom’s childhood, found online some years ago (no creation of mine, other than pulling it all together).  It’s really not hard to make.  The prep time to make this entire recipe is less than two hours.

We have no rolling pin here.  Stubborn, I won’t buy one and will use a tall skinny bottle of chilled flavored water to roll the dough. It doesn’t have to be rolled very thin, so this will work. There was no small mixing bowl either here, either so I used a soup bowl to mix the yeast and warmed milk. Oh well.
(We also noted the lack of a potato peeler this morning.  My sister Julie is bringing one from LA!).

Polish
Poppy Seed Bread (Strudel) Recipe – Makowiec

An Eastern European dessert table would invariably include something sweet made with poppy seeds, either ground or whole. This poppy seed strudel is made with a yeast dough and is known as makowiec (mah-KOH-vyets) in Polish. Canned poppy seed paste is available in the ethnic or the baking aisle of most supermarkets. 

Makes 2 Sweet Polish Poppy Seed Breads
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
      1 package active dry yeast
      2 cups warm milk
     8 cups all-purpose flour
     3/4 cup sugar
     1 teaspoon salt
      5 eggs
     4 ounces (1 stick) butter, melted
     3 (11-ounce) cans poppy seed filling
Frosting
    4 cups powdered sugar
    1/4 cup 2% milk, starting with 1/4 cup milk until you have an easy to spread frosting
    1 tablespoon real vanilla

Preparation:

1.   In a small heatproof bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm milk.
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and eggs. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups warm milk, butter, and yeast mixture. With the paddle attachment, or by hand, beat until smooth. The dough will be sticky at this point.
3.  Scrape dough into a clean, greased bowl. Sprinkle the top with a little flour and cover. Let stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until double in size.
4.  Punch down dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle.
5.  Spread 1 can or half of the filling you made on each rectangle of dough and roll up like a jelly roll. Turn the ends under so the filling will not leak out.
6. Place on a parchment-lined or greased pan, cover, and let rise again until double in size.

 7.  Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush tops with additional melted butter. Bake 45 to 60        minutes or until strudels are golden brown.  Don’t let them get too brown.

8.  Remove from oven and cool. When totally cooled, neatly frost with the above frosting recipe, or use canned white frosting if preferred.

Over the years, Tom made dozens of bottles (over 150 wine sized bottles, one year) of this fabulous holiday treat. We’ve given them as gifts to family, friends, and co-workers nicely bottled, corked, and imprinted with a custom made Christmas labels.

Due to time constraints, we won’t be making it this year and wanted to share the recipe with our readers, many of whom have enjoyed this in the past. Here you go! Enjoy!

Tom Lyman’s Irish Cream (Equivalent to Bailey’s)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1-pint ½ and ½ or real whipping cream

3 pasteurized eggs (important for safety)

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

1 cup Irish Whiskey or other bourbon or whiskey

Blend all ingredients in a blender for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup whiskey, measuring into the empty can of sweetened condensed milk in order to remove every last drop of the creamy sweetened condensed milk.

Blend for another 30 seconds. Pour in a glass bottle with a tight-fitting cork.

Keeps for 30 days in the refrigerator.

Should you decide to try either of these recipes or any other recipes we’ve posted, please don’t hesitate to email me with questions.  I check my inbox frequently and will get back to you quickly.

Ah, the holidays.  We love this time of year.  So much gratitude.  So much love. And of course, so much food!