Tag: Alaska

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Trying to Stay Cool

I was tempted to title this post “Beating the Heat” but that title just didn’t sound right. We didn’t really beat the heat during last week’s high temps in Chicago, we endured it with the help of air conditioning and iced water. We spent the 100-degree days inside. The evenings hardly cooled down at all, so we went to the pool to cool off.

To avoid heating up the kitchen and working our air conditioner harder than it was already working, I grilled everything I could think of. Chicken, pork chops, hot dogs and brats. And of course, burgers.

Friday night, I wanted to do something different. I decided to try making french bread pizzas on the grill. It worked beautifully! (See the recipe below!)

Do you remember in the late ’80’s, when three gray whales were trapped under the ice in Alaska? They didn’t make it out into the open sea in time to migrate south for the winter. The media caught this story and it went national, capturing the country’s attention. A lot of money and effort went into rescuing the whales from under the ice. Drew Barrymore stars in the movie Big Miracle that tells this true story. We rented it to go along with our pizza. Watching this movie which takes place in Barrow, Alaska, made us feel almost chilly! It was the perfect movie for a hot summer’s night!

Lily and Emmy really enjoyed Big Miracle, especially since we just got back from our Alaska vacation. When we were up in Anchorage in early June, there was still quite a bit of snow up in the mountains. Does this picture make you feel chilly?

Ed and I shivering at Portage Glacier in June

Grilled French Bread Pizza

1 pkg. French Rolls
8 oz. can of your favorite pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese, shredded
favorite toppings
crushed red pepper

Slice the rolls into half. Make sure the halves lie flat by slicing a little off the bottoms if necessary. Spread a small amount of sauce on each half. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese. (I do not buy pre-shredded cheese–I think it melts and tastes much better when I shred a block of cheese myself! Pre-shredded cheese has a coating to keep it from sticking in the package which also can change the taste.) Place your favorite toppings on the layer of cheese. Place on preheated gas grill, set to the lowest flame. Grill for about 10 minutes, or until your toppings are hot. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper if desired.

What’s on your grill this summer?

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Here a Moose, There a Moose, Everywhere a Moose, Moose

We were in Alaska for three days before we finally saw a moose. I write “finally” because the evidence of moose was all around us. Moose ate my Aunt Joanne’s lilac buds, so this June as everyone’s lilacs are blooming, hers remain flower-free. As we were walking beside McHugh Creek, the saplings by the trail were neatly snipped off and moose droppings were everywhere. (Ed thought they looked like chocolate Easter eggs, and advised the girls not to eat them.) With all this evidence, we thought we would see one fairly soon.

As with most animal sightings, seeing our first moose happened when we least expected it. We were driving in a wooded area with suddenly Ed slowed down and stopped for the cow and calf that were right in front of us on the road. The mama moose gracefully stepped over the guard railing with her lanky legs. Her calf hesitated, then followed right behind her. But with those shorter baby legs the calf was rather clumsy in making such big steps.

Just to prove that there really are a lot of moose in Alaska, they started showing up around every corner. Emmy spotted the next one, just a few feet away from us. We had barely gotten out of the parking lot in Denali National Park.

A moose just feet away from us on the trail.

Just a short time later, another moose was in front of the Visitor’s Center as we were making our way back to the car.

Moose by the Visitor’s Center

And as we drove back to our hotel that evening, a moose was on the side of the road.

Moose by the side of the road

A moose even showed up at the playground!

Emmy on a moose swing in Fairbanks, AK

While moose can be quite pesty in Alaska, we are relishing all our moose sightings. Especially since the closest we get to moose in Illinois is chocolate mousse. (get it?)

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