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10 Legs in the Kitchen

~ Food. Dogs. Life!

10 Legs in the Kitchen

Category Archives: Ginger + Buddy

The food is always tastier on the other side of the water bowl…

17 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy, the kitchen

≈ 8 Comments

This weekend I was going through my old draft posts and came upon this one written a couple years back that never made it’s way out into the universe.  I’m guessing we had our hands full during that time period.  Now finally at time of publish (today), many of you know that Buddy is no longer with us.  This post gave us some happy memories of his larger-than-life personality that was particularly animated around the dinner bowl.

Always waited patiently (and fashionable) for supper.

The food is always tastier on the other side of the water bowl…

Why is it we always seem to want what we can’t (or maybe shouldn’t) have?

With dogs, seemingly, there is no exception!

For this, I may be to blame (with my dogs, that is).

Thinking through this, it is likely I am to blame!

Perhaps leading by example, I am?  For instance, recently, I brought to work a perfectly delicious lunch.  Not a super-fine-dine lunch, but a lunch that was rivaling those in the lunchroom.

Yet, I ate a bad lunch instead.

Often I have a very good lunch awaiting me in the communal fridge at work, yet if another lunch presents itself, free or otherwise, I am more apt to go that direction instead.

So why is it that given the chance or opportunity to eat something other than the lunch I so carefully prepared (which took actual time, I might add), I will happily take it and make it my lunch instead?

I’m referring to brought in lunches, for seminars, or going out for lunches, not stealing lunches from the communal work fridge, just to be clear.

In addition to my inclination to opt for somebody else’s lunch, I live in a state (and city) where you can throw a peanut in any direction and hit the front of an amazing place to eat.  Yet, when it comes to going out to dinner, we never go?

Tom and I always look forward to the places in other states, other cities, that we can’t frequent (without a plane, train or long haul in an automobile).  So why would we not just simply frequent these great eateries in our own city?  At least more often that is…

If that weren’t enough, air travel is no exception.  I pack a pretty mean picnic to take up in the air.  I make much effort for good eats and take many precautions, so as not to lose things at security (which has happened on previous occasions, such as goat cheese in Maui, dammit), ensuring that a lovely meal, eaten on porcelain plates, with metal utensils, laid out on linen placemats, will be enjoyed alongside wine, sipped from glass vessels, to wash it all down, properly.  Yet, I always stop at one of two favorite pre-boarding retailers to grab some nosh, just-in-case (!!!) it is needed.  Of course it is not!  However, I eat it instead.  Every. Single. Time!

And to make matters worse, I also end up purchasing the plastic box containing fruit, cheese and crackers that are usually less enticing than those that are currently stashed neatly in my bag stowed under the seat right in front of me. Or, if a free meal is offered (say, we were able to upgrade to first class) I would eat that meal instead.

No way is that meal better tasting or better for me than the one I have so meticulously packed.  And yet…

…the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree, as the saying goes.

Buddy and Ginger had taken up a new eating routine.  Even though they eat exactly the same, high-quality, well-prepared food (made with duck or rabbit, fresh vegetables, sweet potato and turmeric), they continually are always switching sides of food service areas.  Ginger peers at me as Buddy is hand fed his food and then swoops in to eat whatever he has left behind.  Buddy reciprocates by finishing her meal; the both of them sure that the other is eating something better.

I can still feed myself.

Buddy making his move…

So, as Erma Bombeck once, (not) so eloquently said, the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank.  Ginger and Buddy have decided that their life is actually greener on the other side of the water bowl, and we will continue to let them think this is true, as long as they continue eating (we know they are eating the best meals they can!).

Ginger: “Your dinner was better than mine Buddy”.   Buddy: “It tasted the same to me.”

Ginger: “I wonder what they’re having?” Buddy: “I think they call it old and fashionable.”   Ginger: “Kind of like us!”

Print

Easy (psuedo) Butter Chicken

Buddy was the biggest fan of rotisserie chicken; I bought the organic, plain rotisserie chicken, once a week during the last 6 months of his life.  He never turned it down.  Not once.  In fact, sometimes I think it was the chicken that kept him going.  Something to look forward to.  We ate so much rotisserie chicken during that time that I wasn’t sure Tom would let me ever buy one again.

This Butter Chicken recipe is something that came from the need to make rotisserie chicken into our dinner…again.

It is so easy to make that it almost makes itself and can be served over rice or tucked into warmed rounds of fresh naan.

The chicken becomes quite fragrant with a wonderful texture. The whole house will smell like you are making a big pot of chicken soup but the flavor will hint more of Indian fare.  Dial up or down the spices depending on your affinity for tumeric and such.

If you plan to share any chicken with your dogs, be sure to buy a plain (unsalted and unadorned) chicken which I have only been able to find at Whole Foods.  Save some meat off to the side for them to eat since they won’t be able to eat butter chicken with leeks.

  • Author: Stacey Bender
  • Prep Time: 10 miniutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 minute
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 lb meat from a rotisserie chicken (skin discarded, *bones reserved for broth)

2 TB butter

2 cups sliced leeks (light green part only)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp finely-chopped jalapeño (minus seeds, adjust to your desired heat level)

2 tsp finely-chopped ginger

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground tumeric

1 tsp ground cardamon

1 TB tomato paste

2 cups chicken broth*

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Juice of 1/2 a lemon (more to taste as desired)

Instructions

  1. Shred the chicken fairly fine.
  2. Melt the butter in a medium Dutch Oven.
  3. Add the leeks, garlic, jalapeño and ginger.  Sauté over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Ladle a ladle full (if using fresh) or pour a little of the broth over and let cook to soften the leeks, approximately 10 minutes.
  5. Add all of the spices, tomato paste and stir.
  6. Add the chicken and yogurt along with the rest of the broth and bring to a simmer.
  7. Cover, lid slightly askew, and let simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
  8. Add lemon juice and season with salt as needed.
  9. Serve hot, over rice, in Naan or however your creative mind might dream up.

Notes

If you plan to share any chicken with your dogs, be sure to buy a plain (unsalted and unadorned) chicken which I have only been able to find at Whole Foods, otherwise it will be too rich.  Save any chicken for them off to the side as dogs should not eat Butter Chicken and should never eat onions or leeks.

As pictured, I served over rice, roasted eggplant and garbanzo beans, topped with sliced tomato, green onions and mint.

You can freeze the meat in Ziplock bags for an easy meal later.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Minus Four

26 Saturday Aug 2017

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy

≈ 22 Comments

PS_big nose

The patter of Buddy’s paws beneath his bull-legged stance have always been a musical note to us.  They came in to our house, fast, making a quick tckckck sound as they scampered over the wood floor, onto the wool carpet and landed smack in the middle of Ginger’s bed.

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…yet clearly not the last time he would plop there.

The bed was one of many, but a favorite of hers that sat prominently at the end of our, then, glass coffee table in the living room.  There was a sunbeam on the pillow that particular afternoon and Buddy took to it as if it were his own.

Everyone took a breath to see the other shoe (paw) drop, so to say.  Ginger, who was also ten years old at the time, had been an only child since coming home and was never very accommodating to other dogs.  She saw him claim her bed, walked over and sniffed him (sniff, sniff, sniff) then, matter-of-fact, turned and walked away.  No drama.  No drama, yet.

It wasn’t long before his little legs were walking beside her on a tandem leash around the neighborhood and then back home where he planted himself on the kitchen rug, a place he frequented often, mostly because I was there, and so was the food.

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The sound of Buddy in and out of the kitchen always stayed near me as if I had a shadow, a shadow I was most happy to have.  It took him years to realize that if he stayed on the couch while I was cooking, I would still come to him offering samples.  Ginger of course, had figured this out long ago and sat on the back of the couch next to Tom, watching Buddy and my every move.

Scampering to and fro.  A yelp first, quietly using the inside voice, moved quickly to the bark.

That signature, all in, loud, ear-shattering bark.  He knew how to be heard.  No wall flower, that one, little pee-wee that he was.

But his insatiable hunger for the morsels on my cutting block, in my pan or in the oven were frantic.  He wanted it all, and then he wanted more.

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Especially as of late, he was frequently carried around the kitchen in my arms.

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And I started to realize that we were soon one, rather than two.

But on the ground he had four legs.

They were always in the kitchen, with me.

They will always be in the kitchen with me.

Though the kitchen will never be the same again.

PS_5

When there were 10

Our dear, sweet boy, in his beautiful, frail body, let go of the physical world Wednesday night,* August 23, 2017 at 5:51 pm.  A perfect gent to the end, complete with a sunbeam on his silken head, resting on his favorite blanket in our laps on his favorite spot on the deck after, moments before, having spent time in that same sunbeam while resting in Ginger’s favorite bed.

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“Thanks for sharing your bed Ginger”

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Pals forever on “our” BuG bed

smile for the cover

“Life with you has been unforgettable!  I am a happy boy!!!”

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“Thanks for the incredible journey…”

the ride

“…and the incredible ride!”

Good bye Buddy, I love you!

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“I’ll always be near…”

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*Rest in peace Laura’s dear Amber on the same day three years ago.

Sweet & Sour (summer beverages & other life moments)

06 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by Stacey Bender in Beverages, Ginger + Buddy

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

#flower world, #Stop to smell the roses, #summer cocktails

drink 1

Life is precious!

We all know that I realize… but sometimes it is worth mentioning out loud.

We often take for granted the things that make us breeze through life without (much of a) care.  And then we don’t, because we are no longer breezing by.

Rather than letting life get you down, take a moment to breath in that air, especially when it is no longer breezing by.

Excuse me for a moment, for being slightly cheeky and perhaps even mouthing off something a little cliché, but let me just say, it really is thyme to stop and smell the roses, and the hydrangea, lavender, tomato plants, rosemary, basil and sage.

It is thyme to pour yourself a cocktail, drink in the summer air and wash it down with a big handful of gratitude, for the here and now.  Tomorrow is another day, but right now, it is what we have before us that makes us happy at this moment.

Yesterday, is gone.  Buddy is not.  From here, we are taking it day by day.

buddy 1

Happy Summer (from our lil’ garden gnome).

drink 4

Serves 2 (up to 4 if more of a cooler with more spritz and less kick)

From the garden:
A sprig of thyme (for more time)
A few small basil leaves (because I said so)
A few lavender leaves (for calm) with a couple flower sprigs or leaves for garnish (yeah, so sue me, it’s pretty & smells nice)
6-8 blueberries (for gentle color & sweetness)
Wedge of lime (a little bite & zest)

Put garden contents above in stainless steel shaker & muddle with just a splash of vodka for mixing the contents.

Fill 12 ounce hi-ball glass or double-walled Bodum glass (to prevent condensation and ice from melting) half full with ice.

Put a few ice cubes in shaker to cool, add vodka as desired (a few glugs to half of shaker) and add lemonade to make remaining liquid 3/4 of shaker.

Shake and pour into glasses, it’s ok for the ice to fall into glasses as almost all of the ice is already in them.

Fill glasses about 3/4 full and top with lemonade for more juice/citrus or soda for less sweet and more fizz.

Squeeze and garnish with thin, fresh, lemon wedges on top or hang over rim.

Add a sprig of lavender flower for garnish, if you can sacrifice from your plant, but you can just enjoy looking at it in its container/garden from your deck or patio instead if it is just starting out.  We’re all striving for longevity you know.

Buddy and Ginger in jungle

Life can be a jungle…

Buddy and Ginger with cart

…just remember to keep on truckin’,…

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…stay close to your family,…

buddy and ginger 1

…they usually have your back!

buddy nap

It is perfectly acceptable to take a nap!  Rest, rejuvenate…but do it in the shade!

Ginger has my back

That looks like a good nap, Buddy…

 

buddy shade

…Shhhhhh, Ginger, I’m Earthing… zzzzzzzz

butterfly

In dedication to everyone’s furry family members, past, present and future; life would be sour without ever meeting.  And to our fellow pet lover and blog friend, Rachel’s beloved Butterfly, who passed away last week, but is still smelling life’s flowers.  Rachel, he will always be with you and play happily in everyone’s hearts he touched!

Now Playing:

14 Sunday May 2017

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Asparagus + Cauliflower Soup, Buddy Bender, Buddy XVII, Thoughts from a dog

buddy_xvii

Art by my talented “Uncle” Pete (Woychick)

Dear (not my real) Doctor,

Please, allow me to explain:
I only recently met you… and  I was in a dire straight.  I came to you emergent; facts (and fiction) were all you had to assess.  I understand your concern, for me and for my comfort, but things aren’t always what they seem.

You see, I’m British, which basically means I have bad teeth.

I also mostly look disheveled; you might not be following the latest hair trends!

Yes, I am rather wobbly; I have not been frequenting the gym.  I lounge, a lot.

Since I am pretty sure you implied my time was up here, I felt it important to fill you in on all the most important facts.

Don’t misunderstand me; I know my blood work says otherwise and you have no (fact driven) data to disagree… I do understand your conundrum but, respectfully, I must tell you, you were wrong.

I am still here, because I want to be here!!  Against all odds, I remain where I should be, where I need to be, for now.

I have the staring role in “Its a Wonderful Life”!  For God’s sake!  Why the hell would I want to leave?

office.jpg

I may not be as tan as George Hamilton but my coloring is better… I think our robes may be similar though.

I am still here because I am not ready to leave.  I need more time with my family and they require more time with me.  

They require much more… time.

Sometimes there is a different force, a higher power than Western medicine can see.  I don’t blame you for your thoughts.  You don’t know me like Dr. Rice or Dr. McCoy do.

For instance, I am eating.

I am eating!

I am eating ! !

Eating lots ! ! !

I want more food; please keep feeding me more!!!

I like to drink water from a glass, just like my family; I only ask that there be ice (is that weird?).

I want to sit outside and smell the fresh air that is turning from winter to spring, finally!

I want to hear the birds chirping (but to Mr. Crazy Blue Jay, I say, “quiet please”).

Did you know I am listening to the children that are beginning to come out to play?  I wish they laughed more though; why must they always scream instead?

I wish I could see my bunny and chipmunk friends in the yard; I can smell them and know they are there, happily eating and playing in my yard.  That makes me happy.

I love my sister, Ginger, and (most importantly) she finally loves me.  She acts independent but I know she would really be lonely if I were not here.  I don’t want her to be lonely.

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Ginger keeping watch whilst I nap in the sun.

So for now, I will stay put.  I will give love and be loved.  I will continue to eat… because, I am fed very good food.

Something worth living for… don’t ya think?

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Time for shade

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ASPARAGUS + CAULIFLOWER SOUP 

I like all things green and so does Ginger.  Right now, asparagus is at it’s local best and we were lucky enough to have Dr. McCoy bring us 4 spears, cut fresh from her garden, mere hours before, when she came over to give me my bi-monthly acupuncture (we were nice and shared two of the stalks, intended for us, with her cat, Rocky, before she got here).

Mom was not willing to sacrifice these lovelies to soup but did allow 1/2 of one stalk to stand in for our soup’s garnish.  Ginger and I lapped this up for our weekend “soup course” but especially enjoyed the freshest of fresh, thinly sliced asparagus from Dr. McCoy’s garden.

This soup is dog-friendly and delicious but it is also easy to divide it into our portion and your portion.  You can add other, human-friendly, things for your portion, such as full fat yogurt or cream, lemon juice, salt & pepper, butter, spices…. whatever you can dream up.  We (us pups) can eat some things extra too, but no need since this soup, as is, is simple, pure and delicious.  Good for a hot Spring day that turns to a cool Spring evening.

Coconut oil is healthy for us and has been added, recently, to our daily food to help us keep on weight since Ginger and I are both on a low protein diet.  We can’t complain since it adds a delicious flavor.

FYI, Mom added to their portion, the juice of 1/2 lemon, a few pinches of salt, some grinds from that silver cylinder device, a dollop of Elleno’s plain Greek yogurt and a bit of chopped shallot.

INGREDIENTS

Approximately 12 stalks of fresh asparagus, bottom bit snapped off and discarded.
Approximately 12 florets of cauliflower.
8 oz homemade chicken or vegetable stock or high quality, low-sodium store bought.
1 TB coconut oil.

PS_roasted

Roasty, toasty

TO MAKE

Put the asparagus and cauliflower on a baking pan and rub with the coconut oil just to coat.

Roast @ 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to a Vitamix, blender or food processor and add the broth.  Process until very smooth.

To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with thinly sliced fresh asparagus cut on the bias (whatever that means).

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How much longer do we need to hold this pose?!  I’m hungry!

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Me first!

soup 1

Okay, you too Ginger…

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Yay, Spring!

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Best to hang in the shade, Happy Mother’s Day everyone, but mine is the best!

seventeen

30 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy, holidays

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Written by Buddy

PS_cherry blossoms.jpg

Everybody has a birthday.  A day of the year which marks the 365th day (times how ever many repetitions of that quantity of days there have been) since they were born.   It seems such an arbitrary number, especially since for me, it is unclear on which day the 365 day countdown began.

I know I was born sometime in April because there were cherry blossoms in bloom outside.  And I like Spring.  Yet, this particular year, it seems it can mean the beginning of the month, or on the other hand, it may mean at the end of the month.  It’s all so confusing.

buddy hat 1

This year we have been celebrating my birthday since the 10th of the month, but today I was given my very special party hat, on this 29th day in April.  I am pretty sure that Dad was confused about that other day of my birth since he is only going on old paperwork when I was in limbo, those days shortly before he was my Dad.  Mom “knows” it was the 29th, but truth be told, I also know they didn’t think I would be here long enough to celebrate this particular date, so it’s been birthday month ever since.  Nothing wrong with that.

buddy hat 3.jpg

I am told that this year I am 17 years old, in silly human years,  more confusingly, 84 years old or so in dog years, when actually to me, it seems that I am, more precisely, 6,205 days lived (period).  Wow.  When you get to be a wise and handsomely mature guy like me, you know it isn’t a given to count on that 365th day to come around again so it is prudent to count everyday, as a gift.  Everyday is a gift.  I am happy to be here and happy to still be with my loving family, many special stuffed animals and comfy blankies, with many additional thanks to my dedicated care-givers, Doctors and friends.

baby buddy2.JPG

The years, or even days, don’t define who you are, but what you do with them are important as to who you become, or how happy you are living them.  I will know when it is time to say goodbye, but for now, I will wear my party hat with glee, eat my (flour-less) cake and kiss my sister.

PS_candle

“Happy birthday dear Buddy…”

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I might look like I am old to some, but to my parents, I am still their little boy.

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I feel young inside my head, that hasn’t changed.  I might have all sorts of things wrong with me medically but the irony is, the thing that hurts the most right now is my mouth.  So, my advice to you young ones is this: “brush your teeth”!  Lucky for me, my voracious appetite overrides those dang few teeth I have left.  More meeeat!

Love, Buddy

 

eggs

Eggs courtesy of Dr. McCoy , my Acupuncturist & friend.  Well, courtesy of her chickens that is…

Flour-less Buddy Birthday Cake 

The only requirement for this cake, that is of the utmost importance, is this:  Use the freshest of eggs and garnish with peas (my favorite thing) and a hunk of cheese to hold the candle.

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp organic coconut oil

1 farm fresh egg

3 fresh snap peas, cleaned and sliced

To make, heat the oil in a small skillet.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg.

Add egg to the skillet and madly shake the pan to keep it from burning.

Skillfully tilt and shake with the occasional scooping on the edges with a spatula.

When it is mostly cooked through, swiftly toss the cake in the air to fold it over itself.  turn onto a plate and top with the sliced peas.

Ginger says this is actually an omelet but it’s my birthday so it’s cake if I want it to be.

Ginger hat 3.jpg

My turn next Month!

 

Operator, I’d like a German Oven Pancake please.

02 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by Stacey Bender in Breakfast/Brunch, Ginger + Buddy, the kitchen

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Betty Crocker, breakfast, Brunch, Buddy and Ginger Bender, the Telephone Game

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Do you remember the game Operator? It is now known as the telephone game (so I am told); a silly game that we used to play as kids where everyone sits around in a big circle (usually during a sleep-over or birthday party) and one person whispers something into the person’s ear next to them, and that person in turn, whispers the same thing into the next person’s ear, who then repeats it to the next person, and so on.  By the end of the circle, the last person is to repeat what they heard out loud.  The original statement might have started out saying, “Hey neighbor, your cat’s on our fence.”  But the last person to hear it might have heard, “Hey dummy, your elephant is in our backyard.” or some such nonsense.

The point is, as things get passed down, they get reinterpreted, mis-told or misunderstood.  The small details or misconceptions can end up having significant impacts on the final outcome.  I thought of that game this morning as I went to make brunch.  We were down in Hoodsport three weekends ago (as you already know), and my mother-in-law made a wonderful brunch.  It was a German Oven Pancake which came from the oven puffed-up and delicate.  We slathered it with a little butter then topped it with maple syrup (except silly Tom, who decided to make it savory by coating his in ground pepper).  We also had sausages and a plate of fresh fruit.  And mimosas, of course.  The pancake seemed almost crepe-like.  Oh and I do love a good crepe.  This was a good (crepe) pancake!

As we were leaving, Lois ran upstairs and copied the recipe for me, which she had  hand-written on a recipe card, copied from Tom’s cousin Karen.  I didn’t look at it but thanked her, folded it in half and tucked it into a magazine that I was planning to read on the road (home).

The following weekend, I decided I wanted to make the oven pancake for breakfast.  I pulled out the magazine (which I still haven’t read, because it had been in the trunk of our car) and unfolded the recipe.  The copy was very faint and difficult to read.  Tom sat in the daylight (aging eyes struggling), trying to decipher the writing, reading it off to me, stumbling over some of the words and I typed what he said (sic):

“German Oven Pancake – serves 2-4 (or is that a 6?)
1/2 cup flour, sifted, 3 slightly-beaten eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tsp butter or margarine (what?!), melted, 1/4 tsp salt, something, something, confectioner sugar or lemon juice butter.

  1. Add flour to eggs, beating with rotary beater.  Stir in milk, melted butter and salt.  Thoroughly grease bakers joy baking dish pour into mold dish, bake at 450-degrees for 15-17 minutes.  It will get puffy.  Loosen at wide spatula.

     2.  Add butter to flour and eggs then add milk and salt.  Can pour over canadian bacon.”

Seriously, that looks better than what he said.  It mostly made sense, only because I had sat down to brunch with her as she explained that you could sprinkle confectioners sugar over the top, but she didn’t do that.  She also mentioned something about pouring it over Canadian bacon to make it savory.  Which, again, was not done.  If I had just taken the card and tried to follow the recipe, I would have had many more questions.  As it were, my only questions were these:

  1. Does this not use baking powder?
  2. What kind of dish do I bake it in?

I texted over those questions but was inpatient as I was in the thick of my execution and decided to Google, “German Oven Pancake” instead.  The first page that came up was from the Betty Crocker website.  Seeing that the only cookbook my husband, Tom, came to me with was a later edition of the original Betty Crocker cookbook that he had in college (and I don’t think ever used, but he claims Pete did), I suspected it was quite possible that Betty was the first person in the circle to kick-off our little game of Operator.

So it might have started out with Betty saying, “Operator, I’d like a German Oven Pancake, please.”  And I might have finished it by stating, “Operator, I’m a German with a Pancake to Please.”  Finally!  I’m ashamed to admit, it has taken me three tries.

German Oven Pancake (or so I am told)

Adapted from Lois (Bender) Casto via Karen (Bender) Lieberman, via Betty Crocker (maybe?)

Needless to say, my first attempt at this a few weekends ago was not a success.  I think it was because I used whole wheat flour since I did not have any all-purpose flour.  I used almond milk rather than cow’s milk, but it might also have been my choice of pan (Tom says sure, blame it on the pan).  I had not waited for my mother-in-law to respond to my email before heading into the kitchen.  Betty had told us to heat a cast iron skillet before pouring the batter in.  After I did this, I got the email from Lois telling me specifically not to use a hot pan.  I also decided to make it savory, using proscuitto.  Tom thinks it tasted more like a “real” whole wheat pancake.  Not what I had in mind, but edible.

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I treated it a bit like Margharita (not the best choice)

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The proscuitto was tasty.

The following weekend, I thought I might borrow a cup of all-purpose flour from my neighbor Piotr (who was away on job assignment; we were tending to his mail and his garbage).  Turned out he too was with whole wheat flour only (good boy).  So this time I used a cold pan, but still had the wrong flour.  Admmitablely, it looked prettier and (sort of) puffed up but it was a bit dense and not that great (BTW Piotr, your flour is stale).

ps_img_6742

Puffy, yes.  Flour, a tad stale.

So now this time, I did use all-purpose flour, but had to use Greek yogurt (thinned with water) instead of milk (yup, you guessed it, I had no milk).  My cake did not bubble up, nor did it get pouffy, like a soufflé (as Lois’ did), but the flavor was spot on!  More eggy than cake-like, fluffy, light and a perfect partner for maple syrup, butter and sausage (and not appropriate for pepper).

new 1.JPG

Ahhhh, success (even if the picture tells a different story).

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Prepare

Heat an oven to 450-degrees.

Butter a baking dish (preferably glass).

Whisk the milk, butter and salt into the eggs

Slowly, whisk in the flour being careful not to over-mix

Pour into the prepared baking dish and cook for 15-17 minutes.  It should puff up, but even if it doesn’t, it should still taste quite good.  Divide amongst four plates, put a dollop of butter on top and pour some warm maple syrup over.  Serve with fruit and breakfast sausage if desired.  A mimosa washes it down well (as often he case).

new-buddy-bdest

Can I have some too?

new-buddy

Anyone gonna’ eat that last bite?  I will, even if I’m about to lose a toof.  Did someone say toof fairy leaves treats?

 

 

 

Video

Sweet 16 & always been kissed, by Ginger & Buddy

23 Monday May 2016

Posted by Stacey Bender in family gatherings, Ginger + Buddy

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

dogs 16th birthday, Ellen Kume, macaroons, written by dogs

PS2_IMG_1541

By Ginger:

Every year humans seem to complain about getting one year older.  This, I don’t understand!  How many of us actually get the chance to grow old?  I feel so lucky today because I have lived yet another year!  I have had 16 years (s i x t e e n  y e a r s!!!) of special salmon dinners and carrot cake.  I have had sixteen years helping Mom taste things in the kitchen, helping Dad have a reason to go clean up the yard and prove to Buffy that she sent the right dog to take her place as guardian of this home.

IMG_0374

By calculation, I am old but in fact, I feel very young!  I can run fast, climb stairs quickly, bark loudly with great force and authority;  I may even be getting my driver’s license soon (Dad says I have to practice a little more first).  I have traveled by plane, by train and by automobile; by bike, boat and shopping cart.  I have run freely on the beach with sand softening each blow.  I have entertained at parties.  I have made friends and influenced people (to my way of thinking).

IMG_1982

Really Mom?!

I have embraced the fashions, both classic and trendy.  I have been photographed, published, video taped and listened to.  I have made my mark on the world (or at least the world that surrounds me) and have every intention of making more marks!!!  (Including those that don’t need to be cleaned up!)

PS_poop

Uh, yeah, deal with it. (Yes, Mom did.)

I am sweet sixteen and I have always been kissed, loved and hugged (sometimes within an inch of my life)!

IMG_1976

Kiss me you fool…

I know Buddy has not always been kissed  but he is kissed now, and often, with sometimes even a peck by me.  We are both sixteen now.  I wasn’t so sure at first, but we are both in this together and I want to do my part to keep him well, keep him with us and keep him feeling happy and loved (as I always have been).  Buffy would want it this way.  Happy birthday to us!

IMG_1948

(A puppy at heart)

By Buddy:

I’m 16 too!  I’m six-teen!   Me, s i x t e e n !  This has been a good year.  I am still here!  I very much enjoyed the summer last year when everyone was more concerned about me than usual.  Ginger and I got a new deck, very comfy new furniture on it to lounge, and so much love I was sometimes bothered, but just a very little.  I like it here.  I have an amazing new menu that is served to me three times a day (and more when I act feisty).  I am bathed every week, whether I like it or not, carried practically everywhere (even when Mom is cooking;  I like that I can get a good view).  I mostly even get enough exercise (because Mom and Dad bought me socks so I don’t slip so much when I can walk), and I get kissed all the time!  They say I am sweet sixteen and boy do I get kissed! (I’m glad I found my way to my true home five years ago).  Buffy was right, this is a great place to live!  I want to live!  I am alive!  Bring on the sunshine!  Oh, and I want to EAT mmore meet !!!

PS_close up macaroons

Macaroons (Little Presents: orange-filled + chocolate Bailey’s-filled)

Macaroons are like flavored kisses, dressed up as little birthday gifts .  To our delight, Ellen, the most fabulous person at the place Mommy takes us for her work, brought us a plate full of flavored kisses last week.  We (Buddy & Ginger) think these particular kisses were meant for us.  Why wouldn’t they be?  It was between our birthdays and although Ellen doesn’t kiss us, she takes great care of us at the office and she even tucks us in our beds with a blanket.   Plus, she likes food.  Not in a simple, likes to eat food kind of way but in  a sophisticated picnic and pleasure kind of way.  She gets what it means to enjoy  food; which means, she gets what it means to enjoy life.  We like Ellen; she’s our pal.

PS_ellen

“Ellen, look at the view with me…  Oh and yeah, a little more to the left. Thanks.”

These macaroons were quite pretty but not in the macaroon, Paris poodle sort of way; more in the wow, cute, cuddly and scrumptious type of way.  Mom thinks macaroons are too fussy but she sure seemed to like these that Ellen made.  They were the right kind of pretty with pretension left aside.  They were Hobo Buddy kind of good, meaning, they had (almond) grit but lots of character and flavor.

PS_IMG_1459

There are a few bits of advise concerning the making of these cookies that Ellen thinks are important to note (also underlined below in her recipe):

  1. The eggs need to be room temperature because they will whip better.
  2. Use parchment paper and smack the tray to get rid of all the bubbles.
  3. Let them sit for 1/2 hour; you should be able to touch them without them feeling sticky anymore.
  4. 4.  If you use almond floor, they will be smooth.  If you use almond meal, they will have little speckles (which is what Ellen used).

PS_MACAROONS

IMG_1918

“Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday us cuties, happy birthday to usssssss!  Okay, time for a nap.”

IMG_0367

In loving memory of Buffy Edwards-Bender:  August 1985 – May 20, 2000.  We miss you!

 

 

Happy Campers

08 Sunday May 2016

Posted by Stacey Bender in beach mode, Eating Out, Ginger + Buddy, Reviews

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Alderbrook Resort, Happy Mother's Day, King Salmon Naan with Fried Capers and Garlic Aioli

PS_camper shoes

Getting out of town is always a good idea, even when one lives in a good town.  A change of pace, a change of scenery, a change in attitude, a mini-break always does good things.  This weekend, I am taking you to the Hood Canal in Washington, where we will sit by the water, sit by the fire, eat oysters and fish, drink beer and wine, soak up the sun and breathe in the salty and fresh air.  We will watch eagles soar and happily look over our pups as they relax, play, sleep, eat and walk in the natural beauty of the NW.

Four weekends ago, we got out of town and headed to my in-laws vacation home 2 hours south of Seattle in Hoodsport, WA.  We have been there many times and enjoy every visit, but interestingly, we never once stopped at the waterside resort in Union, located a mere 20 minutes from their place called Alderbrook.  Being that it was a sunny Friday afternoon and hunger pains were calling, as we rolled through town we decided to stop and have lunch on their patio (finally).

Of course, despite this being the nicest Spring in the region that anyone can remember, the patio was not open yet (even though it was 72 degrees!).  BUT, they served “picnic lunches” which really was a fancy way of saying you could take the food “to go” and sit on the property, anywhere.  The best part for us (of course), was that our dogs were allowed to sit with us too.  We ordered a couple of drinks and strolled down to the lawn which was right at waters edge.  I went back to the car, collected Buddy and Ginger, and then the four of us settled into Adirondack chairs and watched a man collect many bags of oysters.  Many!

tom 3

And as the hours passed, starring at the water, the sky, the flora and fauna, a cart appeared and they were served water-side on the dock, being freshly-shucked as the happy guests strolled by.

oyster 1

oyster 2

The lunch menu was extensive but not so large as to overwhelm.  It showcased the abundance of seafood we are blessed with in the Pacific Northwest and also provided plenty of alternatives to satisfy those that did not want to eat fish; the burger we tried the next day proved to be one of the very best (sorry Burger Stand)!

We were hankering for a well-concocted batch of fish and chips, and along with a couple of local beers, we ordered that as well as the brown sugar steelhead naan “sandwich”.  The fish and chips were thickly battered, cooked to the perfect state of golden brown, moist, tender and best of all, not soggily dripping with oil.  The tarter sauce boasted the perfect tang of pickle, partnered with just the right amount of dill.

picnic naan

It was the steelhead that we were most taken with though.  So simple yet a delightful pocket of flavor easily eaten by hand; making a well-suited partner for the surroundings.  One order came with two rounds of naan spread in garlic aioli, topped with a single leaf of lettuce, a sautéed fillet of steelhead and fried capers sprinkled atop.  A wedge of lemon squeezed over just before taking a bite set up an explosion of flavor that was akin to the sound of a favorite jazz tune, keeping a beat slow and steady as expected but with a lick of sass thrown in.

campers 2

Nearby was a pit of fire sending out lovely wafts of smokiness that mixed happily with the briny air.  A happy bunch of “campers” were gathered ’round with sticks of marshmallows roasting.

campers 1

Buddy was snuggled in next to me, snoozing peacefully under the shade of my scarf.  Ginger had her own chair and eagerly looked over to the action at the fire pit, holding court as many other four-legged friends stopped by to exchange a quick hello as they moved on with their happy families

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Needless to say, we had found what seemed like, an old friend.  Sun, beachfront, comfy chairs and each other.

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Mixed with the company of our pups, good food, well-made drinks and the casualness of a day off at the beach, we were ready to move in.

buddy 3

So as I write this, it should come as no surprise that we landed back to that happy place once again two weekends ago.  You can’t recreate a moment but you can create new ones, which is precisely what we did.  Sun, surf, substanence and seafood!  Life is good.

buddy ginger

King Salmon Naan with Fried Capers and Garlic Aioli
Serves 2

We recreated our (current) favorite menu item from the Alderbrook Resort at home, using fresh Alaskan king salmon, because that was what was most available to us at the time. Steelhead is a much thinner fillet which produces a crisp crust giving way to delicate flesh.  Steelhead is really just trout disguised as salmon.  King salmon is a happy substitute, also sporting a delicate flesh but is thicker, juicier and has more richness.

ps_Naan 1

This is a simple preparation as well as a healthy alternative to eating grab ‘n go when time is short during a busy week.  The naan we like to get is a brand called “Stone Hearth” and easily found at our local grocers.  The aioli we used was our go to”mayonnaise, aka Wildwood aioli that we buy at PCC or Whole Foods.  It is low in cholesterol and has a mildly sweet taste of garlic with the creaminess of mayonnaise but no chemical after taste.  The best capers are sold jarred in salt rather than brine. Yes, it does seem counter-intuitive but those stored in salt actually retain less sodium than those in liquid.  I always soak my capers in water and drain before serving to expel any additional, unneeded salt.  Just as they serve this at Alderbrook, for added crunch,  a nice hearty leaf of lettuce is used but for added color and perhaps a little bit of elegance, spinach can be substituted.

ps_spinach 2

INGREDIENTS

1 lb king salmon fillet, bones and skin removed
1/2 tsp brown sugar
Sea salt and pepper to taste
3 lemon wedges
Olive oil for grilling
2 TB Wildwood Aioli (or homemade garlic aioli) plus more for serving if desired
2 large, crunchy leaves of lettuce (Romaine, Red Leaf, Green Leaf or Butter Lettuce)
2 TB salt-packed capers, rinsed and soaked thoroughly in water for at least 10 minutes, then drained and soaked again.
2 rounds Stone Fire Naan, or other naan

PREPARATION

Rinse and pat-dry the salmon. Spread the brown sugar over the fillet and season lightly with sea salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge over.

Prepare a grill to very hot.

In a small fry pan, heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Drain the capers and pat dry. Add them to the pan and fry for a few minutes until crisp. Remove capers with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel until ready to use.

ps_salmon 1

Brush the salmon with olive oil and brush the grill with olive oil (I prefer a dampened paper towel). Grill the salmon on the top side for approximately 5 minutes without moving. It is ready to be turned when it comes away easily from the grill with a spatula. Grill the second side until just barely cooked in the center, only a few minutes more.

Meanwhile, as the salmon is cooking on the second side, add the naan to the grill. Cook them on each side until slight grill marks form and the bread is soft and warm.

TO ASSEMBLE

Slather each naan with 1 TB aioli, top with one leaf of lettuce. Divide the fish among the two pieces of naan and top with a sprinkling of capers.

ps_Naan 2

Serve with a wedge of lemon and perhaps a side of sliced tomatoes.

PS_ginger buddy car 4

Do we have to leave?

bloody mary

Happy Mother’s Day Mom (Pat), Mom (Lois), Mom (Linda), Mom (Talita), Mom (Doris), Sis (Laura), Sis (Christine) and Sis (Irma),; all of the lovely mothers in our family!!!!

Love,
Us (4)

dock 1

Time for a spa day!

bored meetings are boring: by buddy

07 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Buddy & Ginger, dogs at work

 

PS2_leisure crazy

I thought I was a Pup of Leisure.

Mom recently got into the habit of hauling us to the office with her and now I spend my days surrounded by paperwork (literally)!

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And the buzz of electronic machinery.

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I even had to attend a meeting in the talking room.

ginger conf.jpg

Ginger’s not paying attention!

So, I’ve already been invited to a bored meeting; I now see how it got it’s name.

buddy conf

Huh?  Even my attention is waning.

The first day I came to the office, I started out taking dictation.

ZZZZ.jpg

Uh huh, yup, I’m listening….(snort, snarf, snoozzzzzzz).

They didn’t even let me take off my coat first, but at least I got to bring my own chair.

yes, yes, i'm listening

wutz that?  yes, yes, I’m listening…

can you spell that again.jpg

dictation is  h a r rr d .

Of course, Princess didn’t have to work.

I'm going to the watercooler where the action is.jpg

As soon as I’m rested, I think I’ll go to the water cooler where the real action is…

After proving my abilities though, I got promoted; now I get sent out to fetch lunch.

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i have to watch out for princess too (don’t forget that I’m the boss)

the food is better here.jpg

come on ginger, the food is better at this truck

I wonder What’s for dinner? or betteR yet, I wonder what Mom iz cooking for dinner?

leisure

I think tomorrow I’m gonna call in sick

Food Matters: by Ginger

31 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy, the kitchen

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Dog writing, food writing, Homemade Dog good, Paws Custom Pet Food

 

PS_food from above

I used to be the gal that really got excited by going to Dick’s Drive-in with Mom and Dad because they always gave me bites of their hamburger (which, by the way, was really delectable).  Buffy, my sister who I only met once, got to go all the time and she got her own burger.  I even heard that our Uncle Petey used to take her through the drive-thru at another (not-to-be-named) drive-thru and get her her own burger when he pup sat for her in the “old” days.  They were tight.  I was led to believe that I would get my own burger too, but it turns out that Mom and Dad decided to become more healthy in their eating habits since I’ve been around, which coincidentally, trickled down to me and my prescribed eating habits.  I never got excited about eating the food they called my “prescription diet”, whatever that was suppose to mean.  They thought I would love it because it was made with duck and potato but I found it to be uninspiring and bland.  Who can honestly get excited about dry, hard nuggets of duck and potato, processed so intently that it tastes only of smelly, vile chemicals, in a “healthy” way.  I tasted Mom’s duck and her potatoes, and I can say for certain that my food tasted nothing like hers.

This led me to become a (bad) beggar, or at least that is what they called me.  I know it was annoying, but how would you feel if you had to watch someone cook every night, creating wonderful aromas, and all you got to eat was fake-tasting duck nuggets?  I was constantly asking to join the family for dinner, because, well, I am part of the family, and I too care what my food tastes like!

But that was a long, long time ago.  One day, the bag that was kept in the cabinet above our eating area (containing our fake nuggets), suddenly disappeared (!) and our bowls were instead filled with a much more palatable meal.  This pleased me very much.  Buddy became a ravenous (and noisy) eating machine, and I was happy to go along with it.  Instead of ignoring my old food put out in the morning until hunger got the better of me at night, I too began waking up, wanting to be fed our new food.  In fact, I’d wake my parents up with my textbook snarfing to get them to the kitchen asap!

After the initial euphoria wore down, I started to realize we were eating much better food, and I must admit, we have a pretty civilized set-up for dining, but (and this is a big “but”) it still wasn’t as good as the stuff Mom cooked.  I still smelled those tantalizing aromas each day and yearned for the food that they ate.  Yes, I got to taste it, but that was just like dangling a carrot in front of my nose (but oh how I do love my carrots; sometimes they dangled carrots and I would dance on my back legs).

Then, it happened.  Something good came out of something bad, which in turn made it good again (did that make sense to you?).  It might sound confusing, but hang in with me here.  Last year Buddy stopped eating his food.  I mean, like seriously, stopped!  At first, I helped him out by eating his portion too, but then I got a little suspicious that something might be wrong.  I decided to stop eating so much too.  There were a lot of visits to Doc, but she didn’t even poke me a lot of those times, just him, and then there was a lot of coddling of Buddy that went on, which I didn’t like so much.  He didn’t seem very good and I started to wonder if it was something he ate?  Uh oh, I was eating it too!  Hmmm, I was feeling okay?  I threw-up a few times but other than that, I was just fine.  Within days of his not eating, there was a big change in the kitchen.  The food that was cooking and those incredible smells I was smelling, were for us.  Before I knew it, Buddy was eating again.  I was definitely eating again, and this time I was eating the kind of food I wanted to eat.

Our Mom is a very good cook.  I now know what it feels like to have a home-cooked meal every day.  I understand how earth-shattering it is to be able to have variety in my meals.  I am on top of the world!  I am so glad to be alive!  The best part is that Buddy is alive too!!  He has been better ever since (and even though he gets other things done to him that I am glad I don’t have to endure), I know he likes being around too!  Keep it coming Mom!

The moral of the story is that food matters to us all.  Eat well, live well, be well.

 

PS_G from front

Life’s messy, clean us up!

PS_3finished meal in metal bowl

Doggy Turkey Delight

Stacey here:  I admit that sometimes I was a distracted Mother and ran out of my stash of food for the pups.  I know they think I cook for just them every night because they do have a home-cooked meal every day and night but the truth is, I often have help.  Along with my creations, I also buy custom made-for-them food from Paws Custom Pet Foods to have as filler for the times I can’t (or don’t have time to) cook for them.  I buy the nutrition bottle or kit plus an herbal supplement specifically for kidney disease from Paws, so that I can cook for my pups myself.  I try to mix up the ingredients and recipes to make it more interesting for all of us.  This rendition of pressure-cooked turkey breast, sweet potato, quinoa and peas was a particular pup pleaser (there were some other ingredients too).

I use a pressure cooker to make this but if you don’t have one, you could cook in all together in a slow cooker (I am guessing for 3-4 hours on high) or braise it in the oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours or so until turkey is cooked through and shreds away from the bone.

It comes together without as much effort as it sounds and makes the house smell like a Sunday dinner at Mom or Grandma’s house.  It was so good that I found myself eating it too, which is quite the point; why feed something to the “family” that you wouldn’t eat yourself…yum!

INGREDIENTS

1.5 lbs  bone-in turkey breast (I got a Kosher breast from Trader Joe’s), most of the skin removed

3 cups water (or more as needed)

16 oz shelled English peas (you can buy a bag of these at Trader Joe’s)

12 oz green beans, cleaned and diced into 1/4″ dice

8 oz sweet potato, uncooked, skin removed and diced into 1/4″ dice

6-8 oz peeled baby carrots, diced into 1/4″ cubes

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa (I use red quinoa)

1 egg yolk (optional)

4 tsp Paw’s Custom Pet Foods nutrition (optional but highly recommended)

4 tsp Paw’s Custom Pet Foods detox supplements (optional)

 

COOK

Put the water into the vessel of a pressure cooker (I use an electric Cuisinart pressure cooker) and add the turkey breast.  Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.

When all the steam has released, remove the meat from the bone, discard the bone, shred it and chop a little bit.  Add the meat back to the vessel.  Add the remaining ingredients, (except for the nutrition and supplements).  Add a little water if it has evaporated (it should not cover all the way but be enough in the bottom to add steam).

PS_2just turkeyk.jpg

Cook on high pressure for 10-minutes more.  When all the steam has released, check the ingredients to be sure everything is soft.  If you want it to be softer, cook for 2-3 minutes more on high pressure.  This is personal depending on your dog’s size and ability to chew.

stew cooked in cooker

Transfer the contents of the vessel to a sheet pan to let it cool.  At this point, I use a potato masher to just smoosh it a bit to break up the peas.

PS_B G watching plated

Once cooled to room temperature, add the nutrition and supplements (if using), and mix well.

Transfer to containers for storage and to freeze.  I used ones that were recycled from food bought at Paw’s Custom Pet Foods that held 1 1/2 lbs each.

PS_portions

Ginger and Buddy combined, eat 1 1/2 lbs per day, so I froze two containers and left the others fresh to feed for the next several days.  If you have questions about feeding size recommendations for your pup, contact Shelly at shellyfuller@pawscafe.com.  She is very approachable and loves to make sure your dog is eating well.

 

PS_clean up licking the plate

Let the kids clean up

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