Now Playing:

14 Sunday May 2017

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy

Tags

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

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?

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.

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?

Time for shade

PS_IMG_0436

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.

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).

B soup 1.jpg

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

Me first!

Okay, you too Ginger…

Yay, Spring!

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.

“Happy birthday dear Buddy…”

cake 1.JPG

cake 2.JPG

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

buddy baby lap not edited buddy offie.JPG

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 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.

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

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.

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:

Does this not use baking powder?
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.

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

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).

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).

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).

Can I have some too?

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.

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).

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!)

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)!

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!

(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.

“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):

The eggs need to be room temperature because they will whip better.
Use parchment paper and smack the tray to get rid of all the bubbles.
Let them sit for 1/2 hour; you should be able to touch them without them feeling sticky anymore.
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

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

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

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

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.

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)

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)!

And the buzz of electronic machinery.

PS3_g monitor.jpg

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

Ginger’s not paying attention!

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

Huh? Even my attention is waning.

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

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.

wutz that? yes, yes, I’m listening…

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.

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

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?

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.

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.

Let the kids clean up

So long… our Friend (by Ginger)

17 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy, the kitchen

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

kale, Looking Good Dog Grooming Seattle, Monkfish

Monkfish with pan drippings

I woke up this morning going about my usual routine; a long, full body stretch, followed by a down dog (that’s me), then an up dog (me again) and a loud snarf. The morning was cool but the sheets were warm and as I jumped from the bed, I rolled to and fro, feet up in the air, letting out a signal that I wanted to be rubbed. When that didn’t work, I went on to scratch myself, hard and fast, under the arm. Before I could move into biting at my back, I was hit in the head with a flying panda bear; pretty sure Buddy sent Panda my way, probably to get me to stop making such a racquet.

It couldn’t have been Buddy or I, look how innocent we look…

I just can’t seem to get over this itch though! I know I have my allergies and some days they bother me more than others but lately, it has been a REAL _itch. The kind of itch that makes me go into a scratching fit for real relief rather than just for attention (more acupuncture please).

This time of year is always a little crazy in that there are Holidays going on (well there were holidays going on). Santa Claus came several weeks ago and the time leading up to his visit was a little hectic and varied from the usual order of business. For instance, a few days before Santa came, Buddy’s and my usual morning routine was diverted from that leading into a peaceful day of relaxation and calm sprinkled in with squirrel watching and biting my tail (cuz it really does itch now). Did I mention I’m allergic to pine (aka Christmas) trees? Oh, but I love them so. Ahhhh, but it was our spa day. On spa days, instead of longingly watching Mom and Dad leave for work, tails down in something they call “Snuffleupagus mode”, Buddy and I get bundled up in our coats and harnesses and carried by Mom to the car. Buddy starts to shake. I’m not sure if he is cold or just thinks we are going to see Doc, but I feel invigorated because I know we are going to see Victoria (I love Victoria and Buddy does too). Victoria cuts our hair (and has all of the time we have ever been with Mommy & Daddy). She does more than that though, she spoils us with her sweet, friendly charm and her patience for our shenanigans (especially Buddy’s). She is nice to everyone but we always feel extra special and secretly know that she would do anything for us. We get plenty of water and walks and love, even though there are many other dogs that are vying for her attention.

I didn’t always feel this way. There was a time that I hated going to that place. When I was a puppy, I was afraid of the water and thought the brush was a monster with big spiky fangs….yikes! Going to see Victoria (and Sue) meant being dipped in water and scrubbed. It meant being dried with a machine that blows air on us that is loud, and it meant getting rid of all the braids that formed in the time between visits. It also meant leaving feeling pretty and dainty when all I wanted to do was romp around in the leaves and the dirt, chewing on twigs. But now, being the Princess that I am, I like to feel pretty and Victoria always makes me feel pretty (and the product she uses leaves us smelling good).

Since I have been going there for so many years, Victoria also knows what I/we like. For instance, she knows that Buddy and I have sensitive ears and so she puts cotton balls gently inside them during bath time and drapes a hood over our head to protect them from the noise of that crazy air machine. She knows we like to be put front and center so we can see all the action coming and going through the front door and out on the street. She knows we like to sit together (Buddy and I), even though we used to pretend not to like each other when Buddy first became my brother. We also like Victoria to talk to us and tell us how wonderful we are.

So, you can imagine my surprise when, as we were about to leave, she told us she was going to miss us. I asked her to explain and as she did, her eyes teared up and her voice cracked a little. Funny though, cuz as she told us about her new adventure, I could tell it was something she looked forward to doing.

Buddy thinks he’s always the last to know.

From here (Looking Good Grooming) though, it was time to for her to retire, from this. I have been around the block a time or two. I know good from bad. I know right from wrong. Most of all, I know friend from foe. Victoria is our friend and no matter where she goes, it will never be just good bye, but rather, so long…until we meet again, when I can say “hello”.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Monkfish Medallions with pan drippings and sautéed kale (with mushrooms and cipollini onions)

For Victoria, we present monkfish, because monkfish is actually “angel fish” and Victoria has been our angel. Also, monkish is a delicious, delicate white fish that is firm in texture but soft on taste. Mom always cooks a chunk for us, wrapped in foil to keep it moist and soft but without the salt and pepper they put on theirs. There are many sauces that would work with this but keeping it simple is just as good and much less fuss. Mashed potatoes or polenta is also a nice accompaniment to complement the texture of the fish.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb monkfish – trimmed of cartilage (ask your fishmonger to do this. You are looking to have a nice, clean log (isn) of fish.
Salt and pepper to season
Flour for dusting
Olive oil and butter to sauté
A splash of white wine
1/2 head kale cut into 1-inch pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, chopped
10 Crimini mushrooms, stem removed and sliced
1 large or several small cipollini onions, cut into wedges

PREPARE & COOK MONKFISH

1. Slice the monkfish into 3/4-inch thick medallions.
2. Season the fish with salt and pepper then dust with flour.
3. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan until hot, but not smoking. Add the fish medallions and let brown on the first side, without touching (approximately 3 minutes). Turn and cook 2-3 minutes more.
4. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon and let simmer until it is mostly evaporated.
5. Add 2 pats of butter and let melt. Swish around the pan to coat the bottom of the fish and add a splash of white wine. Let simmer slightly until warm and remove from heat to plate.

PS2_cooking

MEANWHILE, LET’S COOK THE KALE:

1.Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and cippolini onions. Saute for 5 minutes or until just soft.
2. Add the kale to the pan (I like to massage the kale first in olive oil, lemon and a pinch of salt just to loosen).
3. This should cook over medium-low heat while cooking the fish. Stir or toss periodically.

SERVE:

Plate the medallions of fish with a small pile of kale and a small pile of either mashed potato or polenta (red potato mash is pictured). Drizzle the pan drippings around the medallions of fish and squeeze over more lemon if desired.

PS_plated 1

Looking back to the salon as we drive off. Until we meet again my dear friend…

dog days, by ginger

30 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

from a dog's point of view, Paws Custom Pet Food, whole food for dogs

We are dogs of leisure, Buddy and I. We are also dogs of habit. Habits change, from time-to-time, but behaviors are a constant. I know this because I have been told that I have selective hearing. I like to assess the rules before deciding to follow them…or not. I am my Mother’s daughter that way.

Buddy is (mostly) a rule follower. He likes to play by the book. I would rather lick the book, or chew on the corner (just look at Mom’s first food journal) and then do it my way instead. But he and I get along okay anyways, and sometimes we break the rules together. He can be easy to persuade.

Hmmmmm….

We must have been on really good behavior lately though, because Mom and Dad took us with them to a hotel for a mini-break. We usually have to travel far to get to one of those places where we sleep somewhere else; like our grandparents’ or aunt/uncles’ but this one wasn’t very far away at all, and it was fancy.

When we pulled up, Buddy and I were thinking we would be sitting in the car for awhile, but instead, we were led inside to a grand lobby with soaring ceilings and stone floors, cool on the paws but not too slippery for clumsy Buddy. And of course, not before getting to tinkle on a manicured lawn (don’t tell no one that Buddy tinkled on the sidewalk instead).

Up we went in an elevator (which I hate, but that is another long story itself). Buddy and I were giddy with excitement for whatever the other side of the door would reveal. It was spectacular! Plush carpet (again I’m sure so Buddy wouldn’t slip), soft lights and nobody else in sight! We ran down the hall past our room and Mom had to chase us while Dad used a magic card to open the door. We ran inside, still tethered together on a single leash, but then Mom did her usual annoying critique. Was it high enough, cute enough, with the right view, and blah…blah…blah! She is always questioning things; but I guess, so am I. Buddy didn’t mind that we were only on the 2nd floor and that the room was much smaller than the one we sleep in at home.

I immediately went into explorer mode and while off-leash, was still tethered to my brother and I drug him around with me. Yes, this in fact, was an adventure! A time to get away…if only for a day. Plus, the best part – two doors opened up revealing a sweeping view to a sea of blue (which at first I thought was the Cote d’Azure, but was actually just a sea of tennis courts).

Oooooooh la la!

There was a waft of fresh air that required me to plant myself on my fluffy bed in the wake of it all so I could comfortably sleep the afternoon away, breathing in the air and my brother’s scent, long into the evening.

Comfy

Yes, our parents left us for something other than us, but we had gotten sleepy by then anyways. They did come back to wake us and were happy too, plus the evening was late yet still warm. Mom took us outside by way of the plush hall, scary elevator and spacious room. My brother and I took longer than we needed to because the night was so perfect and warm. We love exploring new places, smelling smells that are unfamiliar yet, all at once, exciting!

I even provided the turn-down service!

That night, we behaved. Our behavior did change! We slept longer and deeper than normal even tho we had a late nap. And we didn’t wake up our parents until the light came into our room. When we made Mom get dressed to walk us, the sun had already risen and the world was gloriously awake! Mom didn’t agree that this was the perfect time to be awake; it was 5 am.

Spy girl That is me up there.

When our parents got dressed and left us alone, they wore the same kind of clothes they wear when they leave us on the weekends. This time though, they appeared again below us. They began hitting a bright ball back and forth with a netted paddle. We have seen them do this in the park sometimes but they were always getting mad at us for loudly cheering them on so they stopped taking us. We decided that this time we might try being silent; sneakily peering from above and chewing our feet instead. This must have been a good idea because they rewarded us for being good by taking us on another walk and then fed us our favorite home-cooked meal out of our special travel bowls.

Buddy & Ginger’s Favorite Home Cooked Meal for Pups – by Ginger
Makes 4 pounds (enough to last Buddy 5 days; he is little but sometimes 12 pounds)

This is actually Buddy’s food but I like to eat it too. I like to eat. He is on a low protein diet because he is shaky and wobbly and something isn’t right with him but I don’t know what is wrong. I just know that ever since he started getting poked with a needle every night to let liquid fill up his skin, we both started eating something different than we used to eat and we each have our own flavor. Mine has more meeat which Buddy would rather eat and his has more vegetables which is more my kind of thing. I always get to taste his though, especially if he leaves some stuck at the far end where he can’t reach and it is usually really good except when Mom uses zucchinis (the only vegetable I really hate, except celery…well, and cucumbers). Buddy is weird and like those things. Then again, he’ll eat fuzz off the floor.

I have always had a healthy diet but believe you me, ever since we switched to this whole, non-process food, I feel like a young pup again and Buddy has gone from crazy not eating at all to inhaling his food and getting it all over and then tries to eat mine. Sometimes a lady named Shelly makes the food for us and sends it to the house and sometimes Mom makes it herself. When Mom makes it, she uses 25% protein, then splits the rest with equal parts vegetable/fruit and carbs. She then adds nutrition and supplements provided by Shelly at Paws Custom Pet Food nearby and when mommy forgets, late at night she can order it on her computer. Below is our favorite mix from Mommy and I had her type the numbers (although Buddy would prefer there was more meeeet)!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb chicken hearts
1/2 lb ground lamb
1/2 lb carrots (peeled and chopped)
1/2 lb sugar snap peas in the shell (stem end removed)
6-8 oz cooked sweet potato
6-8 oz cooked brown rice
6-8 oz cooked garbanzo beans (drained of liquid)
4 oz fresh figs
4 oz fresh blueberries
2 oz cabbage leaves, sliced
2 tsp nutritional supplements from Paws Custom Pet Food (Buddy’s has the added kidney/liver supplements with holistic herbs such as turmeric and milk thistle)

COOK

Mom adds some olive oil to a sauté pan (just a tiny bit) and then cooks the chicken hearts until they are no longer pink inside. This takes about 10 minutes. She always eats a few herself so I make sure I stare so she feels the need to share with me too. When those are done cooking she sets them aside to cool.

Next she cooks the lamb, right in the same pan. She buys the grass fed lamb that doesn’t get all oily on the bottom of the pan. When I eat grass I barf, so I’m glad I’m not a lamb. She doesn’t add any salt or pepper and “tests” so much of it herself that I worry about if any makes it into Buddy’s food.

While that is cooking, she cooks the sweet potato in the oven after stabbing it with a knife (scary). She says all of the ingredients need to be cool when she mixes them so that it stays fresh longer.

Next, she puts everything into a big bowl on her electric chopper thing and turns it on. It is so loud and I can’t even hear very well; this is my least favorite part (daddy’s too).

That’s it! Easy huh? Make it for your pups! Now lets eat!

love ginger

A Number’s Game

08 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy, the kitchen

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

birthday cake, birthday pups, carrot cake, contemplating life, fig and ricotta cake

Little meaning can be put to some things, yet much meaning can be put to many things; take numbers, for example. We use numbers to measure things, much of the time. We measure ingredients, various aspects of our pups/kids lives, our personal “status”, and of course… our age. Much of the time though, those numbers can mean rather little (in the grand scheme of things), unless you want them (or let them), mean everything.

I turn (bleep) this month (tomorrow, actually). I don’t usually know what age I am turning on the month of my birth (mostly because I think I have already been that age the year before) and doubt that, give one year, or even two, it really means much more than the last. It is just a number, not a real age; certainly not the age that I feel (well, most days)! Not the age that I actually am! In two years time (again) though, I would like to accomplish a task. This is a task I thought I would accomplish by thirty, and then forty, and, well…it is still a task (and a dream). I want to write a book. But I have been writing a book! For ten… no, fifteen years!!! Not really writing a book so much as just, writing (and reading, and living, and cooking, and dreaming)!

I have words to say, words to be read, and sentiments to be taken to heart. I have food to be prepared, shared, and techniques to teach and happiness to be spread. I have something to give, something to receive, and hopes to fulfill. Life is busy, and complicated, and full, even when my belly isn’t. Life is delicious and generous, yet greedy at the same time. I can be spontaneous today and shut-down the next. I am joyful and expectant, yet scared to jump into the unknown. Yet, I’d bet many of you feel the same way?

If there is one thing I have learned in my time here so far, it is this: live, love, and keep being a better person; to yourself, your family/friends, and those that you don’t even know. Don’t take things that aren’t serious, so seriously. Trust me, there are plenty of serious things that will be speed bumps along your way.

The three (best) pieces of advise I would give to a “young” person are these:

Always wear sunscreen. Even if there doesn’t seem to be sun.
Be kind to your feet. Please.
And eat your vegetables. Whether you have two legs or four.

Now I’m dating myself, but trust me on these!

and now…let us make cake!

soRry tO inTerrupt The regularly scheduled rEcipe; this just iN…

Psssst, buDdY and gInGer here an we wantted to make momMy a cake for her birthDay soo of course the obvious Choice is for us two make Carrot cake. MoMmy doesnt Really know how too bake so the cake she made iz probably a Tiny healthier then most of uS would preffer. sO we are Here 2 make sum thing bOth nutritious aNd Delicious. we hopes sHe will share sum with us even thO we uzed butter and special flower.

we went heer for inspiration since we don’t know how to bake eether but since we can’t follow directions to good, it is a little difrunt.

we urge You to make this, not that Fig thing below, But our great cake:

CARROT, CAKE by the numbers

loosely adapted from Alton Brown’s carrot cake

INGREDIENTS + steps 1 to 5

Step 1: grate the Carrots and put in large bowl with the coConut

2 cups grated carrots

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Step 2: mix the dry ingredients in

dry Ingredients:

2 cups “001” flour (soundz fancy, daDdy sez u can uze 007 to, we dont get it)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 TB cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

sum nutmeg

Step 3: Beat the wet ingredients minus the olive oil. when creamy, drizzle the olive oil in with the beater going slow

wet ingredients:

3 TB butter

1/2 cup whole cane sugar (looks like a cross between turbino and brown sugar)

2 TB honey, sweety

2 large eggs

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sour cream

Step 4: mixx the Dry ingredients into the carrots and coconut

Step 5: Mix the wet ingredients into the carrots and dry ingredients. Ooo, thats tricky

COOK

Step 6: Transfer the mix to a buttered And floured cake pan (9” round or square, but no rectangles cuz thats not as Cute an We like cute).

Step 7: Pree heat the oven to 375 degrees hot and bake for 30 minutes. reduce the temperature to 300 degrees cooler and continue to cook until the inside of the cake equals 200 degrees (we stuk our paws in and it seemed gud to us after 30 minutes).

Step 8: LeT cool in the cute Pan and then turn out onto a rack

Step 9: top with whippet cream cheeessse mixed with hunny. Add Cute decorations – boNuS iF they can Be eated!

Step 10: leT US eat Cake!!!

Daddy, don’t blow out mom’s candle (ginGer thinks its fuNNy tho).

Now back to the originally scheduled recipe…

Fig and Ricotta Cake (by the numbers)

When I told Tom what I was making, he said (often when I bake stuff), “You haven’t made that before; make what you know” (as I usually say for when we have company).

To that I replied, “Yes, but only for company. Most of the time, you should just make it up and have fun”.

Step NUMBER 1:

Gather ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients:
1 cup sprouted spelt flour
1 cup amaranth flour (feel free to use all purpose flour for a tastier, less healthy cake)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 TB cinnamon
1 TB whole grain sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
Approximately 1 pint (12-15 whole) fresh figs, cleaned, quartered with stems removed and discarded
2 TB raw honey
1 vanilla bean, inside scraped and outer part saved for another use
1 1/2 TB lemon juice (juice from 1-1/2 baby lemons)
14 oz whole milk ricotta (from a 16 oz tub, 2 oz reserved for topping the cooked cake)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup buttermilk

Step NUMBER 2:

Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl.

Step NUMBER 3:

Beat the eggs, figs and honey together until the figs break down but are still showing skin. It should be holding together but still a little bit liquified.

Step NUMBER 4:

With the mixer on, add the vanilla bean, lemon juice, ricotta, olive oil and beat until nicely blended and slightly creamy.

Step NUMBER 5:

Slowly stir the dry mix into the wet until blended.

Step NUMBER 6:

Pour the whole lot into an oiled cake pan and pop into an oven, preheated to 375 degrees F.

Step NUMBER 7:

Drizzle olive oil over in a circular motion. Do the same with the honey. With the back of a spoon, swirl them around the batter. Pop the pan into the oven and set a timer for 45 minutes.

Step NUMBER 8:

Pour yourself a glass of rosé and wait for 30 minutes before checking in on the cake. During this time, you should be spending quality time with your family…your friends. Smell the air and rejoice.

Step NUMBER 8:

Check on the cake and you might need about 10-15 minutes more for a toothpick to come up clean. If it is getting too dark on top, simply cover with foil and continue. Remove to let cool slightly then turn it out onto a rack.

Step NUMBER 9:

Cut a slice for you and your friends. Top with a dollop of ricotta and a drizzle of honey. Perhaps slices of figs and/or strawberries and blueberries. Go free-form on this!

Step NUMBER 10:

Eat cake (again?) later that evening… and don’t sweat the small stuff!

Love,
Saucey

10 Legs in the Kitchen

~ Cook. Eat. Write

Category Archives: Ginger + Buddy

Now Playing:

seventeen

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

Sweet 16 & always been kissed, by Ginger & Buddy

Happy Campers

bored meetings are boring: by buddy

Food Matters: by Ginger

So long… our Friend (by Ginger)

dog days, by ginger

A Number’s Game