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10 Legs in the Kitchen

~ Food. Dogs. Life!

10 Legs in the Kitchen

Tag Archives: English muffin

our happy place

22 Sunday Mar 2015

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

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Dog Beds, English muffin, Happy Places, LL Bean Dog Beds, Summer House

PS_muffin cover

There comes a time of day where nothing feels quite as good as the heaviness of blankets, mixed with fluffy pillows, soft cotton sheets and a familiar smell.  In the wee hours of the morning, I can burrow myself in and feel as if I never have to leave.  In the late hours of a long afternoon, I can dream of the moment I will be cocooned once again.  As I shed my clothes at the end of a day and finish going through my usual bedtime routine, I anxiously await the moment I will fall into bed, snuggle between the sheets and feel (safe) as if the burdens of the next days can wait.

Ginger, sleeps in our bed too, but she has always had a bed (or four) of her own.  I think it must be a similar kinship that dogs have with their beds as we have with our own.  Her first bed was three sizes larger than her small, 8-week-old puppy self.  She was in it so much though, that we used to pick her up while she was still laying on it, fold her up and take her with us to the next room or in the car.  For that reason, it became know as “the taco”.  If she was not in “the taco” and it was time to go in the car, all we had to do was set it near the door and she would jump into the bed, waiting for us to fold her up and be whisked away to another adventure.

Buffy’s last bed was only a few months old when she passed and Ginger wanted nothing to do with it; perhaps because it was monographed with Buffy’s name?  At one point, (obviously) unable to throw the bed out, we decided to see if Ginger would at least use it outside.  For similar reasons as her first bed, this bed (aka the blue bed) became known as “the outdoor taco”.  Next came “the raft” (her new inside bed with high sides and cute pinstripes), then the replacement “raft” (which really just meant that the first “raft” went to the bedroom and second one replaced the first in the living room.

Then, along came Buddy.  His first steps in the house (before he was even “ours”) led him straight to the “living room raft”.  Ginger must have set him straight early-on when we were not home, because he didn’t make himself comfortable in that bed again, for many years.  Buddy did however, resurrect the taco.  It had long-since been abandoned by Ginger.  It had not been removed from our office however.  Once Ginger realized how valuable the “taco” still was, she decided she liked it again too.  Buddy was again without a personal bed.

I was at Mud Bay one day and saw a little teeny bed with tall fuzzy sides and a goofy (but appealing) bone design in the middle and it was on sale for all of $14.00.  I thought it might be nice to bring home, just to see if Buddy might like it next to our bed since we noticed he jumped off in the middle of the night. We usually found him laying on the floor, all alone, no bed, (which broke our hearts as he was our family now).

I brought it home, set it on the open end of our L-shaped couch, where Buddy always laid (because of a rookie move I made, placing him there in the first days he was in our home, before he knew his boundaries); he hopped right in.  Problem was, he didn’t want to leave and he didn’t want the bed to leave the couch, ever!  We were stuck with that bed (not pretty either or frankly, even meant for permanent use), sitting on our couch, for over a year.  Ginger had her “raft” and now Buddy had his “dinghy” (very appropriate in a Gilligan sort of sense).  It was his and his alone.  Ginger let him have it and he held on as if it were bringing him to shore, no matter how long the journey.

PS_Bud in dinghy

The “dinghy” was finally replaced by “sheep” one Christmas, who is large and apparently a pretty cozy friend (plus much more chic on the Italian couch).  Still, Buddy had no bed.  No real bed of his own, that is.  We paraded many new beds into the house and set them on the floor next to “raft”; all were rejected and returned.

Sheep makes an obligatory visit outside.

Sheep makes an obligatory visit outside.

As for the “outdoor taco”, Buddy hopped off of it the second we put him on.   One summer, I am not sure which, maybe only the second Summer, Buddy began using “outdoor taco” when Ginger was sitting elsewhere on the deck, basking in the sun.  We had bought another outdoor bed for him, which Ginger took control of too.  When we saw Buddy laying on the “blue outdoor taco”, one sunny afternoon, our hearts melted from love.  He was so small on it that he looked lost in a pool of comfort.  “Buffy” was monogrammed above his head; it was then that we started calling him Budfy.  He fell in love with “outdoor taco”, so Ginger fell back in love with it too.

A long time coming!

A long time coming, Buddy finally wins a spot!

Ginger shared the new bed too...

Finally, in an attempt to retire “outdoor taco” for good, after many, m a n y years of excellent service, we ordered a new outdoor bed.  It was from LL Bean (excellent, long-lasting rough-and-tumble beds).  It was the same exact bed as “outdoor taco” except it was one size smaller and had a cuter outfit.  We planned to let Ginger and Buddy share the most recent outdoor bed with this one and retire “blue outdoor taco” to a needier home.  The new monogram for “orange taco” is “BuG” (Bud (ff) y  +  Ginger).

blue bed

That was last summer.  Since then, as Fall came around, then Winter, and currently into Spring, Buddy finally, now, has his bed.  There is no catchy, silly name attached (other than the rarely-used “orange taco” when clarity is needed); It just belongs to Budfy.  In it, he sits alongside his sister, in her “raft”.  Side-by-side (something we never thought we’d see to this extent).  When Ginger leaves her raft, he often jumps from his bed to hers, depending on his mood.  He hops from bed to bed, around the house and in the car.  He is never scared or shy and Ginger let’s him have his way.  It is this new orange bed though that he has claimed to be his own.  He has not only found his bed, he has found his happy place, his forever home.

This is not a recipe.  Because there are no recipes in my Happy Place, just good food + love.  I found some love, in these English muffins. I did not make these English muffins.  My lovely friend, Paula, hand-carried them to me from North Bethesda, Maryland, where some clever people at Summer House made them.

They blew my mind.

Wow.

Yes, really.

Wow!

Mind-blowing English muffins.

Really!  Take my word for it!?

I have no photos, of the muffins.  Because I (we) ate them (and it was one of those opportunities where the moment(s) didn’t need interrupted with fussing with a camera).

The first, just toasted, near midnight, slathered in butter and a little bit o’honey.

Next, as a bun for hamburgers (thanks Pete, for the tip).

This morning (er…afternoon), we brunched on a most exquisite breakfast sammy (AKA – sandwich).  It had procuitto, crisped to just the proper crisp.  It also had an egg, organic, farm-fresh (like, actually, really farm fresh…makes a difference, yes!).

The egg, fried.  Just.  Not too fried, but just fried.  There is a difference!

It also had cheese.  Beecher’s Flagship cheddar.  This doesn’t slice well so it was partly sliced and partly just chunked on.  Makes no difference in the yumminess factor.

Chunked on = thick, gooey cheese (yum!).

But, back to the muffin.  Oh my.

Paula, thank you!  Next visit…pleeeeese?

Happy place

our happy place!

 

 

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

25 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by Stacey Bender in Eating Out

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

avocado, English muffin, smoothie, Weekday breakfast, wheat grass powder

20140325-163204.jpg
Favorite weekday breakfast recipe…hmmmm. Does anyone actually have time to make a recipe for breakfast during the week? I do need to eat breakfast because without it, I am grumpy, and hungry. I like to reserve eggs for the weekend, unless they are hard boiled, in which case I will eat one with sea salt and pepper. I think a slice of rosemary toast, with butter and raspberry jam is divine, but that’s not really a recipe, now is it?

Mid-week breakfast – my recipe
Serves 1
Disclaimer: Written for office commuters. Can be adapted easily in the stay at home/home office kitchen by simply ignoring the “to go” jargon and just implementing at home. The broiler is a fine substitute for a toaster oven (in fact, the toaster oven is actually the substitute for the broiler in the commuter world).

Flailing about in the morning of a weekday, having barely shaken off dinner from the night before, I find a pack-and-go kind of breakfast to be the best choice. In my case, often, it is the only choice. I don’t always (okay, rarely) make lunch in the evening since I spend my time making dinner, however, I do need to have something for breakfast and if it means spending 5 minutes less putting on eyeshadow or ironing my top, well, priorities and all. 5 minutes is like 5 cents was to buy a gum ball once, and time being precious these days (all days really), I pack it and tackle it at work (multi-tasking, of course).

INGREDIENTS

Alarm clock – set 5 minutes earlier than the 20 minute “snooze” button.
Good black coffee, pre-set to go off without any effort (Tom always comes through).
Pantry and fridge stocked with healthy ingredients (such as fruit, yogurt, juice, cheese and grains).
A magic bullet or good blender.
Dogs that do their business without lolly-gagging.
Small bowls, cups and baggies “to go”.
The ability and inhibition to throw things together quickly (while half-asleep) and finish assembling at the office to eat while reading email.
An office that has a toaster oven, a microwave and white porcelain plates.

INSTRUCTIONS

“Don’t sweat the small stuff”. “Variety is the spice of life”. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. Eat well, work smart and remember the important stuff!

A few of my favorites:

THE GOOD
Avocado half with sea salt and citrus

20140325-163558.jpg

This might be one of the easiest and most perfect breakfasts for someone like me on a weekday in that, it is self contained, creates it’s own bowl, is healthy, is filling and is an avocado (which might actually be one of the most perfect foods – I heart avocado). My sister-in-law, Irma, taught me this and all I could think was, “Duh, why didn’t I think of that?”.

STEP 1

Grab an avocado and a lime on your way out the door.

STEP 2

Go to the office, log onto your computer, then head to the kitchenette. Yes, yes, get some water; must stay hydrated.

STEP 3

Cut the avocado in half, lengthwise. Cover the half with the seed in wrap, to save for the next day (or share with a co-worker). Cut a wedge of lime. To the other half avocado, sprinkle with sea salt (do you keep yours in your drawer?) and squeeze over the lime.

STEP 4

Get to that meeting you are late for, avocado in the palm of your hand. Eat avocado, scooping with a spoon as you converse with meeting attendees. This is of course conducive behavior for some meetings and some – not; use your judgement.

20140325-164144.jpgYou could even add a scoop of cottage cheese if you are feeling fancy (or rather, not so fancy).

THE BAD
English muffin with tomato, basil and cheese

20140325-170730.jpg
Not bad in it tastes bad, or even that it is bad for you. This is healthier than a “typical” breakfast sandwich, quick, easy to assemble and cook, but best of all, feels like a civilized breakfast that can be transported to the office with almost no effort. Share one-half with a co-worker; no need to be an oinker.

STEP 1

Pack an English muffin (I use whole wheat), a small tomato, a few leaves fresh basil and a few slices of cheese into a travel bag. For the cheese, I switch between fresh and hard mozzarella, cheddar, Comte, gruyere, lite Jarlsberg, or whatever specialty cheese I might have picked up that week. It is extra convenient (and requires even less time) to use pre-sliced cheese (not Kraft singles) which is what I resort to on the busiest of mornings (pre-sliced cheese, not Kraft that is).

STEP 2

Go to the office, log onto your computer, then head to the kitchenette.

STEP 3

Toast the English muffin lightly in the toaster. While it is toasting, slice the tomato, sprinkle with sea salt (which I keep at the office) and fill up a glass with ice water (to keep hydrated).

STEP 4

Put the toasted muffin halves on a piece of foil and lay a slice of cheese on the top of each muffin half; top with basil leaves then tomato. If you prefer a bubbly top, reverse the tomato with the cheese. Put the muffins into a toaster oven (in a pinch, use the microwave) and set it to “toast” which should take a few minutes during which you can begin reading emails or doing something work-related.

STEP 5

Eat at your desk as you read/answer emails. Be sure to wash your hands and your keyboard/mouse often.

THE UGLY (to make you feel pretty):
Super healthy smoothie “to go”

20140325-170835.jpg
Okay, so here is a solid (or not so solid, pun-intended) recipe; I am not on the juicing craze of the rest of the world, but I have to admit that when my husband went out of town a few months ago, I got into the habit of doing this (he would remind me I also ended up in the hospital, but, it had nothing to do with this, honest). I would fill the cup of my Magic Bullet with fruits, spices and yogurt the night before to be ready for a fresh puréeing of it in the morning, right as I walked out the door (glass with lid, in one). The combination below is my favorite; the addition of citrus and ginger, combined with extra cinnamon and cardamon make for a bright, sunny flavor. I don’t actually measure, rather haphazardly throw the various ingredients into the cup (but the quantities listed below, I tested for you). I use Grays Harbor plain yogurt (a local yogurt in Washington) which is not low-fat but has much less fat than a full-fat Greek yogurt would have. The wheatgrass powder adds an extra dose of healthy; helping to extend energy, detoxify and increase our immune system (and who doesn’t want to do that?).

STEP 1

Quickly, very quickly, throw the following ingredients into the cup of a Magic Bullet, Vita-mix, or food processor and purée until smooth:

1/4 banana, peeled
A handful blueberries
A few slices fresh mango
1 TB wheatgrass powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamon
4-5 slivers of peeled fresh ginger (or just grate some in, to taste)
Juice of wedge lemon or lime
1/4 – 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup or so fresh squeezed grapefruit (or apple) juice

You can do this the night before and purée just before heading out the door; still do it quickly or else you have missed the whole point. If you don’t have a Magic Bullet, transfer the smoothie to a glass jar with a lid after puréeing.

STEP 2

Go to the office. Yes, you will still be logging onto your computer, then going to the kitchenette (to get water, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate).

STEP 3

You can join a meeting, head to your desk or whatever your calendar has in store for your morning. A sippy cup is usually acceptable in most of the above. It is also okay to have already finished the smoothie in the car, bus, train, subway (you get the idea). Easy! Healthy! Makes you pretty (yes, even you, pretty-boy).

Share your favorites. I would love to hear how your week goes down and how you feed it in the a.m.

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