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10 Legs in the Kitchen

~ Food. Dogs. Life!

10 Legs in the Kitchen

Tag Archives: food writing

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

A sure B.E.T. (bacon, egg & tomato breakfast sandwich)

04 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by Stacey Bender in the kitchen

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Bay's English Muffins, Food Blogs, food writing, International Food Blogger's Conference, Skillet Seattle

cover?

A few weekends ago, Tom and I went, willingly, excitedly, to an industry conference.  I know what you are thinking, “why would you do that, on your own dime and with no, business-associated, alterior motive?”.  I mean, let’s face it, conferences can be a bit of a bore.  The answer, in this case, of course?  Food!  Drink!  Like-minded souls!  And of course, my pals at Foodista and Zephyr Adventures (they did not pay me to say this; they just really know how to throw a party…um…event).

We write a Blog (well, I write a Blog and Tom edits), which of course, you all know.  You know, because you are reading this.  What you might not know, even if you are reading this, is how we actually make our living.  We are both designers and both love what we do, however, I love food more!  I do, so sue me.

I often feel like I should be making my living from something pertaining to food.  I should be that person you call when you need to cater the perfect party, or that place you go to when you want a beautifully constructed salad, or an easy to put on the table meal, or a bit of advice about where to buy the best duck breast (hint, it would be in my shop), find the best place to eat or simply read the best book (mine? aw shucks, so nice of you to say).

But that is in my pretend world.  In my real world, I design commercial spaces.  I should be blogging about design trends and Interior Design initiatives.  I should be telling you why we (designers) are valuable and should be paid more for our services, but instead, I tell you about what I cook, what we eat and how much we (Tom and I) love our pups, and food (in that order).  And I hope that is why you are reading this?

There was a time that nobody cared what people ate, how they cooked, or if they loved their dogs like children, or even family members.  What a great place food lovers live in now.  How thankful we all should be to those that paved the way to open up the possibilities of nutritional/social food awareness and the attainability of such things that were not attainable for most of us in the past.  How thankful we should be that our kids (even our four-legged, furry ones) are now able to eat healthier and therefore live healthier lives, all the while, thoroughly enjoying every bite.

I respect and applaud the many sponsors of this (IFBC) conference, as well as those that passionately put it together; they clearly care about what and how we all eat and experience food and drink.  There is a passion, a fire in the belly that those in the food industry have that goes beyond making money.  Similar to the design community, they don’t choose this industry to get rich, but rather to be rewarded with a rich life.  Hats off to all of you (except for Thierry, keep that hat on) that participated in IFBC Seattle this year and thank you Sheri, Barnaby, Amy and the rest of the team and generous sponsors that made it happen!

So, if you have a Blog, just love food or want to mingle with people that know about and can write about food, join us all next year in Sacramento for IFBC 2016.  Tom and I will be there, fork and glass in hand.  So we’ll see you there?  And to our new friend Jon, we will save you a seat!

tom and jonstacey and jon use this

B.E.T (bacon, egg, tomato sandwich)

This seems simple enough, I realize.  Most people think that of, say, a martini.  It is not simple though, I assure you.  There is a careful combination of ingredients required but most importantly, there is a requirement that those ingredients be the best.  Deviating to a lesser quality ingredient will produce an obviously lower quality product.  So, judge not the egg **muffin “likeness”.  This one will not disappoint.

I started with a perfectly toasted English muffin from Bay’s.  I did pick up a free pack at the conference, but I will definitely buy my own soon.  These are light and fluffy, reminding me of the fresh ones Tom brings me back from the restaurant Summer House in Maryland when on his business travels there (check out their really cool project Pike and Rose).

I then spread the bottom with a thickish layer of Skillet’s bacon jam (which, by the way, I was incredibly skeptical of since I don’t buy into the “signature” ever-popular take-home item that tends to be for sale by the restaurant du jour these days).  But if ever there was a good use for said jam, this sandwich is it (and since they mastered the fried chicken and waffle, I knew they could step this one up).

a good egg

Next came a sunnyside-up egg topped with white cheddar cheese.  Pop them into the oven and a mere 5 minutes later – heaven!  Okay, not actually heaven, but a really nice breakfast regardless and that is a darn good start to any day, plus a sure B.E.T!

middle

“Fly” Fishing

28 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by Stacey Bender in family gatherings, the kitchen

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Alaskan King salmon, food writing, recipes, smoked cherries, smoked king salmon, smoked salmon on a Mak 2 Star General pellet grill

IMG_3503

I have never been fly fishing.  I have been fly-in, then fish-fishing though and do realize how lucky that is.  I recently saw a picture of my nephew with his first-caught fish.  I smiled at the image because it reminded me of my first-caught fish which (by the way) was bigger than my then seven-year-old self and, I believe, weighed considerably more than me (yes, that sounds fishy to me too).  I did truly “catch” the largest salmon on that fishing trip though, even if my Grandpa had to help me reel it in!

IMG_3532What ‘ya got there Derek?  Need a hand?

derik
…ok, you got this one by yourself?

Among many other things, Grandpa is a pilot (as is John and for that matter, my Mom).  When I recall fishing in Alaska, I recall flying to the destination.  I hate to fly in general, still to this day, but I liked flying with him (or is that why I am now scared of flying; upside-down flying and all?).  Truth be known, I am not that crazy about fishing now either.  I like the idea of it though.  It sounds pretty cool for someone who loves eating and cooking fresh fish.  My Mom always baited my rod for me and when I reeled one in, she was the one that got dirty taking it from the hook.  I wasn’t a “girly” girl, but I didn’t like to get my hands in the guts (yuck) either.  Good thing I had Mom for that.

IMG_3531Grandpa taking off

In any case, I am much more interested in cooking than fishing now, but I’m lucky to have Grandpa, John, Mom and sometimes my brother Mark, to fly-in and catch it each Summer.  I am also lucky because Mom and John just came to town, bringing (in addition to fried chicken from Grandpa’s restaurant) king salmon + sockeye, caught literally the day before.  Sorry Gemini, it just doesn’t get fresher than that, for me!

Grandpa still flies himself (!!!) to fish for salmon, at, well, lets just say he’s had over 90 years on Earth, let alone the years in the air!  How many people can say that?  He brings it back to his restaurant and fries it up for the Lucky regulars sitting around the counter (who likely caught wind of what George was up to that day).

Grandpa in action: 

So, for our little eight legs, two medium legs and Tom’s larger legs, we scurry to the grill to cook up the rest of the catch brought by hand, by way of commercial airlines, insulated bags and cold packs, just in time for an unconventional heatwave in Seattle’s June summer.

Mom cooked her signature salmon for us a few nights ago (see below).  It awaited for us upon our return home from work, at the ready, for flash-cooking and begged to be devoured quickly along with sweet corn, grilled asparagus and whole Rainier cherries bitten from their pits and spit into the garden in hopes of cherry trees next year (of course, we do this every Summer and the squirrels usually just haul them off, and alas, the two decades-old “planted” cherry trees in the yard, are non-fruit bearing).

ps_salmon platterThanks for the great dinner Mom!

We brined the fish, smoked the sockeye and pre-smoked the king.  At the end of the day…we had fish.  Smokey, yummy fish.
PS2_hot smoke smoking
King Salmon smoking…

PS hot smokedHot-smoked King (salmon, not Elvis)

IMG_3492
Hot-smoked Sockeye

Sorry, no photos available of the grilled king salmon with smoked jalapeño cherry sauce – I know you can use your imagination for this though.

Gin and Tonic Smoked Salmon

Today’s weather is a reprieve from a 91+ degree F heatwave that day (a paltry 88 for the high predicted).  I brined my sockeye fillet in a mix of gin, tonic, lime, lemon, sugar and salt.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 lbs fresh salmon fillet (mine were sockeye, skin on… Mom didn’t want me to smoke the king – oops, did a little bit anyway… ssshhhhh).

1/4 cup turbino sugar
1/8 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup gin (I used Tangueray)
1 cup tonic water (I used Q-Tonic)
Juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 a lime

Fennel fronds (or whatever herb you might want it’s scent imparted)

Prepare 

Making a brine is easy and requires less fuss than one would expect from the things I have read on the internet.  Simply mix the brine ingredients in a Ziploc freezer bag,  stir well to let the sugar dissolve and then add the fish.

The fish should be rinsed and patted dry.  The skin can be left on or removed.  You will want to let it brine for 4-6 hours or overnight for a real immersion.

Set your smoker to “smoke”.  *We use our new Mak 2 Star General wood pellet grill for our smoking and the grill temp was between 180-200 degrees at that setting.  Let it smoke until the thickest part reaches 140 degrees F.  For us, it was 3 hours.

Easier than you thought, eh?

You can eat this straight from the bone or add to a cracker with dill sauce or creme fraiche + drink a gin & tonic (again, use your imagination, sky is the limit).

IMG_3507

But whatever you do, do try this!  It is outstanding!  Smokey, but not too smokey.  As spicy hot as you want it to be (1 jalapeño with seeds removed worked for me but go with your gut, it may or may not thank you later).

smoked cherry

Smoked Jalapeño Cherry Sauce 

This was a bonus because I had a bag of cherries and a fire-pot of smoke.  I simply emptied them onto the grill (in my side cold-smoker tray) and let them smoke alongside the hot-smoking salmon.   The jalapeño tagged along for the ride.

IMG_3481Hmmm…not sure where that eggplant ended up?

The cherries were perfect for eating with a cheese plate in that they were still raw but contained a mild smokey quality.  I wanted to make a sauce though and the smoke was to be more assertive, so I took the cold-smoked cherries and threw them directly onto the grate with the king salmon as I smoked it the next day and let them smoke away (this is starting to sound like a Cheech and Chong movie).

Two hours later, I pulled them off, pitted them and threw them into my Blendtec with just enough water to make them saucy (1/8 cup?).

That’s it!  De-lish!  Stay tuned for rack of lamb with this sauce….

…or use your imagination!

buddy + gingerMeanwhile…Buddy & Ginger are back to the observation deck awaiting their next meal.

We’re gonna have roast… (pheasant)

19 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by Stacey Bender in family gatherings, the kitchen

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Bugs Bunny, food writing, roast pheasant, roast pheasant + wild rice soup, wild rice recipe

BugsPot

To the tune of “We’re gonna have roast wabbit” by Bugs Bunny

An annual hunting trip by Grandpa George and John, brought back many pheasant, a la Elmer Fudd.

elmerfud-and-bugs_7487

I personally am not a fan of hunting but am a fan of eating (including meat), so perhaps I am a hypocrite?

Well, I guess that might be true.

rabbitfire72

Between the two of them, a few birds made their way back to their freezers.

PS_grandpa and john

By way of Easter weekend in Arizona, with Mom and John (plus a lovely evening on the side with Dad and Linda), Tom and I were the lucky recipient of a home-cooked pheasant dinner.

PS_with juice

I love poultry, but am, admittedly, not an expert in the way of cooking pheasant.  I can put out a tasty meal involving quail and have been known to cook squab, now and again.  I often roast chicken but prefer grilling a split, poussin under a brick.  Duck is something I also roast; usually just the legs, the breast takes on a quick sear followed by about 7 minutes in the pan.  I have tackled cornish hen, but not for a while, yet I should consider doing this more often.  I have never actually cooked a Christmas goose and to my recollection have never eaten pheasant, let alone roasted one.

So when my Mom suggested we prepare pheasant for dinner the night after we arrived in Arizona, I was… slightly skeptical.

I had visions of a gamey, tough bird that was akin to the wild duck we used to eat after Grandpa’s duck hunting trips when I was young (absolutely no offense meant, but at the time, I was not the biggest fan of those meals).

I left the preparation of the pheasant in my Mom’s capable hands, who in turn, looked to inspiration from her Grandma.

The kitchen smells were mesmerizing as the pheasant roasted and as we sat down to the table (outside, in the warm, dry air looking at the beautiful, mountainous sky), I became a fan of pheasant!

The pheasant was dripping in moisture and bathed in succulent flavor.  The wild rice provided a toothy texture to the silken meat and the cranberry sauce was a happy splash of cool refreshing fruit, even though it still resembled the can it came from; you can take the girl from Alaska but you can’t take Alaska out of the girl (I’m talking about you Mom).

…and so, with that, I give you, Roast Pheasant, in my Mom’s words: PS_cooking pot

Roasted Wild Pheasant by Patricia (AKA Mom)

“Because my grandma cooked wild birds this way, I wouldn’t mess with tradition or success; however there are a few slight embellishments.  Note that our birds were skinned so I had to be careful not to dry them out. 

Check carefully for any remaining b-b shots and soak a little while in salt water.  

Place a carrot, quarter of an onion, and a quarter of an apple in the belly and place birds breast side up in a roasting pan.  

Splash a little cherry balsamic on top then completely cover the birds with bacon strips.  Add a little red wine to the pan. 

Cook at 400-degrees for 10 minutes then cover and reduce heat to 300.  Cook about 1.5 to 2 hours till tender.  

Serve with a wild rice pilaf and cranberry sauce.

  ——-

In my quest to use up leftovers I made the following and it was yummy:

Dice leftover pheasant meat and place in a mixing bowl (I had about a cup of meat).

Add the following:

3 T diced sweet onion

1 small apple diced (or about 1/2 c sliced grapes or 1/4 c dried cranberries)

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 cup chopped nuts 1/2 tsp curry mixed into about 1/2 cup mayo

Mix all ingredients and use enough mayo to make the mixture moist and creamy.

Serve on sweet crackers (Rain Coast or Trader Joes’) as an appetizer, on greens as a salad, or in a sandwich”.

…now back to me (Stacey):

After our dinner, there were a few leftovers.

Leftover wild rice pilaf, leftover green beans and leftover pheasant, not to mention the bones from which the pheasant came, still sporting a bit of meat.

I did what any respectable person would do; I made soup.

The roasting pan was still pretty full of liquid to which I added a little more water.  I removed any remaining bits of meat from the bones and tossed them into the pot as I tossed the bones into the trash.

I removed the apple, carrots and onion from the pot and chopped them, returning them back to the pot in a smaller form. I then dumped in the remaining rice, the left over green beans I had prepared for dinner (after dicing them) along with some chopped celery and a few diced tomatoes.

I splashed in some cherry balsamic vinegar, squeezed in the juice of one lemon (from the tree outside), sprinkled in some kosher salt + ground pepper and set the pot to simmer for a few hours as we cleaned up and finished our wine.

We didn’t eat the soup the next day, because it was Easter, but Tom and I downed a quick cup of the soup before heading to the airport the next day.  We were quite pleased with the results.

John sent us away with one pheasant to cook back home (luck, lucky, lucky us).  So I decided to try and recreate our meal (minus the cranberry can, green beans and warm, dry weather).

Here are my notes to Mom’s above:

What she said, (+)plus, my two cents:

I used 1 cup red wine.

I used a whole apple plus a half.

I did not put them in the belly but just wherever they fit (which goes for the onion and carrot too). 20 minutes at 400-degrees because I had thicker bacon wrapped around than Mom and wanted to get it to brown a bit before turning the oven down.

PS_my not blur pot

Pomegranate molasses plus regular balsamic vinegar stood in for the cherry balsamic vinegar.  I also added 1 TB Dijon mustard.

To serve: I cut the meat away from the bone and laid it on top of the wild rice.

PS_plate 4

The wild rice was cooked in a rice maker.

To the rice, I added 1 stalk chopped celery, 1/4 finely diced apple, a handful of chopped, raw almonds.

PS_almond celer almond 2

I also added about 10 chopped, cooked crimini mushrooms.

PS_mushrooms

The drippings in the pan are lovely ladled over top of the bird.

PS_plate 4 juiceDeebuhdeebuhdee, that’s all folks!

snouty-pride-thats-not-all-folks-snoutypig
Looney Tunes content copyright Warner Bros Studios, thanks for the memories!

The Burger that “Loafs” About

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by Stacey Bender in the kitchen

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

fiesta Friday, food writing, hamburgers, meatloaf

buddy selfieI asked Buddy to take a picture of the burger but he took a selfie instead…

PSginger close up burger…his sister was only slightly amused.

I like to give my friend Piotr a hard time. I don’t do this to be mean, but just because he is so easy to tease. The first time Tom and I ate dinner at his house it was admittedly good, despite his self-proclaimed inability to cook. Good in a no-fuss, pleasantly simple, but tasty sort of way. Having (then) recently rejoined the ranks of bachelorhood, he had just moved into the house, had no furniture (literally) and very few dishes. He did have a sheet pan though, and it was filled with chicken, plenty of it. We all stood around the long (very long) kitchen island that serves as his hub, munched on chicken thighs, ate salad, drank wine and became friends.

Now, “P” (that’s what we call him), doesn’t entertain often but you can be assured when he does, one of two things will be served, chicken or salmon, and sometimes both. He’s the kind of guy that likes a routine and cooks what he knows, which is wise for company (I could learn something from that,preaching it often as I do). I am pretty sure he only knows how to cook in large quantities and has a hard time adjusting to the size of the crowd; not sure if that is a one-size-fits-all type of deal, or a more-is-better guy kind of thing.

But I admire him putting it out there and every year he throws a party for the anesthesiology team at the VA Hospital where he works. This year, by request, he made bison burgers. I was surprised to hear this, thinking outside his comfort zone and all, but then I found out chicken was on the menu as well. Baby steps.

After the party was over “P” stopped by our house bearing a platter of watermelon, cherries and cheese (yum). It was a hot, lovely, only-in-July NW week and (regardless of that) we were out on our deck in the shade, so he pulled up a chair and we chatted a bit. Me being me, began asking about food, which brought us to this – he did not have a bowl big enough for mixing 5 lbs of bison. To this I expressed my surprise that he formed them himself rather than buying pre-formed patties? “No, no”, he said. “You must form them with love. I mixed in the onions, the parsley, egg and breadcrumbs….” This is where I interrupted him (me being me). He was not describing burgers; he was describing grilled meatloaf, I told him. As I razzed him and gave him a hard time, I remembered that I do like meatloaf and I’m sure it was quite good. So, with my motivation being part inquisitive, and part proving my point, that night when he left I set out to make a burger that loafs around and right alongside, a meatloaf that cooks in it’s pan (so basically, I set out to make meatloaf disguised as a burger).

As an aside, later that same night, we found additional goodies surface on the deck including a bowl of green salad with many vegetables, plus beer (!). And ironically, cucumbers in the salad. What?! I had been bitching about not having cukes all weekend. I even mentioned how nice it would be to see if on some crazy notion “P” might have some and then I would not have to go to the store. I, of course never asked, because I never thought he would have one… turns out he did! Goes to prove, you just never know until you ask.

“Loaf” burger

This makes three+ burgers, sliced loaf enough for three sandwiches (or two dinner servings). This is all relative of course, to appetite, size of person feeding and multiplication (was math your strong suit?). You might notice this yields an odd-sized portion, because of course, it was a “proving a point” experiment…

PS2burger on grillIt’s not pretty but…

Also, I had no bison on hand so I used grass-fed beef instead. I had no parsley, hence oregano. No white bread allowed, so whole wheat breadcrumbs instead. Since my tray of watermelon “P” brought us sported a wedge of Stilton, I decided to mix this in too. Obviously, you can use my experiment to form all patties or all loaf, your choice.

1. 4 lbs ground beef, ground bison or a combination of the two
1/4 cup chopped sweet onions
1 tsp kosher salt
Many grinds of fresh pepper
1 egg, whisked (3 TB for burgers, the rest reserved)
1/4 – 1/2 cups bread crumbs (1/4 cup for burgers, the rest reserved)
2 – 3 oz Stilton or bleu cheese, crumbled
3 TB chopped poblano chili
1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped soft herbs (I used oregano, summer savory and chives)
3 TB organic ketchup

1/2 cup purée of roasted tomato, balsamic and onion (all reserved for the loaf)

Mix the meat with the rest of the ingredients, holding back on the egg and breadcrumbs as mentioned above, as well as reserving the tomato purée.

Form three patties, 5 oz each. The remainder goes to baked loaf.

Form the remaining mixture into a loaf shape set over waxed paper. Pour over the remaining whisked egg then scatter with more bread crumbs. Pour over the purée of roast tomato and then carefully transfer to a non-stick loaf pan (sans waxed paper).

Grill the patties on a hot, oiled grill, 3-4 minutes per side. I like to grill slices of onion at the same time.

Cook the loaf pan, alongside the patties, on the heated grill or in a 450-degree oven for approximately 30-45 minutes, or until cooked through. Let rest 10-minutes before slicing. Served on toasted bread with caramelized onions and perhaps a little barbecue sauce, it would make (and did) a mean sandwich!

After our dinner, I packed up the “loaf” burger I made for “P” along with a few slices of the the MEATloaf and texted him to see if I could bring it over. No reply. He had already gone to bed. 8:30 pm. Good boy (school night and all).

The next morning, my text had been answered (at probably around 4:30am), to which I tardily-replied (bad girl). When we came home that evening, there was a cooler on our back porch housing the frozen “loaf” patty I requested in exchange for the one I made for him (it was necessary to compare, don’t you see?).

coolers

Hmmm… ya think someone ought to remind him that his salary affords him the ability to buy a new cooler all this time later? Take note of the blackened out name before his; I bet Sue has one that is not chewed on by critter. Again, all in good fun.

I removed the patty from the cooler and replaced it with the patty (and loaf slices) I had made. I then put the cooler back on “P”‘s porch (since he was not home) and sent him a text.

photo 1

textMy message to him is in green.

What?! He thought I thawed his burger, mashed it up and put it back into a completely different shape (1/2 the diameter and twice the height), placed it in a bun, with cheese, and grilled onions and called it my own?! We’re still laughing, and mean absolutely no offense to those with English as a second language. Not your burger to me, but a burger from me to you. Lesson learned on my end, I’m a putz.

Oh yeah, druuuuuumm roll please. Yes, this tasted good. Still, I am a purist and will stick with my way when I put burger to grill. However, there are many of you out there that have an opinion and I would love you to chime in. Do you make your burgers with breadcrumbs and egg or do you consider this an infringement on the sacredness of a burger and teetering on meatloaf? This inquiring mind wants to know. Oddly enough, I had never considered this an option a mere week ago. I’m growing, I’m changing…

So, since these were made because of a party, it seems fitting to bring them to a party – Happy Fiesta Friday everyone. Join Angie over at the Novice Gardener for more good things to eat, Hilda and Julianna will be greeting guests too. Ginger and Buddy are sitting this one out.

hammack

 

 

 

My Writing Process, “A Blog Tour”

22 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by Stacey Bender in Ginger + Buddy, Reviews

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

dogs, food writing, life style and leisure, Why I write

20140622-181737.jpg Taste treats!

What is dis tour de blog? Apparently it is a far-reaching trek across the blogosphere asking bloggers, with subjects vast and varied, to look inside their process and share what makes them do what they do with the masses (errr, well, in our case, with our beloved 94 followers and whomever-else deems our insights worthy of reading – we thank you in advance).

(France-living canine) Hugo, via (France-living Mom) Fiona of the Healthy Epicurean, passed this tour-de-blog torch to our 10 little legs (2 legs actually not-so-little, but 8 legs quite dainty, messy and cute) for contributions to this blog tour. We are particularly honored because the Healthy Epicurean is one of our most-coveted blog sites, filled with delicious food, solid health advice, and best of all, charming wit and personality. Whether the antics of the day are to do with the horses, the chickens, eleven-year-old son Leo, curmudgeon (and news corespondent) canine Hugo, or BHFF (best hen friend forever), the story always amuses, plus the whole clan lives in Southwestern France (and how idyllic is that?). I might also add that her header is an ever changing array of perfectly depicted watercolor scenes done by her father-in-law? (Fiona, did I get that right?) We just love them!

Bear with me as I am (happily) obligated to answer the following four questions, but be forewarned, I may have exceeded the average word count!

What are you working on?

I have multiple balls in the air right now; multiple pencils on the page, fingers on the keyboard…and so on.

In addition to answering these questions, I have recently tried to resurrect my focus toward publishing a cookbook (which is what got me writing in the first place). I am shaking off the dust, seeing where I left off and deciding where I want to take it going forward.

I also have a running list of things I want to post on my blog but am having a hard time keeping current posting on things as they occur. I have a file of posts “in progress” and a list of ideas for future posts.

How does your work differ from others of the same genre:

I think the main way anybody’s work differs, one from the other, has to do with their voice. I try to write with my heart, which means my personality will show through, and hopefully, come across in the spirit with which it is intended (for better or worst). Also, since my dogs Ginger and Buddy are such a large part of my world (as is Tom), there is an infusion of their stories with my writings about food (sometimes from their point of view); we are so intwined that their inclusion is really just another extension of me and my (our) kitchen.

I try not to put the main emphasis on a recipe, because for me, it is the story surrounding the food that is as interesting (if not more so) than the food itself, even if that story is a description, in some form, of the food. Food marks certain times in my/our, life/lives (similar to the way a song or a perfume scent evokes nostalgic memories) so I like to remember what I was eating, cooking, making, growing and buying as our lives unfold.

I don’t spend a lot of time “styling” my food for photographs; not because I don’t want to but mostly because it is our dinner (lunch or breakfast) and we like to eat it at it’s best (AKA, still warm). The photos I use are “in the moment” as we would (and do) eat if the blog did not exist. Plus, and I think this is important, I don’t consider myself a “foodie”. Not sure where that term came from but I am just a lover of food, not a snob about food. I can be a snob about food (as my family, not Tom, would surely tell you) but I mostly just think of food as a benefit of life. I love grubby food as much as fancy food but want any food to fit the moment or the experience presented. Mostly, now, I am so aware of the better foods and try to skip the processed foods. I grew up with the stuff our government (in the USA) “made” for us and am now in a position to move away from that processed crap and eat smarter.

I try to form a meaningful connection between the story and the food, rather than just being “The Turtle” on Sex in the City who bores Samantha by reciting everything he knows about mushrooms or the Jim Nabors character on the Love Boat who describes to the passengers each night exactly what he ate for dinner, boring them beyond belief (although, admittedly, I found it very entertaining which was an indication that I am, in fact, a food geek).

Why do I write what I do:

I write about food because, I can’t think of anything else that defines my life so much as food. When I talk about my life, the subject of food always bubbles up. After I began journaling my food (well over a decade ago), I decided to write a cookbook, but wanted it to be something more than just a book of recipes. I dabbled in a myriad of ideas but as a designer (of interior environments), my work-life finally consumed me and eventually I quite writing. I started my blog because it was a more manageable chunk to bite off and has now inspired me to write again.

When I/we (Pete, Tom, Ginger, Buddy and me) first launched my/our blog, I planned only to post once a month. As I began, I realized that in addition to enjoying the writing, I began craving the connections to a community that thought about food in a similar way as I think about food. I became excited to write and allowed myself more freedom to pay attention to what I was making in the kitchen. I post once, sometimes twice a week rather than once a month. I don’t write for an audience as much as I write for myself though, but I am always thrilled when what I write resonates with someone else. I continue to write about food and life because it excites me and I don’t want to forget my experiences; plus, those experiences often include food.

How does your writing process work:

My process works in multiple ways and is more of an evolution than a process. Sometimes I start talking to myself (quietly, inside my head) and I realize that I am onto something, so I write it down. It is usually involving food but not always. Other times I might have a random thought, this could be a thought about food (what to make, what to eat, what to do with an ingredient) or a random thought about life (what I did, what I want to do, what I saw, where I have gone, where I want to go, or what happened in the world). The thought could be about a feeling, or a season, or just about anything; if it sparks an emotion that makes me want to write about it, I just start writing. If I run out of something to say or hit a road block, I store it away for another day (and many of those jumbled thoughts sit parked forever on my iPad). I develop recipes this way too and then try them out later to see if they turn out or make sense. I tend to be a thinker though and like to sit on things a bit, then revise, read, revise, read and then finally edit. Tom is always the final editor (so you can blame him if it still doesn’t make sense to anyone but us).

Then there are times when a fun title pops into my head and I mold a subject around that title. I might bounce ideas off Tom and through our discussions come up with something very different then what it started out as being. I always edit, edit, edit and then Tom edits a bit more.

I often write in the car on the way to work (don’t worry, Tom is driving, and also not editing). I might add to that throughout the day here or there, or I might not. I usually write again on the ride home, or I read what I have written instead and try to figure out where I want to go with the story or the recipe.

Finally, there is the sheer emotional experience that gets me writing. If something happens to make me happy, sad, nostalgic… I allow that feeling to wash over me and see what comes out from that in writing, or in cooking. Often, if too emotional, these moments get lost because I have a hard time writing them down.

My writing is merely a compilation of my life as I see it, expressed in the form of food.

Next up:

Now, in the spirit in which we received the tour de blog torch, Ginger and Buddy have asked that it be passed onto the following two bloggers (and each will describe their choices and a then Tom and I will describe ours; of course, we are grateful to Hugo and Fiona for thinking of us):

Ginger: It has to be Minnie from Minnie in Manhattan. I think of myself as a stylish gal, with my red hair, soft, thick and cut on trend; my wardrobe boasting a colorful and interesting array of fashion-forward pieces partial to pink even though I am a tomboy at heart. I have a prance about my step that could rival even the most highly-trained runway models, albeit heavy-hoofed and fancy-free will typically win my step over in the end. I like to frequent all the best outdoor patios for dining and prefer to eat my food from a silver fork rather than out of a bowl. I can bat my big eyes and win over the toughest of crowds, but when I read about Minnie’s escapades in Manhattan, I just knew that I found a friend. Minnie has some great sources for fashion and is not stingy with her insights. Her Mom takes her to some great East Coast places and if you check out her site you will feel like you are “in the City” as well.

20140622-181333.jpg

Buddy: Em parchall to Pattee from Patty Nguyen. Lyke me, she haaz A intresteng heretage an juzt az My Mommy lovz me, Pattee lovz her itzee Bailey beeond wordz She iz kine too everyonze and is a thotfull Mentor, teach perzon an frend. her photographingz iZ stunnig and her foode lookz yummiez 2. plus shez iz one of my biggeszted followerzz

20140622-180917.jpg

Stacey and Tom: Sheri, from the Unfettered Fox is an inspiration both as an artist, gardener, writer and cook. No pretension, quirky and fun. Her house made for bees won our attention and our hearts. Her preference to wearing pajamas all day hit pretty close to home, as did her “plough through the work” attitude once motivation sets in. This artist knows how to entertain, work hard, relax and have fun. She also knows how to cook, eat and write. We especially like that she and her husband co-exist on the same property, both at work and play. Loving the life, given twice the reward.

Buffy: And in the not-to-be-forgotten category… Buffy (our dear but sadly departed blonde dog) would want me to add on:

Rachel Mankowitz of The Cricket Pages is one to be read. Her heart-warming humor shows how our four-legged friends can both mystify and delight, comfort and amuse you, watch over and protect you. Most of all, she has two blonde gals that will changed to course of her life, just as my blonde gal, Buffy, changed the course of my life – Stacey.

20140622-181854.jpg Pups eating arugula?! Crazy. And crazy good breakfast pizza.

20140622-181055.jpgHappy as clams to be participating.

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