Previous Dogs

I had Sophie, a white Lab, for a week. She and her owner were lovely. Sophie was nervous and I had to sleep with her every night on the sofa, otherwise she would pace around. My husband won't let the dogs on the bed so Sophie wouldn't sleep. She was so cuddly and a sweet puppy. She had only been with her new owner for about 3 weeks and had been with another family before her for not much longer. I understood her seperation anxiety.She was one and a half and moved so often. So I slept with her and she was very warm. Thankfully we have air conditioning.
She was so happy to see her owner when she got back, it was a lovely reunion. Over the same time I had Angel and Chloe for just a few nights. They all got along real well. Liked to check out the bathtub, for some reason. One of them would get in and paw at the drain, I could not figure out why. We gave Sophie a bath and she seemed to enjoy it!

Cody and Cat

Cody has decided he no longer has to act like a polite visitor. Maybe it is because I had to crate him for a few hours for the first time. I went to garden at a friends home, and took Mira with me.
He was used to us always being home. So to pay me back he pooped and peed on the living room carpet after we came back from a walk!
Ok, maybe next time he will have to come along gardening.
Now he lays on the kitchen floor watching us, making sure we don't leave. Mira is laying with him doing her homework.
Mira is so attached to this dog. Cody sleeps with her every night and never complains when he is in her room. He really is a doll of a dog. Just really never wants to be alone. When Mira went out the front door to get something from the car Cody cries for her, it is very sweet!
Although;
Cody likes to eat underwear. I caught him stealing my sons underwear from his room and had to wrestle it from him, put a nice hole in the back. Chewed a pair of my daughters too.
But this is one way to get my kids to pick up their clothes and throw them down the laundry shoot!
"Pick it up guys, Cody might get your underwear" hey that works. All that nagging and yelling to pick their clothes up never worked until Cody came along!
Cody is not too fond of the cats and likes to growl and yelp at them.
My one cat, 12 years old, is sick (picture is of him healthy in 2008). He has lost a lot of weight, has lumps on his body, and is due to go to the vets this morning. I think I will need a dog free time to destress this cat!
I drive Cody home today.

GOALS, GRAINS AND GRIST

GOALS:
My goal is to use all the freezer and pantry stuff up before I do another major grocery shop!
We have those food moths all over so I think this is a good time to go through it all.
Do you ever look into your pantry and realize you have things in there from 1991! Although I did a great throwout last time I started the "Organize your house and life in one year" Club, I still have things in there I just avoid using. No more, and I will let you know how it goes.

Last night I picked up some inexpensive white fish, enough for 4 + leftover for under $10 and at whole foods!
Took the leftover Gazpacho, marinated the fish in 1/2 of it(most of the liquid), and the other 1/2 I cooked it in a shallow pan, added coriander, apple juice, some of the red wine I was drinking at the time, and cornstarch to thicken.
I also am trying new(old) grains that one rarely uses. I cooked Millet to put the fish over and poured the sauce over that. We also had steamed asparagus.
Didn't go over well with the kids, but my husband liked it.

GRAINS;
As I use different grains I will give you info and history of because I find them so interesting.

Millet - Partly due to its resistance to drought, Millet is one of the oldest foods known to humans. Archeologists have found evidence of it in digs in China dating back to 8300BC, India 2700 BC and Europe 5000BC.
Millet is rich in B vitamins, niacin, B6 and folic acid, calcium, iron potassium, magnesium and zinc. Other uses of Millet; Beer, flatbread. birdseed, and juggling bean bags.
Millet sustains a third of the world's population, being a large part of diet in Northern China, Japan, Manchura, Africa, India, Egypt and various areas of the former Soviet Union.

I have to admit last night was a bad choice in food combination, if you get my drift!

If you ever listened to "The Splendid Table" on the Public Radio Station (((don't know if it is played anymore) you can look at the site with plenty of cool recipes here; http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/)) the chef, Lynne Rosetta Kasper would have people call in with what they had in their fridge and she would create a meal for them.
Needless to say she would have never paired baked beans and gazpacho like I did last night. I promise to do better in the future, Lynne, really I do!

Fun With Tomatoes

I have so many tomatoes from my garden I had to do something with them. I have yellow (non-acidic) purple, red and green zebra which makes for a lovely mix of colors in...

Easy Gazpacho (with things at hand);

Different color tomatoes, approx 6-8 good sized peeled and chopped
One cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
one pepper (any color) chopped
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 an onion chopped fine
4 large sprigs italian parsley
1 piece garlic
Dash of hot sauce (go easy you can always add more, also as it sits it gets hotter)
salt and pepper to taste


I like a chunky gazpacho so I mix all ingredients together and then blend less than 1/2 of it and add back in. I love cilantro but did not have it, as it did not do well in my pots. Will work on that next year. Gazpacho can be made so many ways that you really can make do with what is on hand.
It is said to put boiling water over the tomatoes and let sit to make it easy to peel. I am lazy and sense fresh ripe tomatoes from the garden have such a thin skin, esp the zebra ones I just peel them and I'm done.

The cat ate the turkey off the counter and then threw it all up so we did not get turkey tonight. Instead we paired it with a can of baked beans. Weird I know, but groceries don't get bought until there is money in the checking account!

Dogs and Drinks

I will admit, I did the 'Teddy is gone Jig' when he left yesterday.

TWO new dogs, a Weimaraner and a Cockapoo.
Wilma the Weimaraner is a love bug and a very busy dog.
She managed to get out of the gated kitchen.
I guess that explains why they call Weimaraners the dog with the human brain.
They are highly intelligent and can solve problems. And it seems to be true, she definitely has me figured out and wrapped around her paw!
Now if she could just solve the, why does every dog I have to sleep over either poops or pees in the house problem! I also read that they are high strung and suffer from separation anxiety.
Okay, so she did wake me up at 4am pacing and with diarrhea. Thank god my husband thinks she is so cool. She slept with my daughter and the cockapoo insisted on sleeping with me so my husband slept on the landing bed. I have the best husband!

Have you ever noticed how anything written about any dog breed mentions how highly intelligent they are.
No one ever says, "this dog is just god awful stupid".
Come on now, I have met some stupid dogs, so they can't all be 'highly intelligent'.
But of course my dog is sooooo smart!! And all the dogs I love to sit.

Cody the Cockapoo (see a trend here with the first initials, cute huh?) is a fun dog.
A small ball of fluff, cuddly and quiet. I was told he has accidents in the house, but this is the first dog that has not gone in the house!! Yeah! So far anyway. Please knock on some wood for me.

This is why tonight we made;

California Caiparina
1 oz Leblon Cachaca
1 oz Bacardi Limon
4 sprigs of fresh basil
1/2 lime
splash gingerale
fresh cracked pepper

Muddle the basil and cut up lime in a rock glass.
Add the liquor
Add ice to fill the glass
stir or shake then add gingerale and garnish with cracked pepper

We first tasted this drink in San Diego this Summer and it has become my favorite summer drink. Sounds weird but is so delicious!
Try it and let me know what you think.

Grilled Veggies, Kids Rated Best Grilled Cheese and Grilled Hummus Fold and Favorites

Who doesn't love grilled vegetables?
To me grilled vegetables is like chocolate cake to a chocoholic. Once I start I can't seem to stop eating them, pair them with hummus and to me that is heaven!
I always grill extra so I can have some in the fridge to use for a quick lunch etc.
Grilled veggies stay good in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
You can use sauteed in the winter but they are not quite the same as from the grill.
Keep in mind the vegetables you use should need about the same cooking time.
So if you are going to grill carrots with zucchini make sure the carrots are cut smaller than the zuch otherwise one will not get cooked or one will be burnt.
I always cut up my veggies in 2-3 inch pieces, then I soak them in a large glass bowl (up to 2 days in advance) with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and herbs. To cheat I often will use a salad dressing out of the bottle.
You can use any variety of vegetables but I always use Onion!
My recent mix; Onion, green pepper, yellow pepper, chocolate pepper(I bought the latter plant at the Frick greenhouse http://www.frickart.org/index.php)
Don't be afraid to use mushrooms, they are yummy. My 14 year old loves them this way.
Add grilled veggies, as a side dish, to a soup to make it healthier, and on sandwiches.

Kids Rated Best Grilled Cheese
My kids say that I make the best Grilled Cheese.
Okay, the truth is my husband started making these and the kids say he does it better. But I am often the one who is available to make them so I suppose I am second best here.
The trick is to use a hearty white bread, not the wonder stuff. I use Pepperidge Farm whole grain white.
Butter both sides of bread (soften the butter in the microwave first)
Grill 2 slices on one side in the pan until brown
Flip over one piece and add cheese (I use shredded cheese) to the browned side putting the other browned slice side on top of the cheese slice. Untoasted slice should be facing up. When the one side is browned flip over.
Hint: to make sure the cheese melts thoroughly, use a pot lid over the pan to keep the heat in.
This may seem obvious to you but my mom always made them with the inside bread untoasted and these are SO much better. With kids, it's the little things that matter.
For the more adventurous child add tomato on top of the cheese!

Grilled Hummus Fold - Gluten Free and Vegan (or not)
For the adults as an alternative to the simple grilled cheese.
To make this gluten free I use millet and flax lavash (looks like a tortilla and comes frozen) which can be bought in the healthfood store.
You can choose to use a Tortilla or bread, although with bread there won't be a fold.
Filling;
Grilled veggies - chopped
hummus - you can make your own but I prefer Sabra brand, which is my favorite, and comes in many flavors, including, plain, grilled pepper, sundried tomato, and pinenut.
cut up soy cheese (for vegan) or shredded regular cheese for vegetarian.
Use Earth Balance buttery spread (vegan, organic and the grocery store carries it)to butter both sides of the frozen lavash (or tortilla)
Brown one side and turn over.
Quickly add your filling to the browned side and fold over. browning on both sides of the half moon.
Eat with chips and salsa, yum!!

Favorites:
Cinco De Mayo Salsa (all kinds)- you can pick this up Wednesday at Mt Lebanons Farmers Market (http://www.mtlebanonlionsfarmersmarket.com/), or the Strip on Saturdays afternoons(Arturo has an outside stand) or uptown Mt Lebanons market on Sat morning.
Sabra Hummus - http://www.sabra.com/
Earth Balance natural spreads - http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/

Pretty in Pink Pancakes

These are Vegan pancakes, Mira's friend Claire's Favorite I am proud to say. I created this recipe using a few different recipes and ideas from 'Deceptively Delicious' by Jessica Seinfeld; a good book on how to sneak vegetables into kid friendly meals!
It uses vegetable purees you can make ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze. I use a lot of Cauliflower puree in many things including meatloaf, but that is for another day.
I also made these with rice flour for a Gluten Free version.
You can try any flour you like and if you don't want Vegan you can use real milk.

Pink Pancakes
Stir dry ingredients together;
1 cup rice Flour
2tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2tsp cinnamon

Mix wet ingredients together;
1cup Soymilk (can also substitute Almondmilk or Ricemilk if sensitive to soy)
2Tbsp veg oil
1tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup beet puree (cook beets ahead of time when soft, blend in blender and put in fridge till needed)

Mix dry and wet together and cook on a griddle. Yes they will be Pretty in Pink and very yummy.
I like fruit on top, like chopped apples in cinnamon sugar. You will notice the lack of sugar in the recipe. That is because I think the beet is sweet enough and I use real maple syrup on top. Although I don't think it needs it, you can add it in if you like. I hate to overdo the sugar like so often recipes do!

Had to get away from Teddy today...
Do you remember having a bad boyfriend/girlfriend that you couldn't wait to see but were so relieved after you left him/her. They drained you but you thought they were so cool and thought you were in love/like?
That is Teddy.
When I'm with him I can't help but hug and kiss him as he is so cute and always begging for more love. But then I just need some space from him!
Drove my husband to work and stopped for pancakes on the way home with Mira.
Came home to a smile and wagging tail.
Teddy ate through 3 pair of shoes, all mine! Couldn't he have just stuck with one pair?
Not just a nibble either, totally torn apart. None salvageable.
He seemed very proud of himself.
One more day, one more day...

Can I tell you now
Alone I must, Pee, Poo, Chew
Leave me if you dare

One More Teddy Day

5:00 am and once again I awake from the sound of Teddy panting.
This time he does not wait and I hear him peeing on the side of the bed. I jump out of bed "yelling"(the way you yell in a whisper so you don't wake the whole house) "Teddy No, let's go out, bad dog" maybe not in that order.
He had left me a gift in the hallway too, which thankfully I did not step in!
Irrationally I think, 'what did I do wrong?'. We loved him, gave him so much attention.
I read about Samoyeds and how they love to be with people and need a lot of attention.
Yesterday;
My son lays with him and cuddles and rubs his belly. My son takes him outside and plays run around. To see a lanky boy and this white ball of fluff running up and down the hill and around sliding in the wet grass is hilarious.
My daughter loves him up too. We filled up the baby pool in the backyard and Molly and Teddy stay outside running around, playing and jumping in the pool.
I love him as I do all the dogs that come to the house but I can't stand the pee everyday somewhere in the house thing anymore.
I brushed him everyday till he looks so beautiful and happy!
I let him out late at night and all day long he goes out many times.
I am in tears this morning.
One more Teddy Day.
I think I will sleep on the couch tonight so everyone else can sleep in on Sat.

One More Teddy Day
What will we do without him
I wish to miss him

He's growing on me.

Teddy, the beautiful white Samoyed, let me sleep until 5:30 this morning and woke me up barking!
I have no idea why.
Even though he is bigger than Molly, my black lab, she is finally in control.
Teddy came with a toy, called the blue dog. A hard rubbery blue toy shaped into a dog that squeaks.
They play tug of war with it. Teddy growling and Molly yanking. Once Molly gets it away from Teddy she finds a place to hide it. Teddy is easily duped!
Teddy will grab on to Molly's neck and yank. Luckily Molly has that Lab double skin (or so I am told) and it does not seem to bother her.
I have begun to use the muzzle when Teddy gets crazy and won't stop mouthing Molly or barking and it is a joy.
I brush Teddy everyday and he mouths if not contained but he lets you cuddle.
My son, 14 and almost 6 foot, wrapped him in a blanket and picked him up like a baby.
Teddy seemed to love it. What other dog, I ask you, would put up with that!
So yes, indeed, Teddy is growing on me.

Healthy Rice Crispy Treats

Here is something I reworked from the Comprehensive Elimination Diet my Homeopathic MD gave me (called Crispy Rice Squares):

Mix together:
2 cups each, Brown Rice Cereal and Puffed Rice and puffed Millet (you can substitute any other puffed too)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup each of 2 of these items; chopped dates, currants, dried cranberries, dried apples (or what you think would be good)
Heat in a pot till just bubbling then remove from heat;
2 to 3 Tbsp nut butter of your choice
(I used chocolate hazelnut fresh ground that I found at Giant Eagle. I do love chocolate in almost anything!)
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
When off heat Add in;
3tsp vanilla
1 tsp cold pressed canola oil
Mix ALL together with dry ingredients and press into a 13X9 pan
You can leave at room temp or refrigerate. I refrige at first till hardened then leave out on the counter to munch on when hungry.
This is a healthy alternative to chips and/or candy and filling too!

Wrap it up

Remember last nights dinner? Use it to make a lunch wrap today or tomorrow.
Use your favorite wrapper. I used a rice wrap (for gluten free)
Add;
hummus or mayonnaise
lettuce and tomato or fresh veggies of your choice (thin cut cabbage is always good)
Last nights chicken stir fry
and wrap it up
My daughter Mira and I ate in the park with Watermelon as a side.
Our lunchbreak from Cyber School

Haiku by Teddy

Do not ignore me
I put my nose in your crotch
and I bark, bark, bark

Teddy Haiku:

Teddy eats combed hair
drops chewed up tissues around
barks when I watch TV

Cheap Eats:

I bought some boneless/skinless thigh chicken (organic Bell and Evans) 1&1/2LBs for 6.94
Vegetables from your garden or what is in your fridge drawer you've been meaning to cook (you know that old cabbage that is a little gooey on the outside but still good on the inside)
I used, because I had it in my veggie box that we get delivered once a week from a local farm;
1 med to large size onion
1 med zucchini
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
All veggies should be chopped into 1/2inch pieces
2 tbls olive oil

Sauce:
1&1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp five spice (asian blend with fennel,anise, ginger, licorice root, cinnamon and cloves)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp mongolian fire oil (or a cayenne but then 1/8th)
2 tsp lemon juice (I always keep some lemon juice, in the bottle in the fridge)

To put the above over;
You know that box or bag of old rice or pasta you have in your cupboard you just don't know what to do with. I used rice pasta for a gluten free meal.

Although I don't usually like the dark meat of chicken this was such a deal. You probably could get it cheaper if you did not use the organic. I think the dark meat works with the Worcester but would not necessarily taste as good with the white meat.
How to;
Brown the chicken in a pan with the olive oil, make sure they are cooked thoroughly.
Set cooked chicken aside
The thighs will make more oil and you will have to pour some off leaving about 2 Tbsp in the pan to saute the veggies with, start with onion until translucent, follow with peppers for 1 -2min and then zuchinni another 1-2min. Chop chicken up into 1/2 inch pieces and add.
Mix all ingredients for the sauce and mix in. Heat until ready, pour over your rice/pasta on plates.
Save any extras. You will use this tom or the next day. Waste Not!

A childrens therapist once told us how some kids don't pick up social cue's and these kids have to learn them by being taught.
Things that come naturally to most don't to these kids.

I never thought dogs could lack that ability too!
And then came along Teddy who doesn't seem to understand how to interact with others in normal dog fashion.
He is a beautiful all white Samoyed. He is a Prince. Prince Theodore in fact.
When I met his very nice parents I knew they were very motivated to find him a place, but as we talked I got the feeling that they were not sharing his whole personality with me. After all they had to leave the next day for a cancelled and then reinstated vacation. ( I should have known right away when they dropped him off and hidden at the bottom of the bag was a muzzle)
At first I thought he was retarded (I know not very PC) OK, Mentally Challenged!
He is not an aggressive dog and he really likes everyone.
Although everyone once they get to know Teddy are just simply annoyed by him. Don't you know people like that too?!

First day with him:
I have never seen a dog who can not sleep at all for an extended period of time.
First day we had him, here at 4pm and after playing non stop in the back yard, that evening when all were in bed (except me) whined, barked and paced until 5am the next morning.
The few times he sat down to rest he never closed his eyes, I know because I was on the sofa with my arm around him trying to console him and when he settled away from me I watched hoping to finally get some shuteye myself!

He has been here 3 days and it seems like 30:
After twice smiling at me and peeing on the side of my bed and not understanding when I am mad at him, I now make a mad dash to the back door when I hear his little panting voice in the morning(6,6:30 or 7 am)
Keep in mind that I do not scream at the dogs, or hit them ever. I will tap there noses with one finger and say bad dog.
Our house although often with kids visiting is never overly loud or crazy.
Teddy never seemed scared at all, even the cats think he is annoying.
My one cat sits at the top of the stairs from the basement, concealed by the partial open door just waiting.
Never have I seen him do this to any other dog before. But he just waits for Teddy to walk by to take a swipe at him, knowing that Teddy is no threat.
I think the cat enjoys it.

Teddy doesn't know how to play with others:
Molly my dog is the most patient, submissive dog I know. But even she got sick of Teddies incessant chewing of her neck and chest.
She tried to get Teddy to play by running him ragged(and she did). Finally Molly just started to run away from him and try to hide behind me.
I had to separate them at times.
So it took a few days but now Teddy will play tug the rope with Molly (Eureka!) even though he prefers to gnaw at her neck.
Molly actually when sick of it will now bear her teeth and nip at his nose. Does he then stop, not really, remember the not picking up cue's thing!

Other things:
Teddy broke down the gate
Teddy barks for no reason
Teddy piddles when the door is closed so I can dress in peace.
Teddy drinks water and the whole kitchen floor gets wet.

BUT:
Teddy comes in such a pretty package it is so hard to stay mad at him!
And honestly I had a child just like him(that is why I know the therapist and many after him) so that does endear me to him.
I blew up last night at my whole family and realized there was some Teddy stress involved so now I am much better.
Teddy and I sit here writing this and he now settles and sleeps. We are making breakthroughs here.

To all you other pet care takers. I feel your pain, and joy and tears and laughter.
Keep up the good work, and as I often say to myself, "Be patient and caring and it always gets better and always is rewarding."
Dara

To Begin

I started this blog because who doesn't like dogs and cooking!
NO, we will not be cooking any dogs and mostly I like to cook vegetarian.
I watch Dogs in my home for a friend who owns a Pet Caring Service.
I also like to cook, and I create different foods.
Sometimes strange and sometimes very yummy.
I will also let you know if it is someone elses recipe and give credit where credit is due.
My first installment is about the latest dog staying in my home and I will post it right after this!