I wasn’t sure what I wanted to post today but I knew I wanted to do something fun and scary for Halloween Eve. I recipe was e-mailed to me for Pan de Muertos (Bread of the Dead)….and that led me on searches for images which led me to this video. Really bizarre!

Pan de Muertos is made in preparation for El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead or All Souls’ Day) which is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 1st and 2nd in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints’ Day which occurs on November 1st and All Souls’ Day which occurs on November 2nd. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.

Oh…and if you think you can stand to eat bread after this video, here’s the recipe for Pan de Muertos.

During the Day of the Dead festivities in the first two days of November, graves are decorated with flowers and offerings of food and drink in honor of the departed, including this pan de muertos, a yeasty, sweet egg bread flavored with anise.

TIME/SERVINGS
Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
Active Time: 25 mins
Makes: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon anise seed
1/2 ounce (2 packets) active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine sugar, salt, anise seed, and yeast in a small mixing bowl. Heat milk, water, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is just melted; do not allow it to boil. Add milk mixture to dry mixture and beat well with a wire whisk.
2. Stir in eggs and 1 1/2 cups of the flour and beat well. Add remaining flour, little by little, stirring well with a wooden spoon until dough comes together.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured wooden board and knead until it is smooth and elastic, and no longer sticky, about 9 to 10 minute . Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm area until it has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Punch down dough and divide into 2 pieces. Cut 3 small (about 1-ounce) balls from each half and mold them into skull-and-bones shapes. Shape large balls of dough into round loaf shapes, and place skull-and-bones on top. Place breads on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rise another hour.
5. Brush loaves with egg yolk mixture and bake. Halfway through baking, about 20 minutes, remove loaves from oven and brush again with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Return to oven and bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about another 20 minutes.

When I woke up this morning and shed my blankets, I couldn’t believe how cold it was in the house! The first thing I wanted to do is run to the closet and find my cozy running clothes and my favorite over-sized sweatshirt. The next thing that came to my mind was….hot chocolate!

Here’s one of my favorite hot chocolate recipes that always bring squeals of delight from my grandkids when they visit.

3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. HERSHEY’S Dutch Processed Cocoa
1/4 c. water
1-3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or my favorite-pure peppermint extract)

Combine sugar and cocoa in saucepan; stir in water.
Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils
Stir in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL!
Remove from heat and add vanilla or peppermint extract

This makes 2 servings, which I usually double because I use large mugs.

I then cover the top with whipped cream (my grandkids like the stuff in the can because it “looks fancy”. And then I sprinkle the top of the whipped cream with mini chocolate chips. At Christmas time, you could also stick a small peppermint stick inside the cup.

And just for fun….

Check out the video I put up at Bad Habit which show kids enduring the “marshmallow test”, it’s priceless!

I thought today would be a fun day to put up a recipe to celebrate the upcoming Jewish holiday, Rosh Hashanah, which falls on sunset September 18, 2009 – nightfall September 20, 2009 and is after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement where they observe a long fast.

Just so you don’t think I’m smart or anything (because I’m not), the following is a description of Rosh Hashana by Wikipedia.

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday commonly referred to as the “Jewish New Year.” It is observed on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, as ordained in the Torah, in Leviticus 23:24. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim (“Days of Awe”), or Asseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance) which are days specifically set aside to focus on repentance that conclude with the holiday of Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah is the start of the civil year in the Hebrew calendar (one of four “new year” observances that define various legal “years” for different purposes as explained in the Mishnah and Talmud). It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts.

The Mishnah, the core text of Judaism’s oral Torah, contains the first known reference to Rosh Hashanah as the “day of judgment.” In the Talmud tractate on Rosh Hashanah it states that three books of account are opened on Rosh Hashanah, wherein the fate of the wicked, the righteous, and those of an intermediate class are recorded. The names of the righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life, and they are sealed “to live.” The middle class are allowed a respite of ten days, until Yom Kippur, to repent and become righteous; the wicked are “blotted out of the book of the living.”

This morning I was reading a story written by a Chicago Tribune columnist, Barbara Brotman, who wrote about her deep appreciation for religious holidays. She went on to write about all the wonderful traditions surrounding the Jewish holidays, such as Sukkot, the Feast of the Tabernacles, where, on October 2nd, they set up little huts up in their backyards and decorate with lights and pine boughs that are laid over the open air roof which leave a wonderful “woodsy” scent as they sit under the stars and dine al fresco. (And I can tell ya…it can be pretty cold in Chicago in October!)

They also have the Simchat Torah, a dance to celebrate the completion of the annual cycle of Torah readings where people dance around the synagogue holding the Torah scrolls. How cool is that? A religious conga line! It makes us Catholics seem pretty darned boring with our chants, incense, and candles.

Then they have the celbration of Purim, commemorating Esther’s rescue of her people from planned annihilation by Haman. In fact, according to Orthodox Judaism online, they write, “according to the Talmud, a person is required to drink until he cannot tell the difference between ‘Cursed be Haman’ and ‘blessed be Mordecai’, though opinions differ as to exactly how drunk that is.”

I love these Jewish traditions!

Ok…on with the cooking show, as usual my post is getting out of control.

So, today I decided to put up a few Kosher recipes to celebrate my friends of the Jewish faith. Of course, anyone can use these recipes, so don’t be shy. Bring out your “Jewish side” and celebrate!

What would Rosh Hashana be without Rosh Hashana Hallah? I don’t know…but this looks to me like a recipe worth trying. Don’t forget to “Take Challah” as described in the recipe!

ROSH HASHANAH HALLAH
Source: Cleveland Jewish News

* 1 cake or 2 pkg dry yeast
* 1 t sugar
* 1/8 t saffron
* 3/4 C warm water
* Bread ingredients
* 8 – 9 C sifted flour
* 1-1/2 t salt
* 3 T sugar
* 3 whole eggs, lightly beaten
* 1-1/4 C lukewarm water
* 1/2 C vegetable oil
* 1 T oil for bowl and pans
* 1 C raisins, softened in hot water, drain and pat
* dry (optional)
* 2 T honey, warmed slightly

DIRECTIONS:
Make the sponge: In a medium glass bowl combine yeast, sugar and saffron in warm, not hot, water. Let stand five minutes until thick and bubbly.

Bread: Sift flour. Stir 1-1/2 C flour into yeast mixture, blend well. Cover with a towel; let rise 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine 4-1/2 C of remaining sifted flour, salt and sugar. Form a well. Mix in eggs, remaining 1-1/4 C water, oil and yeast mixture. Stir in as much flour as needed to form a dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a large, clean, oiled bowl; turn dough so top is also oiled. Cover, let rise two hours until doubled. Punch down dough; knead in raisins on a lightly floured surface for five minutes.

“Take challah.”*

Divide dough in half, roll each half into a 2-inch thick smooth rope, 18 inches long or longer; coil dough into a circle with a large knob on top. Place on an oiled baking sheet or in two 10-inch round pans. Cover, let rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400° F; brush challah once with warm honey, bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F. Brush with warm honey while baking. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped. Cool; remove from pan, cool on rack, store airtight or freeze.

*”Take challah” refers to an olive-sized piece of dough, removed from the dough mass, to be burned before the final rising. It represents the Temple offering by the priests. The burning of the challah remains the “woman’s obligation” and should be accompanied with an appropriate blessing during preparation.

Bon Appétit!

!בתיאבון

Sorry, due to lack of interest, I’m shutting down this blog. I know I’m not giving it much time to take off, but I just don’t have the time to spare. Besides, it’s no fun cooking if no one comes to the table, ya know what I mean?

Thanks and God bless those who stopped by to leave a comment.

All the best–

Nunly

Anyone who reads this blog (there are a few of you!) are most likely those who know their way around a kitchen and have their own favorite recipes. One thing I’ve noticed in many of the new recipes I try (which are much healthier than my old favorites) use Olive Oil as one of the ingredients. That should be simple enough, until you go to the store and see that there are a gazillion different choices.

Now, being Italian, I take my Olive Oil very seriously. I found through trial and error, some of the cheapest olive oils are not that good, the processing does make a difference. Also, being a Catholic faux nun, choosing a virgin olive oil just seems right. However….virgin olive oil isn’t always the right one for the recipe which is why I always follow the cardinal rule (no pun intended)…keep religion out of the kitchen.

Ok, here are the differences in Olive Oils in case you were wondering.

Virgin means mechanical extraction. The oil or juice is extracted by machines with no chemicals used in the process.

What is ‘Extra Virgin’? (No, it’s has nothing to do with being Saintly)

It just means that the oil is mechanically extracted. Virgin olive oil is not all the same quality. You’ve got your ‘Extra’, which is the highest quality because it goes through a battery of tests, both laboratory (analytical) as well as ‘taste’. This involves a cutting by an olive oil ‘master’ similar to the way wines are taste tested…only you don’t get a buzz. Virgin olive oil that is judged to have ‘no defects’ is classified as extra. So ‘extra virgin’ means – mechanically extracted olive juice that passes laboratory and taste testing with no defects.

Olive oil with slight defects, but that is still good for human consumption is classified as ‘Fine’. Low quality oil with numerous defects is classified as either ‘Ordinary’ or ‘Lampante’ (lamp oil). This oil is either used for industrial purposes or is chemically refined….which brings us to what “refined” olive oil is.

Olive oil that is not suitable for human consumption is refined by a heat and chemical process. Chemically refined oil has no acidity…none, nada, zilch, which means it is flavorless and no quality standards stated or implied. Refined oil is mixed with virgin for color and flavor.

But that’s not all! Did you think this would be simple? Is anything Italian, “simple”? There is also Pomace grade olive oil. Pomace is produced by a heat and chemical process from the waste of the ‘virgin’ olive oil after the virgin olive oil is extracted. It is also insipid (0% acidity) with no flavor and no quality standards stated or implied. Pomace is used as a cheap alternative to ‘refined’ oil in order to lower the product cost of the packers who mix it with virgin and refined oils.

What is ‘pure’ olive oil? What is ‘light’ olive oil? What are ‘olive oil blends’? Those are the labels that always threw me off when I went shopping. A little research, and this is what I found…

‘Pure’, ‘Light’, ‘Extra Light’, etc. are not olive oil classifications. They are mixes of refined and/or pomace with virgin oil. Mixes (or blends as packers like to call them) are generally 90-95% pomace/refined with 5–10% virgin oil. Some packers mix in seed, soybean, hazelnut or other oils.

There is a difference between extra virgin olive oil and refined oil mixes, just in case you were wondering (and haven’t fallen asleep before you got this far in this titillating post. Refined olive oil mixes are cheap to produce but are sold at a premium price (in other words, you’re getting ripped off…can’t trust those Italians!). Extra virgin olive oil is entirely natural and expensive to produce. You shouldn’t mind paying a little more for this because the taste is much better than the refined mixes and carries all the health benefits that are associated with Olive Oil.

So that’s the skinny (pun intended) on Olive Oil. I hope you learned something because there will be a quiz on this tomorrow.

(Note from Nunly: Sorry about the long wait between posts, I’ll be sure to get at least one or two new posts up per week from this point on. And I will be putting up some recipes that were e-mailed to me by my faithful readers, I promise!)

Here’s a few little known facts about ketchup and may clear up the confusion with the name.

Long ago ketchup began as a sauce of anchovies, walnuts, mushrooms, and kidney beans. It is believed that the name is derived from the word koechiap or ke-tsiap, which comes from the Amoy dialect of China. Roughly translated, these words mean the brine of pickled fish or shell fish.

The original ketchup was similar to soy or Worcestershire sauce and included fish brine and various herbs and spices. The early recipe found its way to Malaysia and Indonesia, and then may have traveled with sailors to England.

In the 1700′s the Spanish conquistadors living in Mexico introduced the tomato to ketchup and then took the idea to Europe. Their recipe was more watery and was sometimes called “tomato soy”.

F. & J. Heinz Company began producing and selling ketchup in 1876. By the end of the 19th century, tomato ketchup was the primary type of ketchup sold in the U.S. It wasn’t long before competition set in and now there are 60 different brands of ketchup, all who claim to be the largest distributor of ketchup in the world.

Back in the year 2000, Heinz had the bright idea of adding color to ketchup and the result was green, purple, pink, orange, teal, and blue ketchup. It never took off because frankly, it looked gross. There’s just some things you don’t mess with, and that’s the color of condiments! Sheesh! Is nothing sacred these days?

And speaking of condiments…you never ever ever put ketchup on a Chicago Hot Dog! A Chicago hot dog is steamed, all beef, and never broiled. It’s topped with mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. Cucumber slices can be added. But NEVER ketchup…you save that for the side of fries!

Oh, and let’s not forget the brainiac idea from the Reagan White House that ketchup could be reclassified as a vegetable, allowing public schools to cut out a serving of cooked or fresh vegetables from the hot lunch program which would save the government $1 billion in annual savings towards the costs of subsidized meals for low income students.

“Ketchupgate” never got very far, Democrats and Republicans alike put a stop to that and Reagan’s poll numbers showed a big dip when he was perceived as uncaring to the needs of low income children.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of ketchup, I just love the stuff. During my daughter’s college days when she was working as a waitress to make extra money, she told me that the restaurants never refrigerated the ketchup bottles that were on the tables. I was always under the impression that it needed to be refrigerated, but when I looked at the bottle of Heinz Ketchup in my fridge, it just says “for best results, refrigerate after opening”. For best results? I don’t know, I think the “best result” would be NOT to get food poisoning…but that’s just me.

When I walk through the aisles of the grocery store and see the signs marking an item as “organic”, the first thing that comes to my mind is “twice the price”. I have to admit, I’m one of those people who are constantly watching what I eat. Every recipe I try must go through the scrutiny of passing the calorie, fat, and cholesterol test. I don’t eat fried foods and I keep those starches at bay–which isn’t easy when you’ve grown up “Italian” where bread and pasta is a daily staple.

That said, I’ve never gotten into the “Organic” craze. I know…it’s supposed to be better for you because organic food is devoid of: pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, bioengineering, hormones, ionizing radiation, and on the high scale of gross…fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge. Ewwwww! Really…who would have thought that the apples and oranges sitting in the fruit bowl on your table were fertilized with the stuff you flush down your toilet?

That last fact should be enough to make you want to clean out your fridge and buy all new organic products. But then we get back to the price…

WHAT DOES THAT LABEL MEAN?

“Organic” could mean many things. In order for a product to be labeled “organic”, it has to be government approved and certified. The farm where the products are grown or raised (in the case of meat), have rules to be followed which meet the necessary guidelines for USDA organic standards. They must use renewable resources that conserve the soil and water for future generations, and this includes any company that handles the processed foods on the way to the grocery store must also be certified organic, too. All of these guidelines cost the farmer extra and those costs are passed on to the consumer.

But wait! Did you think this would be simple? As with all government regulations, nothing is simple and what you see and what you get are often two different things. There are actual degrees of organic to look for. If a product is marked 100% organic that means they are completely organic or made with all organic ingredients. But then there are those products marked just “Organic”…which means they’re at least 95% organic. If you see “Made With Organic Ingredients” on a label, that means that the food contains at least 70% organic ingredients.

Another thing you might see on labels in the grocery store are “Sustainable” products. I saw this just recently and had no clue as to what they meant and there was no explanation. It turns out that it means the methods by which it’s grown do not harm the environment, are seasonal, and they preserve agricultural land. They are also humane to animals, pay growers fairly, and support local farming communities by distributing their food through farmer’s markets and other venues. Again, these products are more expensive because the farmers are spending more to produce the product.

Oh, and you know those “cage free” or “free range” chickens and eggs you’ve been paying more for? Well, the implication that the chickens were allowed to be outdoors and not stuck in small cages all their lives is not quite true. The fact is that there is no guarantee that the birds were not housed in cages, but only that they had “access” to the outdoors. The USDA considers 5 minutes of open-air access per day by poultry to be enough for the “free range” distinction. Not exactly the picture we get of poultry roaming happily as they heartily peck away at the corn and seed while they mingle with other birds of a feather. For this, you will pay almost double the price for your eggs and poultry.

You should also be aware that the label “grass-fed” on a package of meat does not mean the same as “pasture raised”. Grass-fed signifies that the livestock received a diet of natural forage but sometimes cows are fed grass while indoors or in a pen or only for the first few months of their lives. Pasture-raised animals roam freely outdoors where they can eat grasses and other plants that their bodies are best suited to digest.

Be aware, however, that just because something is labeled organic does not mean that you don’t need to take proper precautions on handling that food. Thoroughly wash all produce and if the skin still isn’t clean, peel it off. Organically raised and processed meat can harbor bacteria and should be handled the same as regular meat products. Cleanliness rules are the same…cook meats to the proper temperature, 180° for poultry, 160° for beef.

So,  the question remains…is organic healthier and worth the extra cost? It’s a matter of personal choice. Frankly, I’m still not convinced that I want to add the extra costs to my monthly food bill and will probably remain with “The Dark Side of the Farm”. However, for those who think it is worth it, you’re not alone. Sales for organic foods have risen by more than 20% every year in the past decade and studies show that more than half of Americans buy organic food at least once a month.

To those who have chosen to visit today, thank you for stopping by and supporting my little blog. And, of course …”May the farm be with you…always.”

–Nunly

(I realize this is a long post, but if anything, watch the video at the bottom of the page, it’s a hoot!)

I was going to take the lazy route today and put up a YouTube video, but after reading an article at No Quarter USA written about feeding your dog food that could possibly be a health hazard to them, I decided to dedicate my post to the dogs.

About a year ago, my dog Fannie May had become very ill while we were on vacation. I noticed on the trip that she seemed a bit lethargic. She LOVES road trips and even though she seemed anxious to jump in the car with us, while traveling she looked…car sick. Being that she is a seasoned road trip traveler, this was very odd.

We packed the usual bag for her which consisted of her bed, leash, a few favorite toys and bones, dog bowls and a bag of her dog food which we just opened up about a week prior to the vacation. This is food that she had been eating for quite awhile and we were pleased with it because it was never on the list of recalled dog foods from that China debacle.

Anyway, long story short, she became increasingly lethargic and by the time we arrived home about a week later, she was throwing up her food and had diarrhea. We rushed her to the vet immediately and they did a bunch of tests and asked the usual question…have you changed her food lately? We hadn’t, but I never thought of telling them that we opened a new bag of food because we didn’t make the connection that she started on a new bag a week before leaving town. The tests ended up costing us about $500 and it turned out, her food was bad. It probably sat in the warehouse too long. After doing some research on the conditions of the warehouses at Pet Smart, I knew what had happened.

So….I decided to start making her meals from scratch, no more dried dog food for her. The first place I went to find recipes was the Internet and I also searched through every bookstore in my area looking for cookbooks for dogs. I also took the time to find out what NOT to feed dogs. Many of the recipes I found on line had ingredients from that list, which had to make me more diligent. I also did some extensive research on what proportions of meat, vegetables, and grain to give her.

Anyway….to get to the dog recipes, here are a couple of Fannie May’s favorites. You’ll notice that all of her recipes are made with chicken as her meat protein because red meat never agreed with her and we do try to keep her weight down. She does get fish, also…salmon being her favorite. You can substitute any of these meals with red meat if you prefer. You could also buy Salmon Oil for your dog and add it to his/her kibble. We order Grizzly Salmon Oil and about three squirts of that in her food is like doggie crack, she goes crazy when she sees the bottle come from the fridge. It’s rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and good for her coat and skin. Her coat is very shiny!

Dairy is ok in small amounts, and it should always be fat free. Fannie loves to have a tablespoon of fat free cottage cheese or fat free plain yogurt added to her meal from time to time. This should not be given daily, however.

Before I add a couple of my dog’s favorite recipes, be aware of what NOT to feed your dog or cat. To add just a few of the most dangerous, I can only say that if you’re cooking for your pet and you want to add an ingredient that you’re not sure of, just look on the web…there’s plenty of information out there.

Do Not Feed These:

Onions or onion powder
Chocolate
Nuts (especially Macadamia nuts)
Raisins
Grapes
Any seeds or pits from fruits
Caffeine in any form
Alcohol or Tobacco (don’t go letting your dog take a hit off your cigarette or taking sips of your bourbon )
Xylitol (sugar sweetner)
Nutmeg (I didn’t know this until today, but I checked and didn’t see it on any of my lists of ingredients for dog cookie recipes.)

I have heard that garlic is on the list, but only if there are large quantities given. Garlic would only be used as an additive for flavor and since most dogs don’t mind bland food, I think it would be best not to use it.

Popcorn is an ok snack if it is plain (no butter or salt) and air popped. It has no nutritional value for your dog, but as an occasional treat to stave off that ravenous beast until dinner time…it won’t hurt them. My dog loves popcorn…but the Microwave stuff is a big no-no. It’ doesn’t keep her from trying to scam some off a soft touch, though….

Rule of thumb…if you’re not sure, don’t use it unless you research it.

DOGGIE CHICKEN STEW

This recipe is one of those that is the easiest to put together. I usually put together a big pot of this and when it’s done I divide it into one cup containers. I usually cook without measuring, so please excuse my “approximate” measurements.

In a large pot…

2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can usually find large packages of these at the grocery store meat counter).

Three stalks of celery chopped

Approximately 4 to 5 cut carrots (if you’re feeling very lazy you can buy the carrots already cut in packages)

Approximately 1 cup Frozen cut green beans (or fresh if you desire…just be sure to wash them to remove any insecticides, as with all fresh vegetables)

Approximately 1 cup of Mixed frozen vegetables. (I add the extra green beens because the mixed vegetables are often filled with too much corn because it’s a cheap staple).

After putting all this in a big pot, cover with water and simmer until meat is cooked. Then add what you want to use for their grain. I usually uses either dried pearl barley or brown rice. The barley will take longer to cook (follow instructions on the package) and the rice will take up a lot of the liquid–but that’s ok because you want this to be a stew and not a soup.

After it’s cooled, divide into small containers and refrigerate enough for a few days and put the other containers in the freezer for future meals.

TURKEY PATTIES

These are very simple to make and one of Fannie’s favorites.

A package of lean ground turkey (I usually get the Purdue brand)

One egg white (or you can use the Egg Beaters equivalent of one egg)

Approximately an eight of a cup of corn meal–enough to make the meat stick together like a hamburger.

1 tsp. of dried parsley for flavor

After forming the meat into patties, coat with corn meal on both sides.

Fry in a pan using about a Tablespoon of Canola Oil. Don’t use too much oil or it will become greasy and not as healthy. Brown on both sides until cooked through. I make about four patties and those that aren’t being used go into baggies and refrigerated. They can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

After they are finished and cooled, cut into bite sized chunks. I use only one pattie for my dog and if you have a small dog, a half of a paddy should be enough. Add a side portion of steamed frozen vegetables (or canned if you prefer–as long as there are no spices added to the canned vegetables). And for the grain, you can add brown rice, cooked barley, or a half of a sweet potato–thoroughly washed and baked in the microwave. Cut into chunks (peel and all!). Proportion sizes should be 1/3 meat, 1/3 vegetable, and 1/3 grain or starch.

DOGGIE COOKIES! YOU CAN’T FORGET DESSERT!

GINGERBREAD DOGGIE TREATS
(I have tasted these and they are really good!)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup molasses
3 tbsp honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour(some extra for rolling)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger

Baking Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease the baking sheet, line with parchment paper, or use a silpat mat
2. Combine the molasses, honey, and water in a large mixing bowl
3. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.
4.Stir dry mixture into molasses mixture until well-blended.
5. On lightly floured surface, knead and roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, using more flour if necessary to prevent dough from sticking.
6. Use cookie cutter to cut into shapes. Transfer to cookie sheets and bake 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
7. Cool completely on racks; store in an airtight container.

Tips:
* I found that sprinkling some powdered sugar (on the cookies consumed by the owner) adds the perfect amount of sweetness
* Also, when mixing the dry and liquid mixtures together, if you find that the dough becomes too dry, add a few tsps of water until it becomes soft enough to knead.
* Have some fun with this recipe, use fun cookie cutters! I’ve found cut outs specifically for dogs such as bone shapes, but I also use the same cut outs that I’ve used for my kid’s cookies, too.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA DOG BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup peanut butter
* 1/2 cup mashed banana
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup wheat germ
* 1 egg white, lightly beaten, for brushing

* add to recipe box Add to Recipe Box
My folders:
* add to shopping list Add to Shopping List
* Customize Recipe
* add a personal note Add a Personal Note

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Stir together the egg, peanut butter, banana, and honey in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Stir in the flour and wheat germ; mix well. Turn dough out onto a floured board and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with a cookie cutter, place on prepared baking sheet, and brush tops with egg white.
3. Bake biscuits in preheated oven until dried and golden brown, about 30 minutes, depending on size. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Most dogs love treats…but it depends on who is offering them. The video below shows that dogs don’t trust some politicians, as proved in the video below.

(UPDATE: This video was inadvertently stolen from Uppity Woman’s blog…honest, I couldn’t remember where I got it! If you get a chance, go to her blog, it’s a lot of fun over there, although I think I will be frisked for now on when I leave the joint. )

Looking for a variety of dog recipes? I recommend, “Three Dog Bakery” cookbook. There are plenty others like this on Amazon if you’re interested.

I don’t know about finding my freedom on blueberry hill, but nothing says summer to me like fresh blueberry’s and there seems to be an abundance of them this year in the grocery store and they’re the best I’ve had in a very long time!

Of course, most of you have already heard the great benefits to eating blueberries which are just chockfull of antioxidants. This wonder-berry has been tested and found to lessen the effects of neurological sicknesses and has been dubbed the “brain berry”. They also prevent cholesterol build up and stops blood clots from forming in your body. They improve your eyesight and prevent age related loss of vision according to studies in Europe. Although cranberries have always been associated to urinary tract health, studies show that blueberries have also been found to stop bacteria from lining your bladder walls.

Since my blogger friend, Deadenders, was looking for breakfast this morning, I figured I’d start out with a nice piece of Blueberry Coffee Cake. This recipe comes from Cooking Light, so those watching their weight could eat this with no guilt. I’ve found most of the recipes I’ve made from Cooking Light are really great…full of flavor and low in calories and fat, not to mention, the portion sizes aren’t skimpy and enough to fill you up.

Note: I’ve linked to a few of the ingredients you might not be familiar with. Cooking Light does use a lot of higher end fresh products, and they always include fresh herbs, but it’s worth it to go the extra mile.

BREAKFAST: BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 6 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 large egg
* 1 large egg white
* 1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
* Cooking spray
* 2 cups fresh blueberries
* 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, egg, and egg white; beat well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.

4. Spoon half of the batter into a 9-inch round baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup blueberries. Spoon remaining batter over the blueberries; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup blueberries. Sprinkle the top evenly with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Note: If using peak-season fruit, using 1 1/2 cups blueberries instead of 2 cups, and only 1 cup buttermilk instead of 1 1/3 cups. This will make the batter thicker so the berries won’t sink to the bottom.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
287 (31% from fat)
Fat:
9.9g (sat 5.9g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.6g)
Protein:
5.4g
Carbohydrate:
45.4g
Fiber:
1.5g
Cholesterol:
51mg
Iron:
1.4mg
Sodium:
294mg
Calcium:
93mg

LUNCH: MIXED GREEN SALAD WITH INFUSED BLUEBERRY VINEGAR

Blueberries in the salad and in the infused vinegar contribute antioxidants. Start early on this recipe in order to make the fresh blueberry vinegar (found in the recipe below this). Store leftover infused vinegar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks; use it as part of a marinade for pork, chicken thighs, or duck.

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons Blueberry Vinegar
* 1 teaspoon honey
* 1/2 teaspoon country-style Dijon mustard
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 cups baby arugula leaves
* 1 cup chopped frisée
* 1 cup blueberries
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

Preparation

1. Combine Blueberry Vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Combine arugula, frisée, blueberries, and onion in a large bowl. Arrange 1 cup salad onto each of 6 plates; drizzle 1 tablespoon vinegar mixture onto each serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
60 (54% from fat)
Fat:
3.6g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.4g)
Protein:
0.8g
Carbohydrate:
7.3g
Fiber:
1.3g
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Iron:
0.4mg
Sodium:
115mg
Calcium:
30mg

BLUEBERRY VINEGAR

Yield: 1 cup (serving size-1 tablespoon)
Ingredients

* 1 cup blueberries
* 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 small bay leaf

Preparation

1. Place blueberries in a small saucepan, and mash with a potato masher. Add white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and bay leaf to pan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 4 hours. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, and discard solids. Cover and chill.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
7 (0.0% from fat)
Fat:
0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g)
Protein:
0.0g
Carbohydrate:
1.9g
Fiber:
0.1g
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Iron:
0.0mg
Sodium:
0.0mg
Calcium:
0.0mg

DINNER: BLUEBERRY-RUM MARINATED PORK TENDERLOINS

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients

* 1 cup fresh blueberries
* 3/4 cup rum
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 2 garlic cloves
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon chopped sweet onion
* 1 tablespoon white vinegar
* 1 (16-ounce) package pork tenderloins
* French bread slices, toasted
* Blueberry Salsa (can be prepared ahead and refrigerated/recipe printed below)

Preparation

Process first 7 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour mixture into large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add pork. Seal and chill at least 4 hours.

Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill pork, covered with grill lid, over medium heat (300° to 350°) 11 to 13 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 155°. Remove from grill. Loosely cover pork with foil; let stand 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 160°. Cut pork into slices, and serve over toasted bread. Top with Blueberry Salsa.

BLUEBERRY SALSA

Yield: Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients

* 2 cups chopped fresh blueberries
* 1 cup whole fresh blueberries
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 seeded and minced jalapeño peppers
* 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Coarsely chop 2 cups fresh blueberries. Stir together chopped fresh blueberries, 1 cup whole blueberries, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 2 seeded and minced jalapeño peppers, 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup chopped onion, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

So….there ya go, I planned your entire menu for a day. Now all you need to do is send me your address and I’ll be sure to bring my appetite.

I can’t remember which blog I’ve seen this on before, because if I did I would give credit. I put it in my bookmarks for one of those days when I knew that a real post going up wasn’t going to happen—like today.

So…here ya go, for the few who come to visit here….enjoy.

—Nunly