Two Years with the Tiny Dictator

Foster goes to a very special place for doggie daycare, where the staff knows him (and us) by name.  And not just one name.  They love him so much they've graced him with a handful of nicknames - Fostino, Monkey Boy, Little Man, Blackie, and the list goes on. 

The daycare, Central Bark, is full of wonderful people that adore four legged fur babies just as much as people like Roy and I do.  We call daycare "going to work" and like to think that Foster imagines us chasing toys, playing with our friends, and getting belly rubs when WE go to work.

I told you we're crazy dog people.

One of the my favorite parts of Central Bark is that they take photos of the dogs and post them online each afternoon.  I love getting to see what Foster is up to and some of my favorite photos have come from Bonnie at Central Bark. 

Like this one...

And this one where Foster worked his way into the big dog group and proceeded to bark his head off and run the show like a Tiny Dictator. 

When I came in to pick him up that afternoon I mentioned the picture and said "So Foster was in Tiny Dictator mode today?" at which point Bonnie paused, looked at me, took a deep breath and said "Lindsey, he's ALWAYS in Tiny Dictator mode."  It gave me deep belly laughs because it's true.  So, so true. 

It's Foster's world and we're just living in it. 

This weekend marks the 2 year anniversary of adopting Foster the Monster and becoming his Furever Home.  Year 2 has been good.  He really began to relax at the end of year one, so year two has been all about seeing his crazy personality shine and ensuring the Tiny Dictator's needs are met.

Accomplishments for year two include learning chase and a version of hide and seek.  That dog loves nothing more than to dart around furniture and make us run in circles.  His special version of hide and seek that I call Roy Hides and Foster Seeks somehow never gets old, despite that fact that we are short on hiding places (it's a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo after all).  But night after night that dog tears around the house looking for his buddy while Roy stands giggling behind a door / under the desk / behind the couch / in the closet.

He constantly gives me something to call or text home about.  Like the day he got stung by a bee on his behind and I had to help remove both the bee and the stinger.  Or the time he conned a lady into giving him a toy at a yard sale and then ran all the way home with a stuffed panda hanging out of his mouth.  And he's finally learned the art of hanging his head out of a car window which serves as a periodic reminder to his humans to stop and enjoy life every so often.

To celebrate I thought I'd share some fun photos from the past 12 months, mostly from my cell phone (so excuse the quality) to illuminate what life is like with the spoiled rotten Tiny Dictator.

Hanging his head out the window although this is fairly reserved.  Usually it's head and paws on the edge, floppy ears catching the breeze

Foster the snuggle puggle

An angry Bud Foster the dog after losing to Clemson last year

Hanging out at the Air and Water Show, one of the best Foster experiences from the past year

Tracking the fighter jets across the sky at the Air and Water Show

Suffering through a Christmas photo shoot

This dog clearly has a thing for pillows...

"The 30 year old Lazyboy isn't enough. I need 3 pillows too." 

No, please Foster, make yourself at home on my pillow.

Snuggling with Pearl during a sleepover at his dogwalkers house

We call this series "Foster thinks he's human"...

Sitting on a chair at the vet, like he owns the place

Thank you for all the love, cuddles and daily reminders of what life is all about.

PS: I would be remiss to write this post and not thank Foster's Fairy God Mothers.  Without Sharon, Bonnie and everyone at Central Bark, I don't know how we'd do it all.  We are so lucky to have people in the neighborhood that adore the cuddle puggle as much as we do. Thanks for making him a part of your extended family!

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Bread

It's no secret, I'm in love with all things blueberry...

...and lemon dessert related. 

Bonus points if they happen to be in the same dish, like this recipe for lemon and blueberry yogurt bread that I found on Pintrest.  I love the combination of flavors - the tartness of the berries, the sweetness of the lemon zest.  The recipe also seemed really easy (like this Cooking Light Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread) using ingredients I had on hand. 

As expected, it was very easy to put together!  And it was so hard to sit still and let it cool like the blogger said it would be.  But it was worth the wait. 

I've never baked a bread with yogurt before and it was an amazing addition!  The bread turned out super moist and dense, almost like a moist pound cake.  Only with less of the bad stuff, and more of the better stuff, like non-fat yogurt.  This came out of the oven at 12:30 on a Sunday afternoon and by 3pm, half the loaf of bread had mysteriously disappeared.  Pretty impressive considering Roy doesn't really like blueberries and would prefer non-lemon flavored desserts. 

Despite coating the blueberries in flour, they still sank once they hit the batter and most of them ended up on the bottom, as you can see from photos.  Regardless, it was wonderful!

This is a great choice if you're hosting family or friends for brunch and it would be a fantastic hostess gift. 

*****

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Bread
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Ina Garten
20 mins active, 70 mins total
Makes 24 skinny slices or 12 regular slices


1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil.

Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 (+) minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack and allow to cool.

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

A few days ago I made beef kebabs with Israeli couscous and grilled veggies.  And while I loved the beef, grilled onions and couscous, the grilled tomatoes didn't quite do it for me.  I had only made enough grilled veggies for dinner that night, intending to grill some more fresh veggies again the next night for the leftovers.  After Roy and I declared the tomatoes a let down, I assumed they'd become fodder for a salad.  But in a stroke of genius, I remembered this recipe from Pintrest.  And lo and behold, I had everything (yes, all 3 ingredients) in my pantry!

I'm not sure what I loved most about these.  How flavorful and crunchy the Parmesan topping was?  That they took less than 5 minutes to prepare?  How roasting the tomatoes made them juicy and flavorful but still firm on the inside?  Or the amazing flavor combo of roasted tomatoes, nutty Parmesan and herbs.

So good.  So, so good.

Even Roy, who is not a fan of roasted tomatoes, gave these two thumbs up and said he'd be happy to eat them again.

This is definitely my new go-to side dish.  That easy to make veggie that complements most any dinner, is delicious, and packs a nutritional punch with lots of vitamin A and C, plus some potassium and calcium.  I actually made them twice before I had a chance to post so you're getting pictures from both times. 

The first go round was with roma tomatoes.  The second with a mix of red and orange tomatoes that I picked out only because I thought they'd be beautiful in photos.  And they were!  I just wish I'd cut them a little bit more at the halfway part instead of just slicing the top off.  It left me with too much tomato and not enough cheese.

One teeny, tiny point of caution.  For some reason these smoke a bit when they go in the oven and they set off the fire alarm.  I'm sure it's user error and perhaps it's the excess olive oil on the baking sheet from when I drizzle them?  Maybe the roasting temp in the recipe is too high?  I'm not sure.  But be prepared to turn on the fan and wave a dish towel around. 

Try these.  Today.  With anything.  Even on their own as an afternoon snack.  You will not be disappointed!  And it's worth a little background music from the fire alarm, I promise :)

*****

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
5 mins active, 15 mins total

4 tomatoes, halved horizontally
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (just a pinch if you use dried)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (I used a little less, just a drizzle is all you need)
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped


Preheat oven to 450° F.  Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.  Add fresh parsley if desired.


Per serving: 91 calories; 6 g fat ( 2 g sat , 4 g mono ); 4 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 375 mg sodium; 363 mg potassium.

Beef Kebabs with Grilled Veggies & Couscous

This recipe caught my eye when I was flipping through the April version of the Food Network Magazine.  The marinade seemed delicious yet easy and the combination of grilled veggies with Israeli couscous seemed like a fun departure from my normal style of cooking. 

It's been on my mind for a few weeks now and after a lovely span of cold and crappy weather, fondly known as "May in Chicago", I decided this was a great weekend to pour a glass of wine, fire up the grill pan and pretend like it wasn't actually 50 degrees and rainy.

This ended up being a tiny bit more effort than I expected, but in my opinion that's what Saturday and Sunday evenings are for.  I think it's one of those recipes that's easier after you've made it the first time, and it wasn't so much effort that I wouldn't do it again on a work night. It was definitely worth the few extra minutes!

There's a lot of flavor in a marinade that has such a short list of ingredients.  I loved the fresh rosemary and the little bit of tang from the mustard.  The red wine vinegar brightened things up just a touch without overwhelming the other components.  Everything smelled heavenly once I started cooking and the meat had some really nice layers of flavor. 

I was also pleasantly surprised by how much the marinade added to the grilled onion and tomato.  The savory complimented the sweetness of the red onion really nicely.  Personally, the grilled tomato wasn't for me which is surprising because I love tomatoes.  I think that by the time they hit the grill, the pan was covered in charred stuff from grilling the meat so it came away tasting of "burn".

I couldn't find regular plain Israeli Couscous (or "starry rice" as Roy calls it, despite the fact that it's pasta and not rice).  I opted for a roasted garlic and olive oil flavored version by Near East.  I added the parsley per the FN recipe and it was great.

Not only was this delicious, but it was pretty cheap too.  I was able to get the tri-tip steak (aka: top sirloin) for $5 a lb so that plus the veggies, couscous and herbs was probably under $15 for 4 people.  It leaves plenty of room in your budget for a bottle of wine!

Roy and I agree - three out of three stars.  This one will definitely go on the list to be made again this summer.  Hopefully on a real grill, with some REAL summer temperatures!

*****

Beef Kebabs with Grilled Veggies and Couscous
35 mins active, serves 4

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds tri-tip steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 large red onion, cut into 4 thick rounds
4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise


Soak 4 wooden skewers in water, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, the vinegar, rosemary, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade, then add the steak to the bowl with the remaining marinade and toss; set aside at room temperature, 20 minutes.

Cook the couscous as the label directs; toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

While the couscous is cooking, preheat a large grill pan over high heat. Thread the steak onto the skewers. Toss the onion rounds and tomatoes in a bowl with the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade.

Brush the grill pan with olive oil and add the kebabs and onion rounds. Cook the onion, turning once, until charred and tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Cook the kebabs, turning a few times, until charred all over, 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare. Transfer the kebabs and onion to a plate and season with salt. Add the tomatoes to the pan, cut-side down, and cook, turning once, until charred and softened, about 4 minutes. Serve the kebabs with the couscous, tomatoes and onion.

Per serving: Calories 589; Fat 28 g (Saturated 6 g); Cholesterol 98 mg; Sodium 314 mg; Carbohydrate 47 g; Fiber 4 g; Protein 35 g

Cucumber, Tomato and Feta Salad

Here's one of the salads I made recently to help me with my fruit and veggie resolution.  I love the combo of crisp cucumber and fresh tomatoes.  The hint of lemon in the dressing is really nice too.  The best part is the fact that it's "pre-made".  I can easily take it to work or grab it as a side to my lunch when I'm working from home without having to spend time pulling out lettuce and putting together an elaborate salad. 

I used about half the feta that the recipe called for.  I think the full 7 oz would have been completely overwhelming.  And I used about half the mint too. The mint was a bright, fresh addition on the day I made it.  But it didn't hold up well in the days that followed so next time it gets the ax.  The original recipe included olives but I passed on those too (turns out, I modified the heck out of this recipe).  If you're an olive person, add in 1 cup of halved assorted, pitted olives of your choice (Kalamata or Gaeta would be best).

*****

Cucumber, Tomato and Feta Salad 
15 mins, 8 servings

2 coarsely chopped English hothouse or Persian cucumbers
5 roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped (I scooped most of the insides out so it wouldn't be watery and runny)
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 3.5-ounce package feta, crumbled
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint (optional)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, feta, and mint in a large bowl. Whisk oil and lemon juice in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle extra feta over the top if desired and serve.

Fresh Turkey Taco Salads

I know I've already posted about avocados and tomatoes once this week, but with Cinco de Mayo coming up on Saturday, it seemed like the perfect time for a post about one of my favorite easy dinners - fresh turkey taco salads.

The origin is actually the recipe from early April about Teriyaki Asian Tacos.  I mentioned without much explanation that I named the dish "Asian Tacos" because it was so similar to how I do real tacos.  Since I've talked about it several times, I thought I'd officially share what tacos look like in these parts. 

And they look like this...

Turkey Taco Salads!

It's not earth shattering.  Just a collection of fresh, slightly more healthy ingredients that make this my go-to when I'm short on time or ideas for dinner.

Exhausted after work but want something healthy and filling?  Turkey tacos. 

Just landed at the airport after a week visiting family for the holidays?  First stop - pick up the dog.  Second stop - grocery store for milk and the ingredients for turkey tacos.

And as you've probably noticed, it's in salad form.  Sometimes I switch it up and eat it as an actual taco, instead of with a fork.  But most of the time it's like this.

The main ingredients that make this so awesome are fresh avocados and tomatoes.  The avocados add a silky smoothness to the salad that pares well with the crunchy texture of the tortilla chips.  The tomatoes add a nice burst of flavor and moisture.

Simple touches but they make a big difference in my opinion.  Besides the addition of the fresh ingredients, I use ground turkey instead of ground beef and then your standard low sodium taco seasoning packets.  I also use shredded lettuce and add some shredded cheese and a layer of crushed tortilla chips.

I LOVE how fresh this tastes and am not kidding when I say I eat this 2 or 3 times a month depending on how busy we are.  I especially love this because it's one of those dishes that Roy makes.  Makes a busy day even better!  And this would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo if you're more interested in drinking your calories instead of eating them!

Update: Not-Guac Avocado Dip

Last spring I posted about a word-of-mouth recipe I got from my dad called "Not Guac Dip".  I rambled on and on about how you needed to embrace your adventurous side and give this recipe a shot because the flavors are out of this world.  It's been a little less than a year since I shared the recipe but so far, everyone who has tried it has loved it.

As we move into the season of grilling and sipping margaritas and cold beers on the deck, I wanted to share an updated version of this recipe along with a handy tip. 

This updated version uses a white balsamic vinegar instead of your regular dark balsamic.  It's an easy fix for those who are put off by the discoloration that the dark balsamic gives the dip.  Both my Mom and Roy prefer the taste of the white balsamic over the regular dark balsamic so it's a win-win for them.

And now for the tip... if you've ever made anything with avocado in it, you know how quickly it goes from green to brown when it's exposed to air.  Pressing plastic wrap onto the surface only helps so much.  However... if you hang on to the pit and add it back into the bowl after you're finished making the dip... it keeps the avocado from turning brown.  I tested it last week and the dip still looked fresh after 6 hours. 

This is great with tortilla chips but if you have leftovers, I highly suggest it over some undressed iceberg lettuce.  Add it to your list today. You won't be disappointed!

*****

"Not Guac" Avocado Dip
serves 4-6
2 ripe avocados
2 Roma tomatoes
Half a medium red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
Garlic salt
Olive Oil
White Balsamic Vinegar

Roughly chop avocados into chunky pieces.  Roughly chop tomatoes into chunky pieces (remove seeds and watery insides).  Finely dice half a red onion.

Combine avocados, tomatoes and red onion in a medium bowl.  Sprinkle in 1/2 cup of crumbled Feta cheese.  Give it a light sprinkle of garlic salt (remember, you can always add more).  Stir gently to mix.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil and then with balsamic vinegar adding a bit more balsamic vinegar than olive oil.  Again, go easy.  You can always add more later.  Stir gently to combine.

Test with a tortilla chip and add more olive oil and balsamic vinegar as needed.  I like my dip to have more balsamic than olive oil since it gives the mixture an unexpected but fantastic flavor.

Enjoy!  Know that the longer this sits, the more the flavor builds.  And definitely try your leftovers on a salad, you won't be sorry.