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Bogey, my lovable Rat Terrier, turned ten this year which makes him my oldest child, but in dog years he is the house elder. Being the house elder, I think it’s about time I pay closer attention to the lessons he is so faithfully sharing.

Exercise regularly. In the summer we play with Bogey a lot. We like to take him for walks and just run around in the backyard. He likes to play catch and his version of tag which gives everyone loads of exercise and laughs. I’ve also observed him, although I have to be sneaky, burying and unburying a bone. Whenever he gets one, he takes it immediately to the backyard and buries it. Sometime after, he will go find that bone and move it to another location. It goes something like; dig, dig, dig, sprint, dig, dig dig, sprint, and repeat. Anyone heard or Crossfit? It’s a crazy workout program that has become wildly popular and is fun in a torturous way. That’s what his routine reminds me of. I’m more of a hot yoga girl, but come to think of it, his morning stretches look quite familiar too.

Family meals are important. We fill Bogey’s food and water dish every morning. We round it nicely and if my daughter fills the bowl she leaves a few treats nicely tucked around the edges to make a dog parfait of sorts. You can tell he is very happy to have such a nice meal, but he won’t eat it right away and he won’t eat if you are going anywhere. He likes to eat with others, for community, as a family. When we do eat, there he goes, off to his bowl to participate in the family meal. He never eats too much and always leaves some in the bowl in case he gets hungry later. Oh, and he never drinks water until someone is home. This is merely another display of his smarts. No one home = no restroom.

Don’t waste your time on fillers. My son had his birthday party recently and my dad brought his popcorn machine. Every year he sets it up and makes batch after batch of fresh popcorn for kids and parents alike. It’s a huge hit and having a dog around usually means you don’t need to worry about cleaning up those sorts of messes. Well, Bogey does not eat popcorn at parties. He’s smart. He knows cake and ice-cream will be coming and he seems to not want to waste any room on popcorn. He tried a bite, spit it out and went about his workout with the kids. When cake and ice-cream came out he wandered from kid to kid, choosing the shortest and youngest whose plates seemed the least stable, getting bite after bite. And before he knew it, he was rewarded with a full spill at his feet. After everyone left and he had all the cake and ice-cream he could have, he then ate a little popcorn.

Greet the people you love with affection, always. Need I say more? It’s a wonderful feeling that no matter where I go, how long I’ve been gone or how good or bad my outing was, I can always count on a huge show of affection from Bogey when I walk in the door. Bogey is our elder, but still puts the most energy into making you feel welcome into our home. He always stores enough energy so everyone is welcomed consistently. It’s almost annoying at times and slightly embarasing when new people come to the house, but I totally appreciate it for what it is.

Never go to bed angry. I think there are several saying about this that I could quote but I’m sure you know of at least one that reflects this. Now think, has your dog ever not wanted to give you a kiss before you go to sleep? Have they ever not wanted to cuddle? Point taken, right?

Rest when you can. Bogey is smart and gets his rest in whenever he can. Once the kids go to school and my husband is at work, Bogey sleeps the day away on my son’s bed. In the afternoon when he knows the kids will be coming home he stretches and prepares for his greetings. Until then, if he sees me coming in and out, or doing something silly like cleaning, he looks at me as if to say ‘have I taught you nothing? It’s time for rest.’

Leave time to thoroughly enjoy what you love. Bogey loves the sun and whenever he can find it, he’s in it. From the first crack of sunshine that streams in the glass patio door that face East, to the last rays from the back door on the west. He points his nose in the air, closes his eyes and smiles (really). In his mind it’s as good, and renewing, as a day on the beach in Hawaii. I hate to disturb him and its one of the few times he will give you a nasty look. Please, vacuum around me or just leave the door open while you are gone, I’ll let myself in.

Infinite patience will be rewarded. Bogey has always been food motivated. We certainly haven’t helped in this area as we love to give him bits and bites of our food as well, but from day one, he has loved any food he can get his paws on. He would never take food without it being offered or dropped on the floor (that’s fair game). However, he will wait, and wait, and wait for one of these two things to happen. If you leave a dish out on the table he will sit faithfully by that table until it becomes his or it goes to the dishwasher. He will wait for the cake to fall or that kid to fall in love with him and share their treats. He knows, good things come to those who wait and good things come to those that show infinite patience.

So, in honor of Bogey, I share with you two recipe’s. I couldn’t properly acknowledge Bogey without a beef recipe. Below is my adaptation from Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon. I also hope it helps you see that you don’t need to skip over recipes just because they contain a little flour.

I will also share my recipe for the birthday cake. I actually did this recipe with my vanilla cake; “triple vanilla” is what my son named it. The below is the cake my son originally requested but since one of his friends does not like chocolate and the dog can’t eat it, he went with vanilla. You can use this recipe or sub for the vanilla cake. All are very versatile.

May you enjoy these recipes even a fraction of how much Bogey does!

Boeuf Bourguignon –
adapted from Julia Child’s classic

3 pounds lean stewing chuck shoulder roast (pot roast) cut
into 1 ½ inch cubes
¼ cup Avec Baking all-purpose flour
6 ounces prosciutto or bacon, cut into strips
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups of full bodied red wine*
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 orange, zest removed in strips
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2-3 cups Chicken Stock (fresh if possible)
2 pounds root vegetables*
½ pound seasonal mushrooms
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

*Notes: The wine should be good enough to accompany the meal, and rich enough to compliment the dish. If you are close enough to travel through Woodinville you can pick up some great ones at the tasting rooms that are just as fun to enjoy while you cook as they are to cook with. My current favorites are Zerba Wild Z and Sparkman Cellars – Stella Mae.) 

I always add some carrot, one or two especially when Nash’s Carrots are in season. I typically use 1 parsnip, red and sweet potatoes and even ¼ of a fennel bulb.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Season the beef with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss in the flour to coat.

On the stove top, preheat a Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil and prosciutto and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until lightly  browned and the fat has rendered.  Remove  the prosciutto and add the beef.  Arrange in a single layer being careful not to overcrowd the pan (you may have to work in batches). Once the beef is nicely browned on all sides, remove with slotted spoon and add to reserved prosciutto.

Add the onion and tomato paste to the pan and sauté in the remaining fat for 3-4 minutes, just to soften.

Add the wine to the pan and bring up to a  simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, garlic, zest, ground nutmeg, bay leaves and stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil for 1-2 minutes then put on the lid and transfer to preheated oven and let simmer for about 2 hours. Be sure to monitor your  temperature to maintain a slow simmer during this time.

After 2 hours, add in your root vegetables, mushrooms and salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Return to the oven and simmer until vegetables and meat are extremely tender, approx. 1 additional hour.

Remove from oven and serve. I like to toss in some freshly  washed and cut greens at the end to add a little earthiness and crunch. Served over steamed jasmine rice or buttered noodles and this meal will warm your heart and soul.

Chocolate Buttercream Cake

Dry ingredients:
1 ¾ cup Avec baking all-purpose flour
1 cup good quality cocoa powder (my favorite is Rapunzel)
1 ½ teaspoon bakind soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon guar gum
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet ingredients:
¾ cup unsalted room temperate butter
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons good and fresh espresso

Preheat oven to 35o degrees

Prepare 2 8×2 inch cake pans by lightly buttering them and dusting them with flour

Sift together all dry ingredients and set aside

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, sour cream and espresso and set aside

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Slowly add both sugars, starting with the cane sugar first and mix until butter is again light and fluffy and the mixture turns a pale brown. Be sure to scrape down the sides a few times during the process with a spatula to insure you are incorporating the sugar into all the butter.

Add the eggs one at a time being sure each is incorporated before adding the next. When you add each egg, turn your mixer slowly up to high for 1-2 minutes until you see the batter has a ‘whipped’ consistency.

Once the eggs are fully incorporated, add the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three parts alternating with the buttermilk mixture starting with the wet ingredients and ending with the dry.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and turn mixer up to high for 1 additional minute.

Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans. Gently level off the batter using an offset spatula. Be sure to do this step gently so as to not lose all the air you have worked so hard to incorporate.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean and the sides of the cake have gently pulled away from the pan.

Cool in the pans for about 3-5 minutes then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks. They will be very hot so do this step with cooling pans and your cooling rack close by. This cake will continue to cook if left in the pans so it’s important to remove it to the cooling rack promptly.

Allow to fully cool and then dress up as you wish! I’m giving you three options below that you can choose from but the possibilities are limitless. Within the recipe you can adjust the vanilla to almond or coconut or even orange or mint and vary your frosting to compliment. This is a very versatile and fairly easy cake that you can count on to be a success.

In my recent PCC Cooks class, I taught this cake with the below Ganache filling and whipped Ganache Frosting.

Surprisingly quick and easy, the whipped ganache is sublime and a nice compliment to the cake. Wait until your cake is fully cooled and you are ready before making the ganache as it sets quickly and needs to be used promptly.

Ingredients:
16 ounces chocolate – chopped (try Theo Chocolate or Green and Blacks)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup

Directions:
Place chopped chocolate into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. In a saucepan, bring cream to a simmer Pour cream immediately over chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Turn on machine and whisk on low until chocolate has melted and then bring up to medium speed.  For a few minutes you will have what appears to be chocolate soup, don’t panic, just keep whisking. Once your chocolate and cream pull together and thicken (the whisk will just begin to leave tracks and ganache is a beautiful chocolate brown) remove about ¼ of the ganache to a glass bowl and stir in the brown rice syrup set aside.

Bring the mixer back up to medium and increase speed to high as the pace the ganache will allow – if you rush it will splatter. Keep whisking until the color becomes a light brown and the ganache becomes nicely whipped and stiff enough that peaks hold when the whisk is lifted.

To assemble:
Place one of the cooled cakes on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula spread the reserved ganache over the top. Place second cake on top, upside down so flat side is up. Spread the whipped ganache over the cake. You should let this set for a short time to allow the ganache to set. This cake can be prepared several hours in advance.

Another wonderful and slightly sweeter option for this cake is my Vanilla Bean Buttercream

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted, softened, good butter
½ cup milk
6-8 cups powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean

Directions:
Remove vanilla beans from pod and put into milk along with the opened pods and stir (to get an even more intense flavor, gently heat the milk with the vanilla beans/pod to release even more flavor) just allow to cool before moving forward)

Place butter in bowl of mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream for just 1 minute and then remove vanilla bean pod from milk and add it along with 4 cups of the sugar to the butter. Increase speed to medium for 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Next add remaining sugar one cup at a time incorporating each addition well before adding the next. Keep adding until desired consistency is reached.

Assembly:
Place one cooled cake on cake plate and top with some of the buttercream. Place the second cake upside down ontop and spread the rest of the buttercream over the top and sides. I like to top this cake with chocolate shavings to give a hint to the flavor inside. I shave the chocolate and place it in the freezer until ready to assemble,  especially in the summer time.

Triple Vanilla Ice-Cream Cake version mentioned in post.

Several hours in advance, or the night before, prepare your vanilla ice-cream layer.  Take one 8 inch cake pan and line with plastic wrap, leaving a large overhang to wrap back over the icecream.Take one pint of vanilla ice-cream (I am a fan of three twins) and remove from freezer long enough to be workable. Take one 9 inch cake pan (the vanilla cake makes 2 9 inch cakes so be sure your cream layer is the same size) and line with plastic wrap, leaving a large overhang to wrap back over the ice-cream. Place your ice-cream in the cake pan and, using an offset spatula, spread the ice-cream to make an even layer. Wrap the plastic wrap over the top and put back in freezer until ready to assemble.

Prepare the vanilla cake recipe using plain sugar versus lavender infused.  Allow to cool.

Prepare the Vanilla bean Buttercream.

When cake is cooled, place one cake on cake plate. Take ice – cream layer from freezer and remove from pan and plastic wrap. If difficult, turn cake pan upside down and run briefly under warm water, it should pop right out. Once out of plastic wrap, place on top of bottom cake and top with some buttercream. Place second cake on top of ice-cream layer, upside down so flat side is on top. Frost the top and sides of cake with remaining buttercream. Place cake in freezer until ready to serve, but not longer than a few hours. Remove from freezer for a few minutes before serving.