1 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/8 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (Do NOT use a peanut butter with Xylitol, as it is very toxic for dogs) 3/4 cup applesauce go with plain, unsweetened 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1 egg FROSTING 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup peanut butter
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl mix together vegetable oil, peanut butter, applesauce and pumpkin puree. Once combined, mix in egg and mix well. Mix wet and dry ingredients and stir until no dried bits of flour are visible.
Pour mixture into an 7 inch square pan that has been greased with oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Allow to cool on a wire rack prior to removing from pan. After cooling, add frosting if desired.
For the frosting: Mix Greek yogurt and peanut butter until well combined. Spread over cake. If not serving immediately, store in refrigerator.
Comments: This is a super easy treat to bake, and we actually tried the cake (without the frosting) and it is not bad at all! We cut three circles to offer the pups, and the leftover was cut in cubes and saved for later. Tiny Milk Bones to decorate are optional, but dog-appreciated… Our Birthday girl gave it two paws high up!
This post is dedicated to Kathy McMorrow, who left us on October 19th
In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see what everybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.
Many gifts this time and a few things I bought myself, so let’s start this virtual walk, shall we?
From our friends Tanya and Jamie…
When they came to visit us, they brought us this amazing honeycomb! It is like honey on steroids, I had never tried it before. Absolutely lovely!
They also gave us a bottle of honey which I used to make London Fog in one of my favorite tea cups… Thank you, TANYA & JAMIE!
From our friends Marijo and Vlad…
They sent us a huge basket of oranges and grapefruit… my beloved husband made this special treat for me every morning until the grapefruits were gone! He is a keeper, but you knew that already…
From my friend Jennifer…
All the way from California, a set of PERFECT kitchen towels, I just adore the border at the bottom, what a cute detail! Thank you, Jennifer!
From our friend Dave…
Most amazingly juicy pears, they were at perfect stage of ripeness when the family visited, and everybody loved them!
From our friends Pat and Bill…
A nice soy candle and a Christmas-y kitchen towel…. We love them!
From our friends Hal and Becky…
A huge box of Leonidas chocolate…. OMG in chocolate form!
From our friends Ines and Ben…
We are addicted to this delicacy from Siena, and they made sure we enjoyed it again this year! THANK YOU! If you’ve never had panforte, you NEED to try some.
From the beautiful Hayden family…
The world’s coolest apron! Thank you so much, the fabric is perfect and wipes clean like a dream (not that I am a messy cook, of course NOT!)
From our friends Keith and Sarah…
The most exquisite Christmas tree ornament… we made sure to place it high, so that the real Dalmatians would not hurt it…
As if all that amazing honey wasn’t enough, Tanya and Jamie sent me a total beauty of a Bundt pan for Christmas!
I intend to put it to use this coming week with a special bake for Friday! Tanya (and Jamie) I don’t even know how to thank you, but Jamie, expect a constant flow of nice puns (wink, wink). It is the MINIMUM I can do!
And now my unexpected special Christmas gift from the best husband in the universe…
MEET HELEN, my new Breville mixer!
I named it Helen, as my friend and virtual mentor Helen Fletcher was the one who got me interested after she wrote this great review about it. I was not sure if I should get it, as I have some KitchenAid attachments that obviously don’t work with that mixer, but Phil splurged and I must say I adore it! Thank you Phil, and thank you Helen!
Moving on… some home improvement stuff
Speaking of a real keeper of a husband! Phil built this set of shelves for the garage and organized all his tools. It is a French cleat system, in which the little things can be moved around freely. Super awesome!
We got a new rug for the kitchen, as a certain puppy damaged the old one pretty badly. Now that she outgrew the chewing phase (fingers crossed), we felt we were ready for the upgrade.
We also got a new rug for the living room, as ours was almost 20 years old and getting really beaten (and chewed by a certain female Dalmatian). Oscar approved the color scheme!
In our kitchen…
Two pretty nice ingredients to play with: Chestnut honey from Italy (I do have a weakness for honey), and Stem ginger from the UK. Stay tuned for adventures with both.
In our kitchen…
A set of bell shaped cookie cutters. I also have a weak spot for shapes in different sizes. I needed a large bell for a recent project (featured here), and this was the best option.
In our kitchen…
A new turkey-size roaster. Ours was super old, and I wanted to make sure we had something nice for this year. Guess what? We ended up roasting NO bird at Thanksgiving and NO bird on Christmas. Oh, well. There is always 2024.
AND NOW, LET’S SEE WHAT OUR FURRY FRIENDS HAVE TO BARK…
We simply cannot get over the funny ways in which Ziggy Star Barker sleeps or gets comfortable…
Funny, who me????
Hey, I can be funny too!
Yeah, let them be funny. I am FIERCE. POWERFUL. THE ONE AND ONLY ALPHA-DOG!
The dogs were absolutely spoiled this holiday season, as we had two of the stepsons here with the kids (and one bun in the oven, to be born on March).
Here is our crowd at dinner, our house had never been so full!
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Did the pups love their visit? Judge for yourself….
Hi, this is my friend Campbell! Guess what? He was a little scared of doggies, but I made sure to be super nice and gentle so that fear is now history! We are buddies for life!
Hi, my name is Sutton, and this is my big furry friend Oscar… he loves to be hugged and even though I am a little too small I do my best!
This is our friend Star, she loves to cuddle on the sofa to watch TV. She had a blast with The Grinch Who Stole Christmas…
Prince is actually partial to 101 Dalmatians…
My name is Greenlee, and Prince is my best buddy, he does tricks for me and I give him treats. Is that going to spoil him? I hope so!
All pups were absolutely gentle with the kids, in this picture Sutton was crying and Star did not know what to do to console her… it was super sweet….
Unfortunately, contrary to our pups’ expectations, their visit had to end…
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But what matters is that we had a ton of fun together. Undoubtedly, dogs and kids are a match made in heaven… We wish you a wonderful New Year, and we will see you again in the Spring for another chapter of In My Kitchen, aka Life in the Kingdom of Tatarrax.
In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see whateverybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.
In our kitchen…
Unfortunately, there is no “before” picture, but this table was in horrible shape, as we used it during pandemic times to clean all our grocery stuff with 10 to 20% bleach, so it got all stained and scratched. The husband sanded it and finished with Benjamin Moore Stays Clear and it is now looking absolutely great!
In our kitchen….
Still thanks to the hard work of the husband, the final harvest (or almost final) of poblano peppers. We do have about 10 more to be brought back inside in the next few days.
In our kitchen…
Let’s hope this is the final version of an olive oil container, after yours truly broke yet another ceramic one that had been featured only 3 months ago. You cannot break stainless steel. And this one works great, it does not pour too much, it does not pour too little. Available here.
In our kitchen…
My favorite black cocoa to make chocolate cutout cookies, or Oreos. Intense, dark, perfect. Available here, if you cannot find where you live.
In our kitchen….
If you decorate cookies or even cupcakes, you know how hard it is to make a nice black color. Recently someone in a cookie decorating site recommended this black color and it is indeed a game changer. No more mixing black hours or a day in advance, no more emptying the bottle of dye into your icing… This is fantastic, I highly recommend it. Black Diamond from Chefmaster.
In our kitchen…
Speaking of gel colors… this is the way I organize my “small” collection. First and second rows are organized by brand, as those bottles have different shape. Below that they get organized by color following the rainbow… The bottom two rows are for luster powders and dusts. I’ve had this shelf since 2018, it is not available in amazon anymore, but it is originally to store nail polish.
In our kitchen…..
Still in the subject of organization, the way I store cookie cutters. These shelves are easy to assemble, sturdy enough (particularly considering they are not expensive), and do a very good job. Many styles available, you can check the store at amazon with a click here.
In our kitchen….
Some new silicone molds for fondant, small pumpkins and larger ones that might even work for baking a little cookie, need to experiment a bit to make sure.
In our kitchen….
I make chocolate-covered Oreos very often to include in my donation box of Fridays. I am always trying new brand of compound chocolate for that and this one is really nice, make a shinny coating and has pleasant vanilla flavor, no aftertaste. Available (sometimes) on amazon, click here.
In our kitchen…
White Oreos covered with that compound chocolate, part of it dyed with food gel color for the drizzle.
In our kitchen…
This is something we bought to take with us in walks with the pups. It is great, you press the button and water flows into the small cup that they can lick as if from a small bowl. Several sizes available (click here).
Speaking of dogs, here they are to bark their piece….
First, the shocking news! Star is going to be a big, very big girl… She turned only 6 months last week, and we learned that at this age, Dalmatians are at 60% of their final size. We are clearly doomed. She is already very strong, and has turned our house upside down, in many adorable ways…. Please send help, we might need it.
Below, a very rare scenario that needed to be documented so we could all believe our eyes…. Oscar barely tolerates the pups around him, but apparently a pair of soft pillows over a comfy couch can make miracles.
The Gang of Three has enjoyed a very nice Summer, all things considered, but truth be told, the “K-word” floated around once.
Yes, they had to endure a few days in the Dog Prison, where they had access to a lot of grass, playmates, and even a pool, that none of them showed any interest on. Oh, well, such is life… Of course, their good life in the Kingdom of Tatarrax was soon resumed, we cannot stay too long away from them…
Prince is now fully golf-trained: sits while Phil hits his balls, waits for him to putt, and runs to the cart at the end of each hole… Star needs a lot more work before she can be trusted to be a caddy, but we are making progress…
Prince is turning out to be a pup of refined taste..
And when it is all over and dishes are under way….
Oscar clearly believes the Whippersnappers lack class and dignity….
Particularly in light of his little sister’s sleeping etiquette….
His brother’s odd habits…
Or, come to think of it, his non-Royal eating etiquette…
Or the She-Devil’s approach…
No, Osky stands clearly higher above it all…
Not so fast, buddy! Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can be quite messy too!
AM I STILL YOUR NUMBER ONE?
THERE IS PLENTO OF LOVE TO GO AROUND THE KINGDOM, OSKY BOY! NO WORRIES THERE…
But, if we really want to talk about love, we have a couple of experts…
In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see whateverybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.
Starting with gifts….
From our dear friends Heather and Tad, all the way from their garden in California, the most spectacular Meyer lemons, that we put to use in macarons, cookies, marinades, and buttercreams! The smell before we even open the box was amazing! THANK YOU!
From our friends Keith and Sarah, a very special mug that I’ve been using every evening for my tea… I did NOT to get to be a Star Baker in the tent, but I can be one in our kitchen!
From my virtual friend Toni, the CUTEST Dalmatian golfer plush toy! Can you believe all the details? He carries a bag with golf “bones”, and I have absolutely NO WORDS! Approved by both resident Dalmatians, one yet to set paw on a golf course, the other a very seasoned caddy for his Dad. This little golfer has fun jumping around our kitchen, showing up in the most unexpected spots, never failing to give us a smile! A little like Elf on the Shelf…
Cannot thank you enough, Toni!
In our kitchen…
A new mat to replace one that lasted for many years, but could not resist the teeth of a certain Dalmatian puppy that attends by the name of Prince… oh, well……
In our kitchen…
I have a weakness for small tiny colorful dishes, and these jumped into my shopping cart the other day. What can I say? I needed them in my life…
In our kitchen…
A cupcake carrier that is a must-have if you need to transport cupcakes around. Almost every week I’ve been including mini-cakes in my donation box, so I use it often. It is sturdy, very convenient. Available here.
In our kitchen…
I found those at Marshalls and of course, was forced to bring them home. How could I possibly resist them?
In our kitchen…
I got this set of flavoring oils from LorAnn straight from amazon. You cannot choose the flavors, they just assemble a dozen. I thought it was a good deal so I can try them and the ones that please me I can order later in a bigger size, although they are so potent that each little bottle will last well into their expiration date, I suppose. I was hoping Key Lime would be in the mix, but unfortunately it did not make it. ‘
In our kitchen…
Someone turned 1 year old on June 12th, and we had a special bake… Dog cookies, made according to this recipe.
In our kitchen….
A silicone mat normally used for fondant, but I rolled it over chocolate cookie dough (without any leavening agent) and used to form a pattern over the cookie, as shown below. There are countless versions available in sites such as aliexpress.
In our kitchen…
I normally hate single-function gadgets but we are loving this one! Hubby often makes açaí bowls for his lunch and the banana slicer works like a charm. Also great for strawberries, but a no-no for dried apricots, in case you are wondering. Available here.
In our kitchen…
A little ceramic container for olive oil. We had a different, fancier one, but it kept cracking because it was a bit too big to handle. This one is perfect for our needs. It does not hold as much oil as the previous one, but it is easier to use. Several colors available here.
In our kitchen…
From Sweetsticks, a paint activator to use with all sorts of luster powders and also to dilute gel dyes. If you like to have the watercolor effect on the surface of an iced cookie, this is really helpful because it does not dry nearly as fast as alcohol-containing solutions. I won mine in a little cookie contest, but it is available here.
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In our kitchen… a teaser little thing….
I am not going to explain what those are, but these are super cool! Wait for a blog post putting one of them into use… Of course you are more than welcome to try and guess what these are…..
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And now, it is time to let our pups do the barking…. and the most vocal by far is our Little Star, getting less little each and every week!
Prince and Star are pretty much inseparable now… She follows him, imitates him, adores him, and the feeling is definitely mutual…
Many thanks to our friend Jen, for quoting the phrase “Get your own Star!” Indeed, it says it all about their bond… Too cute for words. Oscar, however, has a slightly different take on the situation.
But, Star knows how to play the cute-card…
And she is incredibly cute even when slightly confused about the proper way to negotiate her bed…
Although we did not find it that cute when she decided to get up close and personal with mud, just an hour after we gave her a bath (and THAT was not easy, trust me).
But of course, things got much worse a few days later…
Still, not a chance to stay mad at her…
Prince has been the best Big Brother a pup can ask for… he is patient, loving, caring, and so so happy to have a playmate. They play non-stop from the moment they wake up until they crash side by side at night…
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Osky is Osky. He is in many ways happier now that Prince leaves him alone, and Star is quickly learning that inviting him to play is a no-no. He is also very happy with his Summer look…
This is me, around The Black Spotted Deviants
This is me spared of their Annoying Presence…
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Star is shaping up as a True Defender of her Brother’s Kingdom!
And, if you still need a little hit of The Cute… I am here for you….
Before I close this post, a little shout from the past. Today BUCK would be 16 years old. I miss you, Bucky Boy.
We have great news! On May 20th, we brought home a little bundle of joy, an 8 weeks-old female Dalmatian called Star. Full name is Ziggy Star Barker, a play with David Bowie and Star Baker. She is feisty, sweet, and the boys accepted either very enthusiastically (Prince) or kind of reluctantly (you know who). We are thrilled to have her join our home!
Bewitching Kitchen 