A Dog's Purpose

This story follows a dog through several lifetimes.  Each life leaves the dog with bits of wisdom that he will use in the next lifetime. Each time he comes back into the world, he feels that he has not yet fulfilled his purpose. But he is getting increasingly depressed as he leaves people he loves.   I will not go into detail because there is a lot that happens in this book, but I will tell you that I cried like a baby. I mean, sitting on the couch absolutely sobbing.  Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that the book ends badly... This just made me look at my dog a bit differently. Like, what is he thinking? Is he having a good life? If he died and came back, would he remember me and think fondly of our time together?

Any dog owner (or animal-lover for that matter) will be able to relate to this book and will probably want to go give their pet a big hug after reading this touching story.

While I highly recommend this book, you've been warned! Come armed with a box of tissues:)

Dinner derailed...

So. I've been rather busy traveling around and I haven't been cooking all that much. So when I came home last night after a long weekend coaching, I decided to pop something in the oven for dinner. Well, that was the plan until I started smelling something quite repulsive. I thought maybe something had dripped to the bottom and was now burning. I kept opening the oven while it was preheating trying to find the source of the offending odor.  I finally looked close enough and saw it... underneath the bottom of the oven....where the gas flames were a-blazing...a bit more than usual. ICK. Really? So that is where the mice were communing. Perfect. Dinner derailed.

I knew I had mice. As much as I'd like to deny it, they popped up after my visit to Boston and we had set traps and finally caught 2.  Then I came home the other day and found my dog 'playing' with a baby mouse. Yuck.  There had been no new evidence of my furry nemeses for a few days until last night's adventure.  Luckily my handy brother was around to show me how to dismantle the oven to remove all the fluffy nesty stuff that I had almost blazed to a fiery inferno. 

So here's a tip. If you go on vacation, make sure to check the oven before you turn it on! Just in case some furry friends decided to take up residence.

Hummus

I love hummus... I've had the store-bought kind and I've had home-made.  I particularly liked the kind my mom makes and I've helped her make it. Not too difficult. IF you own a food processor.  So even though I've known how to make this for some time now, I've never actually owned a food processor and therefore haven't been able to make it.  I just recently remembered that I do in fact own one now and so I whipped this up the other day:)

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans; drained and rinsed
1 tea. minced garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 T. Tahini paste (sesame seed paste often found in the ethnic food aisles near the Mediterranean section)
1 tea. cumin
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 T. olive oil
1/2 tea. salt
1/8 tea. cayenne
1/4 tea. pepper
1/4 tea. paprika

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. This may take several minutes. You may need to add a bit more yogurt to get a smooth consistency.

Serve with toasted pita or fresh veggies:)