There are two kinds of SNICKERDOODLES.....there's the big puffy, "cakey" ones and then there's the RIGHT ones! Sweet, thin, crackled and chewy; these are the only kind of Snickerdoodles that you'll find here at The Urban Poser. So if you are looking for the former then...."These are not the cookies you are looking for....move along." (THANK YOU Obi-Wan and my two very obsessed Starwars
Snickerdoodle Cookies (Egg/Grain/Gluten/Dairy Free)
There are two kinds of SNICKERDOODLES.....there's the big puffy, "cakey" ones and then there's the RIGHT ones! Sweet, thin, crackled and chewy; these are the only kind of Snickerdoodles that you'll find here at The Urban Poser. So if you are looking for the former then...."These are not the cookies you are looking for....move along." (THANK YOU Obi-Wan and my two very obsessed Starwars
Just Peachy: Peaches & Cream Chicken Salad W/Currants, Parsley & Mint (No Mayo, Paleo, Egg/Dairy/Grain Free)
I know, I know.....there are a MILLION chicken salad recipes out there these days. That's why I wanted to come up with something that was simple, fresh and summery but still different than your typical summer picnic side dish. So if you want a break from the same old, same old...then this is the chicken salad for you!
It's fairly common to add apricots to a chicken salad recipe, but
Street Foods: Samosas W/Rhubarb Chutney & Fried Green Chilies (Grain/Potato/Gluten Free)l
As a child, I used to love watching my father cook. There are times when a parent teaches their child to cook using words and measurements and instructions, but most of what I learned from my father came through simply watching him make his way around the kitchen. His hands: strong and precise, swift and sure; rugged enough to hold a searing pan and nimble enough to wield the sharpest knife
"He needs a sticker that says "Just Add Water"
My boy's gonna be okay!!! PHEW....
We had a great visit with our veterinarian today and she said the poor little guy was bone dry from the medication he was given at the Emergency Vets (which we continued through the week). Which is okay. It was an urgent situation and they weren't exactly sure of what was wrong with him, so the ER Vets did the best they could. I'm incredibly grateful.
Our vet said that Mitten was extremely, extremely dehydrated, so we stopped the current medication (which was causing him to be so dehydrated -- the Vet said he needed a sticker that says, "Just Add Water" lol). He was given IV fluids and we were encouraged to keep giving him electrolyte replacements for a few days (Pedialyte) until he was more encouraged to eat.
The vet currently thinks that the main issue may be feline diabetes, which should be generally easy to manage with the right diet regimen and possibly medication. We'll visit the vet again early next week and see how his progress is and what we need to do from there.
Just want to shout out a HUGE thank you to all of the wonderfully kind and thoughtful comments and emails I've received over the past few days in regards to my Mitten. In our house our pets are our family and I feel extremely blessed to have so many readers and friends who have a similar love for their furry friends. I am SO appreciative of your heartfelt thoughts and prayers! They worked! Thank you!!
Corn Muffins in a Jiffy
I can whip these up anytime with ingredients I have
on hand and save a trip to the store.
This recipe makes 6 corn muffins just like a box of
Jiffy.
Whisk together; flour, cornmeal, sugar, BP,
and salt in a large bowl.
In another medium bowl whisk the egg, milk
and oil. Add to the dry ingredients and
stir just until combined.
Fill 6 sprayed muffin cups.
Bake @400 for 12-15 minutes, until golden.
Serve while still warm
with butter or, my favorite way
with butter and raspberry jam.
Nice with breakfast.
Corn Muffins in a Jiffy
Corn Muffins in a Jiffy
1/2 C flour
1/2 C yellow corn meal
3 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
Whisk together in a large bowl
1 egg
1/3 C milk
2 T vegetable oil
Whisk together then add to the dry
ingredients and stir just until combined.
Fill 6 sprayed muffin cups and bake
@400 for 12-15 minutes, until golden.
Enjoy!
Learning how to live with the unknown...
This is Mitten. I adopted him when I moved into my first apartment, over 10 years ago. He was about 3 weeks old. He's an albino white cat who is deaf. The first night I had him, I placed him in the bathroom to spend the night. He cried and cried and cried and being afraid of waking up my roommate I brought him to my room. I placed him on the pillow next to me and he sighed and went to sleep. And that's where he's slept the past ten years.
He's had to adjust to sleeping more in the middle between my husband and me... but he's never really been willing to give up his spot. Until now.
Last Sunday I went into the kitchen to prepare lunch and I saw Mitten sitting strangely against the kitchen doorway. His paws were propping his chest and head and he was rasping for breath. His nose and his ears were blue. I yelled for Michael, who came running into the kitchen. Michael has severe asthma, he has since he was a child and as soon as he saw Mitten's nose was blue, he said, "Get him in the car, we're going to the Emergency Vet. He can't breathe."
This would be my 2nd trip to the Emergency Vet this year. You may remember the story of Buddy from a few months ago. I still think of sweet Buddy on a daily basis. Because the outcome of Buddy's trip to the Vet didn't end on a positive note, I was very apprehensive about taking Mitten. But the poor guy couldn't breathe.
We took him there, he was still having severe trouble breathing, you could hear crackles and rattles coming from his chest. After tests the vet told us that Mitten had heart damage and fluid in his lungs. He had congestive heart failure. They believed they could start him on diuretic medications and he would be able to breathe better, but he would have to be on medications for the rest of his life and they had no idea how long or short it would be.
The rug had just been pulled out from under my feet. My Mitten? My sweet loving, cat who was the most affectionate animal I've ever had my entire life, the one who slept with me every night, the one who "hugged" with his little paws, and purred every time I came near. I honestly couldn't believe this was happening.
They had to keep him overnight to get his breathing under control and to get all the fluid out of his lungs. I picked him up early the next morning and I knew the instant I saw him things were not the same. He just seemed like a very different cat.
We took him to my in-laws to watch for the day, just to keep an eye on him and make sure he could breathe okay. That evening I picked him up and took him home. This once loving, super affectionate, super social cat (at least around us -- not around visitors) is now extremely lethargic, seems very sad, has no interested in attention, affection, food or water.
He's spent most of the past 4 days sleeping in the bathtub. He will sometimes walk down the hallway and then soon return back to the bathroom. He doesn't purr very much. And the poor little guy just isn't very interested in food of any kind or water.
Thankfully Michael is taking him back to the vet tomorrow morning for his followup appointment to see what we should expect from this point forward.
It's been an extremely emotional and hard time for me. This little guy has been a true friend to me and a steady companion as I began my first job, got my first apartment, got married, moved 3 times. He's been there through thick and thin. And he's always been my affectionate, loving, friend. When I needed a hug, when I just needed some encouragement, when I've had down days, he's the furry friend I turned too. It's been so hard to see a very different side of my Mitten.
A cat who no longer wants affection. Who wants to be left alone. Who doesn't feel like purring, or eating, or hugging my arm. I don't know what the future holds for him. I don't know if he has weeks, months, or years left. Learning to live with that uncertainly has been a huge challenge.
My wise friend Pamela gently reminded me last night that I have to accept Mitten where he's at and to allow him to heal, rest, and change at his own pace. I also need to think positive and pray for the very best.
So that's where my heart has been over the past week. My goal for the next few weeks is to live in the right now, accepting today, and not worrying about what will come.
Cashew Ricotta Stuffed, Almond Crusted Fried Squash Blossoms (Vegan, Grain & Dairy Free)
Oh, the wondrous blossoms of summer....I so love their scent, their color, their texture and YES, even their taste! Especially the squash blossom. If you have never tried one, now is the time, while they are in full bloom. They can be eaten raw, baked, sauteed or fried.
Don't worry, you can have your blossoms and eat your zucchini too! One additional thing to keep in mind