The Most Wonderful Birthday Ever

My birthday was Wednesday. WOW... that was a grrrrreat birthday! I am soooo happy!! Here is a log of things I did:

6 am: Got up super early to open presents. Had to wait an HOUR to open my presents. ZZZZZZZZZzZzZzZzZzZzZ!!! Ate some mandarin oranges

6:30 am: WAITING. Watched TV to calm myself down.

7 am: FINALLY!!! Got to open my presents. Ripped 'em open. First was the garnet collar with gold nameplate... It said "JILL" on it!! Mommy says that's called engraving. Second I got a real stuffed rabbit, to play with. 3rd I got a marble-and-metal plaque that says:

" JILLY
Happy Birthday
January 24, 2007
1 year old!!
Love, Mommy and Daddy"

OK, so next thing!! I got a squeaky toy and a rawhide ME!!

8 am: French toast is here! With blueberries and strawberries and maple syrup, YUMMY!! Stuffed myself.

Happy Howlidays from Queen Jill

Merry Christmas!

Mommy's going to Radio City music hall!

She's seeing the Christmas show. sadly I don't get to go but she is going to tell me! I live on LI so it's not far. She's going on the train.

Apple pie!

[edit] Pie Crust
8 oz (225g) plain flour
4 oz(110g) butter
2 oz (55g) lard
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cold and 3 tablespoons hot water
or

1 pkg Store-bought pie crust (easier)

[edit] Pie Filling
1 lb (500g) apples, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 oz salted butter
2 1/2 c sugar, and additional for sprinkling
1/4 c flour
2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
cinnamon
nutmeg

[edit] Pie Topping
1 oz (28g) Milk
cinnamon
sugar


Pie Crust
Rub all flour, butter, lard, and salt ingredients together until fine breadcrumbs
Add 2 tablespoons water to make a soft but firm dough
Roll pastry on floured surface to the size you want your pie, make two crusts
Place one crust in pie pan


Do not precook apples, as this will deprive the pie of a substantial amount of flavor and turns the apples into goop!
Peel and slice apples into 1/8th-1/4th inch thick segments
Add lemon juice to apple segments
Mix apples by hand into 1/2 cup sugar and a few dashes of cinnamon.
Transfer segments less aquired juices to pie pan. (This helps prevent the pie from boiling over in the oven)
Mix rest of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and cornstarch in a separate bowl
Pour over apples in pie pan
Dot with butter
Cover with the other crust of the pie
Firm down edges with fork or finger
Cut heart or diamond-shaped vents into top crust
Brush the pastry top with milk and sprinkle additional sugar and cinnamon over the top
Bake at 350°F (177°C) until golden brown (about 60 minutes)
Serve warm with ice cream or custard

Queen Jill's amazing cranberry crossaints!

These are delicious for breakfast!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp flour
3 sticks butter (3/4 pound) of butter and margarine, equally divided and softened at room temperature
4 cups all-purpose flour, approximately
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1-1/2 cups milk, warmed to 80°F to 90°F (27°C to 32°C)
1/2 cup half-and-half, warmed
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/2 pound cranberries, crushed
1 cup cranberry juice

Instructions:

Mix the cranberries with juice until it is a cranberry-relish like consisteny.

Sprinkle 3 Tbsp flour over butter and blend together on the work surface. On a length of foil, fashion a 6" square of soft butter; fold over the sides of the foil to enclose. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 2 to 3 hours.

While the butter is chilling, prepare the dough. To mix by hand, in a large mixing or mixer bowl, blend 2 cups of the flour with salt and sugar. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add it and the warmed milk and half-and-half to the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or the flat blade of an electric mixer to thoroughly blend the batterlike dough, about 2 minutes.

Stir in additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to make a soft but not sticky dough (it will stiffen when chilled.) Knead by hand or under a dough hook for 5 minutes to form a solid mass.

If using a food processor, attach the steel blade. Place 2 cups flour in the work bowl and add the dry ingredients. Pulse to mix. Pour the 1/4 cup water, milk, and half-and-half through the feed tube. Pulse once or twice to be certain that all dry ingredients are moistened. Add the balance of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, turning the machine on briefly after each addition. When the mixture forms a mass and begins to clean the sides of the bowl, knead for 30 seconds. Don't overknead!

This begins the process of cooling the dough and at the same time allowing it to rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Determine that both butter and dough are about the same temperature — 65°F (23°C) is ideal. The block of butter should bend but not break (too cold) nor be oily (too warm) when bent slightly. This may mean taking the butter out of the refrigerator an hour or so early to reach workable temperature. Likewise for the dough. Place the dough on a floured work surface and with the hands press it into a 10" square. Unwrap the block of butter and lay the block diagonally on the dough. Bring each point of dough into the center, overlapping the edges at least 1". Press the dough into a neat package. With a heavy rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 8" x 18". This dimension is not critical.

Caution: If the butter seems to be breaking into small pieces under the dough rather than remaining solid, allow the dough/butter to warm a few minutes. But if the butter softens, becomes sticky, and oozes while making the turns, put the dough back into the refrigerator for several minutes.

Fold the length of dough into thirds, as for a letter. Turn so that the open ends are at twelve and six o'clock. Roll again into a rectangle. This time, fold both ends into the middle and then close, as one would a book. The dough will now be in 4 layers. Wrap the package of dough in a cloth (an old tea towel is good) that has been soaked in cold water and wrung dry. Place the wrapped dough in the refrigerator to relax and chill for 1 or 2 hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on the floured work surface. Unwrap, roll out, and fold in thirds, as for a letter. This is the final turn before it is rolled out and cut into croissants. Dampen cloth again and wrap loosely around the dough. Place the package in a plastic bag so moisture will be retained (not pulled out of the cloth). Leave in the refrigerator 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

Mix together the egg and 1 Tbsp of water. Have ready the egg wash, a knife or pastry cutter, and a wooden yardstick if you wish the pieces to be cut precisely otherwise, plan to cut them freehand. You may have or can borrow a French croissant cutter that cuts the dough into triangles.

Sprinkle work surface with flour. Roll the dough until it is a generous 10"-x-38" rectangle, and, most importantly, about 1/4" thick. This is a crucial dimension, since it determines the size and texture of the croissants. Trim irregularities to make the strip uniform in width. Cut the strip lengthwise to make two 5" pieces. Mark the strip into triangles, 5" wide on the bottom. Using a yardstick as a guide, cut through the dough with a pastry or pizza cutter or knife. Separate the triangles, place them on a baking sheet, and chill for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll the dough into the traditional croissant shape, by rolling the triangle from the bottom to the point.

Place the croissants on a baking sheet and allow to rise for 1 to 2 hours, in which they will double in volume.

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake the croissants for 22 to 25 minutes. Allow them to cool on a rack before serving.

Yield: 24 to 30 croissants

Jill's amazing fruit cocktail!

This isn't for dogs but it's in the menu of Elegantly yours beagles which is my group!
Ingredients:
1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pinapple juice
1/2 cup mango juice (this is thick, you don't need as much)
To garnish:
orange, mango anad pineapple pieces
cranberries
halved marachino cherries

Directions:
Mix all the juices and chill. Take one skewer for everyone you are serving and put one of each fruit on every skewer. Serve chilled!

Alternatively, you can use another juice instead of any juice used here!

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Tasty breakfast bagels!!

Give these as a tasty surprise in your dog's morning meal!! Try spreading them with peanut butter!

You need:
1 cup whole grain flour
1 cup unbleached white flour(all-purpose)
1 package yeast
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven tp 375 degrees F. In a large bowl combine the whole weat flour and the yeast.Add the chicken stock and honey. Beat for three min. while gradually adding the remaining flour. Knead the dough until it is smooth and let it rest for 5 min. Divide the dough into about 25 pieces and roll it to a smooth ball. punch a hole in each with your thumb and gently stretch the dough so each hole is about an inch wide. If they are flat, don't worry, they rise in the oven. Put the bagels on a greased cookie sheet and allow to rise for 5 minutes. Bake them for 20 minutes.Turn the heat off and allow them to cool in the oven.