Born just north of Phoenix Arizona, Crazy Cocker Spaniel was born into wealth. Life took a tragic turn though when she was just 5 months old when her owner had a stroke. Unable to care for CCS, she was put into the foster care system. Luckily, with her adorable looks and charming personality, CCS was quickly adopted. Adopted by me, a REAL hockey mom…well hockey PLAYING mom (the best kind there is). Oh and as a side note, I have eaten moose, killed a quail(I accidentally ran over it, but still) and wear lipstick.
Her first years were quite an adjustment as CCS’ mom did not lead a lifestyle where she was home much between teaching school, going to school and playing  hockey. CCS was left alone a lot to be with her thoughts and to no doubt educate herself about the world around her.
Moving to Washington state was an adjustment as well. She was forced to learn to go the bathroom on grass(dirt and rock make up most of Phoenix landscaping)…and what was worse, wet grass. CCS has risen above this and now has no problem going on the grass. She can overcome.
CCS enjoys swimming, napping, sniffing things, laying on clean laundry that has not been put up yet, begging for food, barking at the UPS man and sitting on your chest if you are ignoring her. She is a candidate that can get noticed when she needs to be. And her record on napping, sniffing things and begging for food speaks for itself.
She is not without her problems. She still constantly battles with her need to eat and shred Kleenex (especially used….don’t judge people, don’t judge). She knows it can get out of control and she is dealing with it, taking it one day at a time. It also helps that we hide the trash cans when we leave.
She stands up for all animals. She doesn’t mind being called a pig, heck, she even dresses up as one from time to time because she knows that the pig is a smart animal.

She was raised with cats her first 5 months even taking on some cat like tendencies of walking along the back of the couch and curling up like a cat. She never judges people based on whether they are cat or dog people, for she is both pro dog and pro cat, reaching across those party lines. In choosing a bunny as her running mate she has shown that she cares about what the small pet population has to say as well.
My dad says he wants to know where the ticket stands on the economy. She is giving the generic answer that it is a tough time right now as Little Fuzzy Bunny(LFB), as most of you know, is battling a bacteria that could take her eye and we are focused on that. But I promise we will get to the issues…eventually.

Thanks to all those throwing their support to the Fluff ticket. And please think good thoughts for LFB.

Toasted Coconut Shortbread

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (about 3 ounces)
1 ½  cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾  cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 ¼  tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugars in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk; wrap each in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters, cut dough into rounds (or squares like I did). Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional cookies. Repeat procedure with remaining dough disk until all of dough is used.
Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.)

Adapted from Bon Appƒ©tit Magazine, March 2004

We are Crazy Cocker Spaniel and Little Fuzzy Bunny, and we support this blog post. Now get out there and get educated on the issues and make sure you are registered to vote!

So right after everyone seemed to be doing the Omnivore 100 meme, another one came out. This time about things that you had done in your life. Number 3….”Been apart of a hockey fight”. Several people when filling that out commented that they were interested in knowing how I would answer that question. So here ya go.
First off that question is vague. Hockey fight at a game where I was a fan or one in a game I played? For today’s story we shall focus on the latter. Yes, I have been in a hockey fight, two for that matter, and both with boys. I of course can not say a man, because no man would hit a woman, but onward with the story.
Fight number one I lost. I am playing. I score a goal. The next thing you know I was tackled by a very large man. He started pounding my head into the ice. I kept waiting for the referees to step in but they didn’t seem to (wimps). So, I threw off my one glove (since my other arm was pinned down beneath me) and I started punching. He wasn’t wearing a cage or shield so everything on his face was fair game. Meanwhile he kept beating me down. The refs finally came over and broke it up. I broke his nose, but he gave me a mild concussion and had me pinned the whole time so I consider him the victor of the fight.
Fight number two I won.  All night this guy was insulting me and so in return I paid the favor. After two periods of being jerks to each other. He was pushing on me and said, “ya wanna go”? I asked him “do you really want to get your ass kicked in front of God and every one by a girl?” That threw him off a bit. He shouted let’s go and threw down his gloves. I took off my helmet and gloves as well. I threw up my left arm as if to punch him. I noticed he was staring at that and so I gave him an upper cut to the jaw with my right hand. And down he went. In front of God and every one, he got his ass kicked by a girl. He laid there for quite sometime. Eventually getting up. He said nothing to me. Never said one thing to me the next time we played them as well. In fact, never again.
It’s a good time to bring this up since preseason hockey is just around the corner, in about two weeks to be exact. Then before you know it, October 4th will be here and regular season play will be on it’s way. Yes, everyone, the greatest time of year is approaching….Fall. Fall when I get to bake whenever I want without sweating. When my days can be occupied with watching hockey (and swearing at the TV screen). Watching the trees undergo a metamorphosis from lush greens to a rustic reds and glowing golds. And I get to eat all the foods I love…pumpkin being at the top of the list. Now, you can get canned pumpkin year round. But there is something about Fall that makes pumpkin just taste better.
I had been working on this idea for this bread in my head for awhile. And after a week of experimenting I finally got it where I wanted it. So you reap the benefits of my labor.
If you are allergic to nuts you can very easily leave them out. Also, if you are not a fan of maple (shudder) you can leave out the maple syrup and extract and just add vanilla.
So what have we learned here today boys and girls? Best not to mess with Peabody, as she may hit you.

Pumpkin Spice Bread with Maple Cheesecake Layer

Maple Cheesecake Layer:
9 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼  cup granulated sugar
¼  cup brown sugar
6 tsp real maple syrup (I use grade B)
1 tsp maple extract
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 large egg

Pumpkin Spice Bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½  tsp salt
½  tsp ground cinnamon
¼  tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree(plain, not the already made pumpkin pie kind)
½  cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 ½  cups granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 325F.
Lightly grease and flour three mini loaf pans. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the maple cheesecake ingredients; beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
In another bowl, sift together  flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
Place pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat for about 1 minute, until fully combined
Add flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and mix just until combined.
Fold in the pecans.
Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter evenly into the three prepared loaf pans. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of pumpkin batter layer and then pour on the remaining pumpkin batter.
Bake in preheated 325° oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove bread from pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve at room temperature or cool.

You might have noticed me not leaving comments on your blogs the last week or so. Sorry about that. See, it started with a cold. Then stomach flu. But not how I normally get stomach flu. Normally when I get it, it attacks my body in a violent way expelling everything out my mouth and is gone in about 24 hours. Not this time. It was mild this time around but dragged on and on and on.
I missed dinner with a friend, a baby shower and my week off from score keeping(I guess it was good I had time to rest). I did however still make it to my dinner at the Herbfarm.
The stomach part has past but the cold seems to be sticking around, so kind of it. But since I seem to be getting better you should see my more in the blog world.
This weeks TWD pick, chosen by Rachel of Confessions of a Tangerine Tart, was Chocolate Whopper Malted Drops. Once again though, I was not in the cookie mood. I know, not in a cookie mood? You think I would just do the cookies as they are simple. Not that my version in cupcake form was all that hard. These are basic chocolate cupcakes with some malted milk added to them. I made a chocolate malt whipped cream frosting because I wanted the topping to be light so that the crushed Whoppers would stand out.
You can pretty much pop about 5 of these at a time without blinking an eye…or at least I can.

P.S. Thanks again for all your support for the candidates, as requested by some, their bios will be up this week.

UPDATE: To make the week even more of a Whopper, poor Little Fuzzy Bunny(LFB) got a puncture in her eye (from a piece of hay). It got bacteria in it and she now has a 50% chance of losing her eye. We will know more on Monday. Right now she is undergoing treatment. So if you are the praying type could you say a little one for her please.

Chocolate Whopper Malted Cupcakes

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup malted milk powder
½  cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½  cups sugar
2 eggs
1 ½  cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extra

Preheat oven to 325F
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, malt powder, and cocoa together and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk. Add vanilla a beat well.
Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 25(15 minutes for mini) minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
Chocolate Malted Milk Whipped Cream Frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
4 TBSP malted milk powder
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder

In a large bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add sugar, malt powder, and cocoa powder. Beat until stiff.

Frost cooled cupcakes with whipped cream frosting. Top with crushed Whopper(malted milk balls) pieces.

Our dog has an amazing ability to sneak up on you. One minute she is not there and the next her hot breath is on your neck and you never even heard her. Knowing this I decided to help earn her keep in the family I would try and train her to become a ninja(though I’m not sure how marketable that would be). We have the sneaking thing down pat. It’s all the other stuff she is lacking. Let me just say I am thankful that we are using paper Chinese throwing stars otherwise I would be out a few eyeballs and there would be many a hole in the wall(of course I kid, we only let her play with nunchucks ).
I had to come to the sad conclusion that my dog was not cut out to be a ninja and so I had to come up with another career for her. I chose President of the United States.
This is after all a historic year in Presidential history. We are either getting a black president or a female vice-president. So I say why not a canine for 2012? At first she was reluctant because she does not like the idea of having to move, cockers are not one for change, but I assured her that everything would be alright. My Crazy Cocker Spaniel(CCS) already has a VP chosen, our Little Fuzzy Bunny(LFB), running together on the Fluff Ticket.

So no doubt you are asking yourself what does the Fluff Ticket Stand for?
Good question.

Pro:
*Bacon, Chicken, Sugar Cookies and Snow Peas (Carrot Tops for the VP)
*Naps, several times a day to keep your mind truly rested and refreshed and ready to handle anything life can throw at you.
*Spay and Neutering. With LFB kindly reminding rabbit owners that 80% of all female bunnies will die of cancer if not spayed(not a scare tactic…just a fact).
*Frugal spending by pet owners, unless spending is on treats or toys for pets.
*Public Transportation. Supports carpools, park and rides, biking or walking to work. Though does admit that a  ride in a car with your head out the window is always nice.
*Walks when not raining.
*Belly scratching.
*Sniffing things.

Anti:
*Wet grass. Nuff said.
*War. Anything that keeps soldiers away from their pets makes this ticket sad.
*Baths. We are animals, we are suppose to stink a little.
*Pet outfits. Especially since CCS’s owner is pro this.
*Cheap pet food.
*Walks when raining.
*Shower curtains, CCS’s greatest fear (sadly enough).

Now just because they are the Fluff Ticket don’t let that give you the impression that they are softies. As you can see from the picture below, they are tough when they need to be.  

If the issues don’t get voters I guess we will just have to resort to giving out baked goods. Starting with these Pumpkin Cranberry Bars. These are really more like pumpkin bread in bar form. Not as sweet as I had hoped but would make for a great afternoon snack.
Today’s post, though not serious at all, is a reminder of something serious….please register to vote if you have not already! Please educate yourself about the candidates, what they stand for, what issues are important to you. Then go and vote on those issues and candidates!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bars:

1 cup pecans
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tspsalt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup  granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups  dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F  and place the rack in the center of the oven. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 – 10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven, cool completely and then coarsely chop. Set aside.
Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and butter and flour an 9 x 9 inch pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground ginger, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2 – 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Beat in the pumpkin puree until incorporated (the batter will look curdled at this point). Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing only until combined. Stir in the chopped toasted pecans and dried cranberries. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cut into 16 – 2 inch bars.

Adapted from Buttercup Bakes at Home by Jennifer Appel

We are Crazy Cocker Spaniel and Little Fuzzy Bunny and we aprove this message.

CCS/LFB 2012