Monday, April 7, 2014

Growing up Pug

Welcome to my blog and the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop!


I have two dogs: a Pug named Flapjack, and a Puggle named Fritter.

Fritter is four and Flapjack just turned one.
Before I got Flapjack, Fritter and I loved to spend time in the garden.  She would lay out in the sun while I weeded.  She would lay out in the shade, while I weeded.  She would go back inside, while I weeded.

Then we got Jack, and everything changed.

Jack was born in March, north from where I live and closer to the mountains.  When I got him in May, the breeder told me he had never seen grass before, since she still had snow in her yard.  So his first experience with grass was a game changer.  Of course to a Pug, especially a puppy, it was the BEST THING EVER!


Then we got busy in the garden.  Another fun fact the breeder told me was that this certain Pug loves peas.  I filed that info away and didn't think much about it.

Flapjack and Fritter got along, mostly.  Jack followed Fritter EVERYWHERE and was pretty much what every younger sibling was supposed to be; annoying. They played and rolled in the grass.  
Fritter showed him the hole under the shed where she had dug out a hiding place.  She showed him where to find the BEST STICKS EVER!
If we didn't see Jack for awhile, we knew he was probably trying to drag a stick inside.






The garden grew, and before I knew it, I had peas.  I started to bring Jack out to the garden and would pick a pea for him.  OMG! It was the BEST PEA EVER!  Thus everytime I went out into the garden, Jack would follow and patiently wait by the peas for me to give him one.

Then soon, he stopped being patient.  I wondered why there were only peas from my knee height and up.  Then I noticed that the pea vines were on the ground.  Finally I noticed the half-gnawed-on pods. That dang Pug was pilfering my peas!

Luckily I had peas-a-plenty, and other things began to sprout that caught his attention.  However, it never failed if anyone went out to the garden to weed or harvest, they were confronted by the pea-eating Pug.

And really, how can you say no to a face like this.

This is a recipe from my favorite cooking show/magazine/website (Cooks Country) and is worthy for any pea loving Pug.

Bacony Peas

SERVES 4

Do not thaw the peas before adding them to the skillet. You can use half a medium red onion in place of the shallot.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4slices bacon, chopped
  • 1shallot, minced
  • 1garlic clove, minced
  • 1(1-pound) bag frozen peas
  • 2teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 1tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. 1. RENDER BACON Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
    2. COOK PEAS Cook shallot and garlic in bacon fat until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in peas and sugar and cook, covered, until heated through, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in butter. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with bacon. Serve.
Pass the Peas!

My big giveaway!

To celebrate Spring and the recent release of my second book, I will be giving away copies of both Angel's Code and Angel's Betrayal.  One lucky winner will win both copies and two others will receive their choice of one or the other.

Angel's Code
Danny Murray is a restless young Londoner.  Bored with his studies as a web designer, he longs for something new and exciting.  He attracts the attention of an enigmatic American hacker who goes by the screen name "The Fallen Angel."  Angel agrees to train him, as long as he becomes a member her team.  Oliver Murray, Senior Investigating Officer for London's Metropolitan Police's Cyber Crime Division, and Danny's older brother, has different plans for his troublesome brother.  But when Oliver is abducted, it comes down to Danny and the illegal skills he's learned to save him.


Angel's Betrayal
It's summertime and insects are not the only things flying in the London skies.
Oliver and Danny Murray return in this explosive second-in-the-series novel.
When two CIA agents appear in Oliver Murray's office, he knows nothing good could come from it.  An American drone has gone missing and the agents believe that one of their own may have taken it.  The agent in question is Sara Parsons, also known as Fallen Angel.
Maintaining her innocence, Angel tries to find the real culprit, but when one of the agents sent to apprehend her turns up dead in her flat, Oliver has a hard time believing her.  With the help from his brother, Danny, Oliver betrays his own instincts and decides to help Angel find the true murderer and drone thief.



The winners will be able to choose between a signed paperback or a digital copy.
Please leave a comment with your email below.  Plus if you are interested in my books and want to be kept in the loop, please indicate that you would like to be put on my newsletter mailing list.
           
                 Thank you for visiting during this blog hop.  To continue your hop, click below.
Remember, to be eligible for the grand prize you must visit and comment on each author's page.  Good luck!

16 comments:

  1. Recipe looks very good i will have to try this some time i love pugs have not owned one yet but have a friend that has three of them and they are the best. josephhawkshaw@yahoo.com

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  2. Okay, you made it very hard to read those recipes with those little puppy faces begging for attention! LOL! I have a pug too! angelarosebooks@yahoo.com

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  3. You pugs are so cute!! I have a puggle named Rufus he is a bit naughty and likes to destroy my flowers! I never knew about pugs and peas though I'm going to have to try them with him :)

    savannahm1987@gmail.com

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  4. awww such cute babies!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    Froggy
    froggarita@gmail.com

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  5. Very cute. I really like the mixed one. esseboo@yahoo.com

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  6. The dogs are adorable! And bacony peas...hmmm....maybe this is how I can get my husband to eat them. :-)
    cchant86 @ yahoo.com

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  7. I have to comment on your pugs who are adorable. My dog is a catahoula Leopard dog ( Google them) and ever since she was a pup, she adores pugs. She will single them out of mixed pack of 10 different breeds. I don't know how or why, but she is consistent. Maybe she was a pug in her previous life?
    eallen99@juno.com

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  8. I love participating in these blog hops~ I always come away with a longer TBR as well as new bloggers added to my Bloglovin’ feed :)
    ilookfamous at yahoo dot com

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  9. Love your story about your doggie babies! So cute. And Bacony Peas? Please! Everything is better with bacon.

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

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  10. Your dogs are precious!! I would love to win your books, they look very good.

    Judy
    magnolias_1(at)msn(dot)com

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  11. Aww your dogs are so adorable!! Thanks for sharing the pics & stories with us!! The books sound fantastic. =) Thanks for having this giveaway!!

    Take care & I hope you have a great day!! =)

    Brandi
    BLeigh1130 at yahoo dot com

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  12. Thanks for the pictures - dogs are cute! lisalickel-at-yahoo.com

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  13. Such adorable dogs! Thanks for the giveaway!!

    Entered the giveaway hop as Alisha Sienkiel
    sienkiel1821@yahoo.com

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  14. Your dogs are so cute.. You have a pea thief and I have a chickstrip thief.. Gotta love dogs... Thanks for being part of the hop.

    j.m.platt83@gmail.com

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  15. Your books sound like good reads and you r recipe is a winner!! Love bacon. Love peas. Love sugar. How can I not love this? Thanks for hopping with us. Hope I'll get at least one of your books!! Happy spring. I hope it is there, wherever you are. Nancy

    npi-sunyer@comcast.net

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  16. Hi! Great post! Interesting recipe. Ill give it a shot! Cute pup! How adorable! :) Great books too! They look fantastic! Thank you for sharing! :)
    ​And ​thank you for being apart of this awesome hop!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

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