VESPER is a YEAR OLD! . . . and VERY SPECIAL BURGERS!

"The Bond Babies", January 2013

A new home for Vesper 

 

More Early Days

One of my first walks with Vesper

 Now, Vesper comes along on many of our long, daily walks to McDonald’s.

We take along this cosy bed and blanket on colder days.

But Vesper has always preferred walks where she can smell the flowers

And go off-leash.

Even camping is fun . . .

But some tents are just too complicated.

Now, Vesper's a year old.

 

On her birthday hike, Vesper zoomed around off-leash 

 

on the way to a waterfall.

I had fun, too.

A cheeseburger crown for Vesper’s Birthday Dinner

And Frozen Vanilla Yogurt for her Dessert!

She's really good at opening presents . . .

This one was from Diana  :)

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The Vesper Cocktail J

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Vesper’s burger was simply ½ pound of ground beef grilled and topped with cheese.  The humans are at her party also had burgers but  “cumin-scented” and “spiked with fresh mint”. J

VERY SPECIAL SPICY BURGERS:  4 burgers

            from Chatelaine Magazine:  August 1997:  This is a great recipe for using up whatever mint you have. J  I made these burgers once with a cup of chopped mint.  This time I had only 1/3 cup but that was very good, too.    

Ingredients for Burgers

1 bunch fresh mint (1/3 cup to a cup chopped)

1 pound ground beef

4 to 6 ounces onion

2 garlic cloves

½  jalapeno pepper  

1 egg

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cayenne

4 hamburger buns

Tomato

Cheddar cheese

Lettuce

Dill pickles

Prepared Mustards

Ketchup

Ingredients for Sauce

½ cup plain yogurt

½ jalapeno pepper

1 tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

PREPARATION:

1.    Chop mint leaves.  Set aside in medium sized bowl.

2.   Finely chop garlic.  Add to the mint leaves.

3.   Finely chop onion.  Add to the mint leaves.

4.   Divide jalapeno in half.  Discard seeds.  Finely chop one half and set aside on a plate.  Finely chop the other half and add to the mint leaves.

5.    Set up the table so that everyone can help themselves to:

-      Washed and dried lettuce.

-      Sliced pickles

-      Sliced tomato.

-      Mustard and Ketchup.

6.    Prepare Sauce: Mix together yogurt, ½ diced jalapeno, lemon juice, and salt.  Set aside in fridge or on table.

7.   Preheat broiler.

8.   In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, cumin, salt, and cayenne, mint, onion, and garlic.

9.   Shape into patties.  Place on grill pan.

10.                Slice cheese to top the burgers and set aside.

11.  Slice buns and set on baking sheet.

12.                 Broil meat until browned (about 4 minutes).  Turn over and broil 2 to 4 minutes longer until cooked through.

13.                Toast buns under broiler.

14.                Arrange cheese on meat patties and broil until melted.

15.                Serve.  Don’t forget the yogurt!

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With Foxy . . .    "Daw", by the way, was one of the first words, our daughter uttered.