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Ninja Training….

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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 πŸ˜› ).
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 aΒ  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. πŸ˜‰
*Cheap pet food.
*Walks when raining.
*Shower curtains, CCS’s greatest fear (sadly enough). πŸ˜€

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. πŸ˜‰Β 

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!

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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 cupΒ  granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cupsΒ  dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees FΒ  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

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Comments

  2. This is the cutest thing I have ever seen. I am going to go faint from the cuteness, come back, faint again over the pumpkin cranberry bars, and then maybe remember it all and faint again. πŸ™‚

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  5. I found your blog from Jamie at My Baking Addiction…Love your blog!!

    AND, I wanted to say that your cocker is seriously CUTE!

    I have had Cocker Spaniel puppies my entire life and your precious dog is just the sweetest thing I have ever seen…she looks like my Cocker Pippin who died a few years ago. I’ waiting to get a red cocker puppy until after the new year, but seeing your dog has me so excited and envious!!!!!

    Reply

  6. When we lived in Long Beach, CA, there was a neighborhood that had a dog costume parade every year. Seriously. The road would be blocked off, and dozens of owners would parade their costumed dogs. Our upstairs neighbor dressed her pooch up as a bumble bee.

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  8. Pumpkin cranberry huh? You are jumping right into fall. I’m resisting for a bit longer.

    I dress up my cats too. We have a wedding dress and a tux for them.

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  9. Your dog is so cute. I love when you post pictures of her! These bars look wonderful. Even though it’s nowhere close to fall here, I might still have to make them soon πŸ™‚

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  11. Gosh, I didn’t know that about female bunnies. I knew there was a downside to being half-human and half-bunny, if ever. Too bad about the failed ninja training. That would’ve looked good on his resumé. πŸ™‚

    I actually haven’t ever tried a pumpkin dessert– just not common here. But it’s so popular among Americans that it makes me curious! Those bars in particular look really good!

    Reply

  12. that’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! And I swear, we have a cat that’s in ninja training too … though I’ve been calling him Houdini since he just shows up in random places. πŸ™‚

    Those bars sound so good … I MUST try them!

    Reply

  16. OMG – this post made me miss my bunny and she’s been gone for over 15 years! She was a house bunny – litter box and leash trained and she slept in our bed (usually on my pillow by my head). She was such a great pet!

    The bars — yum!! πŸ™‚

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  19. I didn’t know you had a bunny! I have a fluffy little bunny too. He just turned one, and he will NOT let me put him on a leash. I tried and he bit me and the leash…got any suggestions?

    Your dog is beautiful- she has such soulful eyes.

    Reply

  24. I really needed this laugh after the last few political days–and the pairing of pumpkin and cranberry in the same bar is a perfect, Thanksgiving-inspired treat(and actually good for you too)! And an administration that knows enough to stay out of Mr. McGregor’s garden is always welcome, too!

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  25. Mmm, I love pumpkin anything. Can’t wait to make something with it soon, too. Looks great! Your CCS looks just like the one we had when I was younger. She was relaly ninja like too. She only barked once in 10 years!

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  27. I am seriously liking the Fluff Ticket. Those pumpkin bars sound great, but I know I would have to add chocolate – we love pumpkin and chocolate chips around here. (Ninja CCS – rofl!!)

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  28. Your bunny is so cute and your puppy looks like my parents two cockers.

    LB says he would be happy to provide his services as the Secretary of Defense for The Fluff Ticket cabinet. He likes to play “death looks from above” with the squirrels in the yard but when one actually makes a move towards the window where he sits, he jumps down and runs away; preferring diplomacy to actually fighting.

    Those bar cookies look wonderful and will be made very soon.

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  30. I love the bunny! One of my clients have an adorable milk chocolate colored bunny that they walk with a leash too. I just love it. It is soooo adorable. I know I’m supposed to comment on your food, but your pets are sooooo cute. (plus I always love your recipes).

    Reply

  35. first of all, i love your titles.
    secondly, i’ve never owned or considered owning a bunny, but yours is the most adorable i’ve ever seen and he/she has me reconsidering. cute pooch, too. fluff ticket? i’m in.
    and your bars look great. is it really time for fall already?? πŸ™‚

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  37. I literally gasped out loud when I saw your title, as that’s what I call my martial arts class!

    Your dogs are adorable, and I conveniently have a can of open pumpkin in the freezer…

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  39. I’m going with the Fluff! I even called my mom in to read this post and she was cracking up.

    And I’ll be saving that pumpkin bar recipe. Pumpkin goes over well in this house. πŸ™‚

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  40. Your doggo is so cute. And I’m dying over the bunny with the harness. We’ve had pet bunnies, too — potty trained them and everything. Yep. Quite the fluff ticket you’ve got there. The pumpkin bars sound yummy. I still have some of my pumpkin puree in the freezer. Mmm….

    Reply

  42. Great ticket! I agree that the pet outfits are not usually a hit with the pets (although they sure look cute!).
    The cookie bars flavors make me long for real autumn even more than I have been. Sooooooon!
    Thanks for reminding everyone to register & to vote. It is very important this year, whichever way you vote. Next time around we can go for fluff!!

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  43. They have my vote! πŸ™‚ Adorable all around… who could resist them in office? As for your pumpkin cranberry bras, it screams fall to me and I’m ready for it!

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  47. Your babies are precious. I want a rabbit so much. Do you love having it? I am a huge animal lover and I am thinking that a rabbit would fit perfect into my little family πŸ™‚

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  50. I’m all for the fluff ticket – sounds way better than most everything else I’ve heard!! Plus, you can always trust a dog.

    These bars sound wonderful – and just like fall.

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  51. Thank you so much. I will have to talk to my husband about that πŸ™‚ I knew they were time consuming so we shall see! And I def want a dwarf bunny πŸ™‚

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  55. Oh that is a great ticket Pea, I am all for it. But Trudy, Bill and Nora want to know if they get to be members of the Senate?

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  56. These are the most adorable candidates ever, Pea! Can I please vote even being a Brazilian?? πŸ˜‰

    As far as the “surprise ability” your dog has, I had a boss that was just the same. One minute she was miles away, the next she was breathing down our necks (really). We used to call her “Droopy” (like the cartoon).

    Reply

  57. Does anyone else always have a forgotten can of pumpkin in their pantry? Mine says “best by April 2010” but I don’t think I’ll wait that long. These look so good!

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  59. I’d vote for them in a heartbeat! They are much cuter than any of the current candidates…besides, it’s about time naps were made a priority around here!

    Reply

  60. I’m so excited that it’s getting to be pumpkin baking time! At first glance I wrote off this recipe, because it looked like raisins in the picture (I HATE raisins!). But cranberry?! Amazing idea… I will have to try this!

    Reply

  63. Hi there, I made a batch of these today and they were delicious! I used fresh pumpkin, steamed, pureed (we don’t get canned pumpkin here in Australia) and I used walnuts instead of pecans, but they still tasted great. Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  2. […] See, you thought I was kidding before, but it no coincidence that Sarah Palin jinxed the Flyers. They have the worst record in the NHL. They did finally win a game, the same day, MY player, the reason I watch the Flyers, Danny Briere, had to have surgery and is out for 3-4 weeks!!!! That is a long time in hockey folks. And now, she is spreading her doom to other teams. Friday night Palin dropped the puck, this time for the Saint Louis Blues. Who lost their goalie that night…know why? Palin. Yep, seems he tripped over the carpet that was laid out for her and her kids…and now has a hip injury. He says he doesn’t blame her but I bet he has a Voodoo doll at home that looks just like her (Hopefully it wont get mixed up with Tina Fey ). Really, this has got to stop. Clearly teams are being punished for having her come out. How many more teams seasons will she ruin. Sarah Barracuda stop the insanity! Go back to Alaska and screw over your minor league and house league teams there! So NHL teams, if you are stupid enough to have her come out, I hope one of your players is smart enough to cross checker down before she can drop the puck. Speaking of Palin, I voted this weekend. All voting in my county is done via mail. It’s nice and convenient but I must say I do miss going and voting. I miss my little Ò€œI voted todayÒ€ sticker. And I miss going to the fire station (which is where I had to vote in AZ). But I voted. And I want to once again remind you to do so as well….for whoever it is that you want. Heck you could even write in someone…or some fuzzy critters. […]

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