Norbert's Birthday Recipes

So as I posted on the weekend that it was Norbert's 9th birthday so we had to have a nice party.   Above are the celebrants waiting for their cake:


Norbert's Meatloaf Cake

1 1lb ground turkey
1/2 cup oat meal (uncooked)
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 10 oz package chopped spinach
4 sheets of nori (japanese seaweed kelp) crumbled (kelp is very good for dogs)
1 tomato, chopped
2 eggs beaten
Frosting
1 to 2 cups cottage colored with food coloring

Preheat oven to 350.  Stir together all the meatloaf ingredients.  Bake in the oven for about an hour until done.  Cool and frost with the cottage cheese.

Of course you can't have a part without presents.   Norbert got a nice haul

He got a green scarf with his name embroidered on it that says: 100% pure mutt.

from  Pure Mutt a great online store that caters to wonderful mixed breeds like Norbert. 

Then from our favorite online toy store Olive Green Dog he got a Squirrel toy 

and a cool retro duck:

Of course there were some nice freeze dried organic treats too, (Norbert is very picky.)  He got liver kisses and raw naturals chicken bites.

It was also Norbert's Dad's birthday this weekend, 33 years old.  So he had to have a special dinner and cake too.  Here are the human friendly recipes:

Birthday Steak with Asian Flavor (from Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer)

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 cloves minced garlic
1 and a 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and minced
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
5 scallions chopped

2 lbs top round steak (in one piece is best)

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a heavy duty zip lock bag and marinate over night.

Spray a griddle pan with non stick spray and heat pan it over med high heat for five minutes until very hot.  Grill the meat apoximately 8 minutes per side, or longer if you want it more well done.

Dipping Sauce:

5 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 minced garlic gloves
2 thai chilies seeded and chopped
1 inch piece of ginger seeded and chopped

Stir the sauce ingredients together and serve with the steak.

Tres Leches Cake-Norbert's Dad's favorite Cake

1 package cake mix (I used Duncan Hines moist deluxe)

1 cup heavy cream

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup rum

Prepare the cake according to package directions, but use milk instead of water.   After the cake comes out of the oven cool it and then poke all over with a fork.  Stir together the cream and milks and rum in a large measuring cup and pour slowly over the cake.  Refrigerate several hours or over night.

Top with sweetened whipped cream, shredded coconut, and pineapple chunks.