Ping's Birthday Fiesta Re-Cap

Ping here-So my ninth birthday was mostly pretty good (though I did have to wear this stupid hat for a few minutes).   Sadly, in the morning the weather did not look so great so plans to take me to brunch where shelved, I'm telling mom and dad they have to re-schedule since I saw that post of Tubby scarfing down cheese fries at brunch and I want my turn!


Anyway, mom and dad gave me my first gifts early in the morning after my special breakfast treat, sardines with my kibble!  Sardines are my favorite.

I got a red initial t-shirt from Diva Dog Designs.  Don't forget to enter our Diva Dog Design t-shirt give away here, they can make shirts for any size pup and they are all adorable.   Plus you can shop with a 15% discount if you use my special discount code PINGBDAY. 


 Anyway, back to my gifts so I also got a very nice collar from Day Dog Designs, my collar is in the Vienna pattern.   Every collar needs a tag and mom got me a very special tag from Fetching Tags.

It says "Let's Go Ride a Bike" the perfect accessory for a bike riding pug like me.  Thanks to Tucker's mom for introducing us to Fetching Tags with this post.

After opening my presents I had to go get my birthday grooming and luckily by the time I finished, the sun had come out so mom and dad took me for a nice walk.

When we got home it was time for the best part-birthday cake.  Since May is National Strawberry Month I got a strawberry cake (mom will share the recipe on Tasty Tuesday).


My party guest brothers where eager for a taste

but it was my birthday so I got to eat first!

After cake Mom and Dad gave me even more presents!  I got too boxes of treats and a pink Spring Chicken Toy from Olive Green Dog.

Really I could take or leave the toy, I have never been much for toys but mom thought  he was super cute, she liked how he looks like a Muppet.  She even insisted on taking this picture of Tubby and me posing with Spring Chicken with her Muppet Book.

Since it was Cinco De Mayo mom made some tex-mex foodables for dinner, and can you believe it she and dad did not give any to me!  Something about the food being to rich and spicy for pugs and me having scarfed down a lot of cake and treats.     


Mom still wants to share the recipes for what she made so I will let her take over now.

Messy table laden with fattening foods

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork Tortillas (adapted from Pioneer Woman)


1 5 lb pork shoulder roast
2 to 3 cups Dr. Pepper
1 yellow onion sliced
2 7 ounce cans chipotle chiles in adobo 
2 tbsp brown sugar
flour tortillas
monterey jack cheese
diced tomatoes
cilantro


Slice the yellow onion and place it in the bottom of the slower cooker.   Season the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper and place fat side up in the slow cooker on top of the onions.  Pour over the chipotle chiles and sprinkle on the brown sugar.   Add the Dr. Pepper enough so it comes up to about 2 inches from the top of the cooker.  Cook on low.


When its done take the meat out of the slow cooker and discard the fat from the top of the meat.  Shred the remaining meat.  Discard the liquid.  Serve on warmed tortillas (I warm the in the microwave between layers of damp paper towels for 45 seconds) with the tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese.




Chilies Rellenos Rice


2 cups cooked rice 
1 1/2 cups diced and seeded jalapeno or 14  ounces mild canned chilies
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese
2 cups sour cream


Preheat the oven to 375
Stir all the ingredients together in a large  bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Bake 25 minutes.   (Note: you can assemble this several hours ahead of time and then bake).


Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos from Pioneer Woman
20 jalapenos halved length wise and seeded
1 package softened cream cheese
12 ounces bacon, sliced in thirds
tooth picks


Preheat oven to 375


Fill the jalapeno halves with the soft cream cheese and then write in the bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Bake 20 minutes and then if the bacon is not browned enough broil for a few minutes.


Usually for Cinco De Mayo I make Tres Leches cake the recipe is in this post.  But this year I decided something citrusy would help offset all the fatty, spicy stuff.


Ginger Lime Pie

Crust
1 1/2 cups ginger snap crumbs, ground up in the processor
1/3 cup sugar
6 tbsp melted butter


Filling
5 egg yolks
21 ounces sweetened condensed milk, about one and a half cans
2/3 cup of lime juice
zest of one lime


Crystalized ginger for garnish


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.


After crushing the ginger snaps in the processor, add the sugar and process again, pour the melted butter through the top opening and process until all the crumbs are moist.  Press into a glass pie pan and set aside while you make the filling.


In a bowl whisk the egg yolks, condensed milk, lime juice, and zest together until they are completely combined.  Pour into the prepared crust and bake for 15 minutes.  Cool to room temperature and then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve (can be made one day in advance).