Thursday, May 9, 2013

TIARA vs. LIVER


So, remember that list of things I told you about? The one with you on it? Yeah. That one. Well I guess my human wants to feel better NOW and decided the list needs to be longer. I suggested we ask Google for ideas.

Of course Google had TONS of ideas. Most were things she already does. Stuff like eat green leafy vegetables. Go for a walk. Sleep. Others were kinda weird. Cover yourself in temporary tattoos and glitter? Wear a tiara?

Not helpful, Google.

We were about to give up on making the feel-better list longer. Until I read about one of the world's healthiest eatables.

HUMAN: I am NOT eating a liver.
ME: But it's a superfood. It's supposed to make you feel awesome.
HUMAN: Kale is a superfood.
ME: You already eat that and still feel like poo.
HUMAN: Blueberries?
ME: Ditto.

We went back and forth like that for awhile. Turns out the only superfood my human doesn't already eat is liver. Unless you count bacon, the super-est food of all.

I guess my human must be reeeeally sick of feeling like poo because this morning she bought a liver. A real live liver. It's in the fridge right now. Soaking in milk:

liver + milk = pink!?
Don't ask me about the milk. It was Google's idea. Something about making the liver taste less gross?? No clue. But I guess cutting it into chunks, freezing it, and swallowing whole is plan B.

Seriously?

Chef Annie (and anyone else with cooking powers): I'm sure my human would LOVE to know how to turn liver into a tasty eatable, but please shhhhhh! Me & Dutch will get to eat it if my human can't get it down.

Paws crossed for grossness!

35 comments:

Barbara said...

Well Pug, first you need to fry up some bacon. Then, when the bacon is done and the juice is in the pan, you salt and pepper your liver and fry it up.

Look at it this way - I'll bet your mom doesn't like it anyway, because a lot of people don't.

BUT YOU AND DUTCH WILL LOVE IT.

Make sure she cuts it up in small pieces and freezes it after she cooks it, because you're gonna want it bad. BAD.

Michele said...

First, I have to just say that when I am having a bad day, like today, I know I can visit here and am guaranteed a smile. Thanks for that:)
As for the liver? Bad flashbacks of hours at the dinner table and some funky-colored meat buried under ketchup. Those would be the night I went to bed instead of finishing my dinner...as early as 6pm. Good luck to you, Amanda.
Michele

Jenny H. said...

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/absolute-best-liver-and-onions/

My Mom adores liver and onions, and I think this is how she makes hers. Good luck. I don't need the superfood and I won't eat the stuff!

Mercy said...

That liver stuff is beyond gross! Total gag-city! ! Tell your human to stick w/the bacon. I'd rather be sick than eat liver... Gag me, gag me, gag me!
Kisses, Kisses,
Mercy

Mercy said...

That liver stuff is beyond gross! Total gag-city! ! Tell your human to stick w/the bacon. I'd rather be sick than eat liver... Gag me, gag me, gag me!
Kisses, Kisses,
Mercy

Vinny said...

Dude,
You don't want to go there ... with the liver thing. I saw aliens eating livers on the FX channel...... is your human an alien? (Cue the spooky music now)

Pug Power,
Vinny

Mercy said...

Dutchy might like the tiarra....
Kisses, Kisses,
Mery

Poozles said...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chopped-liver-recipe/index.html

Chopped liver. Really. Hear me out at least. My father is a huge liver and onions lover. The smell from just the two of those is enough to make even a poo-eater head outside. Even with the milk soak. There are a few edits that

I'd suggest for the recipe above:
1) Olive oil is just fine in place of rendered fat. Probably super-er.
2) Run the food processor until its almost smooth. Chunky is no way to start out with chopped liver.
3) Double the amount of thyme. So 2 tsp if dried and 4 tsp if fresh.

Noodles said...

I think I'd choose the tiara.
Love Noodles

Anonymous said...

Liver = Gross! My dad would eat liver & onions everday if my mother would make it for him. He is the only one in the house who would eat it. Stunk to high heaven :O Isn't it high in iron though?

I hope you get a piece of it, I'm sure it tastes better then poo.....!

Ann, Frodo, Molly & Cleo

Sammy and Neko said...

Our pawrents are in SF right now... Wish they knew your address is papa can come cook it for you (not mama) we hope your human gets better soon. We like her :)

Anonymous said...

You must find a way to cook it deliciously and enjoy it the whole way down--otherwise you counteract the affects if you don't enjoy it! Keep the thoughts positive that all the nutrients are helping your body.

Positive mindset helps with SO much!

I'm sure there are some fantastic chefs with recipes out there!

Robin said...

Make it into pate! Eat it on yummy cracker or bread.

Anonymous said...

Puglet, you are ready to take that package and cook it yourself!! lol

Robin said...

Make pate! Eat it on yummy bread or your favorite crackers! It's nice with jalapenos!

moPSY+MISIOber said...

I CANNOT BELIVE IT !!! :) liver is my favorite meal EVER !!! For me it tastes GREAT! My Dad knew how to do it :) I eat liver not often, MAYBE once a year:( I really cannot touch it, cut it, it's soooooo gross, and taste so wonderful. All I remember is my Dad fried it with onion, he coated it in flour, he salted it at the end of frying, because if salted at first it will be hard. And yes milk bath helps to make it softer :)
I love to eat it with pickled cucumber, but I don't know if you have the same kind of PC like they are in Poland :)
Bon appetit :) Gosia

Paula from DE said...

All I can say to this is EWWWW! If you were my pug you'd be getting liver tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

Uh, I think you might be in luck, Pug cuz my mom just said, "eeew gross". She says that there's a lot of things she will eat, but liver is definitely not on that list.
Good luck with the foodable.
Lafayette Lola

Molly and Gus said...

Our human said that she thought that maybe it wouldn't be noticed if you put about a tablespoon of frozen liver into a blender and made a smoothie with it, using berries, bananas, and whatnot. We don't understand why you would want to hide that yummy flavor under all those nasty berries. We love the "liver crack" that we steal from people at flyball.

Jenny H. said...

Whatever you decide to do with it, work it into your diet slowly. Especially if you haven't eaten much, if any meat for a long while. I went totally vegetarian for several months and my first cheeseburger afterwards was almost disastrously incapacitating.

Rachel's Thoughts said...

Ewwww, liver is nasty! I can't even hack the smell of it. I love the photo of Puglet though! His little head looks so rub-able. ^^ Good luck with the super food fiasco. Much aloha to you.

Beatrix's Mom said...

Hi Puglet

While I'm going to second the chopped liver and pate suggestions, you can also use liver to make a really rich and hearty ragu alla bolognese.

Ingredients

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
1 onion, chopped coarse
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped coarse
1 celery rib, chopped coarse
10 ounces liver, chopped fine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine
Salt and pepper

This make a lot of sauce (ex-chef. I can't seem to make things in small batches.)

At any rate:
1. Put the oil in a pan and cook the ground beef and ground pork, together, until liquid begins to evaporate and meat begins to sizzle (about 10 - 15 minutes).
2. Add the sage. Cook for 2 minutes, mixing the sage into the meat.
3. Add the veggies. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, to mix the veggies into the mix.
4. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until rust-colored, about 3 minutes.
5. Stir in wine and simmer until sauce has thickened, about 6 minutes.
6. Stir in liver and cook for 15 minutes more. Sauce should be thick by this point.

If sauce gets too thick in final stages, and it probably will, add some beef broth to thin it out.

You can serve this on any pasta, however fettucine or papardelle works best with it (more noodle to grab onto!).

Buon apetito!

Bisous
Beatrix, and her mom

Max and Lola, the north Toronto pugs said...

Our Mom loves chicken livers flash fried in a healthy oil with some shallots (the livers should still be at least a little pink, or they will be tough), and served on top of a nice green salad with a tart vinaigrette.

Her state of mind is helped by soy products (her favourite is shelled edamame).

Hope your Mom feels better soon, Puglet.

Maggie and Lucy the Pugs in Dallas said...

Oh man...new food! Never heard of liver but I bet we would love it! I hope your human likes it so it can make her feel better, but we've heard not many like it so you and Dutch may get to try it! Let us know who gets it!!!!

Bunk said...

That liver does look a little off. Good luck, puggums!

Butch and Sundance said...

When our mom was little, her mom (our grandma) used to fry up liver with onions....all of mom's sisters and brothers went totally gaga over it...it was one of the best meals they ever had!!! Hope you like it Amanda! It really is a superfood, and you are a super being!!

Anonymous said...

Ya know liver was to The Fonz like crytonite was to Superman! My momma cooks it like a Chicken Fried Steak & simmers it in a good thick gravy. Lots of salt, pepper & onion powder. Yum, yum !!! ♥Ginger pug

Pearl and Tessa said...

Yum. Tessa used to get raw liver every day when she lived at The Wrinkle Ranch...very good for little puggies. However, once she moved in with Pearl and I, since Pearl wouldn't eat it, and it so hard to give one something and not the other....well that stopped. But now you have their human craving some (cooked, not raw!)

Barbara said...

Pug...today's post didn't publish!!! I want to know if you got liver!

Buford T. Justice said...

DUDE!!!!!

We LOVE LIVER!!!!! We get it raw though cause that's how we roll at the Pack O' Pugs house (and a Boston.....) Bambi likes to do the "death shake" maybe cause of the texture???? Mom always laughs at her and tells her it's already dead....

We can come help eat it if you want.

Buford T. Justice and the Pack O' Pugs and a Boston and soon to be a Petite Brabancon.....

Leigh from Perth said...

Tell your mom to make chicken liver pâté !!! Eat with crackers. Very yummy!!

Anonymous said...

When i was little my grandmother used to make liver sauce with potatoes ...:)

Anonymous said...

Puglet,
the milk soak is good. Then dunk the liver in flour and brown it.
Then put in a casserole and cover it with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup and bake at 325 for about an hour. It is nice and tender and the taste pretty good.
love,
Pearl, Mac, and Trixie

Anonymous said...

Poozle is right. Chopped liver (aka liver pate) is the way to go. Chop up a little hard boiled egg on top and sit down with a good box of crackers or some lightly toasted french bread.

If you can't possibly get the liver over your lips and passed your gums, them just go out and buy iron supplements!

BadAnnie said...

I cook for sick people all the time and liver makes them feel better!! It has all kinds of GREAT JUJU!! This is how my special people at work like it: A little salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lightly brown it on both sides. Take a pot of stock (chicken, beef, veggie, what ever kind you like) and simmer the liver for about 30 minutes. All the yukky taste will be gone and the liver will be super tender. Then thicken up the simmering liquid to make gravy. YUMMMM!!! Eat the liver & gravy with your favorite veggies!! If you don't like it, PUGS DO!!!