Monthly Archives: February 2012

Addicted to DOCKDOGS!

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Back in 2009 Matt and I were watching the “Diving Dogs” in the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge on ESPN.  In this competition each dog sprinted down a 40 foot long dock and catapulted itself as far as it could go into a big pool of water.  The dog with the longest jump, a GSP named “Seven,” in that particular competition, won the event.

Bailey catches her wubba on a practice “Big Air” jump

This looked like great fun and our GSP, Bailey, had just learned how to swim and already was great at jumping over a two-rail fence in and out of my mom’s garden.  We decided to put the two skills together and try out the sport of dock diving.  We entered our first “Dockdogs” event in central PA in June 2009 and from that point on we were officially addicted to Dockdogs!

Since that first event we have traveled all over the East Coast with Bailey to compete with our Dockdogs friends and our club members from Delmarva Dockdogs.  Bailey has jumped at county fairs in New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut and Waterfowl Festivals in Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware.  The farthest we’ve traveled so far was to a Bark in the Park event in Lawrence, Ohio (about a 10 hour drive!).

Bailey shows off for a big crowd at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland

Bailey has earned an “Elite” Dockdogs title for Big Air (the long jump event that first got us hooked).  She’s also earned a “Top Gun” title in the sport of Extreme Vertical, which is a high jump competition where the dogs must knock down a bumper that’s extended up and over the pool.  Some of the high points of Bailey’s Dockdogs “career” so far are listed below.

Bailey competes in Big Air (left) and Extreme Vertical (right)

If you think Dockdogs sounds like a sport that you and your dog might enjoy, I highly recommend that you give it a try!  There are local clubs all over the country that have practices and events during the summer.  Check out www.dockdogs.com to learn more!

Bailey catapults herself off of the dock in an attempt to catch her duck

Bailey’s Top Performances:

  • #1 Ranked German Shorthaired Pointer in the Country for 2010 and 2011
  • 1st Place Elite/SuperElite Finals, 2012 Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show (Tuckerton, NJ)
  • 1st Place Elite/SuperElite Finals, 2012 Delmarva Summer Splash (Dover, DE)
  • 2nd Place Top Gun Extreme Vertical, 2012 Delmarva Summer Splash (Dover, DE)
  • 1st Place Pro Finals, Monmouth County Fair (East Freehold, NJ)
  • 2012 World Championship Invitation, Elite Big Air
  • 4th Place Elite, 2012 Eastern Regional Championships (McHenry, MD)
  • 2nd Place Top Gun Extreme Vertical, 2012 Delmarva DockDaze (Bivalve, MD)
  • 1st Place Top Gun Extreme Vertical, 2011 Ocean County Decoy Show (Tuckerton, NJ)
  • 1st Place Top Gun Extreme Vertical, 2011 Chesapeake Pondfest (Adamstown, MD)
  • 1st Place Top Gun Extreme Vertical, 2011 Delmarva Summer Splash (Dover, DE)
  • 1st Place Pro Finals, 2011 Harford County Farm Fair (Bel Air, MD)
  • 1st Place Elite/SuperElite Finals, 2010 Delmarva Summer Splash (Dover, DE)
  • 2nd Place Elite Finals, 2010 Keystone Stoltzfus Summer Splash (Gap, PA)
  • 2nd Place Pro Finals, 2010 Harford County Farm Fair (Bel Air, MD)
  • 1st Place Elite Finals, 2010 Keystone That Pet Place Event (Lancaster, PA)
  • 1st Place Top Gun Extreme Vertical, 2010 Delmarva Doggone Fun Event (Dover, DE)
  • 3rd Place Pro Finals, 2010 Clay’s Bark in the Park Event (Lawrence, OH)
  • 1st Place Elite Finals, 2010 Tidewater Paws for a Cause Event (Newport News, VA)
  • 2nd Place Pro Finals, 2009 Harford County Farm Fair (Bel Air, MD)

Bailey’s Personal Bests:

  • Big Air – 25’6”
  • Extreme Vertical – 7’0”
  • Speed Retrieve – 6.550 seconds

Bailey at the Big Butler Fair in Butler County, PA

For more photos, visit TheLittleGSP on Flickr!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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When you hear “slow cooked pulled pork” do you think about state fairs and BBQ joints in the deep south?  I love pulled pork and when I learned that we could make our very own version of this delicious summer treat with only a crock pot, apple cider vinegar, and a bottle of BBQ sauce I was thrilled!

This is probably one of the easiest and most rewarding recipes that I’ll share on TheLittleGSP.  We put the pork in the crock pot before work and come home to the aromas of slow-cooked meat.  5 minutes of “pulling” later and the pork is ready to enjoy on a nice soft sandwich bun.  This recipe is adapted from instructions that I found on about.com.


Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
(makes 6-8 sandwiches)

You will need…
3-4 lbs. “Pork Butt” (also called “Boston Butt” or Pork Shoulder)
3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
A Bottle of BBQ Sauce (our current favorite is Sticky Fingers Carolina Sweet)
6-8 Sandwich Rolls (we love the burger rolls from The Fresh Market)

Directions:

Trim any excessive fat off of the pork and place the meat in your slow cooker.  Season the pork with salt and pepper on both sides.  Pour the apple cider vinegar into the slow cooker around the pork (don’t pour it directly over the top of the pork or you will wash the salt and pepper off).  Set the slow cooker to High and put the lid on.  Allow the pork to cook for approximately 10 hours.

Pork Butt ready to be cooked for 10 hours

After 10 hours have elapsed, use two forks to transfer the pork to a plate (it will be falling apart at this point so you may have many little pieces of pork already).  Dump the apple cider vinegar and juices out of the slow cooker, then return the pork to the pot.  If your pork butt had a bone, locate and discard the bone.  Use the two forks to pull the pork apart into several large pieces (but don’t completely shred the pork yet).

Add the bottle of BBQ sauce to the pork.  If your piece of meat was on the smaller side you may want to only add about 3/4 of the bottle first (you can always add more later if you want a wetter sandwich).  Use the two forks to mix the BBQ sauce into the pork and pull the pork until it reaches your desired texture.

BBQ Sauce Added and Pork Pulled!

Slice open the sandwich rolls.  If you want, broil them face-up in the oven for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.  Place a heaping mound of pulled pork onto your roll and enjoy!

Best Sides to Eat with your Pulled Pork Sandwich:

  • Baked Beans (I recommend Bush’s Southern Pit BBQ Baked Beans)
  • Corn and Black Bean Salad (I’ll post the recipe next time I made this!)
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Apple Crisp

More Pizza: Tomato, Goat Cheese and Pesto Pizza!

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Tonight I experimented with pizza dough that I picked up at Whole Foods over the weekend.  The Whole Foods dough was good but we found it to be much breadier and chewier than Trader Joe’s dough.  Next time I make this I’ll probably go back to TJs!


Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Pesto Pizza
(makes two generous individual-sized pizzas)

You will need…
1 package of fresh pizza dough (Trader Joe’s preferred!)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 oz. herbed goat cheese
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
15 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained
Pinch of dried thyme
6 heaping tablespoons of pesto
 2 teaspoons (approx.) grated parmesan/romano cheese
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil

Ready to go in the oven

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425° and allow the pizza dough to sit out at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.  In a frying pan, heat up approx. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and sauté the minced garlic until just browning.  Remove the garlic from the pan with a spoon and place in a small bowl.  Add the herbed goat cheese to the minced garlic and mix well.

Add the sliced shallots to the frying pan and sauté until they start to soften.  Add the (drained) whole peeled tomatoes and cut them into small pieces (quarters or smaller).  Stir to combine then let the tomato mixture simmer at medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the thyme, salt and pepper to the tomato mixture and remove from heat.

Remove the pizza dough from the bag and split it into two balls.  If you want, you can lightly dust your hands and/or work surface with flour when working with the dough if you want to but it’s not a necessity.  Flatten one of the dough balls between your palms and then start to slowly stretch the dough out by squeezing the outside edges evenly.  When you get the dough stretched out the size and shape that you like, place it onto a cookie sheet.  Repeat the stretching procedure with the other dough ball.

Scoop two heaping spoonfuls of pesto onto each pizza and spread the pesto out with the back of the spoon.  Next, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese (about 1 teaspoon per pizza, or more if you want!) over the pesto topping.  Lightly salt and pepper the pizzas.  Spoon the tomato mixture onto each pizza and distribute evenly.  Spoon (or use your fingers) the goat cheese/garlic mixture evenly onto each pizza.

Cook the pizzas in an oven at 425° for 12-15 minutes.  The pizzas are ready when the crust is starting to brown.  Enjoy!

Pizza with Pesto, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, & Mozzarella

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Individual-sized pizzas are one of my favorite things to make.  I always use Trader Joe’s fresh pizza dough as my base and then I have fun experimenting with different toppings.  You can take just about any ingredients that you’d put together on a sandwich or pasta dish and put them on a pizza for a delicious dinner.  I’m sure that I’ll end up writing about some of the interesting combinations but for today I’m going to describe how to make a pizza featuring the classic combo of tomato, basil, and mozzarella.

Homemade Pizza with Pesto, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
Pizza with Pesto, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
(makes two generous individual-sized pizzas)

You will need…
1 package of Trader Joe’s fresh pizza dough (a bag with a ball of dough in it, not the pre-cooked stuff)
4 heaping tablespoons of pesto
 2 teaspoons (approx.) Grated Parmesan/Romano Cheese
15 oz. can of Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained (or normal tomatoes if you prefer)
12 Marinaded Mozzarella Balls (also from TJ’s; each ball is approx. 1″ in diameter)
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to Taste

All ready to go into the oven

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425°.  Allow the pizza dough to sit out at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.  After it has warmed up, remove the pizza dough from the bag and split it into two balls.  If you want, you can lightly dust your hands and/or work surface with flour when working with the dough if you want to but it’s not a necessity.  Flatten one of the dough balls between your palms and then start to slowly stretch the dough out by squeezing the outside edges evenly.  Wehn you get the dough stretched out the size and shape that you like, place it onto a cookie sheet.  My cookie sheet has a non-stick surface so I don’t grease it at all — you may need to lightly grease a pan that doesn’t have a non-stick surface.  Repeat the stretching procedure with the other dough ball.

Hurray!  The hard part is over and now you get the fun of putting toppings on your pizzas.  Scoop two heaping spoonfuls of pesto onto each pizza and spread the pesto out with the back of the spoon.  Next, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese (about 1 teaspoon per pizza, or more if you want!) over the pesto topping.  Spoon the drained tomatoes onto each pizza and spread them out.  Slice up the 12 mozzarella balls and divide evenly between the pizzas.  Lightly dust the top of the pizza with garlic powder and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pizzas in an oven at 425° for 12-15 minutes.  The pizzas are ready when the cheese has melted and the crust is starting to brown.  Enjoy!

Okehocking Preserve

Posted in Hikes by

I just realized that there’s another topic that I’d like to write about in addition to recipes and Bailey updates — places we like to Hike!

Okehocking Preserve in Willistown Township, PA

Matt, Bailey and I have explored parks and preserves all over Delaware and Chester County, often in pursuit of geocaches. We have several favorite places that we like to hike including Okehocking Preserve in Willistown Township, PA. Okehocking is bounded by West Chester Pike to the south and Delchester and Garrett Mill Roads to the east and west, respectively.  It’s full of rolling hills and mowed hiking trails and, best of all, it’s less than a mile from our house.  From the top of one of the hills you can actually see our house!

You can see our house from this hill at Okehocking (and no, it's not the stone one...)

In addition to the beautiful landscapes Okehocking also has an off-leash dog park.  Unfortunately for Miss Bailey the park is not fenced so she’s not going off-leash there anytime soon, but it is fun to watch the other dogs run around.  Last year we saw a female GSP at Okehocking and after a quick chat with her owner realized that she was Bailey’s sister!!!  Bailey was born in New Jersey so finding her littermate romping at a park a mile from home was pretty crazy.

We discovered Bailey's sister, Kona, playing in the off-leash park at Okehocking

Just in case it seems that we only visit Okehocking in the dreary winter months, here’s a photo from last fall.  Enjoy!

Did you know…?

Posted in Bailey by

Bailey sleeps in a sleeping bag in the winter!  Here’s a photo of her “camping” sleeping bag that rolls up for easy transport.  She also has a “dog den” bed that has a fleece flap that she burrows under.

It’s Bailey!

Posted in Bailey by
The Little GSP times three

Three of my favorite non-action photos of Bailey

This is our German Shorthaired Pointer, Bailey.  Bailey was born in May 2007 in Lambertville, NJ and we brought her home when she was 7 weeks old.  Bailey is full of energy and has an extra short tail “nub.”  She earned her nickname, “The Little GSP,” at the Dockdogs events that we compete in because she is very petite for a German Shorthair and she is usually much smaller than her Labrador, Chessie, and Malinois competitors on the dock.  Her favorite toys are her floppy disc frisbee, her red wubba, and her plush “migrator” ducks (she has a whole flock of them).  Bailey has very soft ears and loves to snuggle in the winter when it’s cold out.

Margaritas on the Rocks

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Here’s another delicious summer-inspired recipe: Margaritas!  I never liked tequila very much until our neighbors, Jack and Julie, invited us over for a BBQ last summer.  While we chatted Jack whipped (well, shook) up some wonderful margaritas and served them to us in salt-rimmed glasses.  What a great summer drink!  Afterwards we looked for our own margarita recipe and came up with these.  I can’t remember exactly where I found the recipe online but it may have been from the Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice web site…

Margaritas on the Rocks  (makes 2 drinks)

You will need…
5 oz. Silver Tequila
1.5 oz. Triple Sec
3.5 oz. Lime Juice (you can juice fresh limes or just use Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice)
3.5 oz. Simple Syrup (this is 1/2 part sugar and 1/2 part water; boil them together and allow to cool.  I keep a bottle of homemade SS in the fridge.)
Lime Wedge, to garnish
Salt for Glass Rims, if desired

Directions:
Pour the liquid ingredients in a shaker with a few ice cubes.  Shake thoroughly and pour into glasses filled with ice (and rimmed in salt if desired).  Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy!

Basil Pesto

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Last summer Matt and I grew basil in our vegetable garden.  We had six plants that completely took over the whole front of the garden and blocked the sunlight to the rest of the garden — this summer the basil will be going in the back!  I’m looking forward to planting basil again so that we can make homemade pesto whenever we want.  Here’s the recipe that we use (from Matt’s Mom’s recipe box).

Basil Pesto

You will need…
2 1/2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan (or Parmesan/Romano) Cheese
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of Garlic
1/2 cup Roasted Pine Nuts
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend!  Add more olive oil if the Pesto is too thick.

What can you do with Pesto?

  • Put Pesto on a Burger with some Mozzarella and a Slice of Tomato
  • Use Pesto instead of Tomato Sauce as your base for a Little Pizza
  • Make Pesto Pasta.  Yum!
  • Spread it on Rustic Italian Bread (as a snack or part of a sandwich)
  • Spoon it into an Ice Cube Tray and Freeze It to Use Later!  (you can bag the pesto cubes once they have frozen solid)