Guest post: Eight Ounces

Here is part three of the Brie trilogy.  Thanks to the lovably sardonic Wendy for submitting these.
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Eight Ounces

In my background as a mental health nurse I’ve learned many different theoretical models for treatment. Freudian therapy, behavior modification, solutions-based treatment, to name a few. I’m currently formulating alternative plans for a problem a certain family member has been experiencing since she moved in with us. Her name is Brie and she’s a dog.

The recent incident of her digging up, killing, and bringing a gopher inside the house and placing it in a not-so-obvious spot has put these alternative plans more in front of my mind. Have you heard about the gopher? It’s not so much that she lovingly killed the rodent and brought it to the one she loves the most as an offering of her devotion. I can appreciate that. It’s just that she placed her offering under my desk and behind a mesh bin where I store homeschooling supplies. I’m not really sure of when she did this, but gradually the odor of her offering caught my notice. It must have been at least 4 or more days before I fully investigated the smell, and discovered it was the smell of rodent death. I was not happy, and even today I have to make the choice to forgive her rather than hold anger against her. I remind myself that holding something against a person, or a dog, only hurts myself. Forgiveness is vital to move forward. Deep breath.

Moving on, it was my mother that brought up this alternative treatment in regards to Brie. My mother. You have to know her. She adores, not just simply loves, she adores dogs. She treats her own dog better than she treated me as a child. I’m not angry, just saying. This dog simply looks at her and my mom interprets him as saying, “I love you so much but my tummy is empty. Could I please have a little snackie?” And my mom feeds the dog. She lets him lick out dishes of ice cream. She allows him to have no boundaries so he jumps into people’s chairs or laps and puts his paws right up on their chests. He jumps up to greet anyone that comes to the front door. No boundaries. Life is all about him.

So my mom reads an article, cuts it out, and brings it to me. Frankly, I’m shocked. I thought she loved Brie but obviously she doesn’t. Here is the solution she shared with me, and that I’m considering should Brie not conform to the rules of my household:


Baked Brie en Croute With Pears

Ingredients –

2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 8-ounce Brie
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
3 cups baby greens

The recipe is pretty complex but you place the baby greens on a serving plate and place baked Brie on top. Serve warm.

I’m still trying to figure out what 8 ounce part of Brie to use…..