Bring-along

We were invited to a party a few weeks back.  I asked if we could bring anything, and the hostess suggested an appetizer.  Since we were traveling over the  border, I did not know what customs would think of us bringing prepared food, so I erred on the size of caution and picked up frozen Taquitos and sauces to dip in.  While I generally try to bring dishes that don't infringe in the kitchen, I knew these would take only ten minutes to bake.

Turns out, the customs agent we ended up with was a jerk, so I am glad we didn't have to answer any food related questions too!  And as luck would have it, the Taquitos were a big hit!

Knowing that I often need to snack in the middle of the night, I brought along fruit and grain bars.  They were helpful as Teddy did not let me get much sleep.  She was enchanted by all the strange dog toys in the room we stayed in.  Being up a lot  meant I had time to get hungry again!

I also brought chocolate chip Brioche to contribute for breakfast.  This is one of my favorite things you can get at Aldi.  Our hostess loved it.  Then again, I've never shared it with anyone who did not!

Bringing raw meat into Canada is a no-no, so I opted to bring a can of mackerel along with a can of pumpkin.  Mixed together, this made two meals.  I did smuggle in the small jar of veggie slop.  Since we were there to attend a party, I probably didn't need to feed Teddy.  She made so many friends and got fed bits of everything.

My take on a hostess gift whenever visiting a pet-occupied home. is to bring something for the four-legger.  I picked up a bag of dog treats and some organic toothpaste.  Tops was re-configuring their organic section and had marked down lots of this stuff, so I grabbed a couple of tubes for Teddy and decided to bring one along.  Organic toothpaste that has no fluoride is what I've always used for my dogs.  It often has Xylitol -- but not in a high enough concentration to be dangerous.

Normally I try to bring food and gift items that I have made myself.  Going over the border can make this a tricky proposition.  This time, I did just fine buying packaged items.

I don't know what it is like in other countries, but going from the US to Canada can be tricky!