Just in case you didn’t know, Freshly Cleaned Hamster Cage + Open Cage Door Overnight =Disaster. We woke, early in the morning, to discover that Twinkle, our beloved Russian dwarf hamster, had made a jailbreak. Twinkle is a curious little dude and decided to do himself some explorin’. At first, I worried that Harryboy the cat had eaten Twinkle, but then I remembered what a lazy jackass Harryboy is and decided that in that regard, Twinkle was safe.
Still, I put Harryboy outside all day, just in case Twink decided to show his little furry self. Harryboy paced outside the entire day, wailing to be let in, looking incredibly annoyed. I do believe Harryboy will be pissing on some beloved item of ours soon in retaliation for this little insult.
I set out little trays of sliced apples (Twink’s snack of choice) all around the main floor of the house, and all day, I kept my eyes peeled for a little white flash. No such luck. I looked in the back of every cabinet, under every door, behind every major appliance. I pillaged the couch cushions. Riffled through the pantry (aside: nothing motivates a gal to clean out her pantry like a lost dwarf hamster). I even checked the grates underneath the oven and refrigerator, because Twink is so small that he can squeeze in there (please do not ask me how I know this. What can I say? We are irresponsible douches).
To no avail. My husband (the cleaner of the hamster cage) felt awful and called several times during the day; all I said was “NO” and hung up on him. I hold a mean grudge. Because not only did we lose Twinkle because of hubs’ negligence, we lost Twinkle on picture day. That’s right folks, my kid went to school sporting pink, puffy eyes and a snot-stained shirt. Can you say re-takes?
I was so busy making zero progress at hamster catching that I neglected to plan dinner. Thus, it was Sandwich Night.
Open-Faced Sandwiches with Ricotta, Arugula and Fried Egg
adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
serves 4 (unless your bereaved children refuse food)
4 (2 ounce) slices whole-wheat country bread (I used olive bread)
cooking spray
2 cups arugula or mixed greens
2 tablespoons of your favorite vinaigrette
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 slices prosciutto, crisped under the broiler
Preheat broiler.
Coat both sides of each slice of bread with cooking spray and broil until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Toss greens with vinaigrette, set aside.
Place prosciutto slices on a baking sheet, broil until crisp and edges begin to curl, about 1- 2 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn. Drain on paper towels.
Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and thyme; spread over bread slices.
Place prociutto on top of bread slices.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into pan; cook 2 minutes. Cover the pan and cook another 2 minutes or until whites are set. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Top bread slices with salad and each with a fried egg.
ps: In case you are ever faced with such a predicament, the Internet recommends luring your hamster to safety by doing the following: Place a bucket in the middle of the room. Place several fluffy paper towels and hamster’s food/treat of choice in the bucket. Make a “stairway” up to the bucket, using a stack of books. On a step or two, leave a piece of food or a treat to entice your hamster up to the edge of the bucket. With a little luck, your hamster will jump into the bucket to nosh and then be unable to escape.
pps: Update on the Hamster Debacle. We didn’t need our MacGyver-ed hamster catcher after all. Around 10:30pm, hubs heard a little noise and upon investigation, discovered Twinkle in the mudroom, happily frolicking among the tennis shoes. When hubs tried to catch him, Twink-man took off, and he’s a fast little sucker. Luckily, he ran straight for the homemade hamster staircase, and was so confused by it that our little felon got snatched. He did get to eat the apple slices, though. Both Twinkle and Harryboy slept the entire day afterwards; Hamster Drama was tough on us all.
{ 52 comments… read them below or add one }
The first thought that came to mind was check the shoes! Hamsters love shoes. Growing-up my hamster got loose for my failure to properly close the cage. I can remember crawling on my hands and knees through my mother’s bedroom, while she was sleeping because I could hear the hamster in the closet. Sure enough she was in a shoe.
Your story made me smile and laugh. It’s damn funny. Definitely does not make for a great day but oh, the story you can tell now that twinkle has been captured.
btw, I am loving that sandwich. Delicious. I could eat that everynight and it would be a great dinner.
Good Lord I’m glad you found him! And that he didn’t inadvertently get stepped on and squished. That’d be quite the mess. I’m glad Twinkle is safe and sound and happily munching on apples.
The kitty deserves some extra nip.
The hammy should have a microchip.
The sammy needs bacon bits.
yeah, I’m a rhyming dipshit.
I became acquainted with the smell of cat piss the hard way: I wore it to school on a pair of pants. The stain wasn’t dark enough to show and the stench didn’t become apparent until I’d worn the pants long enough to warm the fabric. Too late. Stranded. At school. Wearing “eau de cat piss.” I hope Harryboy rolls over for another nap and spares you the force of his wrath.
Stephane, I think that’s the worst cat-piss story I’ve ever heard! That’s just wrong! Made me laugh, though!
Ah the day the iron breaks, your youngest gets a black eye and you run out of hair gel PICTURE DAY! I am so glad that you found the little guy, they are experts at getting away.
The sandwich looks great! I love proscuitto, start with that and you can’t go wrong.
Oh no! Poor twinkles. I’m glad that you finally found him. Who would have thought that hamsters like shoes? The sandwich looks delicious by the way and is much more than I would have been able to pull together!
I’m so pleased you had a happy ending! My white mouse escaped once – he worked out how to lift the hook of his birdcage. I knew when he was under the fridge because the dog was barking, but he managed to get into the dining room and get at the top of the drapes. He actually bit my Dad when we got on a ladder to fetch him down. He didn’t bite me, though. We had to add some wire to secure the door after that. I can understand the bucket idea – a safe haven it would look to a rodent. Can’t wait to hear how the kids’ pics turn out! Fried egg sandwiches? No disaster there!
Glad the situation is under control. I don’t recall our gerbil ever escaping but we did put him in the exercise ball and it drove the cats crazy not being able to get at him. Hope your cat didn’t take being put outside personally. I know how unpleasant that can be.
All’s well that ends well, right? I’m glad that your hamster is safe and sound once again–and that your cat isn’t an active mouser!
And the sandwiches sound pretty divine for being spur-of-the-moment!
How did you know that we’ve been jonesing fried eggs and prosciutto in our house lately? These two have made it to our dinner table a few nights in the last couple of weeks, and this sandwich looks like it has out name written all over it! Maybe it’s just me but topping something with a fried egg is really sexy. (And delicious of course).
Glad Twinkie is safe!
One of the many reasons I refuse to get one of those creatures!! So glad everything turned out, though…I’ve too many visions of headless hamsters and vicious cats from the past 8O!!! Sammich looks good, though ;)
Poor little hamster. I’m sure the girls are very happy that he was found safe and sound.
Yikes, on picture day??? I’m glad he’s been found, and very amused that there’s actually information on the internet to help you catch him. LOL My daughter decided one day that her hermit crab wanted to play on her rug while she was at school. Imagine my surprise that night to find him not only out of the cage, but totally gone. We looked everywhere, stalked the cat’s hideouts looking for an empty shell, and turned the house upside down. How far can a crab run??? He showed up a week later, just walking around in our bedroom, with nary a care in the world.
Glad you found the little guy!
And I’m always up for a fried egg. Yum.
I would have thought that sandwich would have lured Twinkle out. Glad you found him. It brought back the memory of our gecko (yes, a big ugly gecko) loose in the house. Try sleeping with that on the loose. It took almost two weeks to locate him in the attic. This was summer in Charleston, S.C.. How was it that he wasn’t cooked? All ended well and “Geronimo” is now wherever old geckos go when they expire.
Best,
Bonnie
Hamster drama! Oh, Kitch. I’m glad Twink reappeared. Sorry to hear it was picture day.
We don’t need a missing pet to give us an excuse to have sandwiches for dinner. We’re just plain worn out on some nights. I say there is no shame in sandwiches! Especially when they’re this gourmet ;)
What drama! Glad it was a happy ending though! I have had to live with a cat, and it felt like I had another child to raise; now a hamster as well, I don’t think my nerves could stand it. Glad you ate well, though, with this prosciutto sandwich I cant be pitying you!
When I was about 10 we kept the school’s science classroom hamsters for the summer. Buff and Puff (they were teddy bear hamsters) got out one day. This is not at all because their 8- and 10-year-old caretakers were silly school girls and slightly irresponsible. That would never happen. Anyway, after a couple of days’ worth of searching they were found together underneath a dresser which had a wooden apron around the front and sides and could only be access be squeezing between the furniture and the base boards. I think it was the only time all summer that my mother touched “the rodents living in our house.”
Yummy, yummy in my tummy. This one sounds delish.
Glad to hear of Twinkle’s safe return. I hope Harryboy doesn’t hold a grudge as long as you do. :)
So glad you found Twinkle. So sorry about picture day. So jealous about your Sandwich night. Our sandwich nights consist of grilled cheese or the favorite stand-by PB&J. You are one rockin’ Sandwich Lady!
Cute story. And for a last minute, unplanned dinner, this one looks delicious regardless. I just said to another blogger than I don’t use eggs enough lately – just in baking. You guys are making me think I need to do more with them. Eggs are delish! And glad your hamster made it “home” safely! :)
Sweet Jeebus! I am so glad I was not drinking anything while I read this! The thought of all that drama, on picture day, no less, would have surely sprayed my monitor with all kinds of “Friday afternoon, thank God the week is over” drinks…
As for the pictures, I wish I could see the deliciousness that everyone is talking about. I think my computer is pissed off at me…
Thanks for your sweet comment today, Kitch. It means the world to me!
Yikes! I didn’t know it was PICTURE day! As if this whole debacle wasn’t sad enough. Picture day only adds to the sadness. Glad Twinkle was found safe and sound. Still I’m guessing that Harryboy was licking his chops – lazy or not!
I had a hamster growing up and that little devil headed straight for an opening near some cabinet doors. Took us hours to lure him out. I know the feeling.
But what I love more is your storytelling. Not sure if I’ve mentioned that or not.
Also, I feel that your blog needs a like button, because I’m liking that sandwich. A whole lot.
Even sandwich night is classy at your house!
I was thinking yesterday how lucky your family is to have you preparing all of these healthy and lovely recipes for them.
My family: not so lucky.
You had me on pins and needles (having endured many hamster, gerbil, and even turtle great escapes) and I am thrilled to know that all’s well with Twinkle in the end. I need a sandwich.
Glad you found your hamster. I had a white rat that did the same thing…except he woke me up in the middle of the night! Scared the jimney cricket out of me.
And thanks for the recipe. I’ve got some aurugla that I’m running out of ideas for!
Oh my. I’m so glad you found the little guy. Laughing at your cat pacing and wailing outside…what can I say? I dislike cats.
Still, your sandwich night is better eating than most our regular nights! It would have been ‘I dunno what’s for dinner, get yourself a bowl of cereal’ night around here for sure!
I’m thinking you need to order those school photos…then your kids can hassle the Hubs for the rest of their lives. “Remember when Daddy tried to KILL Twinkle??”
Hopefully he has been found.
On another note that looks delicious.
Oh, I love a happy ending! Glad to hear you didn’t have to find the sucka by its scent days later.
And on that note, gimme some of that sandwich!
I am loving all of the “Escapee Stories”! You readers crack me up! Thank goodness we aren’t the only irresponsible pet owners in the world!
Re: Pumpkin Walnut Bread… I think chocolate would be a good addition. In fact, I was thinking the same thing! ;)
I couldn’t help but be reminded of when I was a kid and we had a hamster named peanut.. he used used to escape all the time too! we always found him in the closet. haha I’m glad you found Twinks.. sandwiches to the rescue :)
Hmm, not sure about this one. An egg on greens. I must open my mind a bit more for that one. I’m sure it’s delicious though.
As for the hamster, well, we must be on cosmic wavelengths. My six-year-old mentioned last night, out of the clear blue, that he wanted a hamster. I told him no way – our cat, a fierce warrior, would devour that thing in 2.2 seconds. Could you imagine the tears (and hard feelings) on that one?
My husband left the top off our water frogs aquarium after cleaning it and our water frog raised from a tadpole jumped to his death. I still hold it against my husband because he refused to take responsibility….tried to say that Windy (what can I say, the kid named he frog) committed suicide because our sugar glider bullied him at night when he was trying to sleep.
Ok, I raced to the bottom of the post with high hopes of a happy ever after ending and forgot to read the recipe I will more than likely make, screw up and embarrass you when I say I got it from your web site.
Ta Ta hope you are having a wondermost day! Pats to Twinkle and Harryboy!
Man, the dramtic arch on that story had me sweating. I stopped think about food for a how 2 minutes. Good to hear you got the hamster back in line.
Forgive me, but, hard not to giggle just a little at Twinkle and his Great Escape, though very pleased at the happy dénouement.
Our beloved family dog disappeared in a snowstorm into the woods behind our old home, many years ago. She was gone for two days and my boys, then little, were bereft (as was I). She eventually showed up bedraggled and half frozen. No stairway or apple slices required.
We love our pets, and cherish them more when we think we’ve lost them. Life lesson for so many things, no?
Hilarious story! Glad he’s ok and the girls have calmed down. That is bad mommy karma that this happened to you on picture day! Total suckage. Nothing like having to do it all twice. Hope your retakes work out!
I’m impressed that you can put together this kind of sandwich when you haven’t had time to plan dinner. Glad all turned out well.
When I’m in the sandwich mood, this kind of sandwich is my favorite. Yummy!!
So glad you found the lost hamster. Although, the story did give me a good laugh. : )
There is always something going on…..I love it! Glad to hear Twinkle made it back in one piece, just a pity about photo day :(
I think it might be sandwich night here seeing as I am sitting in my dressing gown at 3 in the afternoon wondering which bottle of plonk to open :)
When we had hamsters as kids, they escaped. During the Great Basement Flood of ’87. Mom thought surely she’d be finding bloated furry carcasses in the walls someday, but in reality, somehow Cookie and Donut (shut up) had found their way into an empty plastic garbage can and were just floating along. In retrospect, I wish we’d renamed them Gilligan and the Skipper.
I was living by myself in a very isolated farm house in the middle of a corn field for a summer job during college. It was a Saturday night, and one of the guys I worked with was on his way over to watch X files with me. He was bringing food so I was sitting on the couch waiting for his car to pull up, the show had started. I’m a total wuss about anything scary, which is why I needed a buddy to watch X files. The episode was about a quadriplegic that kills people with his mind from his hospital bed, something like that. So, I’m on the couch, already scared, with my back to the kitchen when I hear the garbage can fall over with a loud thump and go sliding into the middle of the floor! I jumped up on the couch and screamed thinking my friend was playing a prank on me, but there was no car in the driveway. I was standing on the couch when I then watched a mouse launch itself from the top of the fridge to the sink and crash into the dishes. Then I see a mouse on the coffee table in front of the couch! I ran out of the house like a flaming loon, and was sitting on the porch getting eaten alive by mosquitoes when my friend showed up a few minutes later. He spent 3 hours demousing the house. I sat on the dining room table the whole time. Me and rodents don’t mix.
jc: You we an X-Phile, too? Ah, I knew I liked you! That’s funny about the trash-loving mouse!
I’m so glad there was a hppy ending to this. Now, throughout the years, your kids can point to their pictures and blame it on Dad! And you make sandwich night much more appealing than it would have been at my house.
Sounds like quite the day for both you and the pets! At least you were able to whip something together! On days like that I usually throw in the towel and order my husband to bring home something tasty made via a restaurant. Glad you all found the lost hamster!
Just today, our neighbor’s dog escaped after the husband left the front door open. I certainly hope they do a better job with their barn doors.
I just 404’d it on your blog. WHO KNEW???!!!
OH NO! I really hope Twinkles has shown up by now! :-(
What a great hamster catching tip! Your sandwich looks scrumptious! I don’t know if my kids would eat it but that’s alright I’d eat theirs as well! :)
Good little story! Back when I was a kid we had a hamster that worked out how to escape his cage – I don’t really understand how – he lifted the door sometimes…. The hamster, Fred, would always make his way down the corridor at night and into my grandmother’s closet where he would proceed to frolick around her shoes and make noises that would wake her up and startle her…you can imagine how she felt the first time it happened…Pretty funny though! xxx