Hydrogen Peroxide.

I willfully made my dog vomit today.

Before you call me a lousy dog mom -- a characterization I would agree with -- let me explain.

I was preparing a double batch of potato soup when the unthinkable happened. Indie, who tails me, was lying on the rug while I sliced and diced a dozen cups of vegetables. I was finishing up when I noticed a garlic clove on the rug. I must have dropped it when I carried the cloves over to the crock pot. Though Indie had not eaten it, he had chewed it.

We give him people food like carrots and apples. But some foods -- such as garlic, onions and grapes -- are toxic and can be lethal when dogs consume them.

I sniffed Indie's mouth for the garlic smell. It was faintly apparent. So I went into crisis mode. I went online to read about garlic and dogs, though I knew before my search what I would find: garlic is BAD for dogs. If eaten in large quantities, it can kill.

I called our vet, who had to do some of her own research before rendering advice. She thought Indie would be fine -- the amount was small -- but that if I wanted, I could induce vomit. And if I was still concerned, I could take him in for a blood test to check for anemia.

Off I went to the grocery store for hydrogen peroxide, which until today I didn't know is a must for your doggie medicine cabinet. I also got an oral syringe.

When I returned home, I grabbed Indie and hunkered down for a fight. Dogs do not like hydrogen peroxide. Big surprise.

Although it was hugely traumatic, I pried his teeth apart, inserted the syringe and forced a few teaspoons of the awful stuff down his mouth. He gave chase a few times, and I followed every time. I didn't want to do it, but I had to, you know?

He foamed at the mouth and spit out some clear liquid. Nothing resembling vomit. I thought the hydrogen peroxide trick had been a failure. Until....

I was online -- preparing for a meeting with a co-director of a graduate program -- when I saw that the hydrogen peroxide was working wonders on Indie.

He threw up. All over the couch. The amount was the size of a football. I won't go into detail but I'm fairly certain that the garlic is now in the garbage.

Despite our battle this morning and forcing the most lovable 18-pound puggle in the world to vomit, he still loves me. He's curled up next to me as I type. And I'm so, so thankful.

Soup is on.

'Tis the season for crockpot recipes.

My repertoire of recipes is small, but I have a few goodies that I am proud to share with followers, friends and relatives.

Today I'm making hearty potato soup in the crock pot. It's vegetarian, but my red meat-raised hubby is a huge fan. This is good because I have vegetarian friends and am always perplexed over what to cook for them when they visit. I made hearty potato soup last January when my vegetarian friend Britt visited. And if I accurately recall, she loved it. And Ben often asks me to make it.

So without further ado, here's the recipe for hearty (and healthy) potato soup, courtesy of Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
4 cups cubed peeled baking potato
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced celery
3/4 cup thinly sliced carrot
3 tbs butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 (14 oz.) can vegetable broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 2 percent reduced-fat milk
7 tbs shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place first 9 ingredients in a 4 1/2-quart electric slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours or until vegetables are tender. Increase heat to high.
2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, level with a knife. Place flour in a bowl; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir into soup. Cook uncovered for 25 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Ladle soup into individual bowls and sprinkle with cheese and additional pepper, if desired. Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 tbs cheese).