Beggin’ Egg and Cheese Fried Rice

Maddie has had this twice now, and she just gobbled it up each time. This is a Rachael Ray recipe, and is also good for humans. Unlike Maddie, I do not like eggs, so I will not be eating this one with her.

Maddie devours her dinner.

Beggin’ Egg and Cheese Fried Rice

Recipe courtesy of Every Day with Rachael Ray

2 slices turkey bacon (I cooked the entire package, cut it all up, put it in a plastic bag and stuck it in the freezer. Now I have bacon ready whenever I want to make this.)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 c. cooked brown rice (the instant rice-to-go in the individual bowls is great. 45 seconds in the microwave and they’re ready to go!)

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped flat leaf parsley, for sprinkling (I omitted this since I didn’t have any)

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then finely chop.

2. In the same skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until warmed through, about 4 minutes. Add the cooked bacon and toss. Push the rice mixture to the side of the pan; add the egg to the pan and cook, stirring, until set, then stir into the rice. Transfer to a bowl, top with the cheese and let cool. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Apple Treats

Yummy apple treats

Apple Doggy Treats

2 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cornmeal

1 apple, chopped or grated

1 egg, beaten

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

3/8 c. cold water (I just kept adding until I could work with the dough)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Dust work surface with flour. Blend flours and cornmeal in large mixing bowl. Add apple, oil, brown sugar, egg and water; mix until well blended. On your floured work surface, roll dough out to 7/8 inch thickness. Use cookie cutter to cut cookies of desired shape and size (I found different sized bone-shaped cookie cutters at Hobby Lobby. There was also a dog shape.) Place treats on prepared sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes. Turn the oven off, and leave door closed for one hour to crisp the treats (I didn’t do this and the treats have stayed crispy.). Remove from oven. Store treats in airtight container or plastic bag and place in refrigerator or freezer.

Yield: 2 dozen. I used a small bone-shaped cookie cutter, and got nearly 100 treats from this recipe.

K-9 Birthday Cake

Maddie's birthday cake

 1 c. white or whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 c. peanut butter

1/4 c. cooking oil

1 c. shredded carrots

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. honey

1 egg

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients and mix quickly. Bake in a greased ring mold at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Frost cake with low-fat cottage cheese and decorate with carrot pieces. Store in the refrigerator.

Maddie’s Cookbook — K-9 Meatballs

I recently inherited four copies of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazines. On the last page of each issue is a recipe for dog food. I decided to make Maddie homemade food once a month, just for a change in her normal routine of dry kibble and a treat for being a good girl. Part of me wants to make her food from scratch all the time, but it’s just not practical with my schedule. I can barely make food for Rob and me on a regular basis.

Maddie loved these meatballs, which I formed by putting in a greased muffin pan. I also used a combination of ground beef and ground lamb. Be careful of the tumeric if you are mixing the meat with your hands. It makes your hands yellow!

K-9 Ingredient Meatballs

Recipe courtesy of Every Day with Rachael Ray

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. cooked brown rice

1 carrot, shredded

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbsp. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 large egg

2 tsp. ground tumeric (helps aid digestion)

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease a muffin pan or a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Fill each muffin tin with about 1/4 c. of the mixture, or form into 10 balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Second attempt

OK, I’m getting closer on the peanut butter molasses treats.

I tried again Saturday morning after buying organic oat flour and sunflower seeds. I’ve just never attempted to make cookies without knowing how much of each ingredient to use. I need to cut back on the canola oil, I know that for sure. Maybe to add moisture I can increase the molasses. I just don’t know for sure. 

No matter, Maddie has no problem inhaling them.

First attempt

I bought some organic peanut butter and molasses treats for Maddie on a trip to a pet store last month. Looking over the ingredients, I thought, ‘Hey, I can make these.’ And as they tasted pretty cardboardy, ‘Hey, I can make these taste better.’ (Not that Maddie cares about the taste. I’ve seen what she eats when she’s outside.)

I made my first attempt at duplicating the recipe Friday night. I didn’t quite have everything I needed in my pantry, but I had enough so I punted. The ingredient list names organic oat flour, organic rye flour, natural peanut butter, organic whole oats, whole eggs, canola oil, unsulphered molasses, and sunflower seeds. I didn’t have oat flour so I substituted organic wheat flour, and I didn’t have sunflower seeds.

I mixed everything together and it tasted rather good, even by human standards. I wanted to make them crunchier than the other treats I had made, so after browning one side, I put them back in the oven. Mistake. The extra few minutes gave them a lovely burned flavor. While that turned me off, it didn’t seem to bother Maddie. She gobbles them up every time we give her one.

The next time I go to the store, I’ll pick up some oat flour and sunflower seeds and try again.

Maddie’s Cookbook — Quick Dog Treats

I have just started exploring opportunities to make treats for Maddie. As we experiment in the kitchen, I will post our successful recipes. If you have your own recipes, go ahead and post them in the comment section, or send them to Maddie at maddie@freeoftheleash.com

Maddie and her friends on our play date loved these. I made two versions, lamb and sweet potato, and veal and peas.

Quick Dog Treats

Recipe Courtesy of Eco Dog

1 c. organic wheat germ

2 small jars organic baby food

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking sheet with butter or a little oil.

2. Combine the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on the baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Variation: Try adding 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal for a shiny coat.

Maddie’s Cookbook — Shiny-Coat Treats

I have just started exploring opportunities to make treats for Maddie. As we experiment in the kitchen, I will post our successful recipes. If you have your own recipes, go ahead and post them in the comment section, or send them to Maddie at maddie@freeoftheleash.com

Shiny-Coat Treats

Recipe courtesy of Eco Dog

1 c. organic whole-wheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

4 1/2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal

1 organic egg

1 Tbsp. organic honey

1/3 c. organic beef or chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease a baking sheet with butter or a little oil.

2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and flaxseed meal. In another bowl, combine the egg and honey.

3. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and add stock until the dough has the consistency of drop biscuits.

4. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between biscuits. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove, cool on a wire rack, and store, tightly covered, in a glass or ceramic container for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Quick treats at home

I made four batches of homemade dog treats in the past 50 minutes. They were super easy and if her joy in licking out the bowl is any indication, Maddie is going to love them.

We first made two batches of Quick Dog Treats from the Eco Dog book. They are just organic wheat germ and two jars of baby food. I made one batch with lamb and sweet potatoes, and one with veal and peas.

We then made two batches of Shiny-Coat Treats, a tad more complicated. Instead of two ingredients, these take six.

I’m going to bring the Quick Dog Treats to our puppy get-together in an hour and see how they go over. When I get back, I’ll post recipes and pictures (if they get two paws up from everyone!).

Maddie’s Cookbook — Frosty Paws

I have just started exploring opportunities to make treats for Maddie. As we experiment in the kitchen, I will post our successful recipes. If you have your own recipes, go ahead and post them in the comment section, or send them to Maddie at maddie@freeoftheleash.com

Frosty Paws

Courtesy of Aunt Nancy and Cousins Abby and Ike

32 oz. plain yogurt

1 smashed banana

2 Tbsp. peanut butter

2 Tbsp. honey

Mix in blender. Pour into small paper or plastic cups and freeze.