Mercredi: The Art of Giving

This time of year is about all family members, not just the opposable thumbs variety. At least it is around my house. Since I’m allergic to cats, have a phobia about rodents (with the noted exception of Walter Jr., the bilge rat) and don’t currently share my space with any fish, reptiles or arachnids (despite my ongoing campaign for a tarantula), that means I need to make something giftable for the canine in my life. Maybe you do, too.

This is my favorite dog biscuit recipe. It’s easy, very healthy and really popular with every dog I have ever known, even the ones that turn their snouts up at the store bought variety. It was given to me by my only celebrity friend, the actress Christi Sweeney, on the occasion of my husband and me bringing home our first dogs; two Shar Pei named Magick and Tucker who are now in the land of Good Dogs.

3 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup powdered milk
1 egg
1 cube of beef bouillon
¾ cup boiling water
½ cup cream cheese, soften
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325.

Dissolve bouillon cube in boiling water and let stand to cool. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, powdered milk, egg and salt together. Add cooled bouillon and mix well. The batter will be runny. Now add flour one cup at a time and mix thoroughly before moving on to the next cup. The batter will become very stiff; keep after it. While you work, think of your animal companion being healthy and happy, strong and safe throughout the coming year and impart that into your dough.

Roll out on a floured surface to approximately ½ inch thick and cut shapes with cookie or biscuit cutters. Place on a greased or Silpat lined cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Then turn your oven off and leave the biscuits in it for an hour.

Hints: If your dog is allergic to wheat you can use rice flour. The biscuits won’t be as firm but dogs still eat them up. If you really want to go all out for Spot, use chicken fat or lard instead of cream cheese. Finally, look for bone shaped cookie cutters around Halloween; I’ve found two now, both at the market.

Keep the biscuits in a tin or zip top bag for treating your best friend all through the Holidays. Bon appetite mes chiens amis ~

Header: Thor, God of Thunder and official Saint Bernard of chez Pauline, out for a walk last summer