23 Jun 2015 I love Lucy

Posted at 8:11 PMh in Food & Home Entertaining by

by Don Bingham

Though Nancy and I have never sought a house pet, we seemed to have had our share of dog additions to the family lineup. Because four of our five children were girls, each one of their temporary boyfriends seemed to think a puppy was the best encouragement to young love, and all four daughters, at one time or another, were presented with a pet puppy!

As you might know, the romance lasted only long enough for Nancy and myself to house break the puppy, re-carpet the floors, patch up the upholstery and become attached to the mutt before their real owner left for college.

As I recall, we groomed and grew Bear, Jacque, Sam and maybe Pooey — I’m not sure about that one, they all seem to run together! After the tears of moving them to new homes, we both decided the doggy-era was over for us! However, we do have grand-dogs that we love, and have been known to dog-sit while masters were out of town.

One such dog is the lovable pet of Todd, Sharon, Will and Abby Morris. Her name is Lucy. The dog is a cockapoo, and the Morris family got Lucy when she was 8 weeks old. We only dog-sat Lucy for two nights. Lucy wanted to sleep with Don and Nancy, and that was not a good idea. Missing her real family, Lucy tended to howl most of the night, and no amount of spoiling was going to work unless she was between Don and Nancy on the king size bed! Lucy, of course, is a very smart dog!

One of my favorite things about Lucy is the fact she takes out a few morsels of her doggy food from her bowl, removes them to a location where all the family actions are taking place and partakes of the treats, one at a time!

Lucy was a Christmas gift to the kids, Will and Abby. Abby was presented a picture frame with a photo of Lucy included. Mom (Sharon) asked if she liked the frame and Abby quickly announced she liked the frame, but she would like the dog better! As you might guess, Lucy was delivered a few days later on Dec. 28.

For all pet lovers, I have included a few recipes guaranteed to please your loving pet and endear you even more to their animal ways! Enjoy!

DOGGIE TREATS

1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup powdered milk

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the cheese, oil, beef broth and garlic. Combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, cornmeal and powdered milk; stir into the cheese mixture until well blended. You may need to use your hand to properly blend the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a bone shaped cookie cutter to cut out the treats. Place them onto the prepared sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven until the treats are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

FOR THE LOVE OF POOCH DOG TREATS

1 cup of whole wheat flour, brown rice flour or gluten free flour
1 cup of grated carrots
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together until dough forms. Roll dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press dough down slightly so the treats are about 1/4 inch thick. Bake until golden brown and let cool on a wire rack.

PET COOKIES

2 cups wheat germ
3 (2.5 ounce) jars strained chicken baby food
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix the wheat germ, baby food and water together. Add more water if necessary to form a dough. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork dipped in water. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in preheated oven.

PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN DOG TREATS

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup oats (if your dog is on a grain-free diet, substitute an extra 1/4 cup grain-free flour)
3 cups whole wheat flour, brown rice flour or gluten-free flour
3 tablespoons of all natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, oats and cinnamon. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin and peanut butter until combined. Stir wet ingredients into dry. Pour onto a floured surface and roll dough out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut out using a cookie cutter. The dough will be a little sticky (a dusting of flour for your hands and the rolling pin will help). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Place on cooling racks and let cool thoroughly. They will harden as they cool.

 

Recognized throughout the state as an accomplished chef, Don Bingham has authored cookbooks, presented television programs and planned elaborate events. Today, he is the administrator for the Governor’s Mansion.

 

Don Bingham
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