The Nifty Foodie

Part of me cannot believe that the Superbowl is Sunday. I mean, that’s the end of football season until next Fall. I have to wait at least six months to watch another game after this. Sad.  (If you know me, you know I’m being dead serious about how sad this is to me. Crazy football fan here!) A perk of Superbowl Sunday? Watching Millie run up to the TV when I randomly switch over to the Puppy Bowl.

To mourn celebrate the end of another football season, here’s some great recipes that will definitely disappear if you serve them at your Superbowl parties.

Restaurant Style Queso Blanco

Restaurant Style Salsa

Crawfish Pies

Crawfish Cheesecake

Pork and Sausage Jambalaya

Berry Mash Bruschetta

Sugar Cookie Bars

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Oreo Cupcakes

Oh, and if you have an occasional puppy bowl break, I’m pretty sure the dogs at your party would love you for these!

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats

My dog is crazy. Absolutely crazy. She eats things she shouldn’t eat all the time, which constantly worries me. One time, I came home to find her dog name ID and her rabies tag all chewed up and the ring that held them on her collar was missing. I dialed the vet in tears. I thought I killed my pup. How could I leave ANYTHING in her crate with her? I felt so dumb and scared of what the vet would say: surgery.

To my relief, he told me to just feed her pumpkin. It will help with her upcoming upset tummy and make things, uh, come out faster (sorry, TMI, I know.) This worried me, though. In my experience, our puppy just did not like fruits or veggies at all. Much to my surprise though, she went absolutely bananas for the puree. She lapped up that pumpkin like no other. It was then that I realized that I might have created a pumpkin monster.

My dog now prefers her meals with a small spoonful of pumpkin. If she doesn’t get pumpkin, she whines and gives me the “cute eyes”. So, of course, I feed her addiction and give her pumpkin. It’s not bad for her, so I’m fine with doing this.

Since she is officially addicted, I began a search for pumpkin dog treats. This recipe combines two of her favorite things: pumpkin and peanut butter. And the verdict? Well, let’s just say when I open the fridge, this dog is HOPING I pull a treat out of the ziploc for her. A big time winner, for sure…it will make your dogs go WILD!

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats
Source: AllRecipes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Whisk together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add water as needed to help make the dough workable, but the dough should be dry and stiff. Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick roll. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Bake in preheated oven until hard, about 40 minutes.

Ok, I love my dog, Dixie. (Who doesn’t love their dog?) She’s such a little trooper dog. She’s a hunting dog for my dad, and she is 8 years old. Even at 8, she is very fit, but she gets SO tired. It’s cute to see her knocked out all day, twitching (chasing ducks in her dreams).

Here she is falling asleep!

Anyway, I decided to make her (not so) little self a happy dog. I made her Rachael Ray’s “Isabooscotti”.

I didn’t drizzle carob, because I couldn’t get it to melt well, and didn’t want to add crisco at the chance of making her sick. So, it’s plain biscotti.

Isabooscotti
Source: Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter (I used fresh ground peanut butter from Whole Foods. I spoil her )
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup carob chips

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Place the peanut butter in a medium bowl and microwave at high power to soften, 5-10 seconds. Whisk in the milk, then stir the mixture into the dry ingredients.
3. Shape the dough into a long, flattened log and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes; remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Slice the log crosswise on an angle into 1-inch-thick pieces. Set the slices on their sides (they should look like biscotti) and bake until crisp, 10-12 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool.
4. Melt the carob in a microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. Thin the melted carob with 1 tablespoon water, if needed. Using a spoon, drizzle the melted carob over the biscuits. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

 

Not the most appetizing looking. I cut these in half since I didn’t want to give her too much treat-age at once!

Ok, I had to use flash here. It was dusk, and this makes her look like ghost dog! But let’s just say these treats were very well received.

My poor dog today…we have had severe weather all day and there was a funnel cloud sighted in my town .

After doing some research online, I found the perfect dog treat recipe…simple and nutritious! Thanks Brown Eyed Baker!

This made a bunch of little heart treats and she gobbled up a couple I would half this for next time though!

PB Dog Treats

1 cup Natural Peanut Butter
2 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 cup 2% milk
1 tablespoon baking powder

Mix wet ingredients in one bowl (pb and milk). Mix dry ingredients in a different bowl (flour and baking powder). Mix wet ingredients slowly into dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until starting to brown.

This made a ridiculous amount..

Dixie enjoying the treats

Please!! Can I have sah-more??