The Melting Teapot

A few days ago, my best buddy of 15 years passed away.  Aurie was a sweet and gentle pup, a sled dog mix who loved nothing more than going for a walk or ride. She was a faithful companion for me, leading the way on many hikes, accompanying me when I searched for geocaches, and hanging out at my feet when I wrote at my computer.

Of all the cookbooks stacked on my shelves, Aurie's favorite was The Doggy Bone Book with its doggy-licious recipes like “Cinnabone” and “Bark-B-Q.”

Aurie was especially fond of anything with peanut butter, so the cookies baked most often were these:

Peamutt Butter Cookies

2 tablespoons corn oil
½ cup peanut butter
1 cup water
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine oil, peanut butter, and water.  Add flour, one cup at a time, then knead into firm dough.  Roll  or press the dough to ¼” thickness and cut with bone-shaped cookie cutter.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Makes about 30 cookies.

If Aurie had made it through to the hot days of summer, I would have definitely tried the fruity, frozen “Pupsicles” that were recently published on the Medill Reports web site.

Pupsicles

1 large banana
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
4 cups of orange juice

1. Mash 1 large banana
2. Combine 1/2 cup or plain yogurt with 4 cups of orange juice
3. Add mashed banana to the mixture
4. Blend until smooth
5. Pour mixture into ice cube trays
6. Store in the freezer until ready to serve

I'd  also buy the cookbook that includes that recipe, Real Food for Dogs,  if for no other reason than its delightful opening sentence:  “Dogs seem to be lousy spellers until you spell the word t-r-e-a-t.”


If you’re lucky enough to have canine buddies in your life, take some time this week to make them a special treat.    Please give them big hugs from me, and tell them Aurie would have loved to meet them.