Holiday Baking for Doggies

You do not want your dog to be left out of the food and festivities this holiday season.

Here are some quick and easy recipes just for dogs.

Noel Nibbles

2 tablespoons honey
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cups white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened chunky applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix together honey, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add water, applesauce and egg and stir, mixing well. Add nuts. Spoon into a greased muffin tin, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a rack and store in sealed container. Makes 16 muffins.

Festive Holiday Cookies

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups water
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, egg, peanut butter, vanilla and water. Mix well. Add flours, corn meal, oats and peanuts and mix well to form a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until thoroughly mixed together. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack. Makes 30 cookies.

New Year Delights

2 tablespoons honey
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened chunky applesauce
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup dried apple chips
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix together honey, water, applesauce, vanilla and egg. Add flour, apple chips, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom of bowl to be sure no dry mixture is left. Spoon into greased muffin pans so that each cup is three-quarters full and bake for approximately 1 hour until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container. Makes 12 muffins.

Sounds good enough for me, too!

A Dog Re-Treat

Alejandro Pijuan, designer with LA architectural firm Johnson Fain, has designed the ultimate Dog Retreat using recycled wood.

He used Facebook to solicit input from other Husky owners about what their dogs might like and incorporated many of their suggestions.

The Dog Retreat will be auctioned off in early 2013, with proceeds going to Alejandro's favorite Husky rescue group,
Alley's Rescued Angels.

ASPCA Guardian

Do you want to make a difference for animals all year long?

Become an ASPCA Guardian. They are a group of dedicated friends like you who make regular monthly gifts to benefit animals in need. This level of support makes it possible for the ASPCA to continue its life-saving programs for needy animals.

As an ASPCA Guardian, you will stay updated with ASPCA newsletters as well as gain access to a special Guardians-only website. There is no need to renew each year and you may call to change your monthly gift amount or cancel at any time.

Shelters across the country are struggling to keep animals that have been abandoned or abused. Last year, the ASPCA assisted in the adoption of thousands of shelter animals. For as little as 60 cents a day, you can help ASPCA rescue innocent animals from a lifetime of neglect and suffering. They need your support to continue its life-saving programs.

If you are thinking "charity" this time of year, consider donating to the ASPCA.

Dog Poster

Every so often a dog poster comes along that really speaks to me.

I would like to share it with you.....

Yes, this one says it all!

Dog Portrait

Last week I posted the winner of the dog portrait sponsored by Training Collar Source. All that was required for one's name to be entered in the drawing was to click on "like" at the business page of Training Collar Source on Facebook. You can still do that and who knows what exciting things may happen.....

The dogs are Wire-hair Pointing Griffons, and Mother(Frost) and Daughter(Bailey).

Frost
12" X 12" water-based oil
Joanne Osband

Bailey
12" X 12" water-based oil
Joanne Osband

CONGRATULATIONS SHELLEY!