French Toast Bake

 

1 loaf of bread (preferably slightly stale or day-old bread)

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), melted

1 cup of brown sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Cinnamon, for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. Begin by melting the butter in the microwave until it's completely liquid.

2. Then, combine the melted butter with the brown sugar, stirring until they are thoroughly mixed.

3. Take a 9 x 13 pan and pour the butter and sugar mixture into the bottom, spreading it evenly across the pan.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together with the milk and vanilla until they are well combined.

5. Lay out single slices of the thickly sliced bread in the pan, forming a layer over the butter and sugar mixture.

6. Gently spoon half of the egg mixture over the layer of bread, ensuring even coverage.

7. Sprinkle a portion of cinnamon evenly over the layer of bread and eggs.

8. Place a second layer of sliced bread over the existing layer in the pan.

9. Once again, spoon the remaining half of the egg mixture over the new layer of bread.

10. Cover the pan and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight, allowing the flavors to meld.

11. The next day, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). When baking, cover the pan for the first 30 minutes, then uncover for the remaining 15 minutes.

12. Once fully baked, take the pan out of the oven. Sprinkle powdered sugar and additional cinnamon over the top for added flavor and presentation.

13. To serve, offer warm maple syrup alongside this delectable dish.

How to make cookie pieces that fit together

Pizza cookies aren’t really a new concept.  Or any such design you wish to create using these basic shapes.  

It begins with round plastic storage containers like these.

The new one came from Dollar Tree but, you’re better off scouting thrift stores for better quality cast off containers, if possible. 

Also, try to get something between seven and nine inches in diameter.

The most important thing is to make sure the container has a sharp lip like this. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Anyway, get your husband {or neighbor} to drill a hole in the bottom of the bowl so that it doesn’t create suction when you use it. I prefer the better quality containers because they stand up to a drill a lot better.

All this and you’ve got a very large, round pizza cutter. From there it’s as simple as cutting it and using a knife {or a real life pizza cutter} to make slices.

Bake them up, and you’ll have a cookie that fits back together almost like the real thing.

Decorate as desired. 

 

Strawberry Oat Smoothie Sticks Recipe for Dogs

 

1 cup fresh strawberries (hulled and chopped)

½ cup plain Greek yogurt (unsweetened and no xylitol)

¾ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats work best)

1 tbsp flaxseed meal (optional, for added omega-3s)

1 tsp honey (optional, but a hit with picky eaters)

A splash of water or unsweetened coconut water (to adjust texture)

I often use organic strawberries when I can. Because dogs can be more sensitive to pesticides, it’s worth the extra step if your budget allows. The flaxseed is my secret booster for coat health, but you can leave it out if your dog has any sensitivities.

1. Blend the Berries

Start by adding the chopped strawberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. If your berries aren’t super juicy, add just a bit of water or coconut water to get things moving.

2. Add Yogurt and Honey

Next, add your plain Greek yogurt and optional honey to the berry puree. Blend until the mixture is creamy and evenly combined.

3. Incorporate the Oats and Flaxseed

Now toss in your oats and flaxseed meal. Pulse the mixture a few times—enough to break the oats down a little but not so much that you lose all texture. You want a soft dough that holds its shape but isn’t sticky.

4. Chill the Dough (Optional but Helpful)

Pop the dough in the fridge for 20–30 minutes if it feels too soft to shape. Chilling makes it easier to roll the mixture into smooth logs or sticks.

Shaping the Smoothie Sticks

I like to roll the dough into ½-inch thick logs—about the size of a pencil, maybe a bit thicker. You can hand-roll them or use silicone treat molds for a more uniform look. If you’re lucky enough to have a silicone stick mold, even better—it gives you that perfect cylindrical shape like the ones you see in the photo.

I also recommend lightly oiling your hands or tools with coconut oil to make shaping easier and less sticky.

Freezing and Serving Tips

Once shaped, place the sticks on a parchment-lined tray and freeze them for at least 3 hours. After that, you can store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to a month.

Max loves them straight out of the freezer on warm afternoons, but I’ve also noticed he enjoys them slightly thawed, almost like a chewy bar. The texture ends up being somewhere between a frozen yogurt bite and a soft dental stick. It’s like a little spa day for his tastebuds.

Apple Pumpkin Pie Chew Sticks

 

1 Cup Pure Organic Applesauce

1 Cup Pure Organic Pumpkin Puree (Not pumpkin pie puree!)

1/2 Tbsp Organic Cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 175ºF/79ºC.

In a medium size bowl, add all ingredients and give it a good stir to combine.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper, and with a spoon, smear out long lines of the batter. The thicker you make them, the longer they will take to dehydrate. Mine were about the thickness of 3 stacked quarters.

Place in oven and dehydrate/bake for 6-7 hours. Each oven varies, so I suggest checking on them every hour or so. You want them to be firm and not sticky, but not so hard they break apart easily.

Once out of the oven and cooled just slightly so they are still warm to the touch, check to make sure they are flexible but not sticky. Cut your strips down to your desired length with scissors. Then, with a simple twisting motion mold them into spirals, and what you are left with are awesome little chewy sticks for your dog. It’s that easy!

Berry Mojito

 

Additive-free sparkling water

3 halved strawberries

10 blueberries

Toss the ingredients into a blender, pulse until frothy, and serve to your pawsitively excited taste tester.

No blender? Try this mojito recipe that your pup will give four paws up. For a hot day, freeze and let your dog lick it for some enrichment!

Paw-nana Smoothie

 

3/4 cup frozen banana slices

2 teaspoons plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup coconut water

Toss the ingredients into a blender, pulse until frothy, and serve to your pawsitively excited taste tester.

Strawberry Dog-quiri

 

3/4 cup frozen strawberries

1/4 cup coconut water

1 teaspoon plain greek yogurt

Toss the ingredients into a blender, pulse until frothy, and serve to your pawsitively excited taste tester.

Cantaloupe Cooler

 

1 cup frozen cantaloupe

1/2 cup nonfat yogurt

Toss the ingredients into a blender, pulse until frothy, and serve to your pawsitively excited taste tester.

Paw-termelon Margarita

 

1 cup frozen, seedless watermelon cubes

2 tablespoons light coconut milk

Toss the ingredients into a blender, pulse until frothy, and serve to your pawsitively excited taste tester.

Pup-kin Spice Latte

 

4 tablespoons coconut milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

Sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Whipped cream for topping (optional)

Toss the ingredients into a blender, pulse until frothy, and serve to your pawsitively excited taste tester.

Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oats

 

Ingredients 

1 cup oats 

1 banana medium, ripe 

1/3 cup milk or plant milk

2 tbsp peanut butter or any nut butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

pinch salt 

1/2 tsp baking powder 

chocolate chunks 

1 tbsp peanut butter additional, for inside

Directions

. Add oats in blender and blend for ~1 minute, until finely ground into a powder. Add banana, milk, 2 tbsp peanut butter, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and blend until smooth.

• Split batter evenly between 2 ramekins, reserving 1/4 cup batter for topping. Dot batter with chocolate chunks, and put 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter in the center of both ramekins. Cover with remaining batter and additional chocolate chips.

• Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 3-5 minutes and enjoy warm.

Hoecakes

 

Ingredients

- 2 cups of stone-ground cornmeal, white or yellow as you please

- 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour (for a touch of tenderness)

- 1 teaspoon of sugar (just a whisper, now)

- 1/2 teaspoon of salt

- 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

- 2 cups of buttermilk, rich and tangy

- 1 large egg, whisked until frothy

- 1/4 cup of bacon drippings or vegetable oil, for that down-home sizzle

1. In a well-worn bowl, whisk together your cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

2. Make a little well in the center, and pour in the buttermilk and beaten egg. Stir 'em together until just combined, but don't you fuss if there are a few lumps; they're just little pockets of character.

3. Let the mixture sit for a spell – about 10 minutes should do – it'll give the cornmeal time to acquaint itself with the moisture.

4. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and grease 'er up with a smidge of bacon drippings or oil.

5. Once that skillet's whispering hot, drop in dollops of your batter – I use about 1/4 cup for each hoecake.

6. Cook 'em until the edges look dry and bubbles dot the surface, then flip them gently. They should be a beautiful, golden brown – just like autumn leaves after the first kiss of frost.

7. Continue cooking 'em for another minute or two, then remove from the skillet. Keep 'em warm in a napkin-lined basket while you cook up the rest.