Puppy Pot Pie

The Puppy Pot Pie was a HUGE hit with my dogs and a hit at the Peculiar, Missouri Farmer's Market and Brookside Farmer's Market in Kansas City.  If you make this recipe, feel free to adjust the filling for the pot pies with ingredients that you have in your refrigerator.  The recipe is as follows:


Crust:
 3 1/4 C Oat Flour (winter) or Organic Barley Flour (summer)
1/4 C  Smooth Peanut Butter
1/4 C  Canola Oil 
1/4 C  Apple Sauce
2 Eggs
1/4 C Water to Start (then add about 3/4 C of water as needed)
1 Tsp Vanilla

Filling:
1/2 C Squash (any kind)
10 Baby Carrots
10 Green Beans
3/4 C Chicken, Beef or Vegetable Broth
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tsp of Garlic Powder
4 Strips of Bacon (fried)
1 to 2 Tsp of Rice Flour (for thickening --- if needed or desired)  

You Will Need:
A rolling pin, a flat surface you can put flour on, a muffin tin or any item to create small pastry-like pies. 

Combine the filling ingredients in a pan and boil them on low in a little broth until they have reached the desired consistency.  Feel free to add a little rice flour to thicken the filling.  My dogs love bacon but if you would rather use some other meat than feel free to substitute. 

To make the crust combine flour, peanut butter, canola oil, apple sauce, eggs, vanilla and gradually add the water until you reach a doughy consistency.  Feel free to use your hands to integrate all of the ingredients fully. Roll out the dough and use a circular mold to cut out circles for your muffin dish.  I do not have a circular mold so I use the top of a water glass to cut out the circles.  Once circles are complete, put circles in your greased (I use bacon grease) muffin dish.  Add your filling once it is ready and take another circle and place it on top to make the top shell of your pot pie.  Cut a cross shape on the pies for ventilation while baking.

*Showin' Off ---add an egg wash by brushing a egg white over the pot pies.  This looks good for presentation and dogs LOVE any opportunity for egg.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the pies are golden brown. Take out of pans and cool before you serve with love.

Special Note:  I try to use organic ingredients as much as I can.  However, we live in a food desert so going to the grocery store is not as easy as making a quick trip around the corner ... unless going to Quick Trip. 

Competition

Ice is my biggest competitor.  Doggie Poppy and Puppy Onyx both love ice.  Onyx is going through his second teething phase so the occasional ice cube is a real joy and relief to him.  There are some in the on-line community that say that giving ice to dogs is not good but that has not been my experience.  We use filtered water or "organic water" as my little cousin likes to say. 

It fascinates me that with all the natural treats that I make and all the natural treats available at market, our loved ones still gravitate towards the simple pleasures in life.  Lots can be learned from our pets.

Doggie Gratitude!

The advantage of having a furry friend is that they like your cooking even if you burn their favorite batch of biscuits. 

When I was vending at the farmer's markets in Peculiar, MO and at the Brookside Farmer's Market in Kansas City, MO - I was careful to make the biscuits look edible for humans.  If a batch didn't look like something I would want to eat, it would go to the dogs . . . literally.  This is a treat that was burnt to a crisp but my dear sweet Onyx and Poppy eat them because they like my cooking.  Well, Poppy ate them eagerly and Onyx ate them reluctantly . . . trying to be polite:~)  

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Recipe (but don't burn em):

1/4 C       Organic Peanut Butter
1/4 C       Organic Canola Oil
1/2 C       Filtered Water
1/4 C       Organic Oat Bran
1-1/2 C    Organic Oat Flour (in the summer use Barley flour)
1/4 C       Honey
1 Tsp       Baking Powder

Mix all ingredients well.  Use a small ice cream scoop to make even cookies for your baby(ies).  Put on an ungreased baking dish.  Take a fork and press down.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes or longer depending on your oven (being careful not to burn them:~)  Let cool and serve them with love!  

Special Note:  I try to use organic ingredients as much as I can.  However, we live in a food desert so going to the grocery store is not as easy as making a quick trip around the corner ... unless going to Quick Trip. 

A New Year of Treats

Happy New Year!

We wish all our canine friends and the humans who love them lots of love, light and peace in 2012 and beyond. 

Sincerely,
Poppy, Onyx, Elizabeth and JoeAnn Herron.

Gratitude!

In spite of all the talk of doom and gloom, I am proud to be a product of these times.

I have been blessed with a community of family and friends who support me in ways that are unimaginable.  I am especially grateful for the support of my love of animals and my desire to start a venture that honors these little beings that bring us joy.  I want to thank each person who has listened to my ideas, laughed with me, helped select the name of the venture, invested, went to market, helped in the baking process, offered recipe ideas, offered a ride, offered feedback, created a logo, had conversations about branding, recommended advice on packaging, helped set up this blog, took photographs, approved ingredients (veterinarian support), encouraged me to keep going, purchased my products, invited me to speak at business forums, e-mailed templates, listened to stories about the little creatures in my life, purchased plane tickets on my behalf or picked up the restaurant or bar tab.  I am grateful to you all for supporting my dreams and I am looking forward to further adventures with you all at my side and always in my heart. LOVE!