Thanksgiving treats
I’m kind of ready for Thanksgiving. I mean, sort of but not really, not the way I should be with the holiday just a couple nights away. I haven’t even solidified the menu yet. I spent the weekend flipping though a library copy of the French Laundry cookbook looking for ideas for something a little extra special, but the idea of spending 4 hours on a crudite and having truffles fed-ex’d from Italy had me a little flummoxed, so I’m trolling the web for something somewhere between “instant potatoes” and “Are you insane?” I don’t mind spending time cooking, but maybe just not to that degree.
That being said, it would be nice to have a little something special for Brody too (not that I want to leave Apollo out, but with his food allergies in play I really don’t give him treats.) I’m sure everyone knows the drill by now, but it never hurts to reiterate the fact that veterinary emergency hospitals overfloweth with pancreatitis, bloats, and other such painful afflictions this time of year. Here’s some reminders from the ASPCA about the more common dangers, including one a lot of people forget about- raw dough.
But if you’re like me and you’re going to be in the kitchen for a good 10 hours anyway, what’s one more teeny thing to cook? There are some great online ideas for special Thanksgiving treats and recipes you can make for those furry friends who make us thankful, every day. For example, Doggie Gobblers from RVT Jenna at About.com are a healthy treat you can make ahead of time to serve at the table.
Should you desire something holiday-ish but involves no cooking, Northern Biscuits Turkey and Cranberry treats are a Thanksgiving friendly biscuit.
If you’re going to give your pet something straight off the table, use some basic caution. Be aware of toxic ingredients such as raisins and chocolate. Also keep in mind that while sweet potatoes are fine for dogs, sweet potatoes baked with marshmallows, brown sugar and 5 tons of butter are what puts dogs in the ICU. For this reason, and my recent purchase of 2 pounds of butter to be used at various times over the course of the day, I’ve decided to avoid the risk altogether and get a can of Merrick’s Thanksgiving Dinner for Brody instead. Ingredients: Turkey, Fresh Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Green Beans, and Granny Smith Apples. Can’t get much more festive than that and a whole lot easier to make than what the humans are going to be noshing on. If I’m feeling inspired I might even mold it into a turkey shape.
Anyone else do something special for their pets for Thanksgiving? Any festive treats or recipes to share?
