Apple Cinnamon Canine Crunchies

"I make these for my dog babies, and they LOVE them!  They seem to know that what I'm baking is for them because they sit in front of the oven and wait for them!"

1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 cup of water
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup of quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
2 tbsps of sugar (you may leave it out if desired)
1 1/2 cups of wheat flour (you may substitue all-purpose flour)




     Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together the applesauce, honey, water, and vanilla.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, add the oats.  Then sift together the cinnamon, sugar, and flour and add to the oats.  Mix together.  Add the applesauce mixture to the flour mixture and stir until incorporated.  On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 in. thick.  Using a cookie cutter, cut out various shapes.  Re-roll the dough and continue cutting out shapes.  Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Then, flip the treats over and bake for 10-12 more minutes.  Remove from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack or wax paper.  Let cool completely.  Then, watch your dog babies go crazy!

Creamy Rice Pudding

"The first time I had Rice Pudding, I fell in love!  Its a classic dessert thats rich in flavor, but only takes pennies to make!"

1 1/2 cups of cooked, white rice
2 cups of whole milk
1/3 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup of raisins*
1 tbsp of butter
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon



     In a medium saucepan, add the rice, 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and salt.  Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy.  Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk.  Then, add 1 tbsp of the rice to the beaten egg and whisk quickly to incorporate.  Then, add another tablespoon of the rice to the egg and continue to whisk quickly until incorporated.  Now, add the egg mixture to the saucepan and whisk quickly to incorporate.  Add in the raisins and cinnamon and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring contantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.  Serve and enjoy!

*To add a little more flavor to your pudding, put the raisins in a bowl and add 1/4 cup of bourbon.  Let the raisins sit for about 10 minutes.  Then, when adding the raisins to the pudding, add any remaining bourbon left in the bowl also! 

Southern Chicken and Dumplings

"Chicken and Dumplings are are a wonderful winter weather meal.  Not only does it keep you warm, but it also help to fight off those pesky winter colds faster!"

6 cups of water
6 chicken boulion cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
5 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, skins removed and smashed
1/2 package of frozen dumplings
3 cups of cooked, shredded chicken*
                                                                         1 cup of heavy cream
                                                                         1/4 tsp of dry rubbed sage
                                                                         1/4 tsp of poultry seasoning
                                                                         Salt & pepper, to taste
                                                                         Chopped, fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

     In a large stock pot, heat the water to boiling.  Drop in the boulion cubes and all of the vegetables.  Boil on high for 5 minutes, then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer on low for 1 hour.  Then, pour the stock into a large bowl through a strainer, to seperate the vegetables from the liquid.  Discard the vegetables.  Pour the strained liquid back into the stock pot and bring to a rolling boil.  Remove the dumplings from the freezer.  If they are in long strips, break each one into 4 pieces.  Add the dumplings one at a time, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking together.  Then, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Next, add the chicken, heavy cream, sage, and poultry seasoning.  Cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Finally, add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.  Enjoy! 

*For my chicken, I usually buy a package of 3 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on.  I drizzle them with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.  Then I bake them in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  However, you can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time!