Cooking Hot Dogs In The Oven

With headlines about contaminated pet food still fresh in our memories, many wary pet owners have been tempted to prepare home-cooked meals for their beloved companions. But let's face it—most days it's a struggle just to make a meal for our human family members. "Why not combine the two?" asks Linda West Eckhardt, coauthor of The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends.

A three-time winner of the coveted James Beard Award, a Julia Child Award recipient and author of 17 cookbooks, West Eckhardt has written a groundbreaking book featuring tasty, nutritious and easy-to-prepare recipes—for people and their dogs. "I grew up in Hereford, Texas, home of many cattle feed lots," she says. "I know where sick animals go. They go to the pet food plant. When I got my new puppy it was about the time the news was filled with the reports of mad cow disease, and I decided that my sweet little dog was not going to eat commercial dog food. That led to this book." Feeling a little wary of sharing a plate (if only figuratively) with your furry friend? One look at the recipes that follow, and we're convinced you'll be as enticed as Fido is bound to be.

All recipes adapted from The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt and Barbara Bradley, Gotham/Penguin

Click here for a handy guide to doggy serving sizes.

Pumpkin Pup Cakes
"Dogs need their vitamins as much as children and grownups do," says West Eckhardt. "Pumpkin is an unparalleled source of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in the body to promote good circulation, a healthy heart, eyes and lungs." Additionally, she says, the presence of alpha-carotene, which also comes from pumpkins, interacts with other key nutrients and can help slow the biological effects of aging in both you and your dog.

North Carolina Pork Sandwiches
Despite popular belief, dogs are discriminating eaters. "It's not true that dogs will eat anything," West Eckhardt explains. "They're the same as people. Some will eat anything you put in front of them. Others are picky." This pork sandwich is a favorite and packs lots of protein for your pup. Just be sure not to overfeed your dog—especially salty and fatty foods like pork, ham or bacon. "Too much salt and fat in a diet without a lot of water can cause painful and life-threatening bloating of the stomach. One portion is the right amount," she says.

Lamb Shanks
"Ask me what my dogs and I had for dinner last night," says West Eckhardt. "We dined on lamb shanks. As of today, we both have shiny coats and sparkling eyes. That's how you tell when your dog food is right." Before you serve your dog this dish, be sure to remove all the bones, as cooked bones can splinter when chomped on. (Raw beef bones and lamb bones are a good source of calcium and help strengthen teeth.) When prepared in a slow-cooker, the meat should fall right off the bones. "You may fight your dog over this one," jokes the chef.

Poached Salmon on a Bed of Spinach
"Don't be afraid to feed your dogs salmon," says West Eckhardt. "They love it and it's good for them—just be sure you've picked out all the bones." If you're concerned about salmon poisoning, which can be fatal to dogs, remember that the cause of the poisoning has been traced back to the bacteria in the fish's innards, not its flesh. West Eckhardt recommends serving the poached salmon hot with lemon butter, or cold with a simple mayonnaise and chopped watercress or spinach.

Super Crab Salad
When preparing this quick and delicious salad for yourself, West Eckhardt recommends making sandwiches and then rounding out the meal with some wine, fruit and cheese. Your pet, on the other hand, can enjoy the salad straight from her bowl with no added accoutrements. Crab meat feel a little too luxurious for your dog? "If you're watching your pennies, substitute chicken or tuna for the crab," the chef says.

Mom's Mac-and-Cheese
Dogs love cheese, but just like with people, portion control is necessary. However, this luxurious dish is a great occasional treat for both you and your pet. Plus, says West Eckhardt, "Think about leftovers: This dish can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator for a few days and neither dogs nor folks object to eating it twice."

Recipe adapted from The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt and Barbara Bradley, Gotham/Penguin

Makes 8 cups

2 lbs lamb shanks

Marinade:
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4tsp ground saffron threads, dissolved in 2 Tbsp hot water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice

1. Place meat in a deep ovenproof dish (or slow-cooker bowl) with marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the meat once or twice.

2. When cooking time comes, simply cover dish with foil and transfer to a preheated 350°F oven or to the slow-cooker and cook until the meat falls off the bone, about 1 hour in the oven, up to 3 in the slow-cooker. Serve on a bed of kasha.

cooking for your dog moms mac and cheese

Recipe adapted from The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt and Barbara Bradley, Gotham/Penguin

1 lb macaroni, cooked according to package directions
4 cups cheesy béchamel sauce (see recipe below)
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 cup freshly made buttered bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-qt casserole.

2. Put the cooked macaroni into the casserole, pour the Cheesy Béchamel Sauce over it and mix gently with a fork. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top and spread the crumbs over the cheese. Bake, uncovered, until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Cheesy Béchamel Sauce

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/4 cups milk, heated
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Cheddar
cayenne pepper

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit—but don't let it brown—about 2 minutes.

2. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes more. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the Cheddar along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

3. Remove from the heat. To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a film of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming.

cooking for your dog north carolina pork sandwiches

Recipe adapted from The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt and Barbara Bradley, Gotham/Penguin

Makes 12 cups

2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp packed golden brown sugar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp dried crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 untrimmed boneless pork shoulder (about 3–4 pounds)
24 mini–hamburger buns, split

1. Combine all ingredients except pork and buns in heavy large saucepan. Simmer over medium heat 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 2 hours.

2. Arrange pork shoulder in a slow-cooker; cover. Cook pork 3 hours on high. Lift out of slow-cooker onto a cutting board. Using sharp knife, make several crosswise slashes in meat (do not cut through). Brush with some of sauce. Replace in the slow-cooker and continue cooking pork until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 165°F, about 1 hour longer.

3. Transfer the pork to cutting board; remove any tough rind. Chop meat into bite-size pieces. Keep half for the humans and half for the mutts. They will relish that tough rind, chopped into pieces, and they will welcome the bone, which should keep them busy for hours. Transfer meat to large bowl and add enough sauce to moisten. Arrange bun bottoms on work surface. Top buns with pork; cover with tops. Serve with additional sauce.

cooking for your dog poached salmon on a bed of spinach

Recipe adapted from The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt and Barbara Bradley, Gotham/Penguin

Makes about 8 cups

3 cups vegetable stock, or water with lemon slices
6 six-oz salmon fillets

1. Heat vegetable stock to boiling in a fish poacher or large skillet. Reduce to simmer.

2. Wrap the fish fillets in several thicknesses of cheesecloth, leaving long ends to hang over the edges of the fish cooker. Bring the water or stock to a boil and lower the fish into it. If you have a rack that will fit in the pan and hold the fish, it is ideal. If not, you must be careful not to break up the fish when removing it from the liquid. When you place the fish in the cooker, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, until a thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the fish registers 160°F, about 15 minutes.

Recipe adapted from The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt and Barbara Bradley, Gotham/Penguin

Makes 12 regular-size or 48 mini Pup Cakes

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup old-fashioned uncooked rolled oats
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp dry milk
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup canned pumpkin purée
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup Craisins (sweetened, dried cranberries)

1. Arrange 12 muffin cups (or 48 mini-muffin cups) with paper liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Combine the dry ingredients: flour, oats, sugar, dry milk, baking powder, cinnamon, soda and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside 2 Tbsp for topping.

3. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the pumpkin, water, oil and egg. Stir to combine. Stir in the Craisins. Transfer the batter to the prepared cups, about 1/3 cup for each regular-size, 1 Tbsp for each mini. Sprinkle the tops with reserved dry ingredients.

4. Bake the muffins until golden, about 20 minutes for regulars, and 10 to 12 for the minis. Cool to room temperature before serving. They may be frozen in ziptop bags and thawed to room temperature.

Recipe adapted from The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt and Barbara Bradley, Gotham/Penguin

Makes 2 cups

1 1/4cups jumbo lump crabmeat
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
A little yogurt to taste
3 Tbsp minced parsley

Combine crab with celery, yogurt and parsley. Toss lightly and serve at once.

Before feeding your pet, consult the guidelines below to make sure that you're serving him or her the correct portions.

Small dogs (under 10 pounds): 1/3 to 1 cup of food per day

Miniature dogs (10-25 pounds): 1-2 cups of food per day

Medium dogs (25-50 pounds): 2-4 cups of food per day

Medium-large dogs (50-75 pounds): 4-5 cups of food per day

Large dogs (over 75 pounds): 5-8 cups of food per day

*1 cup equals 8 ounces of food

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