Foofer Food
Posted
Tue, 03/25/03
Foofer's sixth birthday is coming up at the end of the month, and Wilbert and I are trying to think of what to plan for him. He loves chicken and bacon, rides in the van, and long walks (either in the park or on a long stretch of forest Wilbert recently discovered).
Whatever the case, thinking about Foofer's birthday brings me to his special page at Food Fare. Ever since inception of the site, I have included a page for dogs, which is completely devoted to canine recipes. I have received more e-mail about Foofer's page than any other. The recipes are tried and true. Over the past two years the recipes have grown, now numbering more than thirty. There are other sites with plenty of canine recipes (some very good, others not), so I have tried to make Foofer's page a unique combination of tasty recipes, as well as visually pleasing.
Some of the recipes I've tried on Foofer. Admittedly he often turns his nose up in the air. My intention is to provide nutritionally sound treats for pooches, with a "once-a-year" snack in for good measure. If Foofer could speak, he would probably roll his eyes in the air and beg me to stop when he sees me fiddling in the kitchen.
Foofer loves beef jerky (especially teriyaki-flavored), so I invented the following little treat for him. He can sniff out beef jerky even if I'm in another part of the house, being quiet as a mouse. I tried sneaking some beef jerky once, and before I knew it, there was Foofer coming up on me, very silent and stealthy...
Foofer's Beef Jerky Meatballs
1 LB extra lean ground beef
Cook the brown rice according to package directions; cool and place in a large bowl. Add the lean ground beef, saltine cracker crumbs, garlic powder and eggs. Mix well. (If the mixture seems dry, add a bit of milk until it has a firm, but not wet, consistency). On a cutting board, slice strips of beef jerky in half, and then in half again. Mix into ground beef mixture, stirring well. Shape into walnut-sized balls; place in a food steamer. Cook meatballs until they are no longer pink and meat is tender. Allow to cool before serving to pooch. The meatballs will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. Tip: Cooked meatballs can be minced and then mixed into regular dog food at meal times.
The above dish appeared on Canine Recipes last year. It exemplifies Foofer's taste in food. I know it sounds odd, but Foofer definitely lets me know when he likes or dislikes something. I felt comfortable about adding the beef jerky meatball recipe because it contains lean ground beef and brown rice, and the dish is steamed to boot.
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