LEARNING CENTERS

• Overview
• Pet Tips & Resources
• Kitty Corner
• Training & Behavior
• Classes
• School Groups
• Schedules
• Pet Therapy
• Reading to Dogs
• Humane Education
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Contact Us
• Q/A: Trainer

Email Page

Print Page

Cookin' with Robbie Dawg

The inspiration: Robbie and LuluMonthly canine culinary tips and recipes from Lisa Fortunato, founder and owner of Robbie Dawg, Inc., an all-natural dog treat bakery based out of Brooklyn, NY. She is also the author of her own doggie cookbook.

This year, start a new tradition: Doggie Pizza Biscotti!
Pet-Friendly Holiday Cooking Tips from Lisa Fortunato

For the holidays, I always bake a variety of cookies for my family friends. Many of the recipes are dusted off once a year just for this purpose and were originally baked by my mom and dad when my brother and I were kids. Time spent baking together can help bond a family, form traditions, and create memories. Since all of us at Bideawee know that our dogs are indeed members of our family, they too should have a special holiday "cookie" of their own!

We're not just cooking for the two-legged family anymore! Cook for the dogs too!

This month, I am offering Bideawee.org readers a dog treat recipe for pizza biscotti, as it is easy to prepare, no special tools are required, and best of all: they will last for months.

Recipe of the month: Doggie Pizza Biscotti

Biscotti are crisp Italian cookies that are baked twice. Traditionally, biscotti are formed into two long slabs, baked for 25 minutes, then cut into 1/2 inch wedges and returned to the oven to dry and crisp. To suit your dog, I suggest cutting the biscotti into crouton-shaped, bite-size bits using a pizza cutter or a serrated knife. Bite-size biscotti are the perfect treats to take with you; you can pack them in small snack containers and keep them in your car, backpack, or purse.

As far as the ingredients go, I recommend using pastry flour, but really any unbleached flour will work. Pastry flour is lighter, a pleasure to work with, and results in flakier biscotti.

If you want to give the biscotti as a gift, simply fill a tall flat-bottomed cellophane bag half full. Take the top piece of the bag, smoothing it between your fingers, and fold it back and forth accordion style. Tape the "accordion" to the top of the bag with a small piece of tape. Place a length of ribbon under the base of the bag and tie a knot or bow on top of the bag. This is the traditional Italian method to wrap biscotti.

Pizza Biscotti
Yields 100 crouton-size biscuits

1/4 cup sweet Italian Turkey sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
2 cups pastry flour or unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, shredded
2 tablespoons canned fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup filtered water

1. Heat the olive oil and chopped garlic in a small skillet. Remove the casing from the sausage and add the meat. Using a wooden spoon, break the meat apart and cook till nicely brown and slightly crunchy. Remove pan from the heat and allow the meat to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Measure the flour, baking powder, and mozzarella into a mixing bowl. Whisk till combined.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and canola oil to the skillet and be sure to scrape up the small bits in the pan. Make a well in the flour and add the tomato/sausage mixture all at once. Combine with an electric mixer on medium speed using a paddle attachment. Mix until crumbly.
4. Add the water all at once and mix until just combined. The mixture will form a soft dough.
5. Turn the dough out onto a slightly floured surface and shape it into a flat disc. Place the disc on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness.
6. Bake 18-25 minutes till it is dry and firm to the touch. Remove the dough from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Cut it into 1/2-inch strips using either a knife or pizza cutter. Rotate the pan and cut the strips into 1/2-inch cubes. Separate the cubes and return the pan to the oven. Bake the biscuits another 15-20 minutes. Remove the biscotti from the oven, cool them on a baking rack, and store them in a cookie tin.

Enjoy!

Please always be cautious when altering your pet's diet in any way.

Additional Holiday Suggestions:

Getting ready for the holiday can be stressful for you, but it can also be stressful on your dogs. If you are planning a holiday celebration, you might consider these tips as you plan your event.

1. Give your dogs a bath and a good brushing a day or two before the party. Since a lot more people will be touching them, you'll want their fur nice and soft and smelling clean.
2. If possible, feed him and take him on a brisk walk before your guests arrive. The walk will clear your head, alleviate any tension you may be feeling, and most importantly, calm him.
3. For a festive touch, you can use some ribbon to tie a nice big bow around your dog's collar. Double faced satin is the easiest to tie and will also be comfortable for your dog. I suggest using a ribbon that is at least is 2"-3" wide and selecting a color ribbon that will compliment your holiday décor. Robbie and Lulu look great in copper, lime green, matte gold, chocolate brown or burgundy!
4. Make sure his water bowl is full and accessible. If it is kept in the bathroom, you might want it in a second location, since this room will be a little busier than usual.
5. If little children are in attendance, make sure that both they and their parent's know that they should not feed the dog. Children who do not have a dog of their own sometimes think feeding a dog is as much fun as feeding farm animals at a petting zoo and since most dogs don't know when to stop, you don't want to run the risk of your dog eating something he shouldn't.
6. If a crowded house stresses your dog, try to move him to a location away from the party. Be sure he is comfortable, with his bed and favorite toy.

Please enjoy these easy and flavorful recipe shortcuts, and check back for new columns from Lisa Fortunato each month.

Robbie dawg is a woman-owned Brooklyn, New York based business that bakes handcrafted organic dog biscuits in 15 flavors. Each month sine its founding in 2005, robbie dawg has donated over 30 pounds of biscuits to the dogs at Bideawee. For more recipes, Lisa recently completed a cookbook for Adam's Media called The Everything Cooking for Dogs Book. The cookbook contains 150 recipes, as well as a section on nutrition and ingredients.