Bouchon Bakery Bacon and Liver Dog Treats for My Cover Boy

The Coronado Eagle & Journal, our little community newspaper, holds an annual pet photo contest. First, second and third place prizes donated from local merchants are awarded in several categories - Best Friends, Chill'n in Coronado, Pet in Action, Most Unusual and Look-a-Like.

This year I entered a recent photo of Trapper in the Pet in Action category. A few weeks later, I received an e-mail from the newspaper copywriter advising me Trapper would be on the cover of Coronado Magazine and to stop by the office for some extra copies. Yeah, we won!

The Eagle came out a few days later with the Coronado Magazine tucked inside. WOW, a big color photo of my boy plastered on the cover! I excitedly flipped through the pages to find the winners in each category. What? Trapper didn't even place?!!  After seeing the tiny photos of the winners, buried on pages 17-18, I willingly accepted defeat. Yep, that's okay, Buzi, Dodge and Luke...look who made the cover and who has a full jar of Bouchon Bakery Dog Treats! And you can go stick your Milk-Bones where the sun don't shine...

Trapper the Cover Boy

My cover boy deserved a treat, and I've been promising to make him the dog treats in my Bouchon Bakery cookbook. Leave it to Thomas Keller to come up with foie gras and bacon dog treats (he originally used foie gras trimmings from The French Laundry, but now uses chicken livers). Trust me, Trapper couldn't tell the difference and I'll bet your dog won't either.

Bacon, chicken livers, flour, cornmeal and chicken stock

Bacon! Sliced, cooked and drained.

Chicken Livers! Sauteed and smashed to a paste.

Bacon, chicken livers and cornmeal pulsed together in the food processor.

Transferred to the mixer bowl and mixed with flour and chicken stock until dough forms.

Dough rolled and cut with a dog bone cookie-cutter.

Bake for 3 hours, glaze, and bake again for 30 minutes.

Patiently wait until cooled completely.

Bouchon Dog Treats

Bouchon Bakery Dog Treats
Slightly adapted from Bouchon Bakery
(Makes about 50 treats)

Ingredients:

12 ounces sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch wide pieces
1 lb. chicken livers, cut in to ½-inch pieces
¾ cup fine cornmeal
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoons egg whites

Preparation:

Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook for about 10 minutes, until it has rendered its fat and is a rich golden brown.  Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat.  Add the chicken livers to the pan and sauté, turning them frequently and smashing them slightly, with the back of a large spoon, for about 5 minutes and broken down to a paste.  Remove from the heat.

Place the bacon in a food processor and pulse a few times to grind it.  Add the chicken livers and process to combine, and then add the cornmeal and process until you have a coarse mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Turn the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, and mix to combine.  Slowly pour in the chicken stock and mix until the dough begins to gather around the paddle and feels moist to the touch.  Remove the dough from the mixer and knead it just enough to combine.

Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Line two sheet pans with silpats or parchment paper.

Roll out the dough to about 3/8 to 1/2-inch thick. Using a dog bone cutter, or whatever shape you desire, cut out the treats and arrange them on the prepared sheet pans.  Knead the trimmings together, roll out, and cut out the additional treats.

Bake until the treats are completely dry, about 3 hours (1-½ hours in a convection oven). Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 200 degrees.

For the glaze: Whisk together the ketchup and egg whites in a small bowl and brush it over the top of the warm treats.  Return the pans to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the glaze has set.  Place the pans on a cooling rack and cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the treats to the rack to cool completely.

The treats can be stored in a covered container for up to 1 month.

***

Trapper's Table: Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

It's my birthday today - I'm ONE year old!

It seems like only yesterday when I left my Newf mom and brother Paddington in Michigan and flew to San Diego. I'm so happy brother Nicholas came with me in that big scary airplane. When we arrived in San Diego, my new mom came up to see me and Nicholas. She didn't know which of us she would be able to take home, but I tugged at her heart strings and she fell hard for me.

When mom found out she could have me, I was so excited to come to my new home to Coronado. Dooley was there waiting for me. He was 13 years old and I'm fortunate to have been able to spend some quality time with such an awesome half-brother. He taught me a few things in those four months and I'm proud to carry on his gentle spirit.

I was kind of lonely when Dooley left us, but quickly made friends all over the island.

Just look at me - I was such an adorable pup. I attracted so much attention at Starbucks every morning, especially from cute little girls who came up to hug me all the time. They still do. 

 People always ask if they can take my picture and mom goes through the daily questions like how much I weigh, what breed, how much do I eat, and do I shed. And then there's those folks who point at me and call me a bear or, even worse, a St. Bernard or  Bouvier. Please! I just shake my head and let the drool fly.

Of course, during my first year, I did what most puppies do. I tore up a few plants and swallowed a few socks. I still seek out socks, but my latest trick is grabbing the dish towel off the counter and running through the house.

Mom buys me toys all the time, but I chew them up pretty fast.

For some reason, I just love having something in my mouth. My jolly ball is one toy I haven't been able to destroy and boy do I love that thing. You can see me in my jolly ball video on the blog's Facebook Page. 

This is my green duck. I actually still have him, but he's now the headless green duck.

 This used to be my favorite napping step, but then I got too big.

 This was my squirrel-cat. He was supposed to be indestructible.

I think he was almost $20. Bad kitty - he was history in less than 8 hours.

During the summer, I loved going out in the front yard for my watermelon snacks.

This photo won me "Pet of the Week" on the Embrace Pet Insurance Facebook Page.

After eating those three socks, mom decided to insure me.

I have not been to the vet in several months, so I'm not sure how much I weigh - I'm thinking at least 150 lbs. Mom feeds me well with a part raw diet of fish, turkey, lamb, veggies and fruit. I have my own Vitamix for blending all the veggies and fruit and we shop at Restaurant Depot for cases of fish and meat. I'm a growing boy!

Here's a fairly recent iPhone photo of me at Starbucks. Mom posted this one on Facebook and my Newf fans just went crazy. I have so many of my own Facebook fans it's ridiculous. Mom gets a few likes when she posts her food photos, but my likes skyrocket in comparison.

For my birthday, I got a new jar of Quackers duck jerky strips. Uncle Bradley surprised me with a bag of Nutter Butters at Starbucks this morning. Mom also made me these holiday dog treats featured in the American Kennel Club's December newsletter.

They're definitely blog-worthy, so I'm sharing them with you. Tell your mom to make you some!

This morning, on my birthday walk to Starbucks

Homemade Newf Treats all wrapped up for me!

They're made with whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, peanut butter, eggs, and cinnamon! 

Simply whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another.

Combine the wet and dry in one bowl, knead it all together until a dough forms, roll it out, and use a dog bone-shaped cookie cutter to cut out about two dozen biscuits. 

Gather up the dough scraps, roll it out again, and cut more biscuits.

Bake for 40 minutes, allow to cool, and then sit like a handsome boy until you get one.

Happy Birthday to me!

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Biscuits
Courtesy of American Kennel Club
(Makes about 2 dozen biscuits)

2 1/2 cups whole wheat or barley flour
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir dry ingredients in medium bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, and peanut butter. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and knead thoroughly. Dough should be dry and stiff (add small amounts of water as needed to make it workable.  If dough is too sticky, add small amounts of flour).

Roll dough into half-inch thickness and cut into half-inch pieces, using a knife or cookie cutter.

Bake about 40 minutes, or until hard and dry. Feed a couple to a slobbery Newf and store in an airtight container.