Yesterday was my FurEver-Versary. 5 years ago today I joined my FurEver family after they took me home from the shelter. I knew I wanted to adopt them the minute I saw them. I am so glad they felt the same way about me.
Today is National Puppy day in the United States. I wasn’t a puppy when I was adopted. I was a full-grown dog, and the biggest, oldest dog in the shelter! But my nickname at home is Puppy Chow, so in honor of both days, I thought I would celebrate by making some Puppy Chow for Children. The snack recipe got its name years ago when people decided that the mixture looked like dog chow in a bowl.
Can you tell which ingredient is missing? Answer at the bottom of this page.
Good cooks know the word: Boil
Boiling
occurs during cooking when large bubbles rise from the bottom of the pan to the
surface of the water or mixture in the pan. When the bubbles pop it allows
steam to escape.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups whole grain square cereal
made from rice
4 cups whole grain square cereal made
from wheat
1 cup peanuts
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cake sprinkles
TOOLS:
1 large roasting or casserole pan
greased, sprayed with non-stick spray, or lined with foil
Dry measuring cups
Measuring spoons
1 saucepan
Mixing Spoon
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375°F.
Spray large roasting pan or casserole with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine cereal and peanuts in the
roasting pan and set aside.
I see how the recipe got its name. The wheat and rice squares do look a little bit like real dog chow.
Mix the butter, brown sugar, corn
syrup, salt and baking soda in the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat. Have your
adult stir the pan until the ingredients begin to boil and then remove the pan
from the heat.
When the mixture boils, quickly remove it from the heat.
Stir the vanilla into the mixture
in the saucepan, and then pour over the cereal and nuts in the roasting pan.
Stir to coat.
Bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway way through. (So how many minutes does the mixture need to cook for before you stir? 5 minutes.) For very crispy Puppy Chow for Children, let the mixture cook for an additional 5 minutes, watching to make sure it does not get too brown.
Allow your Puppy Chow for Children to cool slightly before adding sprinkles. If you sprinkle too soon, they will melt!
Remove the pan from the oven, and
let the mixture cool slightly before shaking the sprinkles over it. Give one
final stir.
Top of the morning to you, is a greeting that usually makes people think of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day. On St. Patrick’s Day, some people like to wear green and search for leprechauns and their gold. What recipes do leprechauns like to make for St. Patrick’s Day dinner?
Today my friend Finnegan is bringing some gold to us! He’s sharing his delicious St. Patrick’s Day recipe for Golden Carrot Coins. This recipe uses roasted carrots and a little bit of orange juice and honey. Roasted vegetables turn brown at their edges and taste sweeter after roasting. This is called caramelization. Roasted vegetables are also easier to cut for cooks who are just learning to use a kitchen knife. Both carrots and oranges are full of Vitamin A which is very good for keeping your eyes healthy. Just remember, you have to eat bright colors to see bright colors!
And the rest of the day to yourself!
P.S.- Finnegan says that when someone says, “Top of the Morning to You,” a leprechaun might reply by saying, “And the rest of the day to yourself!”
To use dry heat and hot air, often from an oven or open fire, to cook foods like meat and vegetables.
To make Golden Carrot Coins you will need carrots, olive oil, butter, honey and one orange
INGREDIENTS:
¾ pound of carrots (This will be
3-4 carrots depending on their size.)
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 Tablespoon of butter, melted
1 Tablespoon of honey
½ teaspoon of grated orange zest
(the colorful outer part of the peel)
2 Tablespoons of orange juice
Salt and pepper to your taste
TOOLS:
One vegetable peeler
Measuring spoons
One roasting pan or cookie sheet
with raised sides, greased
One small saucepan
One zester or grater
One hand-held citrus juicer
Mixing spoon
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1:
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Next, wash and peel the carrots.
Pour a bit of olive oil in the palm of your hand and rub it over each carrot until they are covered with oil.
Before roasting the carrot, rub them with a bit of olive oil to help them roast evenly.
Place
the carrots on the roasting pan or cookie sheet. (Line the pan with foil if
desired to make cleanup easier.) Roasting the carrots will make them easier for
you to cut.
Roast the carrots uncovered at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until they soften and begin to brown at their edges.
The edges of carrots rubbed with a bit of olive oil will caramelize, turn golden in color, and taste sweeter after roasting.
Remove
carrots from the oven at let them cool.
Step 2:
While
the carrots cook, make the carrot coin glaze.
Zest
the orange.
Juice
the orange.
In a
small saucepan, mix together the honey, melted butter, and the zest and juice
from the orange. Cook over medium heat 3-5 minutes or until the glaze begins to
thicken. Remove from heat.
Step 3:
When
the carrots are cool enough to touch, slice them so that they look like thick coins.
Some of the coins will be as round as a quarter. Others will be as round as nickels
and dimes! All of them should be about ¼ -½ inch thick.
Add
the carrots to the glaze in the saucepan.
Stir
over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until carrots coins are heated. Watch to
make sure the glaze does not burn.
Makes 6 servings.
Golden Carrot Coins make a a great side dish for your St. Patrick’s Day dinner.
PS- Golden Carrot Coins are great when served as a side dish for your St Patrick’s Day dinner.
