Casey

Casey is the handsome dude on the right, his bonus brother Elwood at left. Casey is my daughter's only child and a very fine sweet lad he is. That wasn't always the case.

Casey showed up at our house a wee pup, just when Ted was at his wildest, adolescent stage. Some believed that Ted would help nurture Casey, but they were more like dumb and dumber.

For several years I cursed that dog. He ate anything and everything, included the illuminated Christmas lights off our house. He feasted on baseboards and garden sprinkler heads. It was rumoured he could swim until he got tired, but there is no evidence of his ever getting tired. Somewhere inside him are the remains of my 50 ft extension cord.

Casey (left) and Elwood

Several years later he and she moved to Colorado to enjoy the good life. She married Elwood's partner, a superior guy and lover of canines, while Casey learned from Elwood that the sun rises and sets each day for his new dad. Casey's almost 14 years old, has lost a step or two but still has the fire of a pup in his eyes. His spirit is willing but the body is weak.

He is now sick as a dog. His best days are behind him and the effort now is to keep him comfortable. As I once cursed him, now I get misty eyed thinking about him not being around.

When our 4 pups heard Casey was sick, they asked us to send him treats, which we did,
using the recipe for Dog Biscuits from the Flour Bakery and Cafe (Boston) Cookbook, modified only a bit. Your dogs may like these as well.

Homemade Dog Biscuits From Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups (250 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (120 grams) whole-wheat flour
1 cup (133 grams) medium-coarse yellow cornmeal
1 cup (120 grams) bulgur
½ cup (100 grams) nonfat dry milk
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt (we used table salt, no one has complained yet)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 ¼ cups (300 grams) chicken, beef or vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Stir together flours, cornmeal, bulgur, dry milk, and salt until well mixed. Set aside.

In small ball whisk yeast into stock.

On low speed of stand mixer, add stock to flour mixture until stiff dough forms, 2-3 minutes.

Roll out dough to about ½ inch thickness on a flour dusted work surface and cut into desired shapes. (the cookbook says to roll to 1 inch thickness. That didn't work for our cookie cutters)

Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until they start to brown and feel firm. (the cookbook says to turn oven off when done and leave dough in the oven for 8 -12 hours)

The dog biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.

Tell your pups they are from Casey.

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