Smoochie Poochie Kisses and Turkey Meatloaf

Today I cooked for both my guys. Jim was going out and I was running low on WW flour and did not have the mint or parsley dried. So I asked Jim to pick some up for me. Three items only took 3 calls with a list and directions that all could be found in the same isle. The last call informed me that a small bottle of mint was $5.00 and he wanted to know whether to buy the store brand of parsley or the more expensive Mc Cormack brand. I said store brand was fine as it was being used in Max’s treats. “Where is the mint being used,”he asked? “In Max’s treats,” I answered. This answer was followed with a loud groan. Max really likes his Smoochie Poochie Kisses. This comes from The Good Treats Cookbook for Dogs, by Barbara Burg. This is my 16th cookbook dedicated to cooking for animals.

2C whole wheat flour
½C wheat germ
1/2 C water
1 egg beaten
¼C vegetable oil
1T minced mint, dried
1T minced parsley, dried
Combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together. Put the water, egg, and oil in a small bowl and whisk to beat the egg. Add them together and when combined put on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out to ¼” think and cut with a small cutter. Re-roll and continue cutting until it is all used. I used a small bone shape. It says makes 60 treats, I got 80.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, turn off the oven and let biscuits harden and cool in the oven for 1 hour.

For dinner we had Meatloaf and artichokes.
I found really good smaller artichokes in the market. I steamed them in a pot and served with the delicious butter sauce that was left over from the lobster.
The meatloaf is from Martha’s Everyday Food show. It says serves 6, but we have very little left.
2T vegetable oil
½# cremini mushrooms sliced
Salt and pepper
2 small leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced, washed and dried
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C shredded fontina cheese, about 4 oz
1 slice day old bread, cubed
1 large egg
1T finely chopped fresh sage leaves (I used a third less dry)
1 ½ # ground Turkey
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet heat 1T oil and add the mushrooms. Cook until golden about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining oil to the same skillet and add the leeks and garlic they said, until soft about 4 minutes, season with salt and pepper. I wish I had cooked them until golden like making French onion soup as I thought the onion taste was too prominent in the finished loaf. Add to the bowl with the mushrooms. Let cool and then add the fontina cheese, bread, egg, sage and turkey. Add ¾ t salt and ¼ t pepper and mix all together with your hands. For this part I use disposable latex gloves. Put parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet and form a 10” loaf on the pan. I had some leftover small tomatoes and I cut them in slices and arranged them decoratively on top. It says to bake for 45 minutes. Mine took longer as I used an instant read thermometer and it had not reached 165. I baked 15 minutes longer to a temp of 160. I let it set for 10 minutes and it was 165 degrees.

The wine that Jim served definitely needed aerated. I did not like it until he performed this function. The wine was a 2007 Viansa Athena, a blend of Sonoma County Dolcetto grapes which originate in the Piedmont of Northern Italy. Very little is grown in CA. It makes a light red wine but this did benefit from using the Vinturi aerator.
For those of you who are interested, the carpet is still drying and I believe that my second application tomorrow will eliminate the wine stains. I am living proof that there is life after spilling red wine on light carpet.