A Safe Thanksgiving for Dogs

There's enough for people to worry about at Thanksgiving. "Oh no, not Aunt Edna's greasy gravy." "My brother's bragging is going to drive me to drink." "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." But we can't just think of ourselves over this food-focused holiday: We have to look after our best friends, too.

Dogs enjoy the revelry at least as much as humans, with bits of this and that dropping on the floor, and delectable smells wafting around the house. But Thanksgiving mustn't be a free-for-all. Just because we try to pack away all we can doesn't mean our dogs should. And there are certain items your dog really needs to avoid.

"Veterinarians experience an increased number of office calls due to digestive problems after the holidays because humans invite their animals to celebrate with high fat meals (ham, gravy, turkey skin), chocolates, bones , etc.," warns Casandria Smith, L.A. Animal Services Chief Veterinarian, in a PetFinder article.

Here are some tips that will help your dog get through Thanksgiving safely and with a smile on her snout.

Stuff Your Turkey, Not Your Dog

It's easy to want to give your dog a big fat bowl of turkey, mashed potatoes, and whatever else you think she might enjoy. But that's a bad idea. Overindulging in fatty foods can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, or a life-threatening condition called pancreatitis. A few strips of turkey on a dog's normal food is fine, but don't overdo it, no matter how she may plead with her "I'm STARVING" eyes. Keep in mind that turkey skin can wreak havoc with a dog's digestive system, so make sure she gets skinless, boneless turkey.

Stuff Your Dog's Kong, Not Your Dog

Here's a great way to keep your dog busy and happy during your meal. Put a bit of your dog's regular food in a Kong, and then stuff a little boneless turkey, sweet potatoes, gravy - just a tad, mind you - in the Kong. It's not much food, but it will keep him occupied for a long time.

Get Her Pooped

A dog who has been on a big walk or fetched the ball a zillion times will be much more likely to run out of energy during the feast than a dog who's been inside all day. A tired dog is a good dog on Thanksgiving. Make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise before the festivities begin.

Make no Bones About It

Cooked turkey bones can be a danger to your dog. They're sharp, and potentially very dangerous. You may not know a dog has a turkey bone lodged in your dog's digestive system for days. Don't leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can't dispose of everything properly right away.

Know this Sage Wisdom

Sage and some other herbs have essential oils that can cause tummy upset and central nervous system depression if a dog eats them in large quantities. Most dogs aren't going to nosh on a fistful of sage, but keep herbs out of reach just in case. See: Poisonous Plants and Foods for Dogs.

Don't Cry Over Onions

Onions are toxic to dogs. They can lead to a dangerous form of anemia that may not be detected for days. Make sure your dog stays away from the pearly whites, and yellows, and reds. See: Poisonous Plants and Foods for Dogs.

Don't Give Her the Raw Deal

Unless your dog is already on a raw diet, we wouldn't recommend plopping a piece of raw turkey in her bowl (the change from her regular food might cause an upset stomach). But more importantly, keep your pup away from the uncooked dough for bread or rolls. What helps make dough rise? Heat. If a dog eats raw dough, what's it like for the dough in the dog's stomach? Warm. The dough rises in the dog's stomach, and if the dog has eaten enough, the swollen dough can cause pain, vomiting, and bloating -- conditions that can send you to the doggy ER on Thanksgiving.

Avoid Yappy Hour

Some dogs seem to enjoy alcoholic drinks. Walk away from your drink that's set on the coffee table, and Lulu may get lit. Dogs and booze are a bad mix. Your dog may not do anything embarrassing she'll regret in the morning, but she could become disoriented and quite ill. Too much alcohol can even lead to a coma, and death. Watch where you - and others - put their drinks, especially if you have a curious pup.

By following a few basic tips, your dog will enjoy a fun, safe Thanksgiving. Now if only you could avoid Aunt Edna's gravy...

Joe T's

So... Joe T. Garcia's is my favorite Mexican restaurant ever. Located near the stockyards in Fort Worth, Joe T's was named one of Gourmet magazines favorite "legendary restaurants." The restaurant opened before the mag debuted in 1941. (Joe T.'s opened in 1935.) They share the mention with other luminous old timers like Galatoire's in New Orleans, Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach and, of course, New York's The "21" Club.


And they have the best frosted-pink-sugar cookies in the world. We always go across the street to the bakery run by Joe's daughter, Esperanza, to get these. They sell Esperanza's cookies at Joe's, but they are cheaper at Esperanza's. And boy are they yummy.

But, wait, there something else I want to share with you. I met a woman wearing a skirt that was made up of her husband's old neck ties. We went to see a stage production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the new Wiley theater in Dallas and there she was sitting right next to us in that necktie skirt. Not really in the same league as the Galleon headband designed by Monsieur Gaultier. But, I would categorize both as conversation pieces. Wouldn't you?

All About Izzie

This is my formal portrait....I had to behave!

Today Izzie's mom, Rhea Ann, sent me lots of great photos.

"My Izzie girl....you know the cross between a pug, standard poodle and belgian malinois and siberian husky......hmmmmm, maybe I should do another test!"

-Rhea Ann

Turns out Rhea Ann is an artist. We love her work. Take a gander at her website: rheann.com

In the meantime enjoy these adorable pics of Izzie, my look alike who isn't a Tibetan Terrier. They say everyone has a twin somewhere. I think I've found mine. And we both have VERY LONG tongues!

A Pug?

Rhea Ann and Darcy with Izzie, who is definitely not a Tibetan Terrier.

Well, we are in Dallas for the opening of the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. You know, he is the guy that designed those cone-bra-bustiers for Madonna. It is an amazing exhibition with hundreds of outfits on display. And the mannequins have animatronic faces that move and blink and twitch and burp. I don't know if they burp, but they might. The moving faces are actually video projections on the faces of the mannequins from tiny video cameras suspended from the ceiling. It was a fun show, but the real reason we always visit DFW is to visit Joe T. Garcia's.

Before I go any further, I want to let you know we were walking on the Katy Trail yesterday when we met what we thought was a very nice rangy Tibetan Terrier named Izzie along with her owner Rhea Ann and friend Darcy. Rhea Ann, herself, thought Izzie was a Tibetan Terrier when she first brought her home. That's what the folks at the animal shelter told her. It turns out that Izzie is actually a Pug! Well....a pug and a Belgian Malinois and two other breeds that look nothing like Tibetan Terriers. You see, Rhea Ann had one of those genetic tests done that told her exactly what breeds Izzie is made up of.

You know, they say the whole is the greater than the sum of its parts. I think that is SO TRUE in Izzie's case. I mean that girl has my head. It was like looking in a freak'n mirror!

I guess, I'll have to tell you about Joe T's another day. I'm exhausted.

What Happens at the Dog Park...STAYS at the Dog Park

So we took a little trip to the mile high city, Denver, this past weekend. We met a very nice service dog named Jazz, a small labradoodle, and his very cute friend Mylae at The Edge, the restaurant at the Four Seasons hotel. Very nice hotel by the way. We had a two bedroom suite and THREE BATHROOMS. I love to sleep on the cool tile floor in the bathroom.

Just around the corner on Larimar Square is a very cool dog boutique, Dog Savvy. I tried to get Dad to buy me a hat. He ended up buying one for himself at the western store down the block instead. All I got at Dog Savvy was a refrigerator magnet.

Wedding Belles

Now, you probably didn't know that my dad is from the Cereal City, Battle Creek, along with the Kellogg's and the CW Post's.

I know this doesn't seem to have anything to do with dogs. But, then, neither does Mushroom Lasagna.

One of Marjorie's Schnauzers photographed by Alfred Eisenstaedt

But, wait, there is a connection. You see, Marjorie Merriweather Post's granddaughter, Ellen Charles is a dog fancier and raises and shows the most amazing Standard Poodles. And Marjorie herself loved her Miniature Schnauzers beyond reason. You can see one of their canopied dog beds at her Washington, DC estate Hillwood. And there is a very elaborate cemetery under the trees out back where all her pets take their final rest.

Although we haven't seen Ellen is quite a while, Dad used to be on an advisory group at Hillwood and they once spent a very fine day touring some beautiful DC area gardens together. The last time we saw Ellen was in New Jersey, of all places. Dad, Angus and I and Ellen and her poodles were all out for an early morning promenade in front of our hotel before a dog show. I don't remember much about the conversation, but I do remember Ellen remarked about how fine Angus is. I never forget things like that.

The Best (Mushroom) Lasagna Ever

There is this guy at our local farmer's market that grows the best, freshest, cleanest mushrooms you have ever seen. Perfect for a delicious mushroom lasagna.

Are you ready for a lasagna that tastes really rich, but is actually quite healthy?

First, a few notes:

We use Gia Russa No Bake whole wheat lasagna noodles and white whole wheat flour for the bechamel. White whole wheat flour is the best. Great taste, consistency, and texture. We use it for everything. Don't use anything else.

Also, you can ignore using cheesecloth to drain the mushrooms. We do. We just use a colander to drain them.

Enjoy!

The Best (Mushroom) Lasagna Ever

This lasagna tastes very rich, even though it really isn’t. It combines an olive oil béchamel with a simple mushroom ragout and Parmesan cheese. I prefer no-boil lasagna noodles because they’re lighter than regular lasagna noodles.

For the mushrooms:

1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

Salt

1/2 cup fruity red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Syrah

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Freshly ground pepper

For the béchamel:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion

2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour

2 cups milk (may use low-fat milk)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the lasagna:

1/2 pound no-boil lasagna noodles

4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)

A few leaves of fresh sage (optional)

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a glass measuring cup and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices. If using shiitakes, cut away and discard the stems. Then rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry and set aside. Chop coarsely. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms begin to soften and to sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, 5 to 10 minutes. Add thyme and stir in the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, add salt, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth has reduced by a little more than half, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.

3. Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw-flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into the pan with the mushrooms.

4. Assemble the lasagna. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil or butter a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Spoon a thin layer of béchamel and mushrooms over the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread a ladleful of the mushroom/béchamel mixture over the noodles and top with a layer of Parmesan. Continue to repeat the layers (I get three layers in my pan), ending with a layer of the mushroom/béchamel mixture topped with Parmesan. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and if you want the edges of the noodles crispy and the top lightly browned, continue to bake uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Advance preparation: The mushrooms can be cooked up to 4 days before the lasagna is assembled and baked. The béchamel can be made a day ahead. Whisk well and reheat gently before straining into the mushrooms and assembling the lasagna. The assembled lasagna can be tightly covered and refrigerated for a day before baking. Leftovers will keep for 3 or 4 days. Reheat in a low oven or in a microwave.