Me that is…I´m the Copy Cat! I´ve been picking up lots of fantastic recipes over the last few months via all the blogs that I am following, many of which I have promised myself I would cook once the temperatures started to drop and I could bear to put the oven on.
Well, yesterday the storm clouds gathered and at one point we had thunder and pouring rain. It was dark and gloomy – perfect baking weather. Added to this was my technical nightmare with WordPress, but thanks to all you lovely people out there I eventually got things sorted and am able to post again. It was lovely to have so much support – it´s a funny old thing isn´t it that people you don´t really “know” and will probably never meet face to face care enough to step in and offer help. Made me feel very warm and good, so thank you again.
Anyway, back to the kitchen. I have seen a few great recipes for dog biscuits recently and I asked myself “why the heck am I forking out for rubbishy treats for my beloved pooches, when the rest of the food they eat is healthy?”. So, recipe number one comes from Greg and Katherine over at Rufus´Food and Spirits Guide, or more precisely their faithful hounds Mingus and Coltrane, who are probably nearly as good in the kitchen as their master and mistress.
Mingus and Coltrane, Luna and Alfi salute you. It was hard to get pics of them eating the biscuits as they were gone too quickly and Luna, for some reason is camera shy!
Anyway, here are a few photos so that any dog lovers out there can say “aah” and chuckle again at Alfi´s new haircut.
The second Copy Cat experiment today was with scones. Well, I did have the oven on. I love scones but have never had too much luck baking them. Either they turn out really hard and I tell people that they were MEANT to be rock cakes, or they rise too much and are far too dry and crumbly.
Well, my scone woes are over thank to Cecilia at thekitchensgarden and this is the recipe that changed my scone baking forever. God I love that woman and her family recipes.
The only problem is that it was a long, long afternoon.
And I had so many jams to try.
Well, I had to just check a few of them out to make sure that the first Super Scone of my life wasn´t a fluke. It wasn´t.
PS. I did quite seriously debate with myself about not telling Big Man there were scones left and offering him a delicious “peanut butter cookie”. But I didn´t. You see, not such a greedy guts after all!
Chica Andaluza 
What a fun read! Would we have got some after your paella too?
🙂 Mandy
You´d have had to wrestle the biscuit tin off the dogs!
Darling, those scones look just right and thank you so much for the delicious shout-out! In fact I am thinking that maybe I should make the doggie treats as well. As I have three dogs sat on the verandah this morning waiting for their walk .. When The Matriarch is away her dog comes over here to stay! So with all that lot and the cats and Daisy it is like a wandering circus! c
Can highly recommend the doggie treats (not that I tasted one) but my pups went mad for them and I´ve also given a few out to the local strays! Thanks again to you for a great recipe – this one´s a keeper 🙂
Katherine was just dying over the cuteness of your dogs. Thanks for the shout out. Those scones are calling my name. I saw them over at C’s blog and wanted to make them. Now I really, really want to make them!
You´r welcome! The dogs are extra special to us as they are rescued. And do make the scones, they were (not were…not are) wonderful!
Gorgeous dogs!!! Do you have a good treat recipe for cats?
Yes,, we think they´re cute. If cats are allowed to eat peanut putter (and I think they are) then I think Oliver would love these too!
I have seen too many scones recipes lately!!! I guess it is a signal!!! The picture of scones with jam is so inviting!! Your dogs are very lovely!!!!!!!!!! And sooooo lucky!!!!
The dogs are very lucky as we rescued them…so what with the treats and the walks they are super lucky! Do make the scones. You won´t regret it 🙂
I had to laugh at the ‘hoovering-up’ on Luna’s picture – we’ve been joking that the next dog will either be named Hoover or Kirby, because all dogs are vaccuum-cleaners!
If it wasn´t for the fact that Jack Russell type dogs (she´s not a pure breed obviously!) shed huge amounts of white hair, I´d never have to sweep up! They also like shoes and sandals which is more of a problem 🙂
I can see why you just had to try the scones with all the different jams – they look delicious!
It was tough – but someone had to be the official taster and tester!
Awww..your dogs are so cute! I bet they loved those treats. My dogs always love when I make homemade goodies for them too! 🙂
Thank you – we think they´re pretty cute! Had never even thoguht of making dog biscuits and now I see how quick and easy (and additive free) it was, I am kicking myself!
Awww. Love that you introduced us to your pupsters. Those scones smothered in butter and jam look incredible! It should rain in your area more often! In fact, I bet “Big Man” is out back teaching the dogs how to do a rain dance.
Glad you like the family! Yes, Big Man is actually praying for the cooler weather. He says it´s becuase he doesn´t liek the heat but i have my suspicions that it´s related to baking!
Lovely post Tanya! Tus perros son hermosos. Yo tengo 2, Lucy y Tommy. Pero la verdad nunca me he planteado hacerles yo misma los snacks… maybe someday ;). La receta de scones la tengo imprimida para hacerla en casa, ahora sé que no tendré problemas en hacerla (espero…)
Un saludo
Gracias – los perros son tan graciosos y nos hacen reir cada dia! Do make the scones – so easy, so delicious 🙂
So sorry I missed a few of your posts Tanya..
things were crazy busy here..first day of school today
You have some super cute dogs and those scones are A MUST TRY
Don´t be silly – we can´t keep up with all the posts that our blogging friends do and back to scholl time is hectic for everyone with children. Do hope they have settled into their new class and scholl year.
I so want to try her recipe as well! Well done on your baking 🙂
Well siyabonga!! Love it when I learn something new 🙂
Nothing wrong with rock cakes in my opinion! These scones look lovely, though, and as I’m off to the grocery I may just get all the fixin’s! Do I dare turn on the oven…??? Hmmm… too bad I don’t think I could do these in the car… (grin)
You could try in the car but these are cooked very fast at a very high temperature – I think your car would blow up!
Cute pups! 🙂
The scones looked yummy!
Aah – thanks! And yes, the scones were yummy indeed 🙂
I can quite see why you had to try out all the jams on those luscious scones! Delicious.
I like the idea of making your own doggy biscuits – the contents of the bought stuff always disturbs me. I think Zaza & Zoot would be delighted to have these instead 🙂
Thanks – they were very good and will def be made again! Love the names of your dogs…we need to see photos!
Dear Chicaandaluza,
My mother always kept butter in the fridge, so that she couldn’t smear it onto her bread. She used to say that if you use real butter you should “slice it, instead of smearing it” on your bread.
So I would say tot you that: using cold butter is just an excuse for using al lot.
Thank you for your blog. I enjoy it a lot.
Ton van der Molen
The Netherlands
I like your mother´s thinking! I also had relatives in Wales who thought that you should be able to see your teeth marks in the butter on your bread! Thanks for visiting, glad you liked what you saw, comne back soon 🙂
Chica,
I visit your blog almost every week for recipes and your style of writing.
We have a ( still holliday ) house in Competa, Malaga so I am interested in gardening and cooking mediteranean style.
Ton
Oh I´m so pleased you visit regularly. I can alomost see Competa in the distance from my house – although it´s a long drive! Do hope you get to spend lots of time there.
The lucky little ones, looks like they liked the biscuits! The scones looks delicious and so do your jams… The Big Man sure is blessed….RaeDi
The biscuits were/are a huge hit (it made so many!). Big Man is always telling me how lucky he is but we do both need to lose some weight…it´s so hard when you love to cook and eat!
Adorable sweet pups!! Love the haircut and they look very happy to be treated to some baked goodies of their own!!!
I think the biscuits made up for the haircut. Alfi looks so cure with longer hair but when we go out walking he comes back with half the countryside attached to him!
Nice post! I’ve making my own dog cookies for 2 years now, but I am sure my Kaylee will not mine trying a new kind 😉 I was thinking to post my recipe, now I am convince. You have 2 beautiful dogs! Keep posting!
Sophie in the Kitchen
Oh do post it – I´m sure there are lots of dog lovers out here who would be interested. This was a first for me – and what a success!