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Thanksgiving is the holiday that celebrates eating and family.

A few years ago, “Friendsgiving” became a popular option for a fun addition to the Thanksgiving holiday season – a chance to spend time with old friends and another chance to eat and drink!

But the best idea so far is Petsgiving!  We are looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving this year with friends and family, but we are also planning a Petsgiving Party for our friends and their pups.  Parties are so much more fun when dogs are invited.

 

The Menu — Chili and Dog-Friendly Pie

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 25^th – a day devoted to eating turkey, cranberries, stuffing – and lots of pie.  For our Petsgiving Party, we are planning a casual menu to contrast with the Thanksgiving feast – our homemade chili and cornbread.  But my favorite dessert is pie, so we are sticking with that theme for dessert.

Thanksgiving dinner usually ends with pumpkin pie and apple pie, which are two of my favorites.  But in my opinion, the best pies are chocolate cream and lemon meringue, so our Petsgiving Party gives me a chance to make those pies for my guests.  My dog doesn’t want to be left out of the dessert course, so I am making pie for the dog too!

Dog-Friendly Pie 

1. The Crust 

A homemade pie crust has three basic ingredients – flour, water, and butter or shortening.  To make it easy, you can use a pre-made pie crust.  With a homemade crust, you can try some fun options your dog will like, such as grated cheese or applesauce.  Cut the fat into the flour with your fingers, a pastry cutter, or a food processor.  Then roll it out and bake.  For most unfilled crusts, bake for 20 minutes at 350°.

Use 2 cups of flour, 2/3 cup of cold butter, and 4-5 tablespoons of cold water.

2. The Pie Pan 

For your PupPies, you may want to use mini pie pans rather than a 9” pie pan.  You can also use a muffin tin to make snack-size pies.  Find a fun dog-themed baking mold!

3. The Filling 

This is where you can get creative and really treat your Pup.  Many fruits are good for dogs including blueberries and apples (without the skin and seeds).  Use chicken, peanut butter, and beef.  A simple option that fits your Petsgiving theme is pumpkin, but make sure you use plain pumpkin and not the pie filling, which will have sugar and spices in it which are not dog-friendly.

4. The Topping 

For a simple topping, use unflavored yogurt. If you want to try a fancy option for your party pie, use a chilled can of coconut milk that you whip like you would regular heavy cream. 

Here is an easy recipe for a Pumpkin PupPie Filling.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 4 ounces plain low far yogurt

Directions

• Mix the pumpkin and yogurt
• Fill your baked pie crusts

 

Drinks that Pair Well with Chili

If you are a fan of our party blogs, you know that we always include ideas for a signature cocktail for our parties, but we thought we would change things up a bit in this blog and give you several ideas on how to add beer and wine that will pair really well with your menu of chili and cornbread.

One of the most popular pairings with chili is beer. Most beers will likely pair well with your chili and cornbread, so make your selection based on the favorites you know your friends will like, whether it be Mexican beer, Budweiser, or Blue Moon.  Popular Mexican beers include Dos Equis Lager and Negra Modelo.

For the wine drinkers in your crowd, I would suggest a variety of red wines that are medium to full-bodied.  Consider looking for a malbec, shiraz, tempranillo, or a cabernet sauvignon.  These types of wines can handle the meat, tomatoes, and chili spice.  If you want to provide an option for your white-wine loving guests, then look for a dry Alsace Riesling or serve a sparkling wine, like cava.   This time of the year is when a Beaujolais wine can be a special treat, so that is a good option also for a lighter red.

A popular alternative these days would be to look for some hard cider options, especially if you can find something local for your friends to try.  This option will “tame” the chili and pair nicely with the cornbread – bubbles, sugar, and tannins.

 

Pie-Flavored Pup Treats

Sending our party guests home with a sweet surprise to make sure they remember our party is always fun.  My dog loves all treats, but some of his favorite treats are flavored with pumpkin, blueberry, and peanut butter, which are all great pie flavors.  Our local pet store sells decorated pet cookies for the holidays, so we will stock up on those for our “puppy swag bags” and treat our guests to these “pie-flavored” treats.  Click on the picture to purchase.

 

I am thankful for my pets

Thanksgiving is a holiday dedicated to food, but more importantly to being thankful for family and friends.

My pets are special family members because I chose to make them a part of my life.  I cannot imagine my life without them, and I love finding reasons to celebrate that we are family. Petsgiving is all about being thankful for the chance to pause and enjoy the special bonds I have with my pets and my friends.

Making memories with your pets – and your friends – one holiday feast at a time.