Not a Creature Was Purring

by Krista Davis

  I opened it gingerly and withdrew a figurine of hand-carved wood about eight inches tall. He had captured Trixie and Twinkletoes perfectly. Trixie wore her red sweater and sat on the seat of a sleigh, her head bent to Twinkletoes, who wore a red scarf and lifted her front paws to lean into Trixie. “You carved this yourself!”

  “Do you like it?” he asked.

  “I love it. It’s the most wonderful gift I’ve ever received.”

  Holmes wrapped his arms around me and kissed me just the way I had dreamed.

  In spite of everything that had happened, it was a pretty good Christmas after all.

  Recipes

  One of my dogs suffered from severe food allergies that did not allow him to eat commercial dog food. Consequently, I learned to cook for my dogs and have done so for many years. Consult your veterinarian if you want to switch your dog over to home-cooked food. It’s not as difficult as one might think. Keep in mind that, like children, dogs need a balanced diet, not just a hamburger. Any changes to your dog’s diet should be made gradually so your dog’s stomach can adjust.

  Chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, avocados, onions and garlic, salt, xylitol, and unbaked dough can be toxic to dogs. For more information about foods your dog should not eat, consult the Pet Poison Helpline at petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/.

  Krista’s Modern Christmas Stollen

  For people only

  Christmas Stollen is a German bread traditionally baked for the holiday. Krista has updated this bread with dried fruit in place of the typical candied fruit. She bakes it for the holidays every year.

  1½ cups dried apricots

  1¼ cups dried cherries

  ½ cup rum

  ¼ cup lukewarm water

  2 packs of fast-rising instant yeast

  ¾ cup sugar + pinch of sugar

  5½ cups all-purpose flour

  1 cup milk

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 eggs (room temperature)

  1 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into ¼-inch pieces

  6–8 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

  confectioners’ sugar

  Chop the apricots and cherries with a knife (do not use a food processor) and place in a bowl. Pour the rum over them and let sit for 1 hour.

  Pour the lukewarm water in a 2-cup or larger bowl. Sprinkle with the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir to help dissolve. Set aside (Krista puts it in a cold oven) for 10–15 minutes. It should have doubled in size.

  Pour the rum from the fruit into a bowl and set aside. Lay paper towels out, and spread with the fruit. Dab with additional paper towels to dry. Pour the fruit into a dry bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of flour. Turn several times to coat. Set aside.

  Combine milk, ½ cup sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pot and heat until the sugar dissolves and a thermometer registers 110°F. Remove from heat. Stir in the rum and the yeast mixture.

  Fit dough hook into mixer. (This may be made by hand, but a heavy-duty mixer like a KitchenAid is a big help.) Measure 4 cups of flour into a mixing bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the milk mixture. Whisk the 2 eggs well, then add to the dough, and continue mixing. Slowly add as much of the remaining 1½ cups flour as needed. Mix in the softened 1 cup butter. The dough should begin to shape into a ball.

  Dust your hands and kneading area with flour. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead 10–15 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. Incorporate the fruit by pressing it into the dough a bit at a time. Flour your hands as necessary and continue to add the fruit and turn the dough.

  Grease a deep bowl with butter, place the dough in the bowl, flip it once to coat with butter, cover with a kitchen towel, and place in a warm area away from any drafts for 2 hours or until doubled in size. (A cool oven will work.)

  Punch the dough down and divide into 2 pieces. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Working with one at a time, roll each ball of dough out into a rectangle roughly 12 inches long and 8 inches wide. Brush each with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

  Fold one side (of the 8-inch width) over about ⅔ of the way. Fold the other side over so that it overlaps the top of the first side by about 1 inch. Press the top seam gently. Shape it into an oval with floured hands as necessary, patting it so that it is approximately 4 inches across.

  Prepare a very large cookie sheet or lipped baking pan by covering with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the parchment paper, leaving at least 3–4 inches between the two loaves. Brush each with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Place in a warm location away from drafts and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

  Preheat oven to 375°F. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake 25–30 minutes or until they are golden brown and crusty.

  When cool and before serving, dust generously with confectioners’ sugar.

  Cranberry Breakfast Rolls

  Dough

  1 cup milk

  ⅔ cup sugar

  1½ tablespoons active dry yeast

  1 stick unsalted butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)

  2 large eggs

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon cardamom

  4¼ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)

  Filling

  1 10-ounce package frozen cranberries, not thawed

  ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

  1 teaspoon cornstarch

  Glaze

  ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

  3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  1½ tablespoons heavy cream

  Heat one cup of milk to 95°F. Pour into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and yeast. Let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it’s very cold in your kitchen, let stand in an unheated oven or other warm spot.

  Add the butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Stir together. Mix the cardamom with the flour and add to the dough, mixing on low for 3 minutes. Turn the speed up to medium-high and mix for 10 minutes. Turn the dough (scrape the sides, too) out onto a flour-dusted board. Knead two to three times and shape into a ball. Grease a bowl with butter, add the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

  Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and allow the ends of the paper to stick out. Butter the parchment paper. Mix the cranberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Cut the dough in half and make two 10-by-12-inch rectangles. Scatter the cranberries over the dough and roll into a tight log. Cut the log in half and slice the halves into 4 pieces. Place them in the baking dish. There’s not a specific way to line them up, and there will be extra room because they need to rise again.

  Cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let rise for 2 hours. At this point, you can cover with aluminum foil, refrigerate, and bake the next day.

  Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake about 25 minutes. The tops should be golden. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

  Meanwhile, mix the glaze in a small bowl. You don’t need a mixer for this. Just whisk the ingredients together. Lift the rolls out of the pan using the ends of the parchment paper as handles.

  Using a spoon, dot the tops with the glaze, then spread it over the rolls.

  Cranberry Scones

  For people only

  2 cups flour

  ⅓ cup sugar

  1 tablespoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

  ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

  pinch of cloves

  5 tablespoons cold butter

  1 cup heavy cream

  1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

  Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cl
oves in a food processor. Pulse 12 times to combine. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter over the flour. Pulse 12 times to combine. Place the flour mixture into a bowl. Pour the cream and the cranberries over the top of it. Fold to combine about 15 times. Pour out and knead about 12 times until it forms a loose ball. Place in a 9-inch cake pan and gently spread and press into place. Flip onto the parchment paper. Cut in half with a long knife by pressing down. (Do not use a sawing motion.) Separate the halves slightly. Cut each half into 4 pieces, again pressing the knife into the dough to cut it. Separate the pieces slightly. Bake 15–18 minutes, or until lightly golden on the top. Serve with sweetened cream, jam, or clotted cream, or use one or both of the sugar drizzles below over the top of the scones.

  Sugar Drizzle (optional)

  1 cup powdered sugar

  2 tablespoons milk or cream

  Whisk to combine, adding milk gradually until it’s smooth and just past spreading consistency. Spread over the tops of the cooled scones.

  Spiced Sugar Drizzle (optional)

  1 cup powdered sugar

  ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

  pinch of cloves

  ¼ teaspoon vanilla

  3–4 teaspoons milk or cream

  Whisk the dry ingredients to combine. Slowly add the vanilla and part of the milk, and mix, adding milk until it reaches drizzle consistency. Use mini-whisk, fork, or squeeze bottle to drizzle over the scones.

  Fluffy Cake

  For people only

  Like its name, Fluffy Cake is light and fluffy in texture. If part of a layer should break when transferring it during assembly, just piece it together. It’s very forgiving. No one will know.

  1½ cups milk (Krista uses 2%)

  1 tablespoon vinegar

  3¾ cups flour

  1 tablespoon baking powder

  ¾ teaspoon baking soda

  ¾ teaspoon salt

  1½ sticks butter (12 tablespoons, room temperature)

  2 cups sugar

  1 cup vegetable oil (canola or sunflower/coconut)

  6 eggs (room temperature)

  2 teaspoons vanilla

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Use parchment paper cut to fit the bottoms. Mix the milk with the vinegar and set aside. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter with the sugar and the vegetable oil. Add the eggs and beat at least 2 minutes. On a slow speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture. Add the vanilla and beat at least 3–4 minutes. Pour into the pans and bake 25–30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on racks.

  Cranberry Filling

  12 ounces frozen or fresh cranberries

  ¾ cup sugar

  ¾ cup water

  ¼ cup cornstarch

  ¼ cup water

  Mix the cranberries, sugar, and ¾ cup water in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook about 5 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch into the ¼ cup water until completely dissolved. Add to the cooking cranberries and stir well. Cook another 1–2 minutes. It should be thick. Cool. You can speed up cooling by placing it in the refrigerator or freezer very briefly.

  Cream Cheese and Marshmallow Buttercream

  1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons, room temperature)

  6 tablespoons cream cheese (room temperature)

  1 cup marshmallow fluff

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  2 cups powdered sugar

  Place the butter, cream cheese, and marshmallow fluff in the mix and beat well. Add the vanilla and beat. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, and mix on low, raising the speed as it is incorporated. Beat on high for 5 minutes.

  Assembly

  Seedless raspberry preserves or jam

  Using a long serrated knife, slice each layer into two layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate and dab jam on it by the teaspoonful. Lightly smooth together. Place the next layer of cake on top. Pipe a plain border of buttercream around the edge to contain the cranberry filling. Spoon the cranberry filling in the middle and spread to the buttercream line. Repeat with the next layers. Frost the sides and top in festive swirls. Leave plain or decorate as you like.

  Gingerbread Pancakes

  For people. Your dog may have a bite.

  2 cups milk

  2 tablespoons vinegar

  2 cups flour

  2 teaspoons sugar

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon cinnamon

  1 teaspoon ginger

  ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

  pinch of cloves

  2 eggs

  4 tablespoons molasses

  ½ cup melted butter

  vegetable oil

  Mix the vinegar with the milk and let stand. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the milk mixture, the molasses, and the melted butter. Whisk. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. It’s okay if there are some lumps. It will appear somewhat thin. Pour enough vegetable oil into a pan to coat it and heat at medium-high. Ladle in pancake batter. When the edges are firm and bubbles break through the center, flip the pancakes and cook the other side. Cook about 2–3 minutes on each side. Serve with powdered sugar, a pat of butter, and your favorite syrup.

  Bourbon Cranberry Punch

  For people only

  water

  2 cups cranberries

  1 freezer-safe Bundt pan

  3 cups cranberry juice

  3 cups orange juice

  ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice

  2 cups bourbon

  1½ cups pink champagne (or ginger ale for a sweeter, less potent version)

  Pour ½ inch to 1 inch of water in the bottom of the Bundt pan. Freeze. When frozen, add the cranberries and enough water to cover them. Freeze again until ready to use.

  Pour cranberry juice, orange juice, lemon juice, and bourbon into a punch bowl. Mix well. Add pink champagne. Run warm water over bottom of Bundt pan briefly to unmold and place ring in punch.

  Peppermint Bark Martini

  For people only

  1 candy cane

  1 ounce peppermint schnapps

  1 ounce vanilla vodka

  2 ounces chocolate liqueur

  ½ ounce cream

  Crush the candy cane into very small bits. Wet the rim of the martini glass and dip in the peppermint. Pour the schnapps, vodka, liqueur, and cream into the glass and stir well.

  Happy Howliday Feast

  For dogs, though people may enjoy it, too. The turkey, sweet potatoes, rice, and peas may be served to people in the traditional fashion, not mixed.

  Makes about 4 Gingersnap-sized portions plus 2 Trixie-sized portions.

  Refrigerate leftovers and reheat the next day.

  2 small sweet potatoes, no larger than 2 inches in diameter

  2 turkey breast tenderloins (use white meat only, do not substitute legs or thighs)

  vegetable oil (like canola or sunflower)

  ½ cup water

  10–20 cranberries (fresh or frozen)

  2 cups uncooked white rice

  1 bag frozen peas

  Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash sweet potatoes and place in a roasting pan with the peels on. Roast for 30–45 minutes depending on thickness. Lightly brush the turkey tenderloins with vegetable oil. Add to bottom of same pan. Pour in ½ cup of water and scatter the cranberries on the bottom of the pan. Roast for 30–40 minutes, until the turkey is 170°F. The amount of roasting time will vary depending on the size of the tenderloins.

  Meanwhile c
ook rice according to directions on bag. When done, add the frozen peas on top of the rice, cover, and allow to steam for at least 10 minutes, then stir the peas into the hot rice.

  When the tenderloins are done, remove them from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces. They may be very mushy, which is fine. Slice the tenderloins lengthwise, and cut each of the 4 pieces into bite-sized cubes. If you have a very picky eater, cut the pieces as small as possible. Pour the juices and cranberries from the pan over the rice. Toss the rice with the tenderloin bits and sweet potato bits.

  Holiday Hound Cakes

  For dogs

  ¾ cup flour

  ½ teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon cinnamon

  ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

  pinch of cloves

  ½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter (room temperature)

  ½ cup honey

  1 large egg (room temperature)

  ½ cup applesauce

  Frosting

  plain Greek yogurt

  tiny dog bone–shaped cookies

  Preheat oven to 350°F and place cupcake papers in pan. Use a fork to mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Set aside. Cream the butter with the honey. Add the egg and beat. Add the applesauce and beat. Beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Fill cupcake papers a little over halfway full. Bake 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. When cool, add a teaspoon of Greek yogurt on top and garnish with a tiny dog bone–shaped cookie.

  Spaghetti and Meatballs

  For dogs. People will find they need salt.

  Note: If your dog snarfs food and does not chew, you should cut the meatballs in half or quarters depending on the size of your dog.

  ½ pound very low-fat ground beef (preferably 8% or less fat)

  ½ slice bread toasted dry and crumbled

  2 teaspoons milk