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Dog Birthday Party Menu Ideas

We received this article courtesy of the Half Hour Hostess and wanted to share it with you.

The new book from Southern Living, The Half-Hour Hostess, is the perfect guide for the modern hostess, delivering refreshing, fuss-free ideas for parties small and large.

We thought you might be interested in the book’s “Doggy Birthday Party” menu. Whether it’s Fido’s birthday or the anniversary of the day he joined the family, it is certainly an honorable cause worthy of celebration. So tell your friends to bring their dogs and come sit…stay…and play a while.

The menu-all for your human guests plus dog-friendly pup-cakes-includes:

• Extra Cheesy Grilled Cheese
• Tortilla chips
• Juice boxes
• Milk Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mini Cupcakes
• Fido’s Peanut Butter Pupcakes

The full recipes are included below. Enjoy!

Extra Cheesy Grilled Cheese

Makes: 8 servings Hands-On Time: 30 min. Total Time: 30 min.

1 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
16 Italian bread slices
Wax paper
8 (3 4-oz.) provolone cheese slices
8 (3 4-oz.) mozzarella cheese slices

1. Stir together butter and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.

2. Spread 1 1/2 tsp. butter mixture on 1 side of each bread slice. Place 8 bread slices, buttered sides down, on wax paper. Top with provolone and mozzarella cheeses; top with remaining bread slices, buttered sides up.

3. Cook sandwiches, in 2 batches, on a large hot griddle or in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, gently pressing with a spatula, 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Milk Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mini Cupcakes

Makes: 20 cupcakes Hands-On Time: 12 min. Total Time: 30 min.

Look for miniature paper baking cups with flair for these bite-size treats.

Cupcakes
1/4 cup milk chocolate morsels
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
20 miniature paper baking cups

Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Garnish – Chocolate candy sprinkles

1. Prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375º. Microwave chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals.

2. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg, beating just until blended.

3. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate morsels and vanilla.

4. Place mini baking cups in a 24-cup miniature muffin pan. Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.

5. Bake at 375º for 14 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks; place cupcakes in freezer 4 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, prepare Peanut Butter Frosting: Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. Add heavy cream and vanilla, beating just until blended. Spread frosting on tops of cupcakes. Garnish, if desired. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Note: For a more decorative look, pipe the frosting. Insert metal tip no. 4B (large star tip) into a large decorating bag; fill with frosting. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.

Fido’s Peanut Butter Pupcakes

Makes: 1 dozen Hands-On Time: 5 min. Total Time: 30 min.

Place baked cakes in the freezer to chill rapidly before icing. While these are safe for people to eat, they are not as tasty for humans as they are for dogs.

Peanut Butter Pupcakes
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 paper baking cups

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8-oz.) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. honey
Remaining Ingredients
12 small dog biscuits

1. Prepare Peanut Butter Pupcakes: Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk together flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Combine 2 cups water, applesauce, and next 3 ingredients; add to flour mixture. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer just until blended.

2. Place baking cups in a 12-cup muffin pan. Spoon batter into cups, filling three-fourths full.

3. Bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched. Remove from pans to a wire rack; place in freezer 8 to 10 minutes or until completely cool.

3. Meanwhile, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add flour and honey, beating until smooth. Spread frosting on tops of pupcakes, and top each with a dog biscuit. Store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Note: We tested with Milk-Bone Small Dog Biscuits.

About The Half-Hour Hostess

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With home entertainment on the rise-and Americans more pressed for time than ever-The Half-Hour Hostess from Southern Living is the perfect guide for the modern hostess, delivering refreshing, fuss-free ideas for parties small and large. Inspired by the popular column in Southern Living by author Rebecca Kracke Gordon, The Half-Hour Hostess offers a wealth of entertaining secrets, tricks and tips that will make any party a memorable occasion. Plus: Recipes in 30-minute or less. Available nationwide on April 26, 2011, for $24.95, The Half-Hour Hostess can be previewed here.