Cupcake-shaped dog popsicles made with chicken broth and a pureed tuna frosting. Simple to make and your dog is going to LOVE them!
I had two birthdays in my family last week, my sister, Caroline’s and my dog, Ella’s. Since I like to use real-life events as blog fodder, like when I made Victoria Sponge Cupcakes for my youngest sister’s birthday, or my mom’s favorite Copycat Carmela’s Chicken for hers, I was going to recreate Caroline’s favorite champagne cupcakes from one of our local bakeries and post it to the blog.
But when I asked her what she liked so much about those CHAMPAGNE cupcakes, she told me that she liked that they didn’t taste like champagne, which…????? Isn’t that just a vanilla cupcake ?
That’s clearly a mystery and a project for another day, so instead I made some birthday cupcake shaped dog popsicles for Ella!
I love the idea of dog birthday cupcakes, because what better way to celebrate another year with your best friend? But I’ve never actually made any before because most cupcake-sized treats are way too much treat for a dog Ella’s size.
So I thought about ways to get bulk without lots of calories and too-rich things that might cause upset tummies and thought cupcake dog popsicles with a chicken broth base would be the perfect way to go. It’s easy. It’s healthy. And it’s not going to spoil dinner.
We start with a can of chicken broth frozen into cupcake shapes in a cupcake pan. Then the chicken broth gets topped off with a pureed tuna and cauliflower frosting.
I know, it sounds totally disgusting (it is!), but it’s simple to make, you can kind of pipe it, and dogs go crazy for it. Ella’s been taste testing these things for the last couple weeks and the frosting is definitely her favorite part.
I actually had to end the photo shoot for these early, because my model was literally starting to drool while staring at the cupcakes, and that is so not cute!
But they are definitely dog-tested and approved, so if you want a drool-worthy treat that’s also going to help your best friend cool down on a hot day, give these a try!
Some notes before we begin:
- You can use any type of broth you like, but use low-sodium if you can.
- Cauliflower makes some dogs gassy. There’s not much of it here, but heads up if you have a dog with a sensitive stomach.
- You can also replace the cauliflower with potatoes for a smoother “frosting,” but potatoes must be peeled, as potato sprouts are toxic to dogs.
- Always supervise your dog when feeding them frozen treats, and consult your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about the ingredients.
More Dog Treat Recipes
- High-Value Dog Treats
- 2-ingredient Pupsicles (3 ways)
- Watermelon and Yogurt Frozen Dog Treats (Pupsicles)
- Easy Horse and Dog Gingerbread Treats
Birthday Cupcake Dog Popsicles with Tuna Frosting
Ingredients
- Foil Cupcake Liners
- 2 cups ( 1 14.5-ounce can) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups ( 8 oz) chopped cauliflower
- 1 5-ounce can tuna in water do not drain
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Line your cupcake pan with 6 foil cupcake liners. Fill liners most of the way full, and freeze solid, at least 2 hours.
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add chopped cauliflower, and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse cooked cauliflower with cold water until it is no longer hot to the touch (it can be warm). Transfer cauliflower to your food processor. Add canned tuna, liquid and all, and process until well combined and smooth.
- Transfer mixture to to a piping bag and pipe onto your frozen cupcakes. Sprinkle with optional sprinkles, and if you are going to use a birthday candle, make the hole for it, but do not freeze the candle with the cupcakes (you won’t be able to get it out once frozen).
- Immediately return cupcakes to the freezer and freeze for at least 45 minutes before giving to your dog and two hours before transferring to a freezer bag for storage.
- Always supervise your dog when feeding them frozen treats.
Notes
Easy slow cooker beef fajitas are a fantastic, cheap, and simple dinner for busy weeknights!
It’s slow cooker month here on Baking Mischief, because anything that lets us avoid turning on the oven and adding to the stifling summer heat is welcomed and appreciated.
Last week I posted my totally killer Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches for Two . Today we are switching over to beef, using a cheap, tough piece of meat and turning it into fantastic fall-apart tender and delicious fajitas!!
These easy slow cooker beef fajitas literally take less than ten minutes to toss together in the morning, and when you get home in the evening, your house will smell amazing, and you will have delicious fajita filling sitting there waiting for you.
Aside from being fast and easy, these fajitas are great because they are CHEAP. Since we have a long slow cooking time, we can use super inexpensive beef chuck, which can be tough and chewy if you treat it like regular old steak, but is PERFECT when you give it the benefit of extra cooking time. Cooked slow, it is tender, rich, and so flavorful.
You can buy a small chuck roast, chuck steak, or a package cut up for stew meat. Go with whatever is cheapest! As written, this is a recipe for two, but you can double or triple the ingredients with no changes to the cooking method or time if you are serving a family or want leftovers.
After the meat and veggies spend the day in the slow cooker (if you don’t like soft slow cooker veggies, see my note at the end of the recipe), throw some flour tortillas in the oven for a minute or two to warm up, and then go crazy assembling the fajitas of your dreams.
Looking for more cheap, easy recipes, try these Easy Homemade Carnitas , Carnitas Tacos , Slow Cooker Beef Ribs , and Easy Chicken Fajitas .
Ingredients
- ▢ 1/2 pound beef chuck or stew meat
- ▢ 1 bell pepper sliced
- ▢ 1/2 large onion sliced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice about 1/2 lime
- ▢ Flour tortillas soft taco size
- ▢ Your favorite fajita toppings
Instructions
- Place meat into your slow cooker. Drop bell pepper and onion slices over the top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice. Pour mixture over the meat and vegetables.
- Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 9 hours. Meat is done when it is easily shreddable.
- Transfer meat to a cutting board and shred with two forks before returning it to the liquid and vegetables.
- Serve over warm tortillas with your favorite fajita toppings (I like sour cream and a bit of salsa). Enjoy!
Notes
Adapted From Brown Eyed Baker
14 amazing slow cooker recipes for a delicious and easy dinner!
Hey, we are in the last days of August! Thursday brings September, and September means fall, right!? Cool crisp mornings and chilly evening strolls are just around the corner.
If I lie hard enough to myself, maybe it will become true…
Anyway, this long, hot August, the recipe theme on the blog was slow cooker recipes so that our ovens might stay off and our kitchens might stay slightly cooler. The recipes I posted were:
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches for Two
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas for Two
A Few More Baking Mischief Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Beef Ribs
- Crispy Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes With Broccoli and Cheese Sauce
Some Recipes From Friends
And since the heat’s probably going to be sticking with us a while longer, and you know I like to end my monthly recipe series with a round up, I asked some blogger friends for slow cooker recommendations of their own.
They all look amazing, and I know I will be putting them to good use over the coming weeks…
Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken from Platings and Pairings
Chicken Tortilla Soup from Joy In Every Season
5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Sriracha Chicken from Leelalicious
Slow Cooker Chili Lime Beef Tacos With Mango Salsa from TheFitBlog
Slow Cooked Sirloin Tips with Mushrooms from The Foodie Affair
Crockpot Mexican Beef In Masa Cups from Honest and Truly
Simple Slow Cooker Pho from Homemade and Yummy
The Best Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili from A Side of Sweet
Slow Cooker Chinese Pulled Beef from Supergolden Bakes
Slow Cooker Sweet ‘n Tangy Glazed Chicken Wings from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
Crock-Pot BBQ Pork Ribs from The Rising Spoon
Birthday Cupcake Dog Popsicles with Tuna Frosting
Ingredients
- Foil Cupcake Liners
- 2 cups ( 1 14.5-ounce can) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups ( 8 oz) chopped cauliflower
- 1 5-ounce can tuna in water do not drain
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Line your cupcake pan with 6 foil cupcake liners. Fill liners most of the way full, and freeze solid, at least 2 hours.
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add chopped cauliflower, and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse cooked cauliflower with cold water until it is no longer hot to the touch (it can be warm). Transfer cauliflower to your food processor. Add canned tuna, liquid and all, and process until well combined and smooth.
- Transfer mixture to to a piping bag and pipe onto your frozen cupcakes. Sprinkle with optional sprinkles, and if you are going to use a birthday candle, make the hole for it, but do not freeze the candle with the cupcakes (you won’t be able to get it out once frozen).
- Immediately return cupcakes to the freezer and freeze for at least 45 minutes before giving to your dog and two hours before transferring to a freezer bag for storage.
- Always supervise your dog when feeding them frozen treats.
