Freelance
OUR FAVORITE COOKBOOKS
LARRY COX
contactlarrycox@aol.com
(Humane Society of Southern Arizona Press, $29.95, plus $2.50 postage and shipping)
Some of my favorite cookbooks are those published by not-for-profit organizations. Some people might not share a prized recipe with just anyone, but occasionally they will turn loose a family favorite if it is for a good cause.
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona is just that kind of a cause and its new cookbook is full of tasty delights. I suspect that some of the featured recipes are, indeed, family culinary heirlooms.
The cookbook is named for Rosco, a bull mastiff often spotlighted at HSSA’s annual “Puttin’ on the Dog” charity event. Until 2006, Rosco was the constant companion of George Fangmann, owner of Franklin’s Men Store.
This highly recommended collection is user-friendly, fun and – best of all – benefits one of southern Arizona’s better nonprofits.
Many of the recipes are marked with a small wine glass indicating a wine selection pairing recommended by Pat Connors from Pastiche Modern Eatery.
The cookbook has a nice, local feel to it and that is what makes it so special. The recipes are divided into several categories including drinks, appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, vegetarian cuisine, side dishes and desserts. Three of my favorite sections feature recipes under the headings of Tucson Originals, Feline Favorites and Doggie Delights. The Tucson Originals include a delicious Sweet Potato Gnocchi, a spicy Cranberry-Apple Relish, and a decadent Chocolate Mousse Pie.
For our four-legged friends, there are dozens of cat cookie and dog treat recipes.
I tested three recipes for people: A Mexican Vegetable Soup submitted by David Sandoval was easy to prepare and just the ticket for a cool January day. Debbie Ashton’s Light Waldorf Salad and Dulcie Connell’s Beef Cornmeal Pie were also successful.
The cookbook is $29.95, plus $2.50 postage and shipping. It may be puchased online at hssaz.org or at HSSA’s Companion for Life Center, 3465 E. Kleindale Road.
Tucsonan Larry Cox’s “Shelf Life” reviews of fiction and nonfiction books and his “Treasures and Trends” antiques column run Thursdays in Calendar Plus.
For more, go to tucsoncitizen.com/calendar. E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com
Here are two recipes for your furry friends:
Cat Cookies
5 tablespoons bacon fat or lard
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, finely grated
1 small garlic clove, finely minched
1 cup all-purpose flour
Cream cheese and fat. Add garlic. Mix in flour. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cold water. Form into a ball. Roll out, cut with cookie cutter. Bake at 375 degrees until slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Yields 20 small cookies
Cheese Please Hound Rounds
Submitted by Mary Anne Coleman
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
2/3 cup water
Mix together flour, cheddar and cottage cheeses, cilantro leaves and parsley. Add oil, peanuts, and water. Mix thoroughly. Break off gold ball-sized pieces. Shape into balls, bake at 375 F on greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes. Store in container in refrigerator.