Eating out with your dog

One of the best parts of summertime is road trips and cool night drives! Sometimes we have our canine companions with us and when we need to stop for a note to eat, where can we go that will accept you and your pooch?

Starbucks

Starbucks may be a giant in the caffeine community but they offer a special menu full of secret items. One of the items is lovingly referred to as a Puppiccino. This menu item does not contain caffeine, but, it is a cup or espresso cup size of plain whipped cream!

Dairy-Free Puppuccino for Dogs

https://www.rover.com/blog/dairy-free-puppuccinos-for-dogs/

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk (Drinking coconut milk is too thin for this recipe. You need the canned product with its thick, fatty goodness to stabilize the cream.)

Instructions

1. Pour contents of a can of coconut milk into a bowl, both liquid and solid.
2. Mix thoroughly with a fork or small whisk until the solids are incorporated into the liquids. Your results should be frothy.
3. Chill overnight, or until quite cold, so that your cream will hold its shape.
4. When you’re ready to whip, give the coconut another quick stir for best results.
5. Pour coconut milk into the canister of your whipped cream maker and close securely.
6. Add a whipped cream charger and shake the coconut milk gently.
7. Spray your coconut whipped cream onto your puppy pastries, puppuccinos, or right into your dog’s mouth!
8. No whipped cream maker? Beat the chilled coconut mixture with a balloon whisk (or in your mixer) until stiff peaks form.
9. Enjoy!

Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A is commonly the go-to restaurant for chicken and chicken sandwiches. But, like Starbucks, they also offer a special secret menu designed with your pooch in mind. Waffle fries (Woofle fries) and nuggets are some of the top contenders.

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup dill pickle juice
• 1 1/2 cups milk, divided
• 1 cup peanut oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine chicken, pickle juice, and 1/2 cup milk; marinate for at least 30 minutes. Drain well.
2. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup milk and egg. Stir in chicken and gently toss to combine; drain excess milk mixture.
4. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken, flour, and confectioners’ sugar; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen is more straightforward. They don’t seem to have a special secret pup menu but what they do offer is a small portion of soft served vanilla ice cream.

Vanilla Ice Cream Just Like Dairy Queen

Copycat Dairy Queen Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 2 envelopes Knox gelatin
• ½ cup of cold water
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used ½ vanilla bean and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups whipping cream

Instructions

1. Soak gelatin in cold water
2. Heat milk, but do not boil.
3. Remove from heat and add gelatin, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
4. Cool and add cream.
5. Chill 5 to 8 hours.
6. Pour into a 4 to 6-quart ice cream freezer can.
7. The process according to the manufacturer’s directions.
8. Scoop into a container, cover well, and freeze several hours or overnight. Like most ice creams the flavor improves with aging.

Similarly, Shake Shack will also offer your pooch a scoop of vanilla custard topped with two doggie bone biscuits!

Sonic

Sonic Drive-Up restaurant offers special doggie treats, as well. In fact, your order will be accompanied by the doggie treats if you mention your canine companion at the order speaker.