Enter the #ChefTails NYC Trip Sweepstakes!

We all know what they say about the best-laid plans. Well, this week’s plans certainly went awry thanks to predicted thunderstorms that caused us to rebook our planned trip to the beach with Irie and Tiki. Although we couldn’t work on that portion of our guidebook revision project, we decided to head off in another direction and take a doggie day trip to the very popular vacation destination of Fredericksburg, Texas.

For hours, we checked out the parks, wineries, and other dog-friendly destinations…

…but all that fun certainly worked up an appetite. We all headed off to one of our favorite dog-friendly restaurants in the state, an outdoor German eatery. While we dined on schnitzel, Irie and Tiki enjoyed some Rachael Ray Nutrish Soup Bones:

Even though the day wasn’t what we had originally planned, it turned out to be so much fun. There’s nothing we like better than dining out with our dogs — but dining with them at home can be a special occasion as well.

Pairing Recipes

Our trip this week was to the winery capital of Texas, and wineries certainly like to talk about pairing wines with particular dishes. Well, there’s another kind of pairing that’s fun for dog lovers: the pairing of human and doggie dishes. The joy of sharing a meal — one made with simple natural ingredients like real meat and wholesome veggies — is one we can experience at home with our dogs.

In ChefTails.com, celebrity chef and cookbook author Rachael Ray has created a unique mix of recipes for humans that are paired with some of her most popular dog and cat food recipes. Both Irie and Tiki love the many Rachael Ray Nutrish flavors. (As you know, all of Rachael Ray’s proceeds from the foods and treats in the Nutrish line go to support homeless pets!)

One pairing features a recipe for Chicken and Rice Meatballs, a recipe similar to that used to create the Chicken Muttballs with Rice recipe that Irie and Tiki love so much. After our day on the road, we came home and cooked this easy recipe (leaving out the onion so that we could share it with our furry road warriors!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice pilaf, cooled
• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
• 1/4 cup onion, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice with the ground chicken, onion, garlic, parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano and egg. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Flatten out the mixture in the bowl and score it into four portions using the side of your hand. Shape each portion into five balls — you should have 20 meatballs in total.
2. Arrange the meatballs on a nonstick sheet pan and drizzle them with EVOO. Place in the oven and bake until the meatballs are cooked through and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Win a Trip to NYC to the Rachael Ray Show!

As you can see, we love to snap photos of our dogs — and now Rachael Ray would like to see YOUR photos of you and your pets! Snap a photo of you and your pet enjoying a favorite meal, include the #ChefTails hashtag, and share it on Twitter or Instagram. You’ll be entered to win an all-expense paid VIP trip for two to New York City including:

• Two round-trip tickets to New York City
• Three nights hotel accommodations
• Two tickets to a taping of the Rachael Ray Show
• $500 in spending money
• $250 toward ground transportation while in NYC

You’ll find all the entry details on the ChefTails.com site and, for more information on Nutrish, be sure to check out these social media sites:

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/nutrish
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/nutrish
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/nutrish