OUR MISSION: PTSD Service Dogs

PTSD service dogs save lives. That’s why in its fifth year, the Dog Chow Service Dog Salute program is celebrating $1 million in donations to help support the lives and training of more PTSD service dogs for America’s veterans.

THE ISSUE

Yikes! The turkey is still frozen.

THE FIX For thawing, budget a day in the fridge for each four to five pounds. Already behind? Thielen suggests putting the packaged turkey in a sink full of cold water for a day.“I weigh the bird down with heavy pans, adding ice throughout the day to keep it cold. By evening, it’s mostly thawed, and I refrigerate it so it keeps thawing overnight.” If you find ice in the cavity when you season the bird, rinse the cavity with cold water until the ice is loose enough to pull out.

THE ISSUE

Your gravy tastes…meh.

THE FIX “Dear ol’ gravy can often be a problem,” says Nicole A. Taylor, author of Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations. “To rescue it, try adding finely chopped herbs and a splash of balsamic vinegar.” Another easy way to deepen the flavor: Stir in a bit of soy sauce or fish sauce for an undertone of umami.

THE ISSUE

Getting everything to the table at the same time— while it’s still hot!—feels like an impossible feat.

THE FIX When menu planning, choose a few cold dishes (like a colorful salad), or at least some that taste good closer to room temperature (roasted Brussels sprouts and squash are delicious with only a little lingering heat). In general, veggies cooked with olive oil fare better at room temperature because butter congeals at a lower temperature. “Vegetables cooked with butter need to be served hot to stay slick,” Thielen points out.

The Issue

Vegan guests! Gluten-free guests! Keto guests!

THE FIX Make sure you know about your crowd’s dietary restrictions. If you don’t know, ask. In advance! Like, now! For most groups, serving two hearty vegetarian dishes will cover you. But if there’s more than one vegan in the bunch, make those dishes totally plant-based instead (this will also accommodate your dairy-free folks). That’s often as simple as swapping out butter for olive oil or plant-based butter. Also totally fine: Ask friends with dietary restrictions if they’d like to bring a dish to share.

The Issue

There are pounds and pounds of leftovers.

The Issue

Your carefully constructed piecrusts always slump in the oven.

THE FIX Many recipes call for lining an unbaked pie shell with parchment paper, filling it with pie weights or dried beans, and then fully or partially baking it without the filling (this is known as blind baking or par-baking). But that often isn’t enough to stop the sag.

“There are a few keys to preventing crusts from slumping,” Kanell says. First, choose a ceramic or metal pie plate; glass tends to be more slippery. Next, after you place the crust in the pie plate, freeze it for an hour. “Then line it with parchment paper as usual. But instead of adding the pie weights on top of the parchment, take a long sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, double or triple it, and mold it into a pie shell shape.” Place the foil shell on top of the parchment, and then add the weights. “The aluminum foil is like a magical wall that keeps your piecrust supported. And it’s reusable.”

THE FIX Be prepared! Stock up on to-go containers (in all sizes), aluminum foil, and wax or parchment paper, Taylor instructs. “Mac and cheese fits well in a neatly folded foil packet. Cake and pies need a roomy box and wax paper.” You can also ask guests to bring their own containers.

The Issue

After dinner, the kitchen looks like it was hit by a gravy tornado.

THE FIX Do whatever it takes to have an empty dishwasher, sink, and dish rack when guests arrive. (This is an excellent job for children, teenagers, or anyone who doesn’t cook.) With a blank slate, you can get plates in the dishwasher and crusty pans soaking in the sink right away. Once everyone is stuffed, do like Thielen and divide the mess into bite-size chunks. “Prolonged, neverending cleaning and pan scrubbing kills the mood in the room. So after the meal, I let my family and friends clear the table and load the dishwasher. Then we sit back down again to talk and gather our strength for dessert.” Major pot and pan scrubbing can come later—after you’re fortified by pie.

$1 Million donated directly to the care & training of more PTSD service dogs for veterans by the end of 2022

50,000+ lbs

5+ years of supporting vets with PTSD, funding research & championing critical legislation of dog food donated to military vets & veteran service dog organizations by