Evie carefully lined up all the ingredients she’d need, then checked to make sure the blender was plugged in at the wall and the jug was full of water.
Okay, Super Chef, you have just five minutes to concoct a record-breaking, world-beating, mind-blowing, unbelievably delicious dessert to win the International Trophy for Treats!… And the clock starts: NOW!
Evie tossed a handful of chopped apple into the blender, threw in some pear cubes and a small bowl of grated carrot, then hit the on button. “Quick! Pass me those freezer-pop molds,” she asked her buddy Iris, who was sitting on the kitchen counter, swinging her legs. “Oh, and I’ll need that big box of meaty sticks, too, as fast as you can, please!”
“Meaty sticks?” Iris’s eyes popped. “For a dessert? Um—sure.” Iris slid the molds over, then reached for the box of brown sticks. She wrinkled her nose. “They smell!”
But Evie didn’t reply. She was still racing against the clock in her head. She flicked off the blender and poured the gooey mixture into the molds. “Now I just need to add a meaty stick to each one…” she said, pushing them speedily into the mush. “And after a fast visit to the freezer, my new awesome fruity pupsicles will be done!”
Stop the clock! Dessert complete! Well, almost.
“Er—are you sure this new recipe is going to work?” Iris frowned. “I know you’re the chef, but apple, pear, carrot, and MEATY STICKS?”
Evie giggled. “Sure! They’re really tasty … if you’re a DOG!”
“Huh?” Then Iris’s frown turned upside down and she grinned. “Ah, I get it now … You’re creating recipes for Fudge!”
At the sound of his name the pup came bounding into the diner kitchen and flung himself at Evie.
“Hey! You’re not supposed to be in here.” Evie looked over to see if her dad, who was at the other end of the large kitchen, had noticed. But he was singing along to the radio, with his head in the steam from the large pot of soup he was stirring. Evie crouched down and buried her face in the pup’s warm, spiky fur. “Aw, I missed you, too, but if Hannah sees you…”
“How’s that going?” Iris whispered. “Has your stepmom decided yet if Fudge can stay?”
Thanks to the Agents of H.E.A.R.T., a team of fairy-tale rescue princesses who had recently popped out of a magical book, stray pup Fudge had come into Evie’s life. But her stepmom, Hannah, didn’t think their family diner was the best place for him to live. She’d given him a week to prove he could fit in.
“Hannah’s not made up her mind yet,” Evie said. “But Fudge is doing so well.”
“Really?” Iris watched as Fudge jumped up on his back legs and pulled a tea towel off the counter and began shredding it.
“He’s barking a lot less,” Evie said, wrestling the towel out of his mouth and replacing it with a squishy giraffe toy she found on the floor. “And he’s really not chewing things nearly so much.”
Iris raised an eyebrow. “Um—great!”
“And he only escaped into the diner twice today. And Hannah didn’t notice at all.” Evie rinsed her hands at the sink, then picked up the molds and put them into the freezer. “Don’t worry, Fudge, these pupsicles will be ready for munching very soon—look, these are the other dog treats I’ve been experimenting with…” She pulled out an ice-cube tray filled with yellow blobs and showed it to Iris.
“Oh—er—mmm, they look yummy,” Iris said with a grimace.
“Fudge thinks so. It’s banana ice cream. Well—it’s not actually ice cream. It’s just blended bananas,” she said in a quieter voice. “But don’t tell Fudge, because he thinks he’s having the real thing.”
Iris chuckled. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”
“I’ve got a whole freezer full of dog treats,” Evie said. “Did I tell you about the doggy cake pops I’ve made? See—I was thinking, if Fudge likes these dog treats, then maybe he’ll stop trying to sneak into the diner and grab the customers’ orders!”
DELICIOUS DOGGY DESSERTS BY EVIE BROWN
Fudge can’t resist food. But human snacks aren’t good for him. So I’ve started making doggy desserts that are safe for him to enjoy. Here’s how to make them for your BFFF (best furry friend fur-ever!). Don’t forget to ask an adult for help to stay safe in the kitchen. And remember, too many treats are bad for dogs, so only serve on special occasions!
FRUIT PUPSICLES
Ingredients:
1 apple1 pear(You can use other pet-friendly fruit and veggies like watermelon, grated carrots, strawberries, bananas, and blueberries.)A blenderMeaty dog sticks (optional)Freezer-pop molds, paper cups, or ice-cube traysHow to make:
Prepare the fruit by chopping it up into small pieces, making sure to remove cores, seeds, and pips.Mix the fruit with some water—about 1 cup.Use the blender to make the mixture smooth.Pour into molds, paper cups, or ice-cube trays.Add a meaty stick.Put into the freezer until frozen—usually a few hours.Remove pupsicles from molds.Run each pupsicle under a warm tap for a few seconds, so it’s not too cold, or your dog’s tongue might stick to it!PAW-SITIVELY YUMMY ICE CREAM
Ingredients:
2 bananasAn ice-cube trayA blender (You can mash with a fork if you don’t have a blender.)How to make:
Peel the bananas.Blend (or mash) until creamy.Pour into the ice-cube tray and freeze for a few hours.Remember, bananas are quite sweet for dogs, so only give them small amounts and save the rest in the freezer for another day.For more recipe ideas, check out the websites of the American Kennel Club in the US and Battersea dogs home and the Dogs Trust in the UK.
“But aren’t you worried your dad might accidentally serve up the dog’s desserts to the diner customers?”
Evie laughed. “Nah, this is the old freezer. Dad doesn’t use it for anything else.”
“Shame. I’d quite like to see the Pemberton twins munching on a dog snack.”
Evie grinned. She kind of agreed. Ever since she’d moved to Lime Bay a few weeks ago, Katie-Belle and Clara Pemberton have made things difficult for Evie. But I don’t care, she thought, because I’ve got Fudge (paws crossed!) and Iris and Zak to hang out with, AND I get to help out in the diner now. “Okay, buster,” she said, tickling Fudge’s ears. “I think we’d better get you outside before—”
“EVIE?” Hannah suddenly called from the hall. “Have you seen Fudge?”
“Oops!” Evie looked around for somewhere to hide the pup.
Text Copyright © 2023 by Sam Hay. Illustrations Copyright © 2023 by Genevieve Kote.
