rachel ray... for dogs?

So Oprah's attempts at world domination didn't pan out I suppose, but now Rachael Ray has thrown her hat into the ring. She has her cooking shows and her talk show, her magazine, and now she's ventured into the world of pet food and treats. I haven't really had a chance to dissect her product line (I'm super picky about what I give my dogs), but I went on her web site today to check it out.

Now... I'm not particularly fond of Rachael Ray. I find her to be a tad annoying, and I have a serious issue with her "30 Minute Meals." No Rachael... we don't all go racing around our kitchens at 90 mph with all of our ingredients perfectly organized in our refrigerator and cabinets. Seriously - there's no way an average human being could complete her meals in 30 minutes. But I'm getting off-track...

But I was actually fairly impressed with her "Pets" section of her web site. She features tons of great rescue organizations, and she's definitely earned herself some points in my book due to the fact that she owns a rescued pit bull. But the best part is that she features tons of really good recipes for your dogs.

Ok, so I only cook for dogs about once or twice a month, but when I do, I like for it to be tasty, nutritional and interesting. And most of the recipes on her web site fit the bill. I don't think I'll be buying her new dog food any time soon, but I might give one of her recipes a try this weekend... Check out her doggie Carrots & Peas Orzo below and find tons more recipes on her site.

**Please remember that every dog's nutritional needs are different, so please check with your vet to make sure this recipe is good for your pet!

Rachael Ray's Carrots And Peas Orzo

Ingredients
Salt (Just a LITTLE)
1 cup orzo
1 cup frozen peas
4 carrots, sliced
Drizzle of honey (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Preparation

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the orzo and cook until just before al dente, about 7 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 1 minute; drain and return the pasta and peas to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan, cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water, then transfer the carrots to a food processor. Add the reserved cooking water and honey, if using, and process until smooth.

Stir the carrot puree into the pasta and peas. Stir in the parmigiano-reggiano. Portion out half for the dog and let cool before serving; season the people's portion with salt and pepper.