Mutty D's Quarter Pounders

This is for the benefit of you pooches that rarely, if ever, get to go to McDonald's. This is almost as tasty (and probably a good bit healthier) than the greasy hockey pucks that they sell at the Golden Arches. The sandwiches are best when eaten in the back of a Jeep, with the windows down, at 70 miles per hour. Enjoy! Woof!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 5 mins
• Serves: 12-16
• Yields: 1 dogburgerloaf

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup barley
• 4  cups broth
• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground beef
• 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese
• 2  eggs
• 1⁄2 cup wheat germ
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped carrot
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped spinach
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped zucchini
• 2  cloves garlic, minced
• 1  tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Put the barley in the broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 50 minutes.
3. Set aside and allow to cool.
4. Ask human to turn oven on a 350°F.
5. In a large bowl (NOT your dinner bowl – use a clean one, silly), place the meat, cottage cheese, veggies and eggs; mix thoroughly with clean paws.
6. Add the wheat germ, cooled barley and olive oil; again, mix well.
7. Spread the mixture evenly in a lightly greased loaf pan and ask human to put it in the 350°F oven for about an hour or so until it is done.
8. When the burger loaf has cooled, ask human to cut a ¼ inch to ½ inch thick slice and slap it in one of those stale buns that are buried way in the back of the fridge.
9. Slap some ketchup on it and inhale the burger.
10. Wag your tail.
11. Look at your human with big, wide, thank-you-mommy eyes!
12. Ask human to freeze leftovers in individual slices for easy future burger-making purposes.