Eat treats and help animals at ADOPT Pet Shelter

Dog and cat cutout cookies are ready for baking. | Judy Buchenot~For Sun-Times Media

If you go

Learn more: http://ift.tt/1fptMW8

Article Extras

Updated:

Mary Kyrychenko always enjoys baking, but she gets extra satisfaction when her baked goods can raise money for an organization that is dear to her heart.

The Plainfield mother of two started volunteering for ADOPT, a Naperville animal shelter, about four years ago. Since then she has tied on her apron to bake cookies, cupcakes and muffins for the organization's fundraising bake sales. She is getting ready for their annual Valentine's Day Sweets and Treats Sale on Feb. 8 with plans to make cookies, candies and mini-cupcakes.

Kyrychenko says working with ADOPT has been a meaningful experience for her. She loves animals and adopted two cats from the organization over the years.

Last November, she learned about a cat that wasn't eating or doing well at the shelter despite the comfy cat accommodations. Instead of caging cats, the shelter keeps them in a room with couches and a sunny window.

To help, Kyrychenko volunteered to take the cat home to see if it would be happier there. Then test results came back that revealed that the cat had a tumor.

'We then decided to adopt her so that she would be part of a family for what might be her final days,' says Kyrychenko. The cat, Tabitha, has taken well to her new family and is perking up and eating again.

The timing of the Valentine's Day sale is perfect, according to Kyrychenko, since most everyone has finished off their holiday treats and is ready for something rich, chocolatey and delicious to celebrate Valentine's Day.

'We really have a big selection of cookies, candies, bar cookie and cupcakes,' she says. 'We usually fill about three banquet tables with things that everyone can choose from to fill a box. We have boxes, but many people bring their own box or container.'

The container is weighed before filling and then after filling to determine the weight of the sweets and treats, which are sold for $9.99 a pound.

One of Kyrychenko's favorite items to make for the sale is a butter-rich cut-out cookie in dog and cat shapes. She plans to include a few heart shapes also in honor of Valentine's Day.

She knows there are many cut-out cookie recipes available, but she favors her recipe because it does not require refrigeration, and the dough is firm enough to keep the cookie cutter shape intact.

'I am always worried about losing a tail on my cats and dogs,' says Kyrychenko.

She rolls the dough to about a quarter-inch thickness on floured waxed paper that she tapes down on her counter. She cuts out the shapes and removes the excess dough. She then lightly flours a narrow spatula that is slid under the cookie. The cookie shape easily slides off the spatula onto the baking sheet.

Kyrychenko also has a favorite icing for the cookies that can be spread on or piped onto the cookies.

'If I am piping on the frosting, I add a little extra confectioner's sugar,' she notes.

She adds that it is important to let the frosting harden before packaging cookies for the sale.

Another popular item she makes for the sale is a simple peanut butter cup that requires no baking.

She invites others to try making her sweet treat recipes for their Valentine, but if time is short, she reminds everyone there will be an ample supply at the Valentine's Day Sweets and Treats Sale.