Dr. Lull's Famous Cat Sh*ts

Thanksgiving is obviously not about the obvious, despite what supermarkets spends millions to have you believe. As I was considering what I would contribute to our family feast, I thought not only about the recipes themselves, but also about the stories behind them. When someone asks for a recipe, more often then not, they often also want to know its history.

One of the most requested recipes I get asked for, is a tasty appetizer called"Cat Shits". They literally look like cat turds. It has a prep time of only 15 minutes, and since you freeze before serving, they are great to have in the freezer for unexpected guests and munchie attacks.

This recipe cam from Dr. Robert J. Lull, my father's nuclear medicine chief in the Army. Dr. Lull lived on the Presidio, as we did. He was one of the kindest gentlemen I've ever met and I relished the times when he asked me to care for his beloved cat "Marshmallow". Often at parties he would pull out of the oven, a hot tray of cat shits. They were always a big hit and he especially loved it when someone asked what these delicious appetizers were called. Although he is no longer with us, I think of him often and especially when I share the food that he loved to share. So here is one of my hero's, Dr. Lull's favorite recipes.

BTW, if you are vegan or vegetarian, stop reading this post now. (However I'm happy to post a vegetarian version if someone wants to comment.)

These ingredients are not for the faint of heart, or those with a heart condition.

Dr. Lull's Famous Cat Shits

• 1 lb Ground Beef


• 1 lb Hot Pork Sausage ("Tennessee Sausage" if you can find it)


• 1 lb Velveeta Cheese, cubed


• 2 Packages Small Rye Crackers

Brown beef and sausage in a skillet; drain and return to skillet.
Melt cubed Velveeta cheese in with meat.
On a baking sheet, layout rye bread squares. Spread a spoonful of mixture onto each piece of rye bread.
Freeze baking sheets for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight to get the bread nice and crunchy.)
30 minutes before serving, place the cat shits baking sheets in a preheated to 375 degrees, for approximately 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.

Makes approximately 50 appetizers.