Treat Recipes

In answer to the recipe requests I received, I offer the following (this fulfills the request for a soft treat and for one without eggs or cheese):

3 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C oats
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 C milk
1 T blackstrap molasses
1 1/4 C peanut butter
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and roll dough out as desired. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F. When cool, store in fridge.

Note: This makes a soft, cakey type treat.

***
On the carob brownies - the ones I made were really really awful. I mean, the dogs liked them fine but they were totally ptooey to me so I came up with a goose egg on that one. In its place, I'm offering a completely un-carob recipe for anyone who might like to try it:

1 1/4 C oats
5 - 6 T butter
1/2 C hot water

Step 1: Pour the oats into a mixing bowl and add the hot water. Melt the butter and drizzle on to the oatmeal. Stir to mix.

Step 2: Add the following ingredients to the bowl and stir thoroughly to combine:

1 C cornmeal
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 C flaxseed meal
2 T blackstrap molasses
1 egg

Step 3: Roll out on to a small cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Roll through with pizza cutter to create desired sized treats and return to oven for several hours.

Recipe: Twice Baked Potato and Sour Cream Treats

This was sort of a leftovers extravaganza: I baked about 8 small potatoes and scooped out the flesh when cool. (Skins got tossed into the dogs' dinner bowls.) I beat in about 2/3 of a medium carton of sour cream, a couple eggs, 6 or so tablespoons olive oil, and added some milk to thin it out. Then I sprinkled in some dill and added enough wheat flour to make a dough (maybe 6 cups). Roll dough on to greased cookie sheet, bake at 325 degrees F for about 45 minutes and cut into squares.

Recipe: Big Breakfast Bars

I adapted this recipe from one I came across in Ann Martin's book Protect Your Pet. The original recipe can be found here.

Breakfast Bars

8 eggs
3/4 Cup olive oil
2/3 Cup honey
1/2 Cup molasses (blackstrap, if you can get it)
2 Cups milk
29 oz can pumpkin
12 Cups oats
2 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Cup flax meal
1 Cup wheat germ

In a gigantic-humongous bowl, whisk the eggs and add in the remaining wet ingredients, mixing well with super-duper spoon. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Wipe sweat from brow and then get the contents of the bowl onto two greased cookie sheets (of the large-marge variety). Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes. Run through with pizza cutter to create desired sized bars and return to oven (with heat off) for several hours or overnight. Can be served as a breakfast, maybe with a glop of yogurt and/or a hard boiled egg, or used as a treat.

Yield: A lot

Recipe: Sweet Oat Bars

I usually try to have one or two meat-free days for the dogs each week. Instead of using meat or fish for protein in their meals, I might feed eggs, yogurt, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, buttermilk, or some combination of these type of foods. I still use my rough guide for the overall meal: 1/3 grains, 1/3 veggies/fruits, and 1/3 protein. Often with the meatless meals, I will include soaked oats but for a change, and because I go a little bake-crazy in Winter, I've been making oat bars for the dogs. These could also be fed as treats if desired. Here is the recipe:

6 Cups rolled oats
1 Cup flaxseed meal
1 Cup raw wheat germ
4 eggs
1/2 Cup oil (e.g. olive, canola, safflower)
1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons honey
1/4 Cup molasses
1 Cup milk

Mix all ingredients together. Pat onto well greased cookie sheet(s) and bake at 325 degrees F for 30 mins. Turn off oven, crack door and let cool. Break or cut into desired pieces.

Variations: I will often sprinkle some cinnamon into the mix, just because I love the smell of a cinnamon kitchen. You could also add in a can of pumpkin or some mashed bananas. Those smell great baking too and the dogs love the taste.

Note: If you are wanting to use these as treats instead of including them as part of a meal, I would suggest possibly replacing the flaxseed meal and wheat germ with equal amounts of whole wheat flour. That will help the bars stay together better for storage and handling.

Recipe: Spinach and Cheese Biscuits

I've been trying different recipes to make green and red dough for dog biscuits. My raspberry biscuits did not turn out red at all but these spinach and cheese biscuits had a bright green dough which was very fun to work with. The final product was not nearly as green as the uncooked dough (the photo doesn't really capture the green tinge the biscuits have) but still smelled deliciously cheesy. Here is the recipe:

2 Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Cup shredded cheese (I used a five cheese mix)
2 T oil (I used canola) - divided
3 Cups spinach leaves - divided
water sufficient for processing

1. Stir the flours and cheese in a bowl to blend thoroughly.
2. Put 1 and 1/2 cups of the spinach leaves in the food processor along with 1/4 cup water and 1 T of the oil and process until well chopped. Add half the flour/cheese mixture and another 1/4 cup water. Process until a ball of green dough forms. Remove dough, roll out and cut into desired shapes.
3. Repeat steps in #2 with the remaining ingredients to form a second ball of green dough.
4. Place cookies on greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes.