Dog Blog: Fresh Doggie Treats for Google!
Baking healthy treats for your dog has never been easier. We no longer use treats for training but on special occasions (and to help build bulk for the winter on her small frame), we'll give her dog biscuits and cookies as snacks.
I can't tell you how much Google loves the smell and taste of homemade goods. She sits in front of oven while they're baking in preparation for the samples to be ready. I lucked out by finding a sale on dog cookbooks and from these thought I'd share a couple of her faves. A couple cautions: if you plan on baking regularly, you may want to spring and purchase a new pan or two to keep your sweet treats away from some of these meaty delicacies and; these recipes don't use tons of ingredients and I've found many batters are quite thick but stick to the guidelines as dog treats tend to be much denser and thicker in consistency than regular cookies and biscuits before adding in water.
Cranberry Liver Brownies (yields 12 - 14)
1 lb Beef Liver
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Fresh Cranberries (I use frozen ones)
2 cups Whole-wheat Flour
1 cup Cornmeal
Method:
1. Puree all ingredients in a food processor.
2. Grease 2 x 9-inch square pan.
3. Pour half of the bater into each pan.
4. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until the dough springs back when touched.
5. Wait 5-10 mins for cooling, then cut to desired shape (I cut traditional brownie squares).
6. Brownies will last for a good week.
* Courtesy "Healthy Doggie Biscuits Book" by Jonna Anne
Bonnie's Banana Cookies (yields 30)
2 Carrots
1 Banana
7 oz All-Purpose Flour
3 1/2 oz Fine Rolled Oats
1/2 fl. oz Sunflower Oil
Method:
1. Grate the carrots finely.
2. Mash the banana with a fork.
3. Mix to make a dough with the flour, rolled oats and oil. (Add water if necessary).
4. Preheat the oven to 350F.
5. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
6. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick and cut squares about 1/2 inches in size.
7. Place these on the sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and let them cool overnight in the oven. Store in a paper or linen bag.
9. The cookies will keep for about 3 weeks.
* Courtesy "Baking For Your Dog: Tasty Treats for your Four-Legged Friend"
Stay tuned for next week when I recount the recent tale of Google, a kitchen cleaning item and her emergency trip to the vet.