TAIL-WAGGER COOKIES

SO, I MADE THE DOG COOKIES AGAIN. THE GREY DOGS WERE EXCITED. AND SLEEPY. AND EXCITED.


I DOUBLED THE RECIPE, SO I COULD HAVE MANY TO KEEP AND MANY TO GIVE AWAY. CHARLEY APPEARED IN THE KITCHEN JUST LIKE HE ALWAYS DOES...EXCEPT HE WAS EVEN MORE UNDERFOOT THEN EVER.


THE RECIPE IS THE SAME AS BEFORE...EASY!

1/2 CUP BANANA CHIPS, CRUSHED
1 CUP PLAIN OATMEAL
1/8 CUP OAT BRAN
2 CUPS WHEAT FLOUR
1/2 CUP NO SALT, NO SUGAR PEANUT BUTTER
2 CUPS HOT WATER

PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 350 DEGREES

MIX ALL DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER, ADD THE PEANUT BUTTER, HOT WATER AND STIR IT UP (BRING YOUR MUSCLES!). IF IT'S TOO STICKY, ADD MORE FLOUR JUST A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SCOOP THE DOUGH ONTO A COOKIE SHEET WITHOUT IT STICKING TO YOUR HANDS TOO BADLY.


TAKE A FORK, AND PRESS THE DOUGH DOWN IN A CRISS-CROSS PATTERN. THEY WILL LOOK LIKE HUMAN COOKIES, AND YOU COULD EAT THEM JUST NOT SURE THEY WOULD BE DELICIOUS ENOUGH...OR THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOO CRUNCHY!


BAKE FOR 40 MINUTES, TURN OFF THE OVEN AND LEAVE INSIDE OVERNIGHT.
YOUR DOGGIES WILL THANK YOU FOR IT. THEY LOVE THEM!

FINALLY. TREATS FOR THE DOGS!

OK....so today I finally made something WITHOUT any of the following ingredients: butter, sugar, white flour, more butter, more sugar and sugary decorations. Instead, I carefully selected some healthful ingredients to create some delicious (?) dog treats. They resemble human peanut butter cookies. Here's why:

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup plain oatmeal
1/8 cup oat bran
1/2 cup unsweetened banana chips, crushed
1/2 cup natural crunchy peanut butter (I used Trader Joes no salt added version)
2 cups of hot water

DIRECTIONS:
preheat oven to 350 degrees
crush banana chips in a bowl (I used the back of a glass for my crushing)
mix dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, oatmeal, oat bran and banana chips
add peanut butter and water and knead dough (sprinkle in additional water if dry ingredients remain).
with hands, roll out balls of dough and place on a cookie sheet.
with a fork, press dough balls down and make a cute crosshatch design on top (they DO look like people cookies)
bake for 40 mins, and turn oven off and allow to cool in oven overnight.

I cruised the internet for ideas, ingredients and inspiration. I found a lot of good places to start on this website: http://www.dogtreatkitchen.com
They do a nice job of explaining which foods to avoid with dogs, as well as provided THIS recipe that I expanded on.

I gave the dogs a smidgen of the dough and they liked it. I'm excited to see how they feel about the final product. They were pretty tired from running around in the snow, and running errands with me earlier, so they weren't much company in the kitchen today. Good thing they make such excellent couch companions!



I had to add in our new pal, Huxley, enjoying his delicious treats! He is being SUCH a good boy, patiently waiting for it to be OK to chomp his cookie! The expressions on his little face are priceless....