Homemade Treats for Pups (and Persons)
By Wendy Tremayne and Mikey Sklar
Holy Scrap Hot Springs blog.holyscraphotsprings.com/
At the Holy Scrap homestead in Truth or Consequences, N.M., we are engaged in a never-ending cycle that replaces the consumer products we are accustomed to buying with a homemade, improved version of them. Little by little our quality of life improves as we leave behind processed, packaged, expensive, and often toxic goods and discover natural, simple, inexpensive goods that we enjoy making.
This summer, after we adopted a Red Heeler pup who we named Sesame, we pointed our industriousness to the ever-important doggie biscuit. The biscuit, we’ve realized, is central to dog and dog owner happiness. Not only is it a way to express thanks to our loyal friends, but it also neutralizes barky and aggressive dogs encountered in the neighborhood, so be sure and carry a few extra for making new friends.
First we listed the qualities of a good biscuit: inexpensive, nutritious, enjoyable to our doggie, edible to us (why not share the treats?), can be cooked in a solar oven, and quick and easy to make from natural, simple ingredients.
What we came up with is the Open Sesame Biscuit, a sweet little treat liked by canine and Homo sapiens alike (even if a little bland for the people palate, it will kill the hunger pangs on long hikes). The recipe makes about 50 to 75 bite-sized snappy, crunchy biscuits.
Materials
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup beef broth from bouillon
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon molasses
1 egg
Mixing bowls
Wooden spoon
Cutting board
Knife
Baking pan
Oven
Total prep time is about 10 minutes, cooking time 35 minutes.
Directions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350° F.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl: whole-wheat flour and cornmeal. Then mix the wet ingredients in another bowl: beef bouillon, peanut butter, vegetable oil, egg, and molasses.
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Step 3: Combine the wet and dry ingredients into one mixing bowl. Now knead and fold with a wooden spoon until well blended.
Step 4: Roll out the dough on a cutting board, making a large roll of dough. Slice off pieces in sizes appropriate to your doggie, and place them on a greased baking pan.
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Step 5: Bake at 350° F for 35 minutes.
Step 6: Enjoy and don’t forget to share!
And here’s an even quicker treat, although a little less appealing to most humans.
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Dried Liver Dog Treats
Since our dog pretty much eats anything, we wanted to try homemade treats with her to see if she behaved any differently. She seemed to really enjoy the liver slabs that we dried in the sun oven. We were surprised at how inexpensive liver is. The butcher sold us these 2 slices for about $1.10. Although we wouldn’t eat this stuff, it makes us feel better to feed her human-grade food.
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