Homemade Dog Biscuits You'll Want To Eat

Homemade Dog Biscuits You'll Want To Eat
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Todd_Mohr]Todd Mohr

I've had to create my own homemade dog biscuits because my local dog bakery went out of business. A dog bakery? Yes, I was fortunate enough to have a specialty shop near my home that prepared wholesome dog treats, but they weren't cheap.

Considering the amount of money that I'd spent with the business, I'm surprised my patronage alone didn't support them. They closed, and I'm left with the guilt of giving my dogs less than nutritious treats. However, this is a great opportunity to apply my cooking knowledge and save money at the same time.

I, like many people, love my dogs. They enjoy the same things I do. They are members of my family, and part of my lifestyle is eating only the most wholesome, nutritious foods. So why wouldn't my dogs deserve the same treatment? They certainly do.

My homemade dog biscuits are the product of a little bit of research. It took me about 10 minutes looking at dog treat recipes to realize that none of them really matter. This is baking for dogs, after all. They won't complain, they won't send the meal back.

I can use my knowledge of basic mixing and baking methods to gather 4 simple and wholesome ingredients and go about making a version of biscotti for canines. Equal amounts of whole wheat flour and rolled oats are mixed with a jar of peanut butter and just enough water to create dough that will stick together.

Homemade Dog Treat Recipe:
4 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups rolled oats
28 ounce jar of creamy natural peanut butter
1 cup water

These are the same wholesome ingredients I'd use to make peanut butter cookies for myself. However, for human consumption, there would also be eggs, butter, and a leavening agent like baking powder. All this is unnecessary for dogs, especially because I want a dense hard finished product. Eggs and baking powder would make a lighter, chewier product.

You'll definitely need an electric mixer for this task, as the peanut butter is very sticky. Once the flour, oats, and peanut butter are mixed together, it will resemble coarse cornmeal. This dough won't stick together yet.

Since I want the finished product to be very dry and rock hard, I don't want to add too much water to the mixture. I'll only be drying them in the oven later. I want to add just enough water to the mixture so that it sticks together like dough. I know it's correct when I can squeeze a handful of the dough and it stays together in a ball.

Once pressed into a baking pan, they need to be portioned or scored. A pizza cutter works well for this, and depending on the size of your dog you can make small or large treats. Then, they can be baked until they're rock-hard in a 300F oven for about 90 minutes. It doesn't matter if you over bake them, the harder the better for powerful dog jaws.

Homemade dog biscuits are something I swore I would never bake. I'm a chef, and I cook for HUMANS, for goodness sake. But, from necessity comes invention and now I can create a variety of dog treats from ingredients already in my kitchen.

Fresh wholesome ingredients aren't just for dogs. Chef Todd Mohr has inspired thousands of people to improve their health and nutrition through healthy eating. His FREE online webinar " [http://www.howtocookfresh.com]How To Cook Fresh in 5 Easy Steps" reveals the secrets to selecting, cooking, and storing farm fresh ingredients for easy everyday home cooking.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Homemade-Dog-Biscuits-Youll-Want-To-Eat&id=6368773] Homemade Dog Biscuits You'll Want To Eat