The other night I was making gingerbread cookies, and Oz kept looking at me longingly thinking they were dog treats.  I realized I didn’t have any more left for him so I decided I could also make him some cookies so we could enjoy the cookie goodness after dinner.  It was my first time making doggie treats, so I went to several websites and checked the recipes but didn’t like any of them specifically, so I came up with my own based on some of the stuff I read.  All the ingredients are dog safe, unless your dog is allergic to some foods.  They are super easy to make and Oz loves them, so I think I will definitely try to keep them stocked.  Oh, and don’t forget to make small ones and bigger ones so you have a variety.  My next project will be cat treats 🙂

Ingredients

2-2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup brewers’ yeast
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup powdered corn meal
1 tbsp chunky peanut butter (unsweetened)
3 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock or as needed
1 egg

Process:

Preheat Oven at 400 F

1. Mix dry ingredients well in a bowl.
2. Whisk oil, egg, peanut butter, and egg until smooth.
3. Start adding the flour mixture a fourth at a time alternating with the chicken broth.
4. When the dough is not a sticky turn onto a table with a little flour sprinkled and knead a few times.
5. Form a disk and spread it to about 1/4″ thick and cut into shapes.  Make bigger ones and smaller ones so you can have different size treats.  Put on lightly oiled cookie sheets (or with parchment paper or silpats)
6. Bake for 10 minutes, brush with more chicken stock, bake for another 10 minutes.  Turn off the oven and leave the treats in there for about 30-40 minutes until they harden and dehydrate more.
7. Make sure you don’t brown them too much because they’ll get a little bitter, so if your oven is hotter in the back, flip them around and/or lower the temperature.
8. Let them cool.
9. Make your dog super happy!

Benefits from feeding your dog Brewer’s Yeast:

Pretzels were invented by monks in the 5th or 6th century and given as rewards for children that did their chores well. They are supposed to resemble a person with their hands in prayer.  Personally I think they look like little “hugs” and they are delicious.  This is the traditional German soft pretzel recipe, served with spicy mustard on the side and a very very cold beer.  I would make a double batch if I were you… This is the best and most sinful batch of pretzels ever concocted.  Ask Peter, he ate them all :0)

Ingredients:

• 1 package of active dry yeast
• 1 cup of warm water (like 110° F)
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 1/2 or 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup baking soda
• 6 cups of water
• Coarse salt (I like using kosher salt)
• Good mustard

Process:

Mix yeast and warm water in a big bowl or the bowl of a mixer.  Let it foam for a bit then add the oil, sugar and 1 1/2 cups of flour.  Beat until the batter is smooth and little by little add another cup of flour while you beat it with a wooden spoon or with the mixer in medium using the kneading attachment.

If kneading by hand, turn the dough into a floured surface and knead until very smooth and satiny (about 5-7 minutes of vigorous kneading).  If using mixer, knead on medium or medium-fast for a few minutes until smooth and the dough completely detaches from the sides and is all in one nice lump.  It will stick to the paddle, and you may need to scrape it down a couple times, but after a few minutes you should have a nice dough.

Place the dough in a greased bowl (I grease it with a little vegetable oil and I love using my wooden bowl, always the same one for rising dough).  Turn the dough to make sure it’s coated with oil on both sides and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size (takes about one hour, or less if it’s really hot outside).  When it’s done rising, punch it down and knead it a few times on a floured surface to get the airbubbles out.

Cut dough into 12 equal pieces for large pretzels or 18 smaller pieces for smaller pretzels (I like smaller ones personally).  Work with one lump of dough at a time and keep the rest covered with the plastic.  Roll the dough into a rope about 1/2 inch thick, shape into a pretzel and put it on a greased baking sheet.  Repeat for all the pretzels.  You will need two baking sheets at least and don’t put them too close together.

Let the pretzels rise for another 25 minutes or so until they’re all puffed up.  You don’t need to cover them for this step.  Then, towards the end of the second rising, get the baking soda and water to a rolling boil.  Using a slotted spoon, lower the pretzels into the pot, one by one and boil for 10 seconds on each side.  Drain them a bit and put back on the baking sheet.  As they dry a little bit, sprinkle salt to taste over them.  Finally, when they’re all boiled, place in a 425°F oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.  Serve warm right out of the oven with a chilled beer and a bit of mustard to dip them in.

Notes:

Pretzels were invented by monks in the 5th or 6th century and given as rewards for children that did their chores well. They are supposed to resemble a person with their hands in prayer.  Personally I think they look like little “hugs” and they are delicious.

You can change the topping of the pretzels and instead of coarse salt, sprinkle a mixture of sugar and cinnamon for a sweet pretzel, top with grated parmesan cheese for a cheesy pretzel or chop little bits of jalapeño chiles in the dough for a spicy pretzel.  The possibilities are endless.

Rosca de Reyes is one of the most beautiful traditions in Mexico for the Holidays, celebrated on January 6th, the day of the Three Kings or Holy Wisemen. It is shared by family and friends for supper accompanied by a delicious cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate (Ibarra or La Abuelita). The tradition is that when you cut your piece and eat it, you have to watch and see if you get the little baby Jesus figurine (No, I’ve never heard of anybody choking on it…). The lucky people to get the figurine in their slice have to throw a party on February 2nd -St. Brigits or Candelaria- and serve tamales for all those involved in the cutting of the Rosca.

Ingredients:

• 30g or 4 envelopes of dried yeast
• 5 cups of flour
• 200g of butter
• 4 eggs
• 8 yolks
• 1 can of sweet condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp of rose water or a few drops of orange flavoring
• 1 cup of candied fruit, chopped (cherries, figs, orange peel, etc).
• 2-3 plastic baby Jesus figurines
• 1 beaten egg for glazing

Decoration:

• Various candied fruits and sugar

Process:

Preheat oven to 200 C or 390 F

Mix the yeast in about 1/4 of a cup of warm water and add 2 tbsp. of flour. Let rest until foamy and doubled in size.

Sift the rest of the flour on a table, make a pit in the middle and add half of the butter, the eggs, the yolks, the sweet condensed milk, salkt, flavoring and the yeast mix.

Slowly mix all the ingredients with fingertips and knead lightly until a paste is formed. Knead thoroughly and throw against the table top, as you incorporate the rest of the butter until the dough is soft and pliable. Form into a ball.

Rub a bit of oil around the dough and place in a large oiled bowl. Let rest in a warm spot loosely covered with some plastic wrap until about doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and roll into a thin long sheet on a floured surface, about 7 by 25 inches.

Distribute the fruit and the plastic figurines evenly throughout the sheet of dough, roll carefully length-wise. Place on a lightly greased and floured cookie sheet and shape it into a round or oval ring, pinching the seams and making sure it seals properly. Let the ring rest until it has about doubled its size again. Before putting into the oven, glaze with the beaten egg, decorate with the candied fruit and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the ring takes a slight golden color.