This is what Anticipation looks like
In October, Tazewell and I spent two weeks visiting my parents in Indiana. I was able to get out a bit; Tazewell, not so much, save for periodic {but pretty frequent!} lightning-speed dashes into the back yard to protect us from … bunnies I guess. I’m not really sure what he was chasing, I didn’t see anything. I thank him, in any case, for keeping the critters at bay.
My parents have two dogs, Smokey and Bear, who sigh heavily when they see Tazz roll up the driveway. But they are wonderful hosts, and Tazz and I wanted to make some treats for them as appreciation for their hospitality – two weeks of my fuzzy guy prancing around their home and yard, laying on their beds, snuggling with their people, barking at their mailman – and these Pumpkin Treats seemed season-appropriate.
Smokey
Bear
This is the most attentive these dogs have been in the 10 years I have known them.
The recipe came to me by way of my friend LP; her dog Riley is one lucky pup to feast on these. She gave us a sampling of these treats a while back, but they were a much different consistency than the batches I have made. Tazz likes them all regardless, and I venture to guess that your buddy will too, no matter how yours turn out!
One note: I don’t think you can over-cook these (dogs’ palates are appreciated in that respect), but if you happen to undercook them a bit and they are pliable after they cool, I would keep them in the refrigerator. If they are cooked all the way through and break when you try to bend them once they cool, they are fine in an airtight bucket on the countertop. Oh, speaking of counters, if you have a counter-surfer {cough… cough… BEAR}, don’t turn your back as you are making these. Once Bear had one bite, and he knew I was making another batch… well, there were two less left to bake in the second batch when I went to briefly wash my hands.
Pumpkin cookie cutters are appropriate for these treats, and if you are making a batch to serve to your canine Thanksgiving attendees {um, CUTE}, that might be a good route to go. But you can of course use any cookie cutter, or a ravioli-cutter-wheel-dealio or bench scraper to make squares or rectangles … or you can just smush them until they are thin, and bake a less detail-oriented – but no less yummy – pumpkin treat. I assume this recipe would be fine with regular whole wheat or all-purpose white flour, but if your pup or household need gluten-free, brown rice flour it is! I used Bob’s Red Mill {is there any other brand, really?}.
- 2 eggs
- ½ c canned pumpkin {or homemade Pumpkin Puree}
- 2 T dry milk
- 2.5 c brown rice flour {have more on hand in case you need it}
- 1 t dried parsley
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin to smooth.
- Stir in dry milk and dried parsley
- Add 1 c brown rice flour and stir, and continue adding flour until it forms a stiff, dry dough.
- Turn out onto lightly floured surface (you can use the same brown rice flour).
- Knead and press to make the dough come together.
- Roll the dough to about ¼" inch thick. If it is thicker, you will just need to bake it for a bit longer.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes, working in batches.
- Place the treats on a cookie sheet (I cover mine with parchment paper).
- Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn each treat over. Bake an additional 15-20 min.
p.s. This one is for you, (J)MS!
Adapted from: http://www.orangewoodrr.com/uploads/7/7/5/1/7751922/cleos_pumpkin_dog_biscuits.pdf (just a warning, the original recipe starts out with an aggressive explanation of pumpkin health benefits for dogs!)
Um…does The Bean like these? Let’s just say that his usual focus when one of his humans says the word “cookie” becomes laser-esqe when that word is accompanied by the fetching of a bag of these from the pantry. Feeling sentimental for my childhood, when we used to buy dog treats called People Crackers (shaped like the mailman!), and trying to muster some holiday spirit, I made little gingerbread girls and boys. The Bean cares not the shape — he just cares that they get into his tummy! Thank you!