Christmas is the time for secrets and surprises. I decided this year to make many of my Christmas gifts for loved ones myself. As much as I wanted to write and share my ideas, the need to keep the gifts as a surprise was tantamount. First, that is what most gifts are: A surprise. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. Second: I had decided to bake the bulk of my gifts. The need for secrecy here should be obvious. If my friends and family found out I was cooking, they would never visit during the holidays and there could be the possibility of restraining orders.
That is the reason I am sharing gift ideas with you now, after the main event.
Jet Ranger inadvertently gave me the idea. While he wants me to cook, many times the dogs are the final recipients of my efforts. My idea for gifts churned from this outcome. Why not cut out the middle man entirely? I would cook for the dogs! All the biscuits and cookies I prepared for the canine members of my extended family were tasted and tested by my own two dogs, Bella and Radar. Some even earned the “Radar Seal of Approval” if they were extra yummy. My friends and family with horses received home baked horse cookies.
I did a Google search and found a fantastic inventory of mini cookie cutters from Off The Beaten Path at (where else) http://cookiecutter.com
Here are my adaptions of the recipes:
Basic Dog Cookies
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup milled flax seed
6 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 cup water
Mix dry ingredients well
Cut in the shortening
Add egg, molasses, and water, mix well
Knead dough lightly on floured surface.
Roll dough out to 1/4+ inch and cut into shapes
Bake at 325 F for 30 minutes or until dough is firm to the touch.
Garlic Bites
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 cup dry milk
6 tablespoons shortening
1 teaspoon honey
Combine flour, milk, garlic
Cut in shortening and honey until mixture resembles cornmeal.
Mix in egg.
Add enough water so that mixture forms a ball.
Roll dough out to 1/4+ inch and cut into shapes
Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on rack.
Basic Biscuits
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup flavored liquid (broth, bouillon, etc)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Roll and cut into shapes
3. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes.
Microwave Biscuits
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup dry milk
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 tablespoon bouillon granules
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup hot water
1. Mix flour, milk, cornmeal, oats and sugar
2. Cut in shortening
3. Add egg, bullion, and hot water.
4. Knead 5 minutes
5. Roll out until 1/4+” thick, cut into shapes
6. Microwave at 50% power for 5 to 10 minutes, rotating plate.
Garlic Bites and variations on that recipe were the favorites. I exchanged water for chicken broth, eliminated the garlic on one batch and stirred in a small jar of strained turkey baby food on another. i have left out recipes that I tested that bombed. The recipes that included cornmeal were not as favored as the ones without that ingredient. Your dogs may feel differently.
Each concoction had its own cutter and it’s own bag label. Making up the names and labels are half the fun. For example:
I found one horse cookie recipe that worked well. One other one started out okay, but then did not keep well in the zip locks. The nature of the horse cookies made it difficult to use cookie cutters, so I rolled each treat into a 1/2″ ball.
Horse Cookies
* 4 cups grain (like oats, steam-rolled- I used grocery store Quick Oats as I was out of steam-rolled oats)
* 1/4 cup milled flax seed
* 8 tablespoons unbleached flour
* 1/2 cup molasses
* 3/4 cup water
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl.
2. Stir with large spoon until mixture is the consistency of thick cookie dough.
3. Grease hands and make 1/2″ balls and drop onto a greased cookie sheet, spacing cookies 1/2″ inch apart.
4. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour or until crisp.
5. Remove from oven, and cool for 30 minutes.
Many of the cookie recipes I have tried in the past were not on any of my horse’s preferred menu. These definitely are, plus easy to make and keep a supply. This became my recipe for “Yee-Haws.” I am still perfecting the recipe for the “Whoa-Ho’s” and I will share that when it has been baked and tested.
So start off the new year baking and warming up those kitchens! Remember, your pets can not file complaints or divorce papers for what you feed them!
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