Carrot-Apple Dog Treats

Hoppy Easter!

Target's seasonal section always drags me in when I do my grocery shopping. I usually try to stick to grocery stores so I stay focused on the food. Venturing into Target is just asking to buy things you all of the sudden "need" but is not on your grocery list such as a first aid kit, a razor, papermate pens, easter grass, and bunny shaped pans. They are so cute, how could I resist making treats that looked like Bugs Bunny?..... eh, what's up doc?

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 C. of white whole wheat flour 
• 1 C. of grated carrots
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C. apple sauce
• 1/4 C. olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Wilton Wabbit Silicon Bunny Pan

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.

2. Mix flour, carrots, baking powder, egg, apple sauce, and olive oil together. Dough should have consistency of play doh.

3. Scoop about 1 tbsp of dough and squish into the Wilton Rabbit Silicon Bunny Pan.
4. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

STORAGE:

Store in an airtight container once on counter after thoroughly cooled for up to 1 week . Waiting until cooled is an important step; condensation can build and the moisture will cause treats to mold.

For longer shelf life: store in fridge for up to 2 months. Store in freezer for up to 8 months.
Tip: Write date on plastic bag to keep track of expiration date.

Be vewy vewy quiet... I'm hunting wabbits!

Apple & Banana Mini Pie

Aypples and Ban-nay-nays

Fall is the season for apple picking. I went apple picking 2 weeks ago and brought home 10 lbs of apples.... for myself. What is a girl and a pup gonna do with 10 lbs of apples? I made a Caramel Apple Pie for myself and a Apple & Banana Mini Pie for Mochi. Give these dog treats sparingly... I fed mochi a whole mini pie yesterday and let's just say the poopy bag was a tad heavy today.

Mochi's verdict: She likes to oat oat oat o-ppals and ban-no-nos.

INGREDIENTS:

• Crust:
• 1 1/4 C. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C. skim milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Filling:
• 1 banana
• 1 apple, chopped into small pieces
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tbsp skim milk

DirectionS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix whole wheat pastry flour and parmesan cheese.

3. Add egg, milk, and oil. Stir.

4. Knead the dough.

5. Roll out dough to less than 1/4''.

6. Use a 5'' circle cookie cutter or glass to cut circles. (~10 circles, 5 for bottoms 5 for tops or 10 topless pies)

Ee-pples and Ban-nee-nees

7. Press into muffin tins. Prick bottom of pie crust with a fork.

8. Bake pie crusts for 10 minutes.

9. Take out of oven and let the pie crusts cool.

10. Next on to the filling: put banana, apple, egg, and milk into a food processor or blender.

11. Put the filling in after pie crust cools.

12. Add designs to pie crust tops (mini apple cookie cutter, lattice, etc.)

13. Lay pie crusts on top. Trim edges and press dough to adhere to crust side walls.

14. Bake for 25 minutes.

Voila! Home made apple & banana pie dog treats!

Storage:

Due to the fruit filling, store in an airtight container for no more than 2 days at room temperate, in a refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Apple Oatmeal Dog Cookies

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

How do you like them apples?

One of the fall things to do is to go apple picking. In Minnesota, there's an apple farm in Still Water, MN called Aamodt's Apple Farm. There's a bakery that sells apple everything! They sold apples by the pound, apple cider, apple cider donuts, an assortment of apple butter, apple jam, apple pie, apple turnovers, apple muffins, apple oatmeal cookies, and so much more! Outside the bakery is a stand that sells apple bratwurst. Next door is a wine tasting joint. Right out back on a dirt trail, you can purchase a bag for $12 and pick apples to your hearts content. Honeycrisps were sold out within 3 hours of the farm opening so all that is left are sweet 16 apples. They are bright and tart, good for eating and baking. They remind me of the granny smith apples and I'm pretty excited to make apple turnovers with them (for myself of course).

I'm staring at my 2 bowls worth of apples (~20+ apples) and wondering what the heck am I gonna do? Eat turnovers for days? Then I had the bright idea of replicating the apple oatmeal cookies for Mochi. She had fun eating bits and pieces of apples as I was making her treats.

Critical reception: Mochi already loves apples and oatmeal, now a treat that features both thing she loves? Automatic win.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 C. of Instant Oatmeal (approx. 3 packets)
• 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 C. White Whole-Wheat Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 C. finely chopped sweet 16 apples (approx. 2 small/medium apples)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 C. Water

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

2. Mix together oatmeal, flour, and baking powder.

3. Slowly mix in egg, apples, olive oil, and water.

4. Dough should be moist but not wet. Knead for a minute.

5. Option A: Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness. Using cookie cutters of your choice, cut out shapes and place on baking sheet.

Option B: Scoop out in 1/2 tablespoon increments and roll into ball and press into a cookie shape.

6. Bake for 20 minutes.

Apple Shaped. 

Didn't we talk about how I have ADD and have to make different shapes? I got tired of making balls and squishing them so I pulled out the apple shape from my mini fruit shape cutters and cut out some apple fruit shaped treats. 

STORAGE:

Store in an airtight container once on counter after thoroughly cooled for up to 2 weeks . Waiting until cooled is an important step; condensation can build and the moisture will cause treats to mold.

For longer shelf life: store in fridge for up to 2 months. Store in freezer for up to 8 months.

Tip: Write date on plastic bag to keep track of expiration date.