Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Let's remember our canine friends this holiday season and bake them up some treats!  My friend Betty (Betty Crocker that is) sent me an email with 10 Red Hot Holiday Trends.   I was in shock when I saw a scrumptious holiday treat just for dogs.  Who knew Betty loves dogs {giggles}?  I knew right away that Mac would love them.  Poor, poor Mac hasn't had any fresh treats since we made up the Peanut Butter Boo Bites at Halloween.  Poor baby!  Well, let me just say, Mac gives these treats 2 paws up.  He was in heaven when they came out of the oven!  Thanks Betty!


Speaking of Mac I've got to get down to PetsMart and get his Christmas shopping done.  Do you buy Christmas gifts for the animals in your household?  We do! We spoil Mac rotten!!  


Merry Christmas to all of your four legged fur babies!




PRINTABLE RECIPE
Here's what you'll need:
3 cups of whole wheat flour  (Betty uses brown rice flour)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
1 15 oz can of pumpkin

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until a soft dough forms. 

Divide the dough in half.  

Roll out onto a well floured surface and use a cookie cutter to cut shapes.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

THE PHOTO SHOOT

Really mom?  How many pictures are you going to take?  Those sure smell tasty!

Oh man let me have it!

Pure torture!  This isn't funny!

I want to eat this soooooo bad!  Mom, did you make these for me to eat or to torture me with?  Maybe I can just woof it down real quick without gettin' into trouble.

Not only is there one treat in front of me but an entire plate full off to the side. Not fair!

Ok, I've had it!  I've been good long enough.  No more pictures! Let me eat!!!!!!

Ahh!  Finally!  

Why Dogs Hate Halloween

A friend of mine sent me the most adorable email last week titled Why Dogs Hate Halloween.  Maybe she felt sorry for Mac in his spider costume or she wanted him to know he wasn't alone having a crazy mom, LOL!    

Unfortunately we did not make it to the costume contest at PetsMart last Saturday, boo hiss.  Sometimes life just gets in the way!  Since I didn't get to take any pictures at the contest I just couldn't pass up sharing these with you.  I have no idea where they came from or who took them to give credit where credit is due.  

I think my favorite is a tie between the bananas and the little lobster (3rd picture down)!  What's your favorite?

Quote of the Day

When witches go riding, 

and black cats are seen, 

the moon laughs and whispers, 

tis near Halloween.

~Author Unknown

Submit your favorite quote here.

Cheers,

Shannon

Peanut Butter Boo Bites

Something smells barkolicious!
Are they done yet??

Time to bake up some fresh treats for our Mac-er-do!  He has been such a good sport about the Howl-o-ween costume.  Get it Howl-o-ween instead of Halloween.  Hehehe.  I'm cracking myself up today :-).  Anyways I found some really cute baby cookie cutters at Target.  The set had 8 cutters.  4 large and 4 small of the exact same shape.  There is a witch, bat, moon, and pumpkin.  Very festive indeed!  I just couldn't resist.  Those cutters just jumped in the buggy and screamed BUY ME.  So I did :-). 

Mac is begging his Dad  to take him to PetsMart this Satuday for a costume contest. Be on the lookout next Monday for some really cute pictures of local pets in costume.


Now for the Peanut Butter Boo Bites recipe!


PRINTABLE RECIPE


Here's what you'll need:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup skim milk (I used 2%)

Mix together the peanut butter and milk.


Add the baking powder and flour to the wet ingredients.

Knead and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 of an inch thick or so.  Cut into your favorite shapes.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until brown in a preheated 375 degree oven.  Cool on rack and store in an airtight container.

Recipe Source:  Three Dog Bakery Cookbook

Do you blog about your pets?  Link up and join our Pet Party! 

Quote of the Day

An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language

~Martin Buber

Submit your favorite quote here.

Cheers,

Shannon

Spider Attack - Join Mac for a Pet Party!

Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words!

Look at the snout on that spider!

Mom's been to PetsMart again.......lucky me.

I absolutely deserve a treat Dad.  Do you see what I'm wearing?

Oh no here come the neighbors.  Where can I  hide?

Ok, I'm feeling it now.  Let's play ball.  This costume rocks!

Now we're talking. 


Do you blog about your pet?
Join Mac for an online Pet Party 
Monday through Friday every week!
  Leave your link here....

lip sMACin' ginger treats

Mac has really been down in the dumps over the last week.  We aerated and over-seeded the yard so that means no ball playing for two weeks!  I'm not sure he's gonna make it.  As we were watching football on Saturday we tossed the ball around the porch.  He bounced around but never ran out of steam.  He's a typical lab with lots of energy.  He needs running lots of running!!!!

Well I think I got back in his good graces today with a new treat!  I baked up a ginger treat that he gave two paws up.  I gave him the first one to try and he scarfed it down.  As I held up the second one he was actually drooling, smackin', and lickin' his lips.  Then it hit me..... I'll name these goodies lip sMACin' ginger treats.

PRINTABLE RECIPE


lip sMACin' ginger treats
inspired by 3 Dog Bakery Cookbook


Here's what you'll need:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
4 teaspoons milk
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Combine the oil, honey, vanilla, egg, and milk.  

Then add in the flour, baking powder, and ginger.  Mix until a dough forms.  Turn it out on a floured surface and lightly knead. Roll out to about 1/4 inch and use cookie cutters to cut your favorite shapes.

Place shapes on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes.


Cool on a wire rack.  Then feed them to your pooch!  He or she will give you lots of kisses!!!

Enjoy,
Shannon

Mac's Debut

Drum rollllllllll please.  It is my pleasure to introduce you to our awesome labrador retriever Mac Lorenz.   He is spoiled as spoiled can be!  Mac joined our family in October 2000 at only 8 weeks old.  We had the first pick of the litter and after careful consideration of all the pups we knew without a doubt he was the one for us.  He was the cutest little pudge!  I can't believe he is considered a senior citizen oops I mean dog.    

He may be old in years but he is definitely young at heart.  At 10 years young we still go out and play fetch every day.  He goes crazy over a tennis ball.  It's his favorite thing in the world with tummy and hip rubs coming in a close second. 

Mac has many nicknames.  You may see him around the blog referred to as Mac, Mac-er-doo, Scooby, Scooby Doo, Doo, Fruitcake, or Lovey Baby.  And don't be surprised if we come up with some new ones along the way.  


Monday's with Mac will be featuring stories and/or pictures of Mac with homemade dog treat recipes.  I figure I cook for us to try to avoid as many bad chemicals and crappy stuff in processed food I might as well learn how to make Mac some better for him treats as well.   So if you have any great treat recipes your dogs love please send me your recipes to try!  Mac will love you!


Cheers,
Shannon