Sometimes I’m on the phone, talking to my mama… Just shooting the breeze, and someone enters our house. You see, I’m a homeowner – with tenants; therefore, there’s a lot of coming and going, kids talking… etc…
If you have a dog, like me, you know what happens next. My dog gets as close to the door without actually going through it, sniffs like mad and goes bark crazy.
woof! woof!
woof! woof!
woof! woof!
woof! woof!
woof! woof!
His fur stands on end and he starts jumping up and down, trying to reach the doorknob as though refusing to accept dogs were not blessed with opposable thumbs. I’m looking forward to the day he jumps high enough to hold onto the doorknob and attempt to gnaw the door open.
It’s much worse when they actually knock on my door. He charges at our guests, jumps, and tries to hold on for dear life to their pant leg.
He’s a bit vicious, that one. Well… Not exactly vicious. He’s a chihuahua, and like most chihuahuas he’s inhered with a doggy Napoleon complex. He thinks he’s a Rottweiler. I don’t wish to hurt his feelings, so I allow him to live life believing he’s the size of a Great Dane.
That’s my Rottweiler…
I love my dog, and though sometimes I believe he takes speed when we’re not looking, he’s cool to have around. And because of his Big Dog complex people are actually afraid of him.
He is one of us, yet sometimes I don’t think he truly believes it. For instance, when I bake cookies, cakes, and such, he gives me an accusing look and tilts his head as if to say, “WHAT ABOUT ME?!”
As they say… Every dog has its day…
I baked my pupper some treats! Like all good treats, doggy or otherwise, they have to start with bacon. Loads and loads of cooked bacon. When my pupper got a whiff of this, he practically jumped out of his fur.
I added some leftover shredded chicken from our dinner a couple of days before. Yep… I got to use my leftovers!
A bit of dried parsley for herbal notes – Yea, my pupper’s a foodie – Then I added and egg for binding and whole wheat flour. I also added some parmesan cheese, but that is optional.
The whole wheat flour makes this dough a dream to work with due to its high gluten content. It comes together easily, no need to refrigerate until it firms up, and it makes about a million treats!
OK, OK – Just over a hundred. You can make some now, freeze some dough for laters. Just remove from the freezer, thaw, roll, and cut with your cookie cutter of choice. It’s like baking cookies… But for your dog!
I could tell these treats were a winner. The second some dough scraps fell on the floor my pupper hoovered them up and camped out in front of the oven… Just waiting; waiting for his treats to finish baking so he could dig in.
He.Just.Knew…
Those are bits of flour on his fur!
What are you waiting for? Give your pupper some love. Today and every single day! Get to baking!
[purerecipe]
Chicken and Bacon Doggy Treats
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat from cooked bacon
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese optional
- 15 slices of fried crumbled bacon
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine whole wheat flour and dried parsley in a medium bowl and set aside. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the bacon fat and beat until combined. Add the egg beating until well incorporated. Add the parmesan cheese, if using, followed by the crumbled bacon and shredded chicken. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour/parsley mixture all at once. Mix until combined.
- Dump the mixture onto a floured counter and knead for a couple of turns (fold onto itself) until the dough is tacky. The dough should not stick to your fingers.
- Divide the dough in 3 pieces; wrap 2 piece in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator (or freezer for later date) while you work on the first piece of dough. Gather the remaining dough piece into a ball and with a rolling pin, roll the dough to about ¼ inch thickness and cut with your cookie cutter of choice. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Repeat with second piece and third piece of dough if desired. The dough can be frozen for about a month.
- Makes a little over 100 2 ½ inch treats.
