Peanut Butter Rice Treats - Cookies for Canines

Welcome to another Recipe Swap! Over a year ago, I found an old hymnal with recipes in the back in a junk store, and every month, I release a new recipe to a fantastic group of food bloggers from that book. Last month was our one-year anniversary, so it seemed a good time to switch books to another retired volume; The Second Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes From Famous Eating Places. This month, we set out to remake the Toll House cookie (originally developed at the Toll House, (photo) a historic inn (history) in Whitman, Massachusetts.) Please make sure to visit all of our pages at the bottom of this post to see how we have each invented our own cookie inspired by this original recipe. We are about 20 strong now, and are an amazing group of talented food types.

There are a lot of cookies being pushed from household to household during this time of year. Over the holidays, food sits around, perhaps more than usual. Out, on counters within snout distance. Unattended on coffee tables, at eye level. Yet, our devoted dogs are met with the same "no eat" rules we apply the rest of the year. It's not fair! So, in honor of our devoted four-legged friends, I made these pup cookies so they can have more food around than usual, too. (Recipe Swappers, forgive me. Can you resist those eyes, below?)

I made them with a very special pup in mind, who I just saw over Thanksgiving. I adopted George the German Shepherd in September of 2006 from the New York Animal Control Center in Harlem. He was a "Day Six" dog, meaning I (in concert with a working dog rescue organization) grabbed him on the last possible day to avoid the mandatory euthanization of pets at the shelter on the seventh day. Fast forward five years, and George is now happy, healthy, spoiled, loyal, stress-free and has a permanent home with my parents, who dote on him like a granddog. He now has a full-time, fulfilling job, keeping them on a very strict feeding, walk and treats schedule.

George the German Shepherd, AKA King George, Georgey, Big G

One year over the holidays, George ate an entire half sheet pan of marshmallows I made and left on the counter to set up. I came home to find him laying in the middle of the room, with an enormous belly, groaning as he breathed. The temptation was just too great, seeing people in the kitchen all day, with nothing dropped on the floor. These treats will be going in a box of holiday gifts to my parents, with instructions to feed liberally; one of the best gifts you can give a dog, in my book.

Happy holidays, everyone! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the cookie posts.

Peanut Butter Rice Treats - For Pups!

George's Special Treats

Serves: One pup about 36 times, or one pup one time if you leave the bag out.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice cooked in vegetable broth (great use of leftovers)
2-3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
1 cup hot water

Method:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, adding more flour as necessary to knead into a stiff dough. Roll out about 1/4" thick, cut with a cookie cutter and place directly onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350F, and leaving in the oven, turn off the oven and leave overnight. If the treats are still a little pliable in the morning, leave them out on the stovetop for a couple of hours.

Notes: Yes, I tried them. They're edible. Vaguely peanut-buttery. With a touch of vegetable broth. If the pup likes them and doesn't poop them out too quickly, I have done my work.