The Minnesota Farm Woman

Back in the day, I used to make five different types of Christmas cookies and at least two flavors of fudge. Back in the day, I would spend several evenings or a couple of days with flour spilled on the kitchen floor and wonderful Christmassy aromas emanating from the kitchen. Back in the day, there was a house full of eager-faced neighborhood kids to gobble up the goodies, and we were far from our middle years, never dreaming that we would someday be in a place where snow sticks around for five months of the year and never thinking that in the blink of an eye we would become an age where the extra calories stick around even longer than that. Yes, time passes and change happens.  My daughter and son-in-law don’t eat sugar.  My mom has lost her taste for sweets. Several friends are gluten-free. I don’t bake very much any more.  If the truth be told, I don’t even like rolling out sugar cookie dough because it always sticks to the rolling-pin and besides, it is not as much fun without little kids around to help with the decorating.  In case you think I am turning into a Scrooge or at least a Maxine, you don’t have to worry.   The last few years I have done my Christmas baking for all the eager-faced furry friends in my life.  The dough doesn’t stick to the rolling-pin and I promise you, your furbabies will absolutely love them.  A very merry Christmas to Barney, Sam, Duke, Sadie, Tuffy, Buddy Lee, Lucy, and Gracie, who are going to share some of their goodies with Dudley, who is a rescue dog being cared for by Bobbie Jo Hemphill and her family,  some very special angels on earth who love and care for foster dogs in their home before sending them to their forever homes through adoption.  We don’t have a local shelter and Dudley is their twentieth dog.  Twenty. That’s a lot of dog biscuits.  Thank you to the Hemphills and other foster families for finding room in your homes and your hearts for these special animals.

Homemade Peanut Butter Milk Bone Dog Biscuits

Mix together well:

2 cups water     1 cup powdered milk     6 eggs     1 cup vegetable oil   1/2 cup peanut butter

Add remaining ingredients and mix well:

2 cups corn meal     2 cups quick oatmeal     5 cups whole wheat or white flour (or combination of the two)

Divide dough in half and add extra flour if it is too sticky.  Pat or roll out flat to less than one inch thick.  Cut into 1 inch strips or use bone-shaped cookie cutter.  Lay on cookie sheet (parchment paper will prevent them from sticking to the pan).  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until edges start to brown. Turn oven off and leave in oven until the next day.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Tamarack Trails Farm and Preserve, Deer River, Minnesota www.tamaracktrailsfarm.com

Holli Jo Hemphill and Dudley