Thanks to the ready availability of information on the Web, many are becoming aware of the quality - or lack thereof - of the foods we eat on a daily basis, even the treats we give ourselves as rewards, compensation or for comfort and we're making adjustments, choosing more wisely.
Part of those smart choices often turns out to be making the special goodies we share with those for whom we care, or hoard all for ourselves, and for some of us, those loved ones happen to be furry and walk around on four legs, so we're extending our concern for the quality of treats to them as well.
You'll find peanut butter treats on list after list of favorites.
Finding a dog who doesn't like peanut butter is about as rare as finding a woman who doesn't like chocolate! 1.
Peanut Butter Treats #1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
• 2 1/2 cups flour (even better if you use graham, wheat, oat or a mixture)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

Beat egg, and milk together with a whisk (or in a blender) and add peanut butter.
In a separate bowl, mix or sift flour and baking powder together.
When the peanut butter mixture is smooth, add flour mixture gradually, working it in, adjusting the quantity of flour to get a fairly stiff dough.
Use your hands to work in the last of the flour.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough out to about a 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut into sizes or shapes using cookie cutters or knife.
Place the individual cookies on a cookie sheet prepared with a light layer of non-stick spray and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, flip and bake another 15-20 minutes or until done.
Cool completely on a baking rack and store in an airtight container.
2.
Peanut Butter Treats #2 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 tsp.
  vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup oats

Blend water, oil, eggs, peanut butter and vanilla.
Whisk flour, cornmeal and oats together in a separate bowl, and add gradually to peanut butter mixture to form a ball of dough.
Roll out about 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes as desired.
Place on a non-stick cookie tray or lightly greased pan and bake twenty minutes at 400 degrees.
When finished, turn off oven and allow the biscuits to cool inside oven until crisp and hard.
Store in an airtight container.
3.
Quick and Easy Dog Drop Biscuits Preheat oven to 250 degrees F

• 3/4 cup wheat germ
• 3/4 cup powdered milk
• 1 egg
• 1 jar baby food, (beef, chicken, turkey, etc)

Mix ingredients together thoroughly.
Drop dough in small globs about the size of a quarter (or smaller for smaller treats), onto a cookie sheet prepped with non-stick spray and bake at 250 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Adjust the time according to the size of the treats.
Store in the refrigerator.
4.
Bacon Treats Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

• 6 slices bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)
• 4 eggs (beaten)
• 1/8 cup oil (or use the bacon grease)
• *1 cup water
• *1/2 cup powdered milk
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 cups wheat germ or 2 cups oats or a combination

*or substitute 1 1/4 cup milk Beat eggs, water, powdered milk (or milk) and oil.
Mix together flour and wheat germ/oats.
Work dry ingredients into egg mixture, adjusting the amount until you have a firm dough.
Shape into balls about the circumference of a nickel and drop onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake 15 minutes and leave in the oven overnight to harden.
Makes 3 - 4 dozen treats that can be frozen, either before or after baking.
5.
Easy Jerky Treats (This is also a great way to use up meat that's been freezer burned!) Preheat oven to 200 degrees F

• Boneless poultry breast meat

Lightly grease or spray a baking sheet.
Rinse off poultry meat and remove any fat.
Slice the meat with the grain.
This will help make the jerky even chewier for your dog.
The slices should be very thin, about 1/8" thickness.
*Hint: it's easier to slice while still partially frozen.
Place the strips on the baking sheet so that they are not touching and bake for approximately 2 hours, or until they have a chewy texture, but aren't brittle.
Cool completely on a wire rack then cut into treat size pieces.
Shears are easier to use for this than a knife.
Store for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator, or several months in the freezer - although they won't last that long!