Blueberry Butterfly Treats

Blogging Friends.... Two years. It has been two freakin' years this Sunday since my life was profoundly impacted by Tony Stark/Iron Man. And--for the most part--I have not looked back or "relapsed" behavior-wise. Yes, I've continued to move forward in my ongoing self-acceptance journey. That is huge for me!! You know what? For reasons beyond my comprehension, this anniversary seems much more significant to me than last year's. Huh. Is it perhaps because this has been one wild two years? Filled with far more minor mood swing-infused pity parties than I care to count? {Cosmic defeats.} Yet also filled with bouncing back and realizing just how resilient an individual I truly am? {Cosmic victories.} Is it perhaps because these two years have been filled with reaching out to Mamas--plus one Daddy!!--who've brought into this world children either born with craniosynostosis or congenital diaphragmatic hernia.... Twain of my birth defects? And lastly. Is it perhaps because these two years have been filled with writing ten books? Love you later.

Look for my May fictional children's story on Minuscule is good! I just posted it today!! Better late than never?

Entirely on impulse--and despite the mere fact that I'd just purchased Rose some crunchy turkey treats!!--I decided to bake her a batch of blueberry dog biscuits that I've never tried in celebration of my special two-year anniversary!! And, coincidentally enough, my Grandma will be visiting from California tomorrow night. For twain weeks. Or longer. So new special treats for Rose during a time when we will indulge ourselves? Perfect!! So, after searching Online, I found this recipe!! To give credit to whom credit is due. It was posted on http://cookiemonstercooking.com/ . As per usual, I allowed Rose to sample some of the ingredients. She love, love, loves peanut butter!! Whenever I have some on Ritz crackers, Rose comes running into the kitchen expecting a liberal bite!! She also apparently likes blueberries!! I tossed her two!! However. Maple syrup? Like with honey, she could not even get past the potent smell!! Go figure!!

Rose would rate this recipe four "paws" way, way up!!

    

Homemade Peanut Butter Blueberry Dog Treats

Yield: about 14 dog treats (using a 3 ½ inch cookie cutter) {I doubled the recipe, but, disappointingly, we only baked 16!!}

INGREDIENTS:

1 large egg

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter {Word of the experienced. Do not bake with crunchy peanut butter!! Why? Because all of the loose peanuts will fall out of your dough!! Trust me on that one.}

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil {Well. We used extra virgin olive oil!! Rachel Ray will be so very proud of me!!}

1 cup brown rice flour {We do not have any!! So I substituted it with wheat flour!!} 

½ cup oat flour*

about 2 or more tablespoons water

⅓ cup frozen blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper {I just sprayed the pan!!} and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, peanut butter, maple syrup and olive oil until smooth. Add in both flours and mix until combined. The dough will be slightly dry, so add water a small amount at a time (mixing after each addition) to get it to a consistency that you can roll out easily. I added just over 2 tablespoons. Gently fold in the blueberries. {Yeah, about that. First my dough was so very crumbly that I did add water. Literally half a glass!! Then, I added the blueberries. I tried to roll them in. However. They kept rolling out!! So then I decided to be rebel, and squeeze the dough in my hands. Bad idea!! All of the blueberry juice squirt out into my dough making it moist!! Ugh. I must have added a half a cup of white flour to my dough just so it will be dry again!! The lesson learned here? Do not add any water to your dry dough.... The blueberries should serve that purpose just as well!!} On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to about ¼ inch in thickness. Cut the dough with your desired cookie cutter. {Remember last year when I made arc reactor biscuits?! Now that was insane!! I just used my butterfly cookie cutter this time!! Because. I am a butterfly who has emerged from her cocoon!!} Place on the prepared baking sheet. The dough will not spread while baking so you can place them fairly close together. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the treats are crunchy and golden brown. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

NOTES:

*Instead of buying oat flour, just place rolled oats in a food processor and process until finely ground.