Happy Birthday, Coco!

Ross and I adopted Coco and her mama Chanel when Coco was only 3 months old. She and Chanel were rescued together on the streets in Kentucky when Coco was only 2 weeks old. Before we met Coco, she had been adopted out twice and returned. Although she was old enough to be off on her own, she cried when she was separated from her mama. Once we met Coco and saw the love between her and Chanel, we could not separate them one more time. Instead, we adopted both dogs. To this day, they sleep curled up together, clean each others hard to reach places (ears, tops of head) and wrestle like maniacs.

Today is Coco's 3rd birthday! 

In the last year, she has gone from an independent puppy to a cuddler. Old age does not phase Coco, that girl's hair will not stop growing (much like her personality)! In the almost 3 years that we have had Coco, she has made friends with our cats, learned that I'm talking about her when I call her Baby (because Chanel is Mama), and gives high fives when I come home from work everyday.  She and Chanel have grown used to our new home. They have both let go their anxious ways and accept our friends into our home. For that, they deserve a birthday treat.





They love when I make them Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Chews. In fact, they dance.

They love their homemade treats so much, I haven't bought dog treats in over a year. They both come running when they hear their sweet potatoes shake or hear the words "Do you want a sweet potato?". So today, I made a twist on one of their favorites - a sweet potato birthday biscuit.

Coco's Birthday Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 Minutes

• 1 cup sweet potato, cooked & mashed (1 medium sized potato should do)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, more for cutting board

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees ( I use convection so that the biscuits cook evenly). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking pad or grease.
Step 2:

Bring small pot of water to a boil. Peel one medium sized sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes. Place sweet potato cubes into water and let simmer for several minutes, until boil (about 10 minutes).

Step 3:

While sweet potato is cooking, mix eggs, flour and peanut butter to form a dough. If you have a Kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook, this step is quick and easy. Otherwise, I suggest beating the eggs and kneading the dough together by hand for an even blend.
Step 4:

Drain potatoes and mash. Measure 1 cup and mix with peanut butter dough. Refrigerate any remaining sweet potato for another use or a second batch.
Step 5:

Transfer dough mixture to a lightly floured cutting board. Roll dough into 1/2" thick sheet. Cut into small squares with pizza cutter or use cookie cutter for larger biscuits. Place onto prepared baking tray.
I cut my dough into 1" x 1" squares, a little less than 1/2" thick - this yielded about 100 biscuits.

Step 6:

Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Baking time will vary based on thickness and size of biscuits. Let cool and serve to your favorite four-legged friends!