How to prepare sweet potatoes...

[Brenda]

I keep hearing that sweet potatoes are a great treat for our dogs. How does one prepare these? Is there any way to freeze or refrigerate them so that I have them always on hand for the sake of convenience?

[Adina P]

I think for treats most people cook then dehydrate them using a food dehydrator. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, quite a few FG members have dehydrators, and are making dehydrated sweet potato treats for their dogs.

I cook sweet potatoes for JD for meals and pill giving, as he is on a very restricted diet due to health issues. I just bake them in the microwave for 7 minutes, let cool, peel, add a little bit of water, and mash with a fork. They keep a week in the fridge, or you can freeze them. But I think you were asking about the sweet potato treats.

I think some people have also just sliced them very thin and baked them with a little oil. I'll do a search.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here you go, a discussion on making them without a dehydrator: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/sweet-p...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Another recipe for baked sweet potato slices from a past FG discussion:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/homecoo...

I thinly sliced the sweet potato and stuck them in the oven. (I read online that you need to bake them for 2 hours, so I microwaved the sweet potato for 6 minutes and only baked them for about 45 minutes). When they were almost thoroughly baked, but still a bit wet, I sprinkled the cheese on top. Some of them are still air-drying from last night, so I think I should have baked them longer. I didn't use any oil or salt and they taste just as good as sweet potato chips you would buy at the store. When I have more time, I'm going to make a big batch (plain and with cheese) for myself.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And here's the dehydrator recipes discussion: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/dehydra...

[Sue & Lily Grace]

I recently bought a dehydrator to prepare treats for Lily Grace. I tried it out using sweet potatoes and apples. I ate all the apples, yum. I par boiled the potatoes after peeling them. I cut some in strips and other as medallions. Lily Grace loves them, but not wanting soft poops I have given them to her sparingly. Good luck.

[BG and Gavin]

I am dehydrating as we speak lol.  I just have a cheapo dehydrator (like $40 at the surplus store) but it works just fine for sweet potatoes with some extra time.  Looks like this:

[Deb & Pete]

I slice the sweet potatoes about 1/4 inch thick and put them right in the dehydrator. I  don't precook them or peel them. I cook them until they are crisp and Pete loves them. It's the only treat I give him now, with the exception of dehydrated bananas and apples. He doesn't have any trouble with his stools.

Should I not being cooking them until crisp?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't see any reason not to, especially since he loves them that way!

[Donna K & Quincy]

I cook Quincy's until crisp, he also likes them that way as well.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I cook them in the microwave for 8-9 minutes. I buy the ones in the produce section that come wrapped and you cook them wrapped.  I then let them cool, peel, smush in a bowl and serve.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Laurie, Could you describe this smushing, I haven't seen this term in any of my cook books and I need to know the exact methodology. :>)))))