Homemade Dog Food

My Dog's Food

Hi Darling One! I hope that your weekend was all that you wished for and that your week will be even better!

I know that this sounds crazy but I started to make my dogs' food about 3 weeks ago. We were spending $50 for a 40 pound bag of premium dog food from a doggie boutique. So I thought we were doing the right thing. No grain or fillers, just good sounding combos like venison & elk, salmon & trout, rabbit & (something).


So why did it always smell like ***** (hint: first and last letters are "p") ? And they didn't like it much either.

First let me say that i am NOT a nutritionist so I am not claiming any great knowledge of what should be in a dog's diet. So proceed with caution. I figured I couldn't do any worse than what I had been feeding mine.

Enough of that stuff. I went online to get some ideas and then came up with this:

Here are some ingredients:

This is only half of the ground sirloin 90-10, I used.

Start by browning half of the beef at  a time.

Meanwhile cook rice according to the package. I made about 4 cups, cooked.

When the meat is all browned, place in a large container. Add the pinto beans, corn and rice and mix.

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for approximately 3 days.

Of course, you will come up with your own combinations and amounts, according to the size and number of dogs you have.

I am going to try chicken livers next week. And guess what, they love broccoli!

Did I tell you that they are loving this food??!! They scarf it right up!

My husband thought it looked so good that he was about to put some in the microwave for his dinner. LOL Not that it would have hurt him...not one bit.

And yes, they do eat out of these bowls, from the Dollar Tree. They seem to like it better than aluminum. Wouldn't you?

Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always!

Chopped Apple Bread

Hi Sugar Plum! Are you having a good week? I hope so. Or are you hustling and bustling getting your holiday chores done in a frenzy? Not me. I am not in a panic.....yet. Ha!

It is overcast and feels like snow here in Georgia so I am staying in and making bread today.

Although I adapted this recipe from Bernard Clayton's recipe in his book, I also found the recipe online here.

CHOPPED APPLE BREAD Yield: 2 medium loaves; 12 servings About 6 to 7 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided 2 envelopes active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons) 1 tablespoon salt 2 1/2 cups hot milk (120 to 130 degrees) 3 tablespoons shortening 2 cups apples, cut in 3/4-inch cubes 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces  Grated zest of one orange 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Step 1: Grease 2 medium (8-by-4-inch) loaf pans. (If using nonstick pans, line the bottom of the pans with buttered waxed paper or parchment paper.) Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, yeast, salt and dry milk. Pour in hot water, and stir in shortening. Using a wooden spoon and strong strokes, beat the batter 100 times. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough can be lifted from the bowl and placed on a work surface.  (Alternately, beat with the dough hook of an electric stand mixer for 2 minutes, then add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball around the dough hook as it revolves. The dough should rise along with the dough hook when the head of the mixer is lifted.) Step 3: Turn the dough onto the work surface; knead with a push-turn-fold rhythm. The dough will become elastic and smooth. If it is sticky, add sprinkles of flour. (Or knead with the electric mixer for 10 minutes. If soft dough clings to the bottom third of the bowl, add flour. Ideally, a spot of dough about the size of a 50-cent piece should adhere to the bottom, indicating that the dough is neither too wet nor too dry.)  Step 4: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to double in volume, about 1 hour. Step 5: Punch down the dough; place it on the floured work surface. Roll and press the dough into an 18-inch square, about 1/2 inch thick. Let the dough rest for a few moments. Transfer to a cutting board.  Step 6: Spread chopped apples uniformly over the surface of the dough. Pour beaten eggs over the apples. Add nuts and orange zest. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.  Fold the dough into a package.  Step 7: Using a dough scraper , chop the dough mixture randomly into pieces about 1 inch in size. Uniformity is of no great consequence.  When the dough has been well chopped, toss or scoop the pieces into the prepared loaf pans, filling each two-thirds full.  Step 8: Cover the pans with waxed paper or parchment paper; let rise until the dough reaches slightly above the edge, about 40 minutes. Step 9: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (325 degrees if using a convection oven). Bake until loaves are a rich golden brown, about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and dry. (If necessary, shield the loaves with foil in last 10 minutes to prevent over browning.) Step 10: Carefully turn out the hot bread onto a wire rack to cool. (It will be somewhat fragile while hot.) Slice and serve. It goes fast! Enjoy! Remember the reason for the season! May the peace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you today and always!

Collards and Corn Bread

Hi Sweet Peeps! I hope you are enjoying your day so far.

I live in the South and sometimes I get a craving hankering for some  good greens. So I picked up a bunch at the grocery store along with some apple wood smoked bacon.

While the bacon is cooking, I fill up my kitchen sink with cold water and strip the hard veins from each stalk, using your thumb and fore finger.

The prepackaged greens that in my grocery leave the veins. But they are not very tender, believe me.

See what I mean? It may be good for you, but i am not eating it. :o)

Now Darlins, if you are going to the trouble of making these greens, for heaven's sake, make some good corn bread to sop up all that good pot likker.

Now there is a saying in the South that something that tastes this good makes you want to slap your Mama. Not that I would ever do such a thing. But my Mama never made greens. She skipped a generation. My Grandma was the country cook. I miss her.

Here is the recipe if you care to make it:

From the folks at Legal Sea Foods, a restaurant in Atlanta.

1/4 pound of applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces.

1/2 pound of onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds of collard greens, ribs removed, rinsed and cut into 1 1/2 inch strips.

Directions: 

In a large saucepan, combine bacon, onions, garlic and red pepper flakes. Heat pan over medium high and cook until onions are translucent and bacon is crisp. Add stock, vinegar, sugar and salt and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the greens in batches. Reduce heat to low and cook greens until tender, about 1 hours. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Oh, did I forget...get a nice cold ice tea to go with it.

Peace and love to you!

Linking to these parties:

Lemon Blueberry Bread

 

Hello Darlings! I hope that you are having such a fabulous day in this gorgeous weather.

I had so many blueberries that I decided to make some Blueberry tea bread, following ChezSpice's recipe on Allrecipes.com  Lemon Blueberry Bread

My Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts-i omitted these since i didn't have any
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
•  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white sugar

zesting lemons with a planer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter, 1 cup sugar, juice and eggs. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk. Fold in lemon zest, nuts, and blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Remove bread from pan and drizzle with glaze. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 241 | Total Fat: 9.5g | Cholesterol: 50mg

Extra good with a cuppa tea!

Luscious Limones

Sadly, my daughter, Katie, got to the bread while it was cooling, taking off part of the top.

LOL So no photo of the whole bread.

 

Happy Spring, Y'all!  

See ya' later!  XXXXXOOOO

Linking up to these great parties:

 

A true story and a luncheon with old friends

 

 I think my vitamin B-12 shots are finally kicking in. I have energy to spare.When the nurse asked me if I had been suffering from fatigue, I had to answer no. I have had 4 shots so far, one a month. Now I answered no, because I have never been a ball of fire.

 Many of you don't know that I am very tall ( 5 ft, 10 in.), and have suffered from clinical depression since I was a small child. Not that one has to do with the other. I am just saying that as a child, it was a handicap being at least a head taller than everyone in my class, and being reminded of it every day was not fun. And the fact that I was depressed just made me more of an outcast.

Front Yard Daffodil

But things have changed. After struggling with different medications, all of which seemed to just put me in a fog, Prozac came on the market. It was made for people like me and was a life saver. It just made me feel more normal.

BTW, please don't tell a depressed person to snap out of it and go exercise. It just makes us feel guilty and tired.

Since I am older and wiser, my life is so much better. Not perfect but better. And I have good friends. And  a good husband.

Yesterday, I made a lunch for five of my old friends from Piedmont Baptist Church. We have known each other over 20 years and get together regularly. I am back in the Roman Catholic Church now, but that is another story.

Table is set

Recently I saw a show about making mustard crusted chicken. It looked easy and good so that is on the menu today.

Sorry for this photo being out of focus. I should have changed my ISO but I was in a hurry.

Marinate chicken breasts that have been cut in half and pounded to about a half inch thickness, in 3 kinds of mustards that you like, enough to cover. Leave over night in fridge or at least for 1 hour.

Bring to room temperature and then begin an assembly line.

 

Dredge in flour and shake off excess.

Dip in egg mix to coat.

Coat with bread crumbs. The recipe called for Panko crumbs but I forgot to get them. What you see here is a combination of Italian bread crumbs and matzo meal. Hey, that is what I had on hand, folks. :o)

Fry in batches in canola oil and then drain on paper towels.

We had this with rice and peas, speckled butterbeans with fire roasted tomatoes, green beans, roasted sweet potatoes, salad and rolls.

After a leisurely lunch, we settled down with cherry pie a la mode and coffee. No, I didn't make the pie. Not this time.

Relaxing. Ooops, Elmo is just getting ready to sit, not poop!

My Friend, Barbara.

Paula is getting cozy.

Linda is wanting to take a nap with Elmo.

Thanks for your visit. I wish that you could come to lunch sometime if you are in town.

Let me know. I will keep the front porch light on.

Blessings to  you!

♥Charlotte

Linking up with: