Messes and Successes

Once, while wandering down the aisle of my grocery store, I found some canned pumpkin on sale. Never having much experience with the stuff, I wondered if I was missing out on my new favorite foods. I looked up a pumpkin soup recipe online and it was a complete success... except, as it turned out, I do not actually like pumpkin soup. At all really. And of course I payed no attention that I pulled a recipe that fed 10 people.

Scrambling, I looked over the ingredient list. All dog safe (and in fact pumpkin is great for digestion). I added some chicken stock, brown rice flour, parsley, and vitamin supplement to end up with some on the fly pumpkin cookies for Relay.

He LOVED IT!  Not the first time my home cooking shortfall ended up becoming a supplement to Relay's diet, but easily the most successful. Later on, I found this really cute fire hydrant cookie cutter, and thought to try my hand at the pumpkin cookies a second time, this time with a purpose.

And you know what? It was a complete disaster. Oh my goodness what a mess. The cookie cutter was quickly abandoned and Jeff just started to make balls out of what I can only refer to as slop. Of course, Relay didn't find these as appealing, but I'm sure ate them to be polite.

We are participating in Kol's Notes' Tasty Tuseday Blog Hop. Be sure to stop on by to check out more dog friendly bites and visit some terrific blogs. 

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Quick Tip: Yours and Mine Chicken Salad

We had some fun with the 'Kitchen Sink' dog food, but I wanted to make a meal that would please everyone in the house. So, I tried my hand at a chicken salad. As neither Jeff nor Relay jumps at the chance to eat veggies, I wanted to hide as many as I could in their meal. 

Once again I used what vegitables I had in my fridge at the time: carrots, kale, and green beans. We had a roast chicken that I deboned and shredded and the dressing was a mix of mayonnaise, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and a bit of parsley (sorry to say I was out of yogurt). I did some research online first to ensure everything was pet safe, and surprisingly, this combo is actually very healthy for everyone.

Now Jeff will tell you that I can sometimes be a nut about presentation. For the people, I made a sandwich, piling the chicken salad on some spinach, sliced tomatoes, salt and pepper, and some red pepper aoli with a side of avocado and marinated mozzarella. For the poochies, it became a kibble topper with some extra shredded cheese.

Now what about that taste test? Jeff did not appreciate being tricked into eating 'grass' but he was cynically satisfied. And the pups? I actually didn't get to my camera fast enough to catch a good picture of them eating. So, I will call it a win.


We are participating in Kol's Notes' Tasty Tuseday Blog Hop. Be sure to stop on by to check out more dog friendly bites and visit some terrific blogs.

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Quick Tip: Homemade Liver Treats

Liver treats have long been a favorite of dog owners because of their health benefits and because dogs just love them. I tried my hand at making them myself, and I am proud to say that they were a success!

I started by boiling the liver a few minutes in water with stock (from Relay's stash). I then proceeded to slice them up thinly, placing them on a non-stick cookie sheet. I set the oven to 200, while keeping the door cracked open to allow the moisture out, and cooked for hours to the appropriate 'doneness' for my dog.

That's it! I chose to dry them out completely so that they could be an easy grab on the counter, but if your prefer to have them a little softer, just store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Enjoy, and check out our other treat recipes here.

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Quick Tip: Make your own jerky

I know I said I had other things to do, but I procrastinate

It is absolutely crazy how much I spend on dog treats, and for something as simple as jerky, I could never understand why the ingredients list would have more than one item listed. The internet is filled with various directions on how to make these, but I found my favorite on Green Earth Goodies. 

Harris Teeter was running a sale on boneless, skinless chicken breast for buy one get two free and seeing as we have a guest, I figured it would be a great reason to try this out. Directions on this couldn't be simpler: Lay skewers across an oven rack and drape thinly sliced meat over in a 200 degree oven. I placed a cookie sheet to under to catch the drippings and leave the door slightly ajar to allow the release of moister.  Bake for hours to find the right "doneness" for your dog.

To say these were a hit is an under statement. The boys loved them. And considering the recent recall in treats from China I am much more apt to find ways to feed my poochies better, and save some money in the process.

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Quick tip: My favorite homemade treat...Stock Cubes

My puppy loves ice cubes. Hands down the cheapest treat to give a dog. To bring that concept up a notch, this is my favorite homemade dog treat: Stock Cubes.

Here are the precise instructions, so make sure you pay close attention.

First, start off a scrap pile. After any roast chicken meal (here's my favorite) I put all the bones in a plastic bag. I like to cook with a lot of fresh vegetables which have odds and ends that would normally go in the trash. Put them in the bag. Keep this bag in the freezer until it is full. Once it's full, throw it all in a big pot, fill it with water. Boil.

Congrats!! You just made chicken stock. Let cool, strain, and pour into ice cube trays. Once frozen, throw them back in a ziploc bag and feel free to give them to your pet. (Check Relay's tail moving a mile a minute.)

Aren't you surprised you never thought about this yourself? Bones have the protein and calcium, the veggies have the vitamins, and it's all made from things you would have thrown out, so pat yourselves on the back for reusing. Compared to commercial stocks you buy at the store, this does not have all the extra sodium, preservatives, and ingredients you can't pronounce. They are mostly water, so low in calories and fat, you can give them to your pet without worrying about their weight.

Feel free to modify this in any way shape or form. Use what you have in the house. I even like to split the batch in half, and use one for my own cooking (where I can add some salt and spices) for just a touch more flavor than just using water.

**There are some foods you should avoid feeding your pups. Always check with your vet before changing your dog's diet. A good reference for foods harmful for pets is found on VetInfo.com. **

We are participating in Kol's Notes' Tasty Tuseday Blog Hop. Be sure to stop on by to check out more dog friendly bites and visit some terrific blogs.

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