Dog Food

 My sweet dog has decided she doesn't like her store bought food anymore.  In all honesty, this has been going on for a few months now.  I decided to make her dog food.  It's so much healthier for her and I know what's in it.  This recipe can easily be double, tripled or quadrupled.  I have a small dog so, I only make one batch at a time.  You can also freeze part of it and refrigerate a few days worth.  My 8 pound dog gets 1/2 cup per day.  She also gets snacks throughout the day and I keep dry food in her bowl, in case she gets hungry (she rarely eats it).  It may not look pretty, but she loves it.

DOG FOOD:

(makes around 12 cups)

Ingredients:

*1 pound ground turkey, chicken, or lean beef

*1/3 cup chicken liver, cut into small pieces

*1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cooked (I steam mine)

*3 medium carrots, peeled and cooked (I steam mine)

*1 large egg

*1 (15 ounce) can French cut green beans (or frozen)

*1 (15 ounce) can peas or spinach (or frozen)

*3 cups cooked white rice

*1/4 teaspoon turmeric  

*dash of pepper

Directions:

~Mash or cut into small pieces (or mash) one medium cooked sweet potatoes and 3 medium cooked carrots in a large bowl.

~Stir in 1 large egg while mixture is still hot.

~Drain 1 (16 ounce) can French cut green beans and 1 (16 ounce) can peas.

~Stir into potato and carrot mixture.

~Stir in 3 cups of cooked white rice (while still hot).

~Stir in 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and a dash of pepper.

~In a large skillet drizzle a little olive oil when pan it hot.

~Add in 1 pound ground turkey, chicken, or lean ground beef and 1/3 cup of chopped chicken livers and cook until done.

~Stir into veggie and rice mixture.

~Allow to cool and then measure into bags (for my small dog it's 1/2 cup per bag) and seal.

~Refrigerate or freeze (mixture is good in the refrigerator for 1 week and good in the freezer for at least 3 months.

Dog Birthday Cake

 Well of course your puppy needs a birthday cake.  My pup shared her cake with her neighbor friends.

DOG BIRTHDAY CAKE

(makes 2 small cakes)

Cake Ingredients:

*2 ripe bananas

*1 egg, beaten

*2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter

*2 cups water

*1 tablespoon baking powder

*3 cups old fashioned oats (or oat flour)

Frosting Ingredients:

*1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter

Cake Directions:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~In a large bowl, mash 2 bananas.

~Stir in 1 beaten egg and 2 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter.

~Stir in 2 cups water.

~In a blender, add 2 tablespoons baking powder and 3 cups old fashioned and blend until oats become a powder.

~Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated.

~Pour mixture into 2 small 6 inch cake pans (or 1 8x8 inch pan).

~Bake for 20 minutes. 

~Remove from pan and allow to cool.

Frosting Directions:

~Spread 1/8 cup peanut butter over top of sone of the cakes.

~Place the 2nd cake on top of the first cake.

~Spread the remaining 1/8 cup of peanut butter over the top of the cake.

Dog Biscuits

 I use a silicone mold for mine, but you can roll the dough out and use a cookie cutter.   This recipe is easy to cut in half or double in size.  For the oat flour I just put "old fashion oatmeal" into my blender and blend it until it's flour.

DOG BISCUITS

(amount will depend on the size of your cookie cutter)

Ingredients:

*2 cups oat flour (can use whole wheat)

*1 cup cooked, cooled, and mashed sweet potatoes 

*1/2 cup natural peanut butter

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

~Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cookie spray (unless using a mold).

~Mix 1 cup cooked sweet potatoes and 1/2 cup peanut butter together until smooth.

~Stir in 2 cups oat flour until well combined

~Roll out dough between two pieces of wax paper,  to about 1/2 inch thick (or press into mold)

~Place on prepared pan (I put my a mold and place on cookie sheet).

~Bake for 13-16 minutes, depended on how crunchy to want them.

~Remove from oven and cool completely.

~Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer to make it last longer.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cookies (for dogs)

 I make these small, but you can make them a little large for big dogs.  My dog goes nuts for these.  You can easily cut this recipe in half or double it.

PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN COOKIES

(makes 30-50)

Ingredients:

*1 cup natural creamy peanut butter

*2/3 cup pumpkin puree

*2 large eggs

*2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (use oat flour if your dog has allergies to wheat)

*2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

*1 teaspoon turmeric

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner (or spray with cooking spray).

~In a large bowl, 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter, 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, and 2 large eggs together.

~Sift 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon tumbril into peanut butter mixture.

~Stir until well combined.

~Scoop 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of dough into hand and roll into a ball (I make the 1 teaspoon size).

~Place on prepared pan.

~Take a fork a gently press making a criss cross pattern (I dip my fork into water to prevent sticking).

~Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

~Remove from oven and allow to cool.

~Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for 3 months.

Himalayan Yak Cheese Chews

My grand-dog loves these.  Next time I wouldn't cut them so short.

HIMALAYAN YAK CHEESE CHEWS

(makes 6-10)

Ingredients:

*1 gallon skim milk (yes it should be skim)

*3/4 cup lemon or lime juice

*1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

Directions:

~Heat 1 gallon milk and 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt in a large heavy bottom pot over medium-low het, stirring often.

~Bring to a strong simmer (190-200 degrees).

~Remove from heat and gently stir in 3/4 cup lemon or lime juice until curds start to form.

~Place a mesh strainer over a bowl and place some cheese cloth in  strainer.

~Strain out curds into cheesecloth.

~Wrap cheesecloth around curds and gently squeeze any excess liquid.

~Form the cheese curds into a rectangle about 1-inch thick (cheesecloth still wrapped around it).

~Place on a cookie sheets and then place another cookie sheet over it.

~Add something heavy over top cookie sheet and allow to sit for 4-5 hours.

~Remove cheesecloth from cheese.

~Cut into desired size chews (make sure you don't make them to small).

~Bake for 40 minutes, flipping them half way through.

~Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

~Allow to dry out and harden up for 3 days, turning everyday.

~Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze to last longer.

Tuna-Cheese Dog Treats

 These are great for training treats, because you can cut them so small.   I put about 1 weeks worth in the refrigerator (they are good for about 1 week).  The rest I bag and store in the freezer.

TUNA-CHEESE DOG TREATS

Ingredients:

*2 (4 ounce cans or packets) tuna fish in water (or chicken)

*2 large eggs

*1 cup whole wheat flour (use oat flour if your dog has wheat allergies)

*1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~In a large bowl whisk 2 (4 ounce) cans tunafish with water (do not drain) and 2 large eggs together until well combined.

~Stir in 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

~Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

~Spread mixture out onto prepared pan to about 1/2 inch thick.

~Bake for 40 minutes.

~Remove from oven and cut treats into small bite size pieces.

~Return to oven for 5 minutes (I skip this step, because the puppy likes soft treats).

~Remove from oven and allow to cool.

~Refrigerate in an air-tight container (or in freezer).