How to make your own dog food! Easier than you think!

Last year when my fur baby, Trixie, died of cancer, I started to look other options for feeding my remaining dogs.  Commercial dog foods are filled with preservatives, dyes, and fillers .  You can't tell me that those ingredients are good for our beloved pets.  For further information , watch this YouTube video.  While they are promoting their dog food (I am in no way endorsing this product or any other) the information is correct about commercially made dog food. 

I began to search the internet and YouTube for recipes to make my own dog food.  I tweaked the recipe to fit my lifestyle and my dog's needs.  So I'm sharing with you my own recipe.

Homemade Dog Food

1 large roaster crock pot
3 lbs ground meat, hamburger, turkey, chicken, or lamb (you decide or mix and match)
2 cups brown rice
8 oz green beans
8 oz carrots
8 oz peas

NO CORN OR WHITE RICE OR PASTAS WHITE POTATOES.  DOGS CANNOT DIGEST THIS WELL

You can add in fresh vegetables instead of frozen.  You can add apples to this also.  Do not add any seasonings at all. They are not good for dogs and this is what you are trying to avoid.

Add about 2/3 water to crockpot.

Then add all other ingredients.  Set on low and cook for about 5 -6 hours.  Mash with potato masher from time to time.  If it looks like it may burn, add more water.

After it is done, mash and stir well.  Let cool completely.  Divide into freezer bags.  This will last about 4 days in the refrigerator thawed and in the freezer for 3 - 6 months.  This batch will feed 2 30 lb dogs for about 5 - 7 days.  Tailor the amount you feed your dog to his activity level.  Here's a food chart to help calculate.  http://www.natureslogic.com/dogs-feeding-chart/

I feed my 45 lb Border Collie about 2 1/2 cups a day.  I feed my 25 lb mini Australian Shepherd about 1 1/2 cups a day.  I feed my Chihuahua about 2/3 cup a day. 

My dogs love this food and it has been working well for them. It costs me about $10 - $12 a week to feed them this--not really much more than commercial dog food.    I hope this helps those of you who love your fur babies find an alternative, healthy way of feeding them.  Happy feeding.

Primitive Raggedy Ann Easter Bunny Costume Doll

 Up for sale on Ebay--made by ME!!!!  Follow the Link Below to purchase

Primitive Raggedy Bunny Doll

It's a New Year! Start it with some bread.

Wow.  Last year was a busy and trying one.  So much so that I have not been at this blog in months and months.  I want to change that and start working on it again. I love social media.  All of it.  It keeps us connected with the world around us.

I like Facebook but one of my pet peeves is when people share those wonderful recipes, you cannot post it onto Pinterest.  Facebook does not arrange things in any particular order except by time.  So even if you share a recipe, it is hard to find it ever again without looking through everything.

I love Pinterest.  You can arrange the great things and ideas you find onto boards and then have easy access to them.  I have tons of recipes.

I found a great one today on Facebook but once again, cannot pin it to Pinterest because it is not allowed.  So, I'm going to repost that recipe here for you.  And then pin it to Pinterest.  I haven't tried it yet but it looks and sounds yummy.  I would love to give credit to whomever shared it first, but I haven't the foggiest idea.  So I apologize if I stole someone's recipe.

Amish Cinnamon Bread

No kneading, you just mix it up and bake it!

Batter:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:
2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:
Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs. Add milk, flour, and baking soda. Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan). Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan. Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.
Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

When we all get to Heaven...Dog lovers will understand...

As I write this, my dog lays in my bedroom dying.  She is over fourteen years old and had several cancerous tumors removed this past year.  This time , her whole body is filled with cancer.  I took her to the vet this morning because she can barely walk.  I know she needs to be put down but I couldn't do it just yet.  My husband is out of town and I'm waiting for him to return.  The vet gave her heavy duty pain meds and she is now comfortably in LaLaland.  The vet said it is doubtful she will make it through the night.  My hope and prayer is that she passes while she is sleeping.  I do not want to have to take her back to the vet.  I want her to pass at her home with me by her side.  It's the least I can do.

I have always been a dog person.  When I was young, I would constantly drag home stray animals that my mother would promptly make me get rid of.  I love animals- all animals. Dogs, of course, have been my favorite.  They give what no one else on this earth can give--unconditional love.  No matter your mood , no matter how you treat a dog, he/she will still love you and be ecstatic when you arrive home.  You ca.n be gone 5 minutes or 5 months and that dog will be overjoyed to see you. You can look and feel like crap or you can be on top of the world --doesn't matter, the dog doesn't care.  They love you either way.

Trixie was a "replacement" dog.  I had just put my 16 year old Pomeranian mix dog to sleep and I needed a new dog for the kids.  We had another dog, Sunny,a yellow lab mix, and he needed a friend.  So I saw an ad in the paper for a border collie/aussie mix puppy-$50. Last one. Runt of the litter. Has blue eyes.  Sounded perfect.  And she was!

Trixie was my closest companion from that time on. When I walked she was my walking partner. She did laundry with me.  She did the dishes with me.  She made beds with me.  Heck, she went to the bathroom with me.  No matter where I was in the house or outside, she was there.

She loved the kids too.  In the wintertime, she loved tagging along while they went sledding.  They, on the other hand, were not too fond of her coming , since she would chase them down the hill and nip at their coats.  It was that herding instinct coming out.  We didn't have sheep, so Trixie used kids!

Trixie didn't love it when we left--even when it was for a few hours.  She suffered her entire life from separation anxiety.  She destroyed several screen doors and even ate our hot tub cover in retaliation for us leaving her behind.  We learned to lock her up in a safe room when we were gone.  Even as recently as a few months ago, my father stayed and watched the dogs while we were on a trip.  He said she paced the hallways waiting for me the whole time.

Trixie also hated fireworks and thunder.  She would shake with fear when thunder sounded.  And when we would try to light our own fireworks at Christmastime, she ran over to it, grabbed it with her mouth, and buried it in the snow.  We stopped doing fireworks after that.

My family and I have experienced a lot of death this past year.  My mother died in December.  My brother died in January.  And now my dog.  I wasn't ready for Trixie to pass a few months ago.  But I'm ready now.  It's not about me.  She has given everything for me.  And now it's about her and her needs.  She needs to not be in pain.  She needs to be free again.

Trixie has been the nicest, gentlest dog I have ever had.  Never has she growled or snarled at anyone.  You couldn't have asked for a better friend.

We are going to bury her in our backyard alongside her best friend, Sunny.  Sunny died a few years back.  When we buried Sunny, Trixie was right there.  My husband laid him in his grave and Trixie walked over and with her nose pushed dirt into his grave.  She mourned for days for Sunny.  She lost 11 pounds until my husband brought home another dog (Starbuck) which helped Trixie recover from her loss.  

I don't know if dogs go to heaven (though the movie says they do).  The Bible is not specific on that matter.  But if they do, Trixie will be there.  She will have the biggest crown any dog could have.

Saying goodbye to your best friend is tough. So I won't just yet. But it is only a matter of hours now. And so I say thank you , Trixie.  I couldn't have done it without you.

UPDATE:  My girl did in fact last through the night.  Her will to live and be my companion was astonishing.  At 11:30 am today, we had her humanely euthanized.  She rests by her best friend, Sunny. 

Extremely Easy Homemade Crock Pot Yogurt!!! Yes, you can!

I love yogurt--alot. But with rising grocery prices, the price of yogurt has also gone up.  Then thanks to Pinterest, I found several recipes to make your own yogurt.  I didn't even know you could.  Although most of the recipes weren't exactly difficult , they just didn't fit my needs.  I didn't want to buy special equipment like a yogurt maker or bring a  picnic cooler inside to set in my kitchen.  Just not convenient.  Then I found a recipe for making yogurt in my crock pot.  Bingo!! I have 3 crock pots because I do a lot of crock pot cooking.

Yesterday I tried out the recipe I found.  I was skeptical but hopeful.   Well I wasn't disappointed!  It not only works, it works quite well.  I may never buy store yogurt again.

I know from what I've read you can use any kind of milk you wish--raw, organic, or pasteurized. Whole milk is probably the best since it will create the creamiest yogurt but I suspect you can use 2%.  I just haven't tried it.

So here's the recipe:

Crock Pot Yogurt

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon whole milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt ( it has to be plain AND with active cultures--read the label)

Supplies needed:
1 crock pot
candy thermometer
beach towel
big spoon or ladle
2 quart size mason jars

Directions:

1.  Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into the crock pot, put on the lid,  and set it on high.  The milk must reach a temperature of 180 degrees F.  This took my crock pot about 2 hours.  Use the thermometer to check.

2.  Once the milk reaches 180 degrees, turn off the crock pot, take off the lid, and let the milk cool to 115 degrees F.  This took my crock pot about 4 hours (some may take longer it just depends on your house and climate).  Do NOT disturb the yogurt.

3.  Once it is cooled down to 115 degrees, I skimmed off the film that had formed and threw that away.  Then stir in the 1/2 cup of plain yogurt.  This is your culture.  Put the lid back on the crock pot and then wrap the crock pot in a beach towel.  You want the pot to remain warm in order for the yogurt to set. Leave the crock pot undisturbed for 12 hours.  Don't look at it or unwrap it.  That will result in runny yogurt.

4.  After twelve hours (I left mine overnight), put the whole crock (and the yogurt still undisturbed) into the refrigerator for 8 hours.

5.  After 8 hours, take the crock pot out, and scoop the yogurt into 2 quart mason jars.  Remember to keep out 1/2 cup of yogurt for another starter.

I added vanilla and sugar to my mason jars (no recipe--just to taste) because I love vanilla yogurt.  My yogurt was fairly firm when it was plain but did become a little runny once I added sugar.  I know some people have reported runny yogurt right from the get go but if that happens just run it through a cheesecloth to get the whey out.  I didn't have to do that but some people might.

Homemade yogurt is suppose to last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.  I haven't made it before so I will report later if this is true.

I gotta tell ya--the homemade yogurt was 10 times better than the store bought.  And cheaper!!  It basically costs you whatever a 1/2 gallon of whole milk costs.  And the cheapest I've ever found yogurt is $2 for a 32 ounce tub.  I paid $2.29 for the 1/2 gallon of whole milk and got 2 quarts of yogurt so that is still substantially cheaper. 

Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into your crock pot, set it to high, and heat the milk to 180°. My crock pot has a probe that will alert me when it reaches the set temp, but you can just check it occasionally with a candy thermometer. It takes approximately 2 hours. - See more at: http://realfoodenthusiast.com/easy-homemade-yogurt-in-the-crock-pot/#sthash.Fn0JpICP.dpuf

 Happy Culturing!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 24 hours

Yield: 2 Quarts

Ingredients

• ½ gallon whole milk
• ½ cup plain yogurt with live and active cultures
Supplies:
• Crock Pot
• Candy Thermometer
• Beach Towel
• Ladle
• Mason Jars
• Colander (optional)
• Cheesecloth (optional)

Directions

1. Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into your crock pot, set it to high, and heat the milk to 180°. My crock pot has a probe that will alert me when it reaches the set temp, but you can just check it occasionally with a candy thermometer. It takes approximately 2 hours.
2. Turn off crock pot, remove lid, and let the milk cool down to 115°. Do not disturb. This takes approximately 6 hours (varies widely depending on the temperature in your house).
3. Once the yogurt has cooled down to 115°, stir in ½ cup of plain yogurt. The temperature cannot be above 120° or it will kill the cultures in the yogurt.
4. Put the lid back on, make sure the crock pot is turned off and unplugged, and wrap the entire crock pot in a large beach towel. Leave out overnight, undisturbed.
5. The next morning, remove the towel and transfer the crock pot to the refrigerator, do not disturb the yogurt. Chill for about 8 hours.
6. Optional Step If your yogurt isn’t thick enough for your preference, strain off some of the whey. Line a colander with a cheesecloth and set in the sink or in a large bowl. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth, cover, and let it strain until it reaches your preferred consistency.
7. Ladle the yogurt into mason jars and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Don’t forget to save ½ cup of the yogurt to use as your starter next time!

- See more at: http://realfoodenthusiast.com/easy-homemade-yogurt-in-the-crock-pot/#sthash.Fn0JpICP.dpuf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 24 hours

Yield: 2 Quarts

Ingredients

• ½ gallon whole milk
• ½ cup plain yogurt with live and active cultures
Supplies:
• Crock Pot
• Candy Thermometer
• Beach Towel
• Ladle
• Mason Jars
• Colander (optional)
• Cheesecloth (optional)

Directions

1. Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into your crock pot, set it to high, and heat the milk to 180°. My crock pot has a probe that will alert me when it reaches the set temp, but you can just check it occasionally with a candy thermometer. It takes approximately 2 hours.
2. Turn off crock pot, remove lid, and let the milk cool down to 115°. Do not disturb. This takes approximately 6 hours (varies widely depending on the temperature in your house).
3. Once the yogurt has cooled down to 115°, stir in ½ cup of plain yogurt. The temperature cannot be above 120° or it will kill the cultures in the yogurt.
4. Put the lid back on, make sure the crock pot is turned off and unplugged, and wrap the entire crock pot in a large beach towel. Leave out overnight, undisturbed.
5. The next morning, remove the towel and transfer the crock pot to the refrigerator, do not disturb the yogurt. Chill for about 8 hours.
6. Optional Step If your yogurt isn’t thick enough for your preference, strain off some of the whey. Line a colander with a cheesecloth and set in the sink or in a large bowl. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth, cover, and let it strain until it reaches your preferred consistency.
7. Ladle the yogurt into mason jars and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Don’t forget to save ½ cup of the yogurt to use as your starter next time!

- See more at: http://realfoodenthusiast.com/easy-homemade-yogurt-in-the-crock-pot/#sthash.Fn0JpICP.dpuf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 24 hours

Yield: 2 Quarts

Ingredients

• ½ gallon whole milk
• ½ cup plain yogurt with live and active cultures
Supplies:
• Crock Pot
• Candy Thermometer
• Beach Towel
• Ladle
• Mason Jars
• Colander (optional)
• Cheesecloth (optional)

Directions

1. Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into your crock pot, set it to high, and heat the milk to 180°. My crock pot has a probe that will alert me when it reaches the set temp, but you can just check it occasionally with a candy thermometer. It takes approximately 2 hours.
2. Turn off crock pot, remove lid, and let the milk cool down to 115°. Do not disturb. This takes approximately 6 hours (varies widely depending on the temperature in your house).
3. Once the yogurt has cooled down to 115°, stir in ½ cup of plain yogurt. The temperature cannot be above 120° or it will kill the cultures in the yogurt.
4. Put the lid back on, make sure the crock pot is turned off and unplugged, and wrap the entire crock pot in a large beach towel. Leave out overnight, undisturbed.
5. The next morning, remove the towel and transfer the crock pot to the refrigerator, do not disturb the yogurt. Chill for about 8 hours.
6. Optional Step If your yogurt isn’t thick enough for your preference, strain off some of the whey. Line a colander with a cheesecloth and set in the sink or in a large bowl. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth, cover, and let it strain until it reaches your preferred consistency.
7. Ladle the yogurt into mason jars and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Don’t forget to save ½ cup of the yogurt to use as your starter next time!

- See more at: http://realfoodenthusiast.com/easy-homemade-yogurt-in-the-crock-pot/#sthash.Fn0JpICP.dpuf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 24 hours

Yield: 2 Quarts

Ingredients

• ½ gallon whole milk
• ½ cup plain yogurt with live and active cultures
Supplies:
• Crock Pot
• Candy Thermometer
• Beach Towel
• Ladle
• Mason Jars
• Colander (optional)
• Cheesecloth (optional)

Directions

1. Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into your crock pot, set it to high, and heat the milk to 180°. My crock pot has a probe that will alert me when it reaches the set temp, but you can just check it occasionally with a candy thermometer. It takes approximately 2 hours.
2. Turn off crock pot, remove lid, and let the milk cool down to 115°. Do not disturb. This takes approximately 6 hours (varies widely depending on the temperature in your house).
3. Once the yogurt has cooled down to 115°, stir in ½ cup of plain yogurt. The temperature cannot be above 120° or it will kill the cultures in the yogurt.
4. Put the lid back on, make sure the crock pot is turned off and unplugged, and wrap the entire crock pot in a large beach towel. Leave out overnight, undisturbed.
5. The next morning, remove the towel and transfer the crock pot to the refrigerator, do not disturb the yogurt. Chill for about 8 hours.
6. Optional Step If your yogurt isn’t thick enough for your preference, strain off some of the whey. Line a colander with a cheesecloth and set in the sink or in a large bowl. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth, cover, and let it strain until it reaches your preferred consistency.
7. Ladle the yogurt into mason jars and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Don’t forget to save ½ cup of the yogurt to use as your starter next time!

- See more at: http://realfoodenthusiast.com/easy-homemade-yogurt-in-the-crock-pot/#sthash.Fn0JpICP.dpuf

Primitives for Sale!!!!

I still have Mrs. Hop and Raggedy Anne for sale. I have also added a new raggedy anne .  Use the BUY NOW buttons at the right to purchase these items.  You must have a Paypal account.  Thank you so much. 

RAGGEDY ANNE:  13 inches tall and made from 100% cotton.  Tea and vanilla stained.  All hand stitched by me!!!  She is $15 plus shipping costs.

MRS. HOP:  She is a prim bunny.  Vanilla and tea stained and all handstitched by me.  $10 plus shipping costs.

RAGGEDY ANNE WITH EGGPLANT HAIR:  She is 16 inches tall and made from 100% muslin.  She is vanilla and tea stain and incredibly cute!  $15 plus shipping costs.

Chapter 2--Confusion and Chaos--What next after that diagnosis of autistic-like

"In the Beginning" was my first installment of my son's journey through Autism-that journey through the hundred acre woods.  You can find that chapter at the beginning of my blog.  I have had much going on in my life since I started this blog and until now have not had an opportunity to continue to write about Caleb's journey.

His journey is all the whole family's journey so please --be patient!!

Caleb was first diagnosed as Austic-like when he was 2 1/2 years old.  I didn't mention that in the first chapter of this saga.  It was confusing to have your child diagnosed as autistic-like.  It's like having them diagnosed as being boy -like or blonde-like or blind-like. It was 1992 and Autism did not have the momentum or exposure that it does today.  The pediatric neurologist that diagnosed Caleb had had very little experience with Autism and therefore was not sure and was also reluctant to stick a label on Caleb (those were his words).  For me, it was not helpful.

First of all, I had no idea what autism was.  I had watched "Rain Man" but Dustin Hoffman portrayed a grown man.  Caleb was only 2 1/2 and didn't behave like the character that was portrayed in the movie.

There was no internet in those days.  I couldn't just run and google the word "autism".  Fortunately, the early intervention workers that had come to work with Caleb gave me the address of the Autism Society of America.  I wrote them and received information back from them.  In that information was not only a definition of autism but a booklet that had been compiled of other parents' stories.  Those stories are where I found the most information and the most solace.

As I read and delved into this world called autism, I found out one thing-- Caleb was not autistic-like.  Caleb had autism.  There was no "like" about it.  Though Caleb made good eye contact with me, he did not make eye contact with anyone else.  He didn't speak.  He focused on objects and found great pleasure in twirling and spinning them.  He also did not play with toys in a normal manner.  His idea of play was lining up his toys in front of himself and doing a strange dance around them.  When spoken to, Caleb never made any indication that he heard or understood.  And though he never came when his name was called, he did come when his favorite cartoon came on the tv. He also knew how to operate the VCR and would rewind his favorite cartoon over and over and over again.

Caleb's favorite cartoon was Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.  And as time progressed he became obsessed with all things Pooh.  He collected Poohs, he looked at books about Pooh, and he watched cartoons about Pooh.  Caleb lived in the hundred acre woods.  As a side note--Caleb is 23 now and he still lives in the hundred acre woods.  This is his room.

With the knowledge that Caleb was indeed autistic, I knew I needed a formal diagnosis for him as he was soon turning three and would be entering the public school system.  Unfortunately that diagnosis would have to wait.  I was 8 months pregnant awaiting the birth of our daughter , Hannah.

For the first six months after Hannah was born, I did not have time to think about Caleb's autism and his need to have a formal diagnosis.  I was feeling slightly overwhelmed by having three children under the age of 5, two of who were in diapers. Caleb was not even close to being potty trained and frankly at that point in time I didn't even care.  I was barely treading water and felt like I was sinking fast.  So Caleb's diagnosis would have to wait.

Finally in May of 1993, my husband and I were able to take Caleb San to Francisco to receive a formal diagnosis.  My parents watched the other two children as we loaded up the car and began the long drive.

After much research, I had decided that the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute in San Francisco would be the best place to take Caleb and have him diagnosed.  There were many doctors there who were leading experts in the field of Autism at that time. After a long time spent observing him, the doctors came back with a diagnosis and  recommendations for our school district. Caleb was in fact moderately autistic and mildly retarded.  That was their diagnosis.

I have to tell you, I never agreed with the mildly retarded part.  I still don't.  How do you separate the two?  Without the autism, would Caleb have still been retarded?  Over the years, I can tell you--NO.  Caleb would prove his intelligence over and over and over again as the years progressed.  At that time , though, I resented the added diagnosis of mental retardation and would never address it.

Chapter 3 in this saga will be continued later.....