Bacon and Chicken Dog Birthday Cake

It was Lilly's birthday this past week and I was so excited because she came home and I got to see her! I wanted to make her a special cake! Now she loves bacon so I thought this would be the perfect cake for her! We have in the past gotten them from places like Three Dogs Bakery however she was not a fan of them so I gave it a try and let me tell you it was a huge it!

Ingredients:

- 3 Cups Flour

- 1 tablespoon baking powder

- 1 stick of butter(softened)

- 6 eggs

- 1/2 cup of oil(corn or vegetable)

- 2 jars of Chicken Baby Food Sticks

- Non Fat Plain Yogurt- amount varies, used as icing

- Crispy Bacon Bits- 1 cup for cake, and extra for topping

How To:

- Mix the flour with the baking powder.

- Add butter, oil, eggs and mix well.

-Cut chicken sticks into tiny pieces, then add to mix.

-Add in bacon pieces, and finish mixing.

Getting ready to put it in the oven!

- Place in oven at 350'F for 20 minutes

- Let cool and then "frost" with yogurt. Then add Bacon pieces on top if you would like.

All done getting ready to give it to the Birthday Girl!

Erin getting ready to serve Lilly her cake!

As you can see it was gone rather fast and she loved it!!!

Oatmeal No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

I found a few different recipes for this and I put them together and made my own and they turned out amazing! I would have to say they are my new favorite thing to snack on. Super easy to make and hardly any mess. 

Ingredients

- 1 Cup Flaxseed

- 1 Cup Rice Krispy

- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips

- 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

- 2 Cups Oats

- 2/3 Cups Honey

- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla 

How To

- Combine all ingredients into large mixing bowl - I did the Peanut Butter and Honey last it seemed to work the best

- Mix for 3-4 minutes until everything is mixed well together

- Place bowl in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes so it will harden

- Roll into balls and enjoy!

- When not eating keep in refrigerator to keep fresh!

Let me know how you and your family like them - they were a big hit with Kevin and me.

Cheesy Dog Treats

I found this on Paula Deen's web page and thought we would also give them a try since I know they love love cheese. They I would have to say smelled the best going into the oven  and I think they will be the favorite overall.

Ingredients

1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup all Wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 cup water

How To

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- In a large bowl, mix cheese with oil. 

- Stir in flour, dry milk, and salt until blended.

- Add water and knead until dough comes together. 

- Roll out the dough and cut into shapes or like I always do I placed it in the brownie pan for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!

Gimme Kisses Cookies

The next set that we worked on were called Gimme Kisses Cookies. I am not sure how they will go over with them.  They are the ones I am sending down as the "odd ball" due to they don't really have anything they really love in it. I will let you know what they think of them.

More treats for us!

INGREDIENTS

2 C. whole wheat flour

1 C. rolled oats

1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes or fresh parsley

2 large eggs

1/2 C. water

1/2 C. non-fat dry milk

1 C. peanut butter

INSTRUCTIONS

- Preheat oven to 300'

- In large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients then in a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly add in water and peanut putter butter.

- Gently add the wet to the dry ingredients

- Then you can roll out the dough and cut into different shape or as I have done in the past placed in my brownie pan for about 20-30 min.

Enjoy!!!

Peanut Butter / Banana Dog Treats

I am still working on sending treats down south. Today I worked on different kinds, the first was a Peanut Butter / Banana combination.  I know they like Peanut Butter so I think this on will go over well with them. The trick with this one is that is has flax seed in it. When I was reading the ingredients I had no idea what is was or where to find it. While looking at the local Hy-Vee we found it in the Organic section and they have many different kinds to pick from. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ banana
• ⅓ cup peanut butter - creamy
• 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
• ¼ cup almond milk 

How to:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

- Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

- Mix ingredients together thoroughly using a mixer until well combined.

- Like have done on the last two posts, I used my "brownie pan" so they would all be even.  As I have said before you can roll them out and then use cookie cutters if you want them in different shapes.

- Place on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cheddar and Applesauce Dog Biscuits

Second batch that I will be sending south to my favorite four legged friends are Cheddar and Applesauce Biscuits. I know that they love cheese however they don't have that much in it and with the mix of applesauce I hope they go over well with them.

What is needed -

- 2 tablespoons water

- 3 tablespoons applesauce (I just bought one jar of baby food)

- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

How to make Cheddar and Applesauce Biscuits -

- Place all ingredients in large mixing bowl

- Mix well and then you can cut them how ever you would like, I placed them in a brownie pan just like I did for the Sweet Potato Dog Treats.

- Place on oven at 350' for about 10-15 minutes and then let them cool for about an hour so they will harden.

Sweet Potato Treats

My sister and her boyfriend, Nick, both have four legged friends that I love love to spoil!!! As Lilly knows and Bailey is coming to find out when I am around they get lots of belly rubbing and more then usual treats. Also around the holidays get their fair share of gifts in the giving as well. After looking on Pinterest I (with Kevin's help) decided that I was going to make them some homemade treats and ship them down. I am also going to try and make Lilly a frozen Birthday cake when she is back in Iowa to see me next - I know scary. I will let you know how it comes out!

For the Sweet Potato Treats you will need the following - 

-Whole Wheat Flower

- 2 4oz. jars of Sweet Potato Baby Food

How To-

- Empty the Sweet Potato Baby Food and 2 cups of Whole Wheat Flower until mixed well together. 

- Next on a lightly flowed area Knead dough.

- I like to use a brownie pan so they all come out the same size and they don't fight however you can cut them into different shapes if you would like.

- Place in oven at 350'F for about 20-25 Minutes.

Then let you pup enjoy!

I will be sending mine off in a box in a few days - let me know how your pup likes them if you decide to try and I will let you know if "my" dogs like them!

Lent

I am going to let you all know that I am not Catholic. Never have been, and was not raised that way. However growing up my father was and during Lent my sister and I wanted to partake in a mostly Catholic tradition to "give something up," as most people say. It has stuck with us over the years and I think even if you are not Catholic it is something good to practice, especially with a world of social media and having everything at our fingertips and with the American debt growing out of control because of the "just charge it and pay it back later" mindset. Also who has time for a home cooked meal anymore we are always on the run so lets stop at McDonalds on the way why we take one kid to soccer and the other to gymnastics and we have to hit our social club. We just need to take a moment, if just for a few weeks, and step back and see what we can live without. It could change your life forever and for the better. I know it has happened to me....

   When I was younger I used to drink pop on a regular basis. Come home from school have a can. With dinner open a new one up, and have one after dinner if I was still a little thirsty. Never really liked or wanted water. - Disclaimer this would be Middle School Years - I thought I could not live without the stuff. Until one Lent I decided I was going to give it up see what it was like to drink something else for a change. I have not looked back. I drink water 98% of the time now. My body loves it, craves it, needs it. If and when I drink pop I usually can't drink a whole can fast and it usually has to be Sprite. This was an amazing change, I thought I HAD to have something in reality it was a mind game. That is why this Lent season I will be giving up White Bread. Now if you know me you know how much I love my bagels, toast ect. I am hoping this will have the same effect. 

What will you be "giving up this season?"

Lemon Plant

I saw on pinterest how to do a lemon plant so I thought I would give it a try in the cup that Kevin and I made on our date night a few months back. Well it has been growing strong and can't wait to show you all! This is how you would do it...

1. Collect lemon seeds and you will want to soake them in water for a few night to get the coating off you will need about 20-30 seeds.

 2. After they are "soft" peel off the coating to just get the seed out.

3. Then take the cup / planter and fill almost to the top till you have about one inch left, and then place the seeds in a circle. I did one small one and then a larger one around the outside.

4. After that then place small rocks on top, NOT dirt. 

5. Water 2-3 times per week in the start.

My plant just starting out.

My plant today! Growing strong!!!