Savory Beef Left Over Cookies

    If you follow my blog, you know I hate to waste. I try to use every bit of leftovers from our home. Whether it's feeding our dogs raw diets, or freezing them to use in pet recipes. Over the weekend, I created a new recipe. I took some savory beef scraps and drippings from a roast. I want to share this with you because my girls went bonkers for these and I know your fur babies will too!

Savory Beef Left Over Cookies

    Back home, our loved ones raise farm animals for meat. When we were moving, they stocked up our freezer with grass fed beef and pork. (We have amazing family!) Last week, I cooked up a hearty beef roast. I took the drippings from the crock pot and froze them, as well as scraps from the roast that we didn't eat. I knew these would make fantastic cookies for our dogs. Using just a few other ingredients that I had in the pantry, I whipped some tasty vittles. Are you ready to get started?

What You Need:

• Cooked Beef Scraps (I'm not one to measure when I cook or bake. My best guess was about half a cup of shredded beef)
• Beef Drippings (I used about a 1/4 of a cup.)
• 1 cup of Oats
• 1 cup of Flour
• 1/4 cup of Water
• 1/4 cup of Applesauce (unsweetened, but cinnamon in it is fine.)
• 1/4 cup of diced (cooked) green beans

PREHEAT OVEN to 400°

    Normally, I used my Ninja and blend up the meat and veg, however, that somehow ended up in the attic. I actually didn't even find it until Sunday afternoon. (Thank goodness because I love that thing!) So I just sliced and tore up the beef. Then I cut the green beans into smaller pieces.

    Add in the beef drippings, water, and applesauce. Mix well. Next you'll add the oats, and stir. Lastly, add your flour a little at a time. Once you get a thick dough, you're ready for baking. I lightly greased my cookie sheet. Then, using a tablespoon, I dropped dough onto to pan. (I didn't use the entire tablespoon, so if you want a measurement, I would say the cookies are about half of a tablespoon.)

    Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool, and let your fur babies enjoy! You can store these in the fridge for a week or so. Since there's no preservatives, I freeze mine. I take out a few each morning to thaw. They last that way for months.

Yields approximately 3 dozen

Time Flies When You're Eating Well!

   I can't believe it's been thirty days since switching my dogs to a raw diet. Time surely does fly when you're (moving and) and eating well! My girls are so in love with their Stella & Chewy's raw food, that they wouldn't know what to do without it!

Time Flies When You're Eating Well!

    A month ago I started slowly introducing my girls to a new raw diet. If you remember correctly, I chose the Venison from Stella & Chewy's. Since animals tummies can get upset if you just up and switch their diet, we started gradually feeding the raw food.

24 days into the diet....we were in the process of packing to move south....however, look how nice she looks!

    At first I gave them a small amount. Josie was started on about two and a half patties in the evening, while Bayleigh got eight to ten. During this time, they also had their normal dry kibble. Of course, they went for the venison first. Once that was gone, they whined, barked, and paced for more venison. When they realized that was all they were getting, they reluctantly ate their typical kibble.

You can serve the patties dry with water on the side, or add water and make a nice soft, and tasty meal!

Fast Forward Thirty Days

    Both of my girls are on just the raw diet. Dinner time is their favorite time of day! They gobble it right down! I noticed Josie's skin seems less itchy and irritated. Which is great because her hot spots are starting to heal up. (The gluten in typical foods wreaks havoc on her skin.)

We moved, so excuse the mess....but look! NO RIBS SHOWING!

    Bayleigh has started to fill out nicely, and I can't count every rib in her body. She looks so much more healthy. I no longer fear someone will report me to our local ASPCA for starving her. My girls give the Stella & Chewy's Raw Diet foods "two paws up," and our family definitely recommends this diet to other pet parents as well. We get ours right from Chewy.com along with our treats, medicines, and all other pet products.

I’m getting tired of the same old dinners. This week I was thawing two pounds of burger, and wondering what to do with it. This is what I came up with, and it was a hit with my entire family. (Sans Liam because he has too many food aversions.)

One Skillet Cheeseburger Mac

This ten ingredient recipe is easy and can be made right in one skillet. (That’s huge for me because I personally loathe washing dishes.) I actually had all of the ingredients on hand, and you probably do as well. So are you ready to get started?

(This recipe makes enough for about four people. I doubled it when I made it, and it fed six adults with three meals worth of leftovers.)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
  
  
• 8 ounces of elbow macaroni
  
  
• 2 cups of shredded cheese (I used Sharp)
  
  
• 1 ½ cups of broth (Beef or chicken will work. I used chicken and it was fantastic!)
  
  
• 1 ½ cups of milk
  
  
• 3 tbsp Ketchup
  
  
• 2 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
  
  
• 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
  
  
• ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
  
  
• ¼ tsp Onion Powder
  
  

In large pot or skillet, brown your beef. If you’re using 90/10 or 80/20,
leave the grease drippings in the pot. Otherwise, drain it because you don’t
want an over abundance of grease. Next stir in the broth, milk, ketchup,
mustard, and seasonings. Then add your elbow mac. Stir well, and bring
to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer until the mac is cooked. Lastly, add
in the shredded cheese and mix well. Let stand to thicken a few minutes, and serve.

I didn't get a lot of good pictures, because my family woofed this dinner down too fast!

That’s all there is to it. This cheesy goodness is packed full of flavor.
My family already asked me when I plan to make it again. Then my sister
asked for the recipe, for herself and her hubby. So I know it’s a winner!
Try it and let me know what you think!

Chicken Chews for Your Furry Friend

    I created a new tasty recipe for my girls today. I have to tell you, they could barely wait for me to get them out of the oven and cooled! These Chicken Chews are a huge hit here and I know your fur baby is going to love them too!

Chicken Chews for Your Furry Friend

    My husband used to give me the weirdest looks when I was cleaning up from dinners. Any meat that wasn't super seasoned, I would grind up in my food processor. Then I would put it in containers and freeze it. I even do this when I'm packaging up bulk meat. I take all the scraps, and fattier parts, cook them, then blend the drippings and meat. When thawed, these ingredients make for amazing all natural pet cookies. And best yet, nothing is going to waste that you have spent your hard earned money on! 

    Today's recipe is Chicken Chews. The main ingredient is cooked chicken. I froze it in a baby food jar, and since it was packed so tight, that four ounces almost filled a one cup measuring cup. So that's going to be the bulk of these natural treats. Let's get the rest of our ingredients!

Ingredients:

• cooked and blended chicken
• 1 container of Apple Chicken Baby Food
• 2/3 cup of Kind Cinnamon Oat Granola Clusters
• 2/3 cup of Flour
• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 2 tbsp Water

Let's Get Baking!

    Those are the only six ingredients you will need. Preheat your oven to 400°. Mix them all up in a bowl. Then spoon them out onto a greased cookie sheet. (I do about a teaspoon for each cookie.) Bake for ten minutes. I let mine cool and freeze them. Remember, there are NO preservatives in these natural treats, so their shelf life is short. You can store them in the fridge for a week, or months in the freezer. I just take two out each day for my girls.

Recipe yields about 3 dozen teaspoon sized cookies.

Easy DIY Pineapple Cheesecake Pops

    We're on a ice pop kick here in this house thanks to our new Lebice popsicle molds. Liam's bestie and I wanted to create an easy no bake cheesecake recipe, and in doing so, we came up with these Pineapple Cheesecake Pops. They are FANTABULOUS!

Easy DIY Pineapple Cheesecake Pops

    Abs was showing me Musical.ly videos where people were creating no bake cheesecake from scratch. I saw what they were using and decided we should give it a go. It was super easy, and only took a few ingredients. The following recipe filled all six of our popsicle molds with just a teeny bit left over. If you double it, you should have plenty of filling to fill a premade graham cracker crust. So let's get started!

What You'll Need

• Popsicle Molds or Pre Made Crust (We used these ones from Lebice.)
• 1 package (8 ounces) of cream cheese
• 1 envelope of Knox Unflavored Gelatin
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 can of pineapple

Let's Get Mixing!

    First, start your water to boil. While that is heating up, combine your Knox and sugar in a bowl. Mix it well. Pour in your boiling water and stir until all of the Knox and sugar is dissolved. In a separate bowl, beat your cream cheese and vanilla. Next, gradually add in the gelatin mix. In a blender or food processor, blend up your pineapple, and then fold it into your cream cheese mix.

     Fill your popsicle molds evenly with the top edge. Now put on the bottoms, and place them in the freezer. In a few hours, you will have perfect pineapple cheesecake pops. For added bougie goodness, roll them in some crushed up graham crackers before serving. (If you're having a problem removing them from the mold, let them set a bit longer, then run them under hot water to release.)

    If you're filling a pie, just pour the mixture into the crust, and put it in the fridge until firm. That's it. That's all there is to this recipe, and it's divine! 

American Made, Tasty Treats for Your Dogs

    If you're a pet owner, you've probably heard about not giving your dogs treats from outside of America. So today I want to tell you about some tasty treats that your dogs will love.

"Mom, stop taking pictures, and give me these treats!"

American Made 

    If you're wondering why you should only give your dog American made treats, the answer is simple. The Food and Drug Administration. The FDA regulates our foods, as well as the foods and treats that we give our dogs. However, they can only regulate the items that are made right here in our country. Thus the reason we should only give our fur babies food and treats made right here. Besides, it also helps our economy.

Tasty Treats for Your Dogs

    One of my girls' favorite treats are from American Journey. Well, I shouldn't say one, because they have a bunch of different flavors, and my fur daughters love them all. You can choose from Peanut Butter, Chicken, Lamb, Salmon, and Turkey. They're currently noshing on their Peanut Butter ones, and they just got a bag of the Lamb recipe too.

    Using real lamb as the number one ingredient, they then add in yummy veggies and fruits. There's sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, blueberries and apples. I don't know about you, but that sounds amazing to me!

American Journey

    American Journey has a full line of treats and foods for your canine and feline besties. They offer grain free meals and treats that have no preservatives, artificial colors, flavors, and no poultry by products. You can choose from dry meals, or canned dog or even cat food. They also have crunchy treats, or jerky treats for your canine besties! All made with quality ingredients, right here in the United States of America!

This is Josie. She's asking for MORE American Journey treats!

Get them at Chewy.com

     As with all of the products that we purchase for our fur daughters (and fur granddaughter) we get our American Journey treats from Chewy.com. They have a wide selection of items for pets of all kinds. Their prices are amazing and their customer service is fantastic!

Follow via  /  Facebook  /  Twitter  /  Instagram  /  YouTube  /

Tasty, Healthy and Easy Treats for Kids and Pets This Easter

    The final countdown to Easter is on! (Is it just me, or do you hear Europe singing that to you?) Anyway! The other day I was rummaging through my cupboards for what I could make my fur girls for Easter, when I stumbled upon the simplest idea! These tasty treats are not only easy to make but they're healthy, and safe for your kids, and your fur kids!

(Just in case you didn't hear Europe singing to you, here.... and you're welcome!)

Tasty, Healthy and Easy Treats for Kids and Pets This Easter

    Homemade yogurt bites! Simple, yet yummy! And your kids won't even realize they're good for them! You can make them in fun shapes with candy molds. If you don't have molds, or don't have time, you can make them as drops on a cookie sheet! 

    Not only will your children love them, but pets will gobble them up too! If you have both dogs and cats, then you'll be happy to know that these treats are safe for all of them. In moderation of course! (Especially if you use flavored fruit yogurt.) So let's make some!

What Do I Need?

    First and foremost, you need yogurt. Any flavor, any brand will do. I used strawberry banana, but I also make these by mixing plain yogurt with peanut butter. (We call it pup cream, and its what we treat our fur girls with on hot summer days.) 

One part plain yogurt, and one part peanut butter, makes these creamy snacks!

    Secondly you will either need candy molds, or a cookie sheet and parchment paper. If you're using candy molds, just grease them with a bit of olive or coconut oil. Then spoon in your yogurt, and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, pop them out of the molds, and place in a container, or some Easter treat bags, and put them back in the freezer until they're ready to be eaten.

    If you're using the cookie sheet method, first and foremost, MAKE SURE THE SHEET FITS IN YOUR FREEZER! Then line it with parchment paper. You can get as fancy as you'd like with these ones. If you want to be fancy, load your cake decorator with yogurt, and squeeze out your bites on the parchment paper. If you're pressed for time, or don't have a cake bag, no worries, just grab a sandwich bag. Fill it with yogurt, and snip off one corner. Pipe the yogurt onto the sheet, and place in the freezer. Voila, easy Easter treats that your entire family (fur or otherwise) will adore!

Put Something Tasty and Healthy in Their Baskets This Year

    Ahh Easter! A candy gorging holiday. Many people give up candy and sweets for Lent, so they tend to over indulge in this very holy day. But this year you can put something in their baskets that isn't only tasty, but it's healthy too. It's a win win for everyone!

Put Something Tasty and Healthy in Their Baskets This Year

    I don't know about you, but in years past, I have put more small toys and items than treats in my family's baskets, because I wasn't comfortable cramming it full of sugary candy. But this year I stumbled upon on some tasty treats that don't just taste amazing, but they're much better for you than traditional candy.

Dark Chocolate Lovers Unite!

    My husband and I happen to adore dark chocolate. It's one of our favorite treats. So when I came across Sweet Valley Organics, I was stoked. They have Organic Dark Chocolate Snack Bites that are to die for! Sweet Valley Organics takes fruits and nuts, and covers them in yummy dark chocolate. With fresh organic ingredients, you get the best of both worlds with these sweet snacks.

    Choose from Chewy Bananas, Tart Cherries, and Sea Salt Caramel Cashews. Or you can pick Sea Salt Toffee Almonds, and Cinnamon Praline Pecan. All of which include a dark chocolate covering. Holy yum! Grab some for your family's Easter baskets today!   

Nut Brittle That Won't Wreak Havoc on Your Teeth

    I LOVE peanut brittle. What I don't love is how hard it is to eat! Which is where Softer Than Brittle comes in. Using a copper kettle, they create small batches of tasty, nutty confections that are even better than traditional brittle. And they're SOFT! 

    You can choose from Softer Than Brittle Peanut, Cashew, Pecan, and Almond. They're all fantastic so I suggest one of each! Even better than that is, Softer Than Brittle is Gluten and Dairy free, as well as being free of preservatives, cholesterol, and hydrogenated oil. Oh and it's Vegan too! You can eat something that tastes fantastic, and not feel guilty about! 

Something Salty for Their Basket

    I love snack mixes. Perhaps one of my favorite brands is Route 66 from Redstone Foods. They have four snack mixes that are amazing! I'm currently noshing on their Santa Fe Adobe snack mix. It's the perfect mix of sweet and spicy which included Redskin Peanuts, Hot Cajun Corn Sticks, Honey Sesame Chips, Corn Nuggets, and Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) all covered in Chipotle seasoning.

 

    Oh, and check out their soda pops to wash down their snack mixes! They have root beer, cream, cherry, blue raspberry and more. (Check out their selection of candy too!) They'd all make perfect additions to any Easter basket!

Follow Sweet Valley Organics via Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Follow Softer Than Brittle via Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Follow Redstone Foods on Facebook

PureBites® are Purely PAWsome and Make Great Easter Pet Goodies

    I've said it before, and I'll say it again! My girls adore PureBites®. Because of that, we're stocking up for their Easter baskets. So let's take a look at their yummy treats and foods!

PureBites® are Purely PAWsome and Make Great Easter Pet Goodies

    Whether your fur baby is canine, feline, or both PureBites® has something they're going to love. They have treats and foods that are made from pure, all natural products. If you're tired of reading pet food labels and not knowing what half of the stuff is, or not wanting to think about what the other half is, then PureBites® is for you (and your pets!)

"Did someone say PureBites®?"

    This year you can fill their baskets with goodies that you can feel confident in. They're going to love them, and you're going to love knowing that they're eating something that not only tastes good, but it's good for them too!

Why PureBites®?

    Their foods and treats are made with only ONE to THREE ingredients. They're one hundred percent natural and made right here in the USA. The treats and foods are freeze dried, or dried, locking in all the taste, freshness and goodness that nature intended. 

For the Dogs

   We have two dog daughters. Josie is our little mutt, but we love her tons! Bayleigh is our German Shepherd that came here to be a Service Dog to our son, but also "works" for me as well. They both love PureBites®!

  

    With ten different Freeze Dried treats to choose from, you're sure to find something for every dog in your home. My girls love them all and are currently enjoying their 100% pure USDA chicken breast. As a matter of fact, that's the ONLY ingredient! 

Dogs Love Jerky Too!

    Liam could live off of beef jerky. When he eats it, his "sisters" are right there! Well now they can have their very own jerky. PureBites® has three different types to choose from. They have Bacon Pork jerky, Chicken Sweet Potato, and regular Chicken jerky. Grab some today for their Easter baskets! 

Freeze Dried Vittles for Your Feline

    Clara isn't to be forgotten. My grand baby girl is also a connoisseur of PureBites® goodies. They have a full line of their Freeze Dried treats for cats too. Everything from real shrimp, to ocean whitefish, duck and chicken livers, and more. Right now Clara is enjoying the shrimp, which are real tiny freeze dried shrimp. Because just like the dog ones, the cat treats are made with only one to three ingredients. They also have a new one! Chicken breast mixed with catnip is sure to make your cat happy!

Treats, Toppers, or the Full Meal

    PureBites® Mixers are pre packed portions of real meat for your kitty. You can serve them as a treat, an appetizer, as topping on their cat food, or as a full meal. They're perfect for cats of any age, but especially cats that need a healthier diet. Clara adores every one of the five flavors you can choose from. There's Wild Skipjack Tuna and Chicken Breast, Chicken Breast and Wild Ocean Shrimp, Wild Skipjack Tuna and Alaskan Salmon, Chicken Breast, Wild Skipjack Tuna. 

For more information and to stock up on some Easter goodies for your fur babies, then head to PureBites®. There you can find a store that carries their tasty vittles either online or in person. 

Follow via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Top Five Foods in the Autism Community

    I think one of the most common things I see in our community is how hard it is to get our kids to eat. Textures, tastes, smells, and even colors can affect what your child will eat. So I wondered, are there common foods among our kids?

Top Five Foods in the Autism Community

    I'm friends with countless autism families. I follow even more of them on Facebook. So over the years I've been taking notes on what foods are the most commonly tolerated among our kids. Because let's face it, they need to eat. So we need to know what to offer.

1.) Chicken Nuggets

     I honestly don't think I've ever met or read about an autism kid that didn't love to eat chicken nuggets. The brands may vary, and some only eat Gluten Free ones, but in general, they love chicken nuggets.

    My kid will only eat them from McDonald's, Burger King, or KFC. He refuses all store bought or even home made nuggets. But at least he's eating meat!

2.) Cereal

    I've seen a lot of autie kiddos that live off of cereal. My son and my nephew love it, but it has to be DRY. No milk! As a matter of fact, my son could eat cereal every day, all day. However, the types vary. For a few months it will be Cocoa Pebbles. Then once there's a sale and I stock up, they suddenly taste funny to him. Then we're onto the next kind. That ranges from Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks, Rice Chex or Cheerios.

3.) Pizza

    It seems that tons of autistic kids and adults alike love pizza. Again, brand and toppings vary. I personally love pizza, but like I said, only from certain places. If it's store bought, I will only eat Sam's Choice.

    My son won't touch it. Never has. He hates red sauce. Loathes it. He also hates foods touching so to him, pizza is a sensory nightmare.

4.) French Fries

    Number four on this list is fries. It seems that autistic kids love fries. In this house they have to be only fries from McDonald's. Liam will touch no other type of french fries. I however love fries from anywhere. The more grease and salt, the better.

5.) Fruit Snacks

    So this may not actually count as a food group, but some have real fruit in them, so I'm counting them. Liam will only eat Welch's fruit snacks, but since they have real fruit, I'm good with that. Autistic kids seem to love these chewy and fruity bites. If you think about it, they're great sensory input too. That squishy texture in your mouth is very fulfilling if you're a sensory seeker.

So tell me, did any of the foods in your autism home make the list? If not, what would you add?

Snacks on the Go are Essential to Autism Parenting

    How many times have you gone somewhere, and there was nothing there that your child would eat? I don't have enough fingers or toes to count it! Autistic kids struggle with very real food aversions and sensitivities which is why as parents, we are always packing. Snacks that is! But not just any container will work. Which is where Snack in the Box comes in.

Snacks on the Go are Essential to Autism Parenting

    Part of many food aversions is that our food can't touch. I have this particular aversion and though it annoys many, it is what it is. Am I right? For more, only a handful of foods are okay if they touch one another on a plate or in a container. My son on the other hand can not have ANY foods touch. Which is just one reason I love Precidio's Snack in the Box.

    Snack in the Box has two separate compartments for snacks. The twin chambers keep foods from touching, so kids like mine will be able to enjoy their snacks. The lid opens on each side so you can access each snack individually. The box shape and size makes it fit perfectly in any lunch box, bag, or to toss in your purse. 

Here are some more reasons to love Snack in the Box

• Dishwasher safe and easy to take the lid off for washing
• Made of durable Tritan™ so it will stand up to even the toughest kids
• That same Tritan™ is also eco-friendly, because it's made with food grade polypropylene 
• BPA, BPS, and Phthalate free
• Fully tested for safety and durability

Don't Forget the Drinks!

    I've been a fan of Precidio's products for a couple of years now. Both of my boys love their Drink in the Box, as do I. Just like Snack in the Box, they're durable, easy to use, and my kids take drinks wherever they go. As an old school drink box kid, I love the shape, and how easily they fit into a lunch box or my tote bag. Drink in the Box features a leak proof lid with a straw. Just pop the top and sip away! I love adding fresh fruit to my box, and then spring water. It makes for the yummiest water on the go. They're available in the original eight ounce size, and now they even have a twelve ounce size. 

Coffee for Autism Parents

    Many if not most Autism parents run on coffee or tea. Caffeine is a must for most of us. Kafe in the Box is perfect for your hot or cold caffeinated beverage. Ditch the disposable cups, and grab Kafe in the Box. It's double walled to keep your drink hot or cold and protect your hands as well. Just like the others, its safe for our environment, and for you! 

We NEED These!

    I know you're thinking of how much you need Snack in the Box, Drink in the Box, or Kafe in the Box. You can order them ONLINE, or you can even find a retailer near you HERE.

Follow via Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Pinterest