Grow to Feed Dogs

There's 3 of us in the family, and we all want different things from a dog... loyalty, guarding/protecting, non-digger, small, medium, large, hunter, yippy, silent, etc. So, chances are... we're getting 3 dogs. That's a lot of dog food IF we were to buy it.

But wait! We were planning on raising enough food for our goats, chickens, quail and rabbits.... in addition to us humans. Why not grow to feed our dogs too?

Here's what I'm coming up with (from research and looking over what we already plan to grow):

Eggs: As long as they don't see us cook them or mix them raw with their other food, they won't know the little oval-shape I pick up out from under chickens is what the dogs eat for dinner. And with 10 chickens (well, hopefully 8 hens and 2 roosters), and with breeding for more, we should have enough eggs for us humans, plus enough for the dogs to each get at least 1 or 2 or 4 a day (depending on dog size). I'm also thinking that when we have "extra" eggs, I'll crack and freeze, and when the hens slow down laying for Winter, I'll bring the frozen eggs out, thaw and feed. NOTE: I heard it's best to soft-boil eggs before feeding them to dogs or cats.

Whey: This is the "milk" leftover from making greek yogurt and cheese (from our goat milk). We'll add it to their dog bowls with other food. Good source of calcium. Might also include my cheese mistakes!

Grains: We're gonna grow corn for the other critters and us, so why not for the dogs too? Cracked corn. Sometimes, tho, a dog can present an allergy to corn so we'll experiment and modify as we get to know our dogs. And don't most dog foods contain rice? Of course, that doesn't mean it's a perfect dog food, but still... we can't grow it up here on the Ridge, but I do buy rice in bulk so that will work fine for them. Same with oats. We'll grow millet and amaranth but it's just for us humans and birds. Wheat is completely out (allergenic and we can't have it here for us!).

Potatoes: Cooked and probably mashed. Easy to grow.

Veggies/Fruits: Whatever we have (except for what's on the list below). Cooked or steamed or raw. All must be chopped finely so their tummies can digest them better. Should have tons on our homestead... especially apples, pears, carrots, peas, etc.

From time to time, we might butcher a quail or a too-loud rooster and give it to the dogs after plucking and cooking. Again, so they won't associate the bird they protect, with their dinner!

Key: no spices, chocolate, onions, chives, garlic, added salt, etc. that could mess them up. Just straight like we eat most of our food. Also avoid: beets, collard, eggplants, green peppers, parsley, tomatoes, spinach and Swiss chard.

2/3 Meat/Cheese/Eggs

1/3 Grain/Veggies/Fruits

Yes, this will be slightly more time consuming than just emptying a bag of dog food into three bowls, but it might save us money in the long run.

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Dinner last night: oriental lentil soup. About 1 cup of red lentils in the crockpot with 4 cups of water. Once tender (about 3 hours), I added (didn't measure, sorry) dried garlic, dried onion, dried mixed soup veggies, about 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil and 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger. Served with rice. I added a little cream cheese to mine, and Hubby added some sheep manchego cheese to his. Yummy and ever so healthy!

(As you know, I love my crockpots! Mainstay in my daily food prep.)

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This morning I was up and out at 6:15 a.m., wielding a can of yellow marking paint. I needed to mark where we want the fence line before the first fencing estimator gets here between 9 and 10. Whew! Back-breaking work and I'm pretty sure my lines are crooked and/or meandering. Plus now my trigger finger is yellow and won't get clean. That's ok. At least it's done. We left a 10-foot-or-so easement at the back, and at one side I had to go around our bank of trees (russian olive, I'm told). At some point we'll put up a 2-foot fence on our true property line just so there's no mistake should the neighbors move, but for now, this interior fence will work quite well!

Have a great day, all!

Recipe: Millet Oatmeal

I wanted all 3 of us to get a little more oatmeal in our diets so last night, I got out the crockpot. Here's what I did:

Ingredients:
1 cup millet
2 cups GF oats
4 cups water

Directions:
Add all to crockpot and cook on low overnight. Serve with butter and honey.

There was enough leftover, so I will add some dried blueberries and a dash of cinnamon and tub-it-up for Hubby's work breakfast on Monday. Delish!

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We didn't get much done today. My mouth STILL hurts from the oral surgery 11 days ago. I tried to call the dentist's office yesterday but they are gone until Tuesday. Now my tongue tip feels like it's burnt. Wonder what happened... was it the numbing needle? Did it nick something? I would really like a normal mouth again... and not have to go to sleep with an ice pack on my jaw.

And the cough! Ah come on!

I made rice tonight. Just rice. Didn't feel like cooking anything because I didn't feel like eating anything. The Kid supplemented with some goat yogurt and carrots, and Hubby plans to have a sausage sandwich.

Went into the garage earlier and found the quail almost out of seed, and completely out of water. It's the Kid's job to check food and water for the critters first thing in the morning. Guess he fudged this morning, which could have killed them. Quail need a constant supply of food and water. Gonna have to have a LONG talk with him about responsibility. Usually he doesn't have a problem with chores, but the last few days he hasn't stepped up to the plate. Hope it's a temporary thing.

We all made pizzas Thursday night. Seems to have become a ritual. Mine was so delicious I think I'm gonna have to grow an extra amount of basil so I can make my own pesto. I'm gonna have to experiment using walnuts and almonds and maybe pumpkin seeds since we'll be growing them. Very interesting!

Still waiting to hear response for our second offer on the house. It's taking a long time. I know that short sales are supposed to take a long time, but now that we're in the process, it's kinda ridiculous. There's someone at the Fifth-Third bank, location unknown, with our file in his/her in-box, and he's sitting around drinking coffee and doing something that might be a smidgeon easier than a short sale. Just pick up the file, already! [sigh] ok, i'm slightly better. Weekends are hardest. I just want to get the approval and the closing date so we can schedule all of the inspections and start planning where the fruit and nut trees will be planted!

I need a good hot cup of tea. On my verandah. That I don't have yet. Argh.

Beef Stew and Baked Beans

Yesterday I was busy. Again. We had a major snowstorm so I didn't feel like leaving, but I had plenty to keep myself busy. I worked on the Kid's curriculum (it'll take at least another week, probably 2, before I have it ready). I did another couple loads of wash, hanging them on the shower bars. Cleaned the kitchen.

And made the best beef stew ever!

For Thanksgiving, I talked Hubby into getting a double-crock crockpot, so on the right one, I made baked beans for the Kid. Beef stew on the left. Here's how:

Beef Stew
Ingredients:
1/2 lb beef stew meat
1 cube vegetable boullion
4 cups water
1/3 can tomato paste
1/4 lb bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 small potatoes, chopped, peel on
10-15 baby carrots
2 tablespoons dried garlic powder
4 tablespoons tapioca flour (or wheat flour)

Directions:
Spray the crock with pan spray and add the meat. Cook until brown. Add the water, the boullion, and the tomato paste and cook for another 4 hours. Stir well. Add the bacon, chopped onion, chopped potatoes, carrots and potatoes. Cook another 3 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, add the flour to thicken the broth into a gravy. Salt/pepper to taste. Delicious!

Baked Beans
Ingredients:
2 cups white beans
4 cups water
3/4 lb bacon, chopped
3/4 can tomato paste
2 tablespoons onion powder

Directions:
Add the beans and water to the crockpot. Cook for a minimum 4 hours, until the beans soften. Add the bacon and tomato paste, stir, and cook for another 3-4 hours. Add onion powder about 30 minutes before serving. Salt/pepper to taste.

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The Kid generally doesn't like my beans so I usually have to buy the cans. But for these he said, and I quote, "they don't have much taste". "They don't?" I was upset. "No, but I can really taste the bacon, and that's great!" Okay, so maybe these beans aren't as good as what's in the can, but he ate an entire bowl full last night along with a baked potato, and he was thrilled, so sure, these might be a little bland for you, but I got my kid to eat some protein, and that counts for something!

As far as the stew is concerned, I couldn't believe how delicious it was. I didn't even use any of the herbs I'd bought to experiment with. I guess it was the browning of the stew meat, and then the boullion cube that made the difference. I ate 2 bowls, Hubby had a huge bowl of that and baked beans, and I put 2 containers in the fridge for lunches later on.

At King Soopers the other day, I'd bought a 3-pound container of stew meat, almost expired so it was discounted with an orange sticker for 50% off, or $10.13 for the 3 pounds. I divided it into six portions, and used one portion for the stew last night. I bagged the other 5 and placed them in a bigger baggie for the freezer. I'm thinking that's 5 weeks of making beef stew once a week. Yum!

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I made 2 more pecan pies today. We're going to my mom-in-law's in about an hour, and we're taking the 2 gluten-free pecan/chocolate chip pies. Just having dessert and exchanging presents. Father-in-law should be there too (somewhat estranged from Hubby) and my sister-in-law and her hubby. Fun fun.

About my pecan ooey gooey ... I put the extra "batter" into a corningware dish, and it turned into pecan/chocolate caramel.... yum! Great side effect. Ok... yep, I gotta start my diet. I think I'll be traditional and start it on January 1. It's time I reduce from my very heavy weight. Hope you don't mind, but I think I'll use this blog for my diet too.

When we come home tonight, hopefully the Kid will go to bed (we never did the Santa Clause thing so we don't have to pretend or anything). But he does want us to wrap at least some of his gifts. We couldn't do a tree this year, so we're leaving them on the couch in the living room. We'll give Blanca Bunny an apple for her Christmas present, and Hubby and I exchanged clothes. (Read: I bought him some clothes, and got me some too!)

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Well, it's about time to skype Dad and many members of my family who are eating at his house, so I need to finish getting my hair done and purty myself up. Then we leave for Mom-in-Law. Have a great night tomorrow, and a great day tomorrow.

Chicken and Potato Soup

I made this soup in my small crockpot yesterday, and it turned out just great!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb chicken, cut in small chunks
2 tablespoons dried onion
1 tablespoon dried garlic
4 cups water
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 small potatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup mixed dried soup vegetables

Directions:
In a small crockpot, place olive oil in bottom, with the cut chicken pieces on top. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours (until chicken is cooked through). Add the water, onion and potatoes and cook on high until potatoes are tender, about 3 hours. Add the dried soup vegetables, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 teaspoon of crushed rosemary leaves, if desired. Cook on low for another hour, then serve!

I served this with homemade Italian Garlic Yeast Bread (reciping coming soon!). Delish!

Note: While I use my crockpot almost daily, I realize some people don't ever or minimally. This recipe can be adjusted to cook on the stove. Use common sense.