How to Simply Lose Weight: Part 3

These three one pound boxes of sugar represent the amount of weight I lost in May.  I have to admit, I was surprised. I haven't weighed 157 in years. 

Lately, my enthusiasm for dieting has been waning. I cheated on myself...a lot. I caved to that smooth talking carrot cake with the luscious cream cheese frosting I love to run my fingers through. I cheated with that low down, no good ice cream who I don't even like. I even sneaked in a fling with chunky peanut butter. I am disgusting. 

How do you keep motivating yourself? 

I am starting anew. Today, I begin my diet again. This will probably not be the last time I start over. If you fall, get up. The view from the floor is terrible. And believe me, dust bunnies are terrible conversationalists.

To motivate myself, I recently went dress shopping. I bought a couple of dresses which while they fit, will look much better after I lose another five pounds. I hope the sight of them hanging longingly, waiting patiently, will encourage me to be diet faithful. 

In the United States, there are no standard sizes. Unlike Europe, in which clothing is sold strictly by measurement (bust size in inches, waist size in inches), every American clothing manufacturer simply makes up their own sizes. 

About then years ago, Tammy Kinley of the North Texas School of Merchandising took precise measurements of over 1,000 pairs of women's pants from 20 different retail stores in Texas. In size 14, Kinley's study showed a various of up to 8 inches in the waist circumference between brands. This is why you can wear a size 8 in one brand and a size 16 in another. It may also explain why you prefer to  purchase clothes from a store that winkingly states you are a size 8. 

One thing I have found interesting is that expensive clothing runs much smaller than the bargain brands. I expected the opposite but then I remembered Abercrombie and Fitch's strategy of selling only to thin, beautiful and apparently,  incredibly stupid people. 

Why do we allow a clothing label to dictate our self esteem? Is a size 2 a better, nicer person than a size 14? Is a size 0 smarter than a size 16? When was the last time you picked a doctor based on their lab coat size? 

The chart below demonstrates the variances found between clothing stores in size 8 and the futility of labels. 

Still Seeking Simple in the Suburbs

I started this blog about a year ago when I quit my job as a way to document ways to simplify my life and save money. I've learned some surprising things. 

First, I save more money when I use less coupons. Interesting. 

I still use coupons but only when they are for something I was planning on purchasing anyway. Most coupons are for processed foods and as part of simplifying, I am trying to avoid all processed foods. So, each week I scour the ads for sales, plan menus around the sale items and stock up on especially good deals. 

Second, you spend less when you eat less. A sad, hard truth. One of the biggest parts of simplifying my life has been getting my diet under control. I am proof a better diet leads to feeling better emotionally and physically.

Third, I have learned you cannot truly simplify your life until you learn self-control. When I am in control of my emotions, my eating and my spending, I feel good. When I act unrestrained, eat uncontrollably or spend irresponsibly, I feel guilty and depressed. It's just simpler to be in control. 

Dieting is difficult. It has taken me two months to lose 9.5 pounds. To succeed, you must take a long term approach to weight loss. I have stated before, when I began dieting, I calculated how many calories a day it took to maintain my present weight, then subtracted off 500 calories. I aim for 1300-1400 net calories a day. 

A friend approached me the other day, "You're losing weight!" she said with a tone approaching reproach. "How are you doing it? she asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

"I hate to tell you. I am eating less and moving more," I said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, that won't work!" she said with disgusting disappointment, ignoring my almost ten pound loss. 

I went on to explain my apparently radical 1300-1400 net calories a day method. 

"You can't just eat the same number of calories every day," she said. You have to vary it up and down to lose weight."

"I do," I responded. "Some days I eat 1300 calories and some days I eat 1400 calories." 

"Well, personally I am using human growth hormone," she said. 

Why are we willing to try anything to lose weight? I think it is because we feel desperate and unhappy and want immediate results. I speak from experience.

When I started dieting back on February 2, I went to Wal-Mart and bought some "Zendo Quality Herbal Dieters Tea". 

For some reason, I assumed it was super caffeinated and would speed up my metabolism. I have no idea why I thought this would be a good thing. I made my husband and myself a cup of tea and sat down in front of the TV to read the box. As I approach the bottom of the cup, I notice in large letters "NO CAFFEINE" stamped prominently on the box. 

"What?" I thought. "Then what's in it? Surely Wal-Mart would not sell an unsafe product. I'm sure it's been thoroughly tested in a large lab by highly educated people wearing white coats. If the rats didn't die from drinking the equivalent of 10,000 cups of dieters tea a day, I'm sure I won't." 

Then in small print I read: "This product contains SENNA Leaves. Do not use if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools or abdominal pain because SENNA may worsen these conditions and be harmful to your health."

I immediately google "Senna" on my smartphone and read dire warning after even more dire warning.  Obviously, my phone is smarter than I am.

"SPIT. OUT. THE. TEA!!!" I scream at my husband, frantically waving my arms and jumping from my chair to grab his now empty cup. "Drinking this tea is going to be like preparing for a colonscopy only much, much worse," I predict.

"You're blocking the TV," he responds. 

The end result? None. No running to the bathroom, no weight loss, nothing. I just fell for the equivalent of a diet scam. The only good thing about the tea was that it made me jump up and wave my arms frantically. I felt like an idiot. 

I thought, "Why am I so desperate I am willing to risk my health?" From that point, I decided I would use no expensive supplements, medicines, fad diets, crazy fasts, cabbage soups or anything else to lose weight. I knew rationally there was no easy way to lose weight, no miracle cure. It took months to gain and it would take months to lose. I calculated it would take me 8 months to lose the amount of weight I wanted. Dieting is about endurance. 

I often reason with myself, "Eight months will pass regardless of what I eat. I can be thinner or stay fat. It's within my control." 

The first week was the hardest. After the first week, I started adjusting to eating less and feeling a little proud of myself.  One night when I was especially hungry, my husband made the point that hunger pangs aren't really pain, they are just an annoying sensation. And it's true, I have experienced real pain. Mild hunger doesn't come close. 

"Go make yourself a cup of hot tea," he said. I did and I forgot about my hunger pains. I notice I most often feel hunger pains when sitting. If I get up and do something, I forget about them.

The more I lose, the less willing I am to give in to temptation. When offered something tempting, I stop and think, "It took you all week to lose a pound, is one meal really worth sacrificing a week's hard work?"

I have almost entirely given up eating out. It is difficult to calculate how much you are eating and there is so much more pressure to eat. Restaurants are the equivalent of a dieting minefield. So, when I do eat out, I try to always look at the restaurant's website prior to going and choose a healthy option. I don't look at the menu once I get there or I might be tempted to change my mind. 

Honestly, it hasn't been bad at all. I have primarily given up bread, potatoes and sweets. When I crave a potato, I make this recipe. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with 0 calorie baking spray. Place half a chopped potato, broccoli, onion and carrots on top. Season to taste. I use a steak seasoning mix. Wrap and bake. It's not a baked potato with lots of butter and sour cream but it's a nice substitute.

Instead of butter, I have been using this 0 calorie Smart Balance Butter Substitute spray and 15 calorie Teriyaki sauce. I always like to hear other people's diet tips. Please share.

Seeking Simple Weight Loss

If weight loss was simple, I suppose we would all be thin. In actuality, it is simple. Simple Math. It's the willpower to do simple math on a long term basis that gets complicated.

On February 2, I started dieting. I did a little Internet research. It takes approximately 2,000 calories a day to maintain my weight. A pound is made up of 3,500 calories. If I eat 14,000 calories a week, my weight will remain unchanged. If I eat more than 14,000 calories a week, I will gain. And if I eat less than 14,000 calories a week, theoretically I should lose. But bodies are a funny thing...sometimes they are bad at math.

So, if I cut 500 calories a day (down to about 1,500), I should lose one pound a week. And If I were to miraculously cut 1,000 calories a day (down to about a 1,000 a day), I should lose two pounds. What most people never seem to realize is that to lose a significant amount of weight, you have to be in it for the long haul. Day in and day out for months.  Dieting is really about long term motivation. 

To put it in perspective, if I fasted for 7 days straight and ate NOTHING, I could expect about a 4 pound weight loss and almost certain death. Going without food would not likely kill me but there is a high probability some fed-up family member would shoot my crying, complaining, crabby butt. I only mention this because the other night, I was watching the TV show "The Biggest Loser".  At the big weigh in, people lose 8-12 pounds a week!  Of course, these people are being compensated to lose and are likely exercising 6 or more hours a day. I would like to see a normal, working person with a family and a job pull off these kinds of weight loss. 

Most sources seem to indicate a healthy weight loss should be 1-1.5% of your total body weight weekly. For most of us, that falls in the 1-2 pound a week range. 

Personally, I hate dieting and unlike almost every other woman I know, I also hate talking about it. So, why am I writing about it? To stay motivated and share any simple weight loss tips I pick up along the way. I would appreciate the favor returned. 

Last month, I lost 6 pounds. We all have favorite foods and things we do when we are trying to lose weight. Here is one of my favorite low calorie meals. One cup cooked macaroni (210 calories), 1/3 cup canned diced tomatoes (30 calories), about a third of an andouille sausage (63 calories) and about a tablespoon of cheddar cheese (28 calories). Total calories 331. Throw in a cup and a half of watermelon and you are at 400 calories even. It's pretty hard to feel deprived when eating like this. 

This dinner (pork with pineapple, rice and peas, broccoli in cheese sauce) topped out at 689 calories. I usually like to save up my calories so I can eat a big dinner. I am finding some products I can live with.  I tried the Light Ranch dressing which is still not that light at 80 calories for 2 Tablespoons but is better than regular which is around 140 calories for the same amount. 

I am fat because of butter. I L-O-V-E it! I have started using some of this Smart Balance Buttery Burst spray. It is in no way as good as a big 200-300 calorie glob of butter but it's pretty fine for "0" calories. I like to spray on streamed veggies or light popcorn. I also use quite a bit of Teriyaki sauce which is only 15 calories for a big Tablespoon full. 

Same macaroni dish sans cheese with some sliced cucumbers with a Tablespoon of Hendrickson's salad dressing. One Tablespoon of Hendrickson's is only 35 calories. This meal came in at 371 calories. When dieting, I find I will eat the same things over and over once I find some low calorie dish I like. 

There are a million diets out there. How do you know which one will work?  I'm here to tell you that none of them will work long term. Not Jenny Craig, Not Weight Watchers. Not Crazy Celebrity Diets. You must design your own diet. One that works for you, that you can live with long term, that uses foods you like. 

How to Price Match at Wal-Mart

Price matching at Wal-Mart is very simple. I started price matching about a year ago and wish I had started sooner. For some reason I was hesitant anticipating push back from the checkers. In my year of match matching, not one checker has ever complained or given me any grief at all. 

Yesterday, I price matched these items.  I asked the cashier, "Do you have many people price match?" 

"All the time," he replied. "I love it because then I know what items to go buy and price match for myself. Last week, a local store was advertising pizzas for 58 cents. Me and my buddies bought a bunch." 

Yes, last week Apple Market advertised Red Baron Pizza's for 58 cents. I assumed it had to be a mistake and that Wal-Mart would not honor the price match. I purchased one pizza and they price matched with no complaint. These pizzas typically cost  in the $2.75-$3.25 range. I could have bought several but decided I really didn't need a bunch of high calorie, highly processed pizzas sitting in my freezer tempting me. I bought one for some night I am feeling exceptionally lazy and unmotivated to cook. 

OK, so enough of my blabbing. Start by going through your local grocery ads (don't forget Target, Menards, CVS and Walgreens). I like to go through the grocery ads with a black marker and circle any great deals I find. For example, this week Aldis has avocado's and lemons for 19 cents each, 1 1/2 pounds of vine ripe tomatoes for $1.69 and a 3 pound bag of onions for 99 cents. Apple Market was advertising red peppers for 55 cents each and cantaloupe for 99 cents each. 

I picked out the items and took to the checkout stand. I always separate my price match items from the regular items and tell the cashier I have a few items I would like to price match. I say "please". I keep my advertisements in hand and point to the advertised price. The cashier inputs the new price. SUPER SIMPLE! Often, after the first ad or two, they don't even look at the ad. They have a line and are in a hurry. 

So, things to do:

1)  Ad in Hand

2)  Items Circled for Easy Reference 

3)  Make Sure Advertisement is for Current Week

4)  Items Must Match Exactly and I have found that often Wal-Mart does not carry the advertised item in the same sizes or flavors

5)  Go early on the first day of the Ad to make sure Wal-Mart has it in stock (they won't be stocking up on other stores sale items and may sell out quickly)

So, how much did I save? Here's the breakdown:

6 Avocado's at 19 cents each, total $1.14

Wal-Mart price for 6 Avocado's (94 cents each) $5.64

I saved $4.50

3 lemons at 19 cents each, total 57 cents

Wal-Mart price for 3 Lemons (35 cents each) $1.05

I saved 48 cents

1 Cantaloupe for $1.00

Wal-Mart price is $1.98

I saved 98 cents

2 red peppers for 55 cents each, total $1.10

Wal-Mart price for 2 red peppers ($1.68 each) $3.36

I saved $2.26

24 ounces of tomatoes for $1.69

Wal-Mart price for 24 ounces of tomatoes ($2.49 pound) $3.73

I saved $2.04

3 pound bag of onion (forgot to include in picture) 99 cents

Wal-Mart price for three pound bag, $2.68

I saved $1.69

Total amount saved with price matching on this trip was $11.95.

If I saved this much every week, it would add up to $621.40 a year in savings. 

I have found that often stores will have one or two items on sale that I am interested in purchasing. Instead of running all over town, I can simply price match at Wal-Mart and save gas and time. 

And, while I am a big Aldi fan, quite honestly the 19 cent avocado's were small and hard as a rock. Wal-Mart's were larger and riper. 

One final note, I have heard (but never attempted) that if another store is advertising their store brand item at a certain price, Wal-Mart will match their store brand item (in same size) for the same price. 

How to Regrow Celery

Being as frugal as I am, I am amazed I am just learning this trick...regrowing celery or as I like to call it "Perpetual Celery". I bought this celery at Aldi and I think I paid somewhere in the $1.19 range for it. 

Next cut off the end of the stalk about 2 inches above the base. I just read that the greener the stalks, the more nutrients they contain.

Pascal celery (pictured above) is in the same family as carrots, parsley, dill and cilantro. Celery is an antioxidant and acts as an anti-inflammatory. It also has quite a bit of vitamin K, folate, vitamin A and potassium. 

Then just place the stump in a dish of warm water in a sunny window. Within days you will start to see the celery regrow.  You can then plant the celery directly into your garden or a pot filled with soil. I am almost ready to "transplant" these little beauties to a jiffy pot for future transplant outdoors. Celery prefers cool temperatures and lots of moisture. I have read it is difficult to transplant and grow. I will let you know how this kitchen experiment plays out. It seems simple but as I seek simple, I find hardly anything actually is simple. Big sigh. 

I am having such success regrowing celery that I took the end of a lettuce stalk and stuck in some water a couple of days ago. My window sill is starting to look a little crowded. 

Topeka HyVee Deals through January 8, 2012

HyVee Deals

Lately, HyVee has just been blowing away the competition here in Topeka, Kansas.  This week I spent $47.17 (pre-tax) at HyVee and earned 25 cents off per gallon of gas (up to 20 gallons).  I only get gas about every two weeks. The last time I filled up, I saved 63 cents a gallon (two weeks worth of HyVee points).  

Of course, the trick is to only buy items you really need that earn points.  Don't buy something just because it will save you a small amount of money off gas. (And yes, I really needed Angel Food Cake!)

At Dillon's, you basically earn a dime off per gallon for every $100 you spend.  This week, I earned 25 cents off per gallon by spending less than $20.00. Here's how I did it:

Bag of Onions ($1.89) earned 2 cents off per gallon (can always use onions)

HyVee Pizza ($6.99) earned 10 cents off per gallon (with small salad, entire easy supper)

Angel food cake $3.99) earned 8 cents per gallon (was delicious with fresh blackberries and whipped cream)

Tidy Cat Litter (not pictured, $5.49) earned 5 cents off per gallon (cents off gas made it about same price at the store brand litter)

Total:  25 cents off per gallon on up to 20 gallons or to put it another way: $5.00 off my next fill-up at HyVee or Casey's. 

The only problem HyVee needs to work on fixing is that you must use your large loyalty card when purchasing the gas or else fill up, then take your key tag card into the store and get a refund. The key tag card apparently does not work at the pump. 

Other great sales at HyVee this week include blackberries for $1.00 (they are 89 cents this week at Aldi's), Frozen vegetables for 69 cents a package (I stocked up and bought 6 bags), chicken of the sea tuna for 69 cents a can, Old Orchard Juice for $1.99 (on sale this week at Apple Market for $1.25, though I had coupons for some flavors Apple Market didn't have so bought two more), kiwi fruit-four for $1, HyVee tomato soup for 59 cents a can and canned tomatoes for 50 cents a can (I stocked up and bought 8).

Just a reminder, remember to always check HyVee's Topeka Facebook page before shopping for the deal of the day.  If it's a deal you want to take advantage of, you have to tell the cashier you want the deal of the day price at checkout or it will ring up full price.

I only used one $1 off coupon (for the juice).  Lately, I am saving more by shopping the sales, stocking up and of course, planning my meals around the sale items.  

What deals are you finding?

How to Get Inexpensive Juice at Apple Market through January 8

This week I went to Apple Market to buy some chicken breast.  I thought Apple Market had advertised skinless chicken breast for $2.49 a pound but I found these two packages labeled for $1.68 a pound. One package cost $3.11 and the other was $3.48.  

Just an FYI, hamburger seems to always to be cheaper at Apple Market than any other store in Topeka. This package was $2.99 a pound.  Most other Topeka grocery stores are charging $3.99 up.  The meat department at Apple Market is one thing that keeps me coming back.

I had to blog about one really good deal at Apple Market this week.  With coupons, you can get some really cheap juice this week.  How?

First, Old Orchard Juice is on sale for $1.25 a bottle at Apple Market this week which in itself is a great price.  The same juice at HyVee this week is on sale for $1.99.  It's not uncommon  for name brand juice to cost $2.99 on up.

First, you will have to join the Old Orchard Fan Club.  Go to the companys website at www.oldorchard.com. You will see the link in the upper right hand corner labeled "Fan Club". Once you have joined (only takes a couple of minutes), go to the link labeled "Promotions" at the top of the page.

Under current promotions are several coupons you can print. I was able to print a coupon for $1 off two bottles of  Healthy Balance Juice and one coupon for buy one, get one free. All together the four bottles of juice pictured above cost a whopping $2.75 or an average of 68 cents a bottle. The coupons were only good for the "Healthy Balance" juice, not the regular juice. Coupon or not, I am thinking of returning and stocking up on some $1.25 a bottle juice. 

There is also a link on the website to enter a giveaway. The company is giving away 2,013 free bottles of juice. These are the kind of contests I frequently win.  I received coupons for several free items last year.

On the website, you can also accumulate reward points to earn free products and swag.  You earn points by playing games, taking surveys and entering codes off specially marked products.  I have already earned enough points to earn a coupon for a free can of frozen concentrate. You can't beat free!

How to Make Easy Simple Perfect Pie Crust

I struggled for years to make a decent pie crust. My crusts were never flaky, they were always thin and tough. 

Growing up, I spent summers on my Grandma's farm.  Grandpa usually had multiple young, sweaty farm hands who came back to the house for a noon meal. Grandma often made 3 or 4 pies each morning. I spent a lot of time primping for the farmhands arrival and none learning how to make pie.

If I had been slightly smarter, perhaps I would have discerned men are more attracted to women who smell like pastry and are friendly, than those doused in Jovan Musk perfume who think ignoring them makes you alluring.  Though I never attracted any men, I do believe there was probably more than one muskrat in the county who would have jumped at an opportunity to invite me back to their lodge to view their gnawings.

Girls, learn from my mistakes. It's time to learn to make pie crust.

Begin by measuring three cups flour and one teaspoon salt into a bowl. Mix together. 

Next, add 1 1/2 cups LARD to the flour.  Do not use vegetable shortening. NO CRISCO. NO BUTTER. NO MARGARINE.

My grandma always used Lard when she made pie crusts and I now know this is what made her crusts so light and flaky. It's also what made her fried chicken so good. It is getting harder and harder to find lard.  Here in Topeka,Kansas, it is sold at Apple Market. Trust me, use lard. It was your Grandma's secret weapon.

The hardest part of making pie crust is "cutting" or mixing the Lard into the flour.  The strange contraption pictured above is called a pastry knife and was designed for the task.  If you don't own a fancy pasty knife, you can just use a large fork. 

Mix until the lard and flour combine into globs about the size of marbles but no smaller.  The globs of fat above are what will make your crust flaky. If you mix until it looks like sand, your crust will not be flaky.

Beat one egg in a small bowl, then pour into the mixture.

Next add about 1/4 cup (around 5 Tablespoons) water and 1 Tablespoon Vinegar.  When flour is mixed with water, gluten forms.  The acid in vinegar will keep the gluten strands from getting too long and keep your crust flaky. Some people actually use vodka instead of water but I have not yet tried this method. Somehow, it just seems like a waste of good vodka.

Mix all ingredients. Pay attention, this is very important, as important as using lard:  Do not over mix the ingredients. Stir just until combined and stop. Overworking the crust makes it tough.

I always use a pastry mat to make clean up easier but it's not required. Flour the surface where you plan to roll out the crust. Flour your hands and flour your rolling pin.  I also have a plastic and a marble rolling pin. In my opinion, the wooden pin is the best. Form the dough into two balls with your floured hands. This recipe will make at least two crusts. 

The second half is going in the freezer for another day.  This recipe will make at least two, if not three pie crust,s depending on how thick you like your crust.

Slightly flatten the round dough with your hand or the rolling pin.  Begin rolling out the dough. Roll from the center out. Take your time. If it starts to stick, sprinkle more flour on the dough and the rolling pin. If you use a baking mat, it has circles to guide you as to the size to roll your crust. I usually roll mine to about 1/8 inch thick but you can make yours thinner or thicker depending on your own preference.

Transferring the crust to the pie pan can be a little tricky.  I fold mine in half then bring the pie pan close. I gently lift the crust on the pan about half way then flip the other half over the rest of the pie pan.

Don't freak out. It probably will tear a little and not look very pretty. Push the crust into the pan and start pinching together any tears.

After repairs, it will look like this. I could have skipped the above picture and made you think I was a much better baker than I am. Aren't you glad I am honest? 

Take a knife and trim off the excess edges. It's easy. You can take the trimmings and make a pretty edge if you like. I didn't this time.

Take all the crust you trimmed off and lay flat on a baking sheet. Usually there will not be this many trimmings. I made extra for a separate dessert. 

My favorite treat as a child, OK who am I fooling, my favorite treat now is leftover pie crust sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and eaten warm.

I made an excellent little separate dessert with these pie crust pieces. Simply take a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with baked pie crust pieces and fresh blackberries (or your berries of choice). It is like an easy fresh fruit cobbler. 

If you are baking the crust alone, you will need to use a fork tine to prick a few tiny holes in the crust or use pie weights to keep it from rising and bubbling. See my next post for the actual delicious squash pie recipe.

How to Prepare Green Striped Cushaw Squash to make a Pie Better than Pumpkin

When I am asked what my favorite pie is, I usually respond, "Cake". I don't like cooked fruit and when most people think pie, they think apple or cherry.  If you were to ask my husband the same question, he would respond, "Round". But to be fair, I do like some pies...chocolate cream, coconut cream and squash. Yes, you read correctly. I love me some Green Striped Cushaw Squash Pie.

 

A lot of people like pumpkin pie. If you like pumpkin pie, you will love Cushaw Squash (Cucurbita mixta).  Cushaw Squash has a much milder, sweeter taste than pumpkin. In the south, this squash is often referred to as Tennessee Sweet Potato Squash. But believe me, it makes a much better pie than sweet potato.

 



Green Striped Cushaw Squash

 

Begin by cutting the squash in half and scooping out all the seeds.  I like to save my seeds to use in the garden next year. Cut the squash into chunks or slices and peel.

 

 

 

If the rind is difficult too peel, microwave the chunks for 2-3 minutes to soften, then peel. 

 

 

Place the peeled chunks of squash into a pot of water. Boil until tender.

 

 

To save the seeds, begin by rinsing, then separate the seed from the flesh.

 

Cleaned seed

 

 

Lay the seed out on a paper plate to dry.  I always stir the seed a couple of times to keep it from sticking to the plate.   Once completely dry, store in a dark, dry place until spring.  The seeds are high in protein and can also be roasted like pumpkin seeds.

 

 

Boil squash until tender.

 

 

Pour cooked squash into coriander to drain.  Stir squash to promote draining. Let sit until all liquid has drained off the meat.

 

 

A large amount of water will drain off the squash and only the pulp will remain.

 

 

I freeze my squash in 2 cup batches, the amount needed to make a pie.  See next post for the actual pie recipe. 

How to Make Easy, Simple Dog Biscuits

My dog, Wiley the Wonder Dog, loves treats. Who doesn't? Here is a simple recipe to make your own canine cookies. It's a fun, easy project for kids. 



 

 

Measure 3 cups flour into a bowl.  I used a whole wheat flour to give the biscuits a nice color.

 

Dogs have a very underdeveloped sense of taste. While humans have about 9,000 taste buds, dogs only have 1,700 and cats even fewer at around 470. As a result, most dogs like strong flavors.

 

Interestingly, dogs and cats have taste buds at the tips of their tongues that taste water.  While humans can taste things added to water such as chlorine or impurities, dogs and cats can actually taste the flavor of water.  This is probably why my cat prefers to only drink running water directly from the faucet and refuses to drink any lukewarm water.

 

The next ingredient is garlic.  I usually add about 2 crushed cloves. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use about 2 teaspoons garlic powder.

 

Onions are not good for dogs and garlic is in the onion family.  Some people do not feel comfortable feeding their pets anything with garlic. My research seems to indicate small amounts of garlic are safe for dogs but if you don't feel comfortable using it, then certainly feel free to leave it out.

 

 

Next, add about a cup of cheese and 1-2 eggs. (If your dough mixture is too dry, just add another egg). I had one of those packages of Kraft Fresh Take Cheese & Breadcrumbs that I got a free coupon for and never used so I dumped it in.  As a result, I had to add a second egg because of the additional breadcrumbs. 

 

My point is, dog biscuits are a good way to get rid of stale breadcrumbs, old oatmeal, or that package of Stove Top or Shake n Bake you never got around to using.  Your dog is not nearly as picky as you are. You can kind of wing it with dog biscuits.

 

 

Now, add about a cup of milk. "Milk Bone" dog biscuits were created in 1908 and named such because of their large concentration of Cow's milk.  Milk bone biscuits were the first dog treat manufactured in the shape of a bone. Marketing genius!

 

And though, I forgot to take a picture of it, add about 1/2 cup oil.  Certainly feel free to experiment and add your own ingredients such as sunflower seeds or wheat germ (if your dog is especially health conscious or a hippy), beef bouillon or peanut butter. I wouldn't add them all, just try different combinations until you find the mixture your dog loves the best.

 

 

Mix all the ingredients together.  The dough is usually rather stiff and hard to stir. Feel free to skip the gym today if you make dog biscuits. Rolling out dough is a great upper body workout.  If too dry, just add a little more milk or an egg.  If too wet, add a little more lour.

 

 

Roll out the dough. Throw a little flour on top to keep the rolling pin from sticking to the dough. Roll out to about 3/8 inch thick and use cookie cutter. I purchased a bone shaped cookie cutter years ago.  They are easy to find online or at most local pet store. If you don't have a bone cookie cutter, you can just roll into small balls about the size of marbles.

 

I think those plastic rolling pastry mats are a very good investment. I think I got mine at Wal-Mart for around $10. It makes clean up much easier.

 

Grease a cookie sheet before placing the biscuits on it to take. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

 

 

This batch made 80 biscuits. Cool on a rack, then transfer to a storage container. I think dog biscuits make a really cute gift for your dog-loving friends.

 

Though dogs have less taste buds than us, they are overly blessed with receptive smell cells. Dogs can smell 10,000-100,000 more than a human. About 40% of a dog's brain is devoted to smelling.  To a dog, smelling is like reading a book. He can tell where you have been, what you have recently eaten, what other animals you have recently encountered, what mood you are in and probably a lot more.

 

When we walk into a house and smell something cooking, a dog walks into a house and discerns what individual ingredients are in the dish. Humans have about 5 million smell receptors and dogs can have up to 300 million. Dogs probably get more pleasure from smelling their food than from actually eating it.

 

 

 

 My dog, Wiley the Wonder Dog, approves of this recipe. For more pictures of Wiley, visit www.wileyandwe.blogspot.com.

Simple recipe:

3 cup flour
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup oil
1 cup cheese
1-2 eggs
1 cup milk

Mix, roll out and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.