How to make your own dog food

I so miss the Natural Pet Food pantry, but they won't make the dog food and put it in my own containers. So I got my creative freak on, searched the internet and came up with this version of my own Dog stew. I used hamburger rather than chicken because I had 2 pounds of ground round in the freezer. Had tomatoes too. And yes, I added a good doggy multivitamin/mineral to romeo's portion. I must admit to trying a bowl myself minus the supplement- although I maybe I should have added it to mine as well- I always wanted a shiny coat! I made enough to freeze for the rest of the week! Might have to try making my own Cat food next.

Doggy Stew- Rob's Version
2 pounds hamburger,browned ( the original recipe calls for 1 cup of boiled chicken
½ cup cooked brown rice
½ cup boiled mixed vegetables ( I used carrots and peas)
1 can of chopped tomatoes or 1 cup of chopped tomatoes (my own addition- my dog loves tomatoes) Red Icculus made a comment that he thought tomatoes- or rather the acid in them causes kidney stones in dogs. I don't know, but both my dog and cat love tomatoes- So ask your vetrinarian or use them at your own risk. This recipe is great with or without them!
3 to 4 Tbsp unsalted chicken broth

Stir together and serve at room temperature. A good doggy multivitamin/mineral supplement (I use Missing Link)may be added for good measure. Be sure to store unused portions in a covered container in the refrigerator and discard remains after 3 days. Or just freeze and thaw.
Find more recipes for dog food at Suite 101

How to dehydrate Banana Chips

Whether you use an oven or a dehydrater here is a DIY vid that shows how to make delicious nutritious Banana Chips:

How to make frozen Yogurt pops

Photo by Jehrev

I was looking around the blogs and Lifehacker had How to make your own frozen yogurt pops. And it came from family education.com. Whether or not you make your own yogurt, it is an easy recipe. And just in time for those hot summer days.

How to make Italian and French Sodas

This is from The Wisegeek Website:

"Customers at gourmet coffee shops may notice a cold beverage option called an
Italian soda, also known as a creamosa or French soda in different parts of the
world. An Italian soda is a refreshing combination of flavored syrup and club
soda or seltzer water mixed in a cup of ice. The addition of half-and-half or
milk turns an Italian soda into a creamosa or French soda. Some coffeehouses add
a dollop of whipped cream to an Italian soda to create a creamier texture."

First take some sparkling water or seltzer water, some ice in a glass, and about 1/2 to 1 jigger of your favorite flavored syrup
Pour the water into the glass. Leave room to add the syrup. Some like adding the syrup first. It is a matter of taste!

Add the syrup!

Add a jigger of cream or milk ( or in this case Rice milk) to make it a french soda aka a "creamosa"

How to make Your own Snocones!

Summer is here and time for a refreshing treat. To me summer means street fairs, and snowcones. I recently was playing around with my Cuisin Art and crushed some ice. And I had been watching a shaved ice vendor at the Burien Farmers' Market. I put two and two together , and came up with this recipe- You don’t need and Ice crusher or any other fancy gismos. All you need is a Cuisin Art or a blender and some syrup:


About 2 cups of Ice cubes
Some type of flavored syrup

Put ice cubes into a cuisine art or blender.
Pulse for about a minute.
Until Ice is crushed smooth

Scoop ice into a martini glass or cup.
Pour syrup (about 1 jigger or one ounce) over the top. Enjoy!

Note: I used TORIANI SUGAR FREE SYRUP (raspberry flavor), I would imagine you could use any flavored syrup. But using sugar free makes it a guilt free treat!
TOMORROW- Italian and French Sodas!

How to make your own frozen Mashed potato cubes

I love the frozen mashed potato cubes found at Trader Joe’s, Better than potato flakes, they are so convenient- just take out 8 cubes for two servings, But they are so expensive, I was thinking how to do my own and after searching the internet Here is what I came up with:

Mashed potato cubes (Just like Trader Joe’s, minus the plastic bag!)

Make mashed potatoes according to your recipe. Mine is new potatoes or Yukon golds or fingerlings a little milk and a little butter. Cut the potatoes to about 1” cubes and boil until tender (a fork easily goes in them and they slip off quickly). Then take a Masher some milk or crème and mash them- Skins and all- Add the butter while mashing.
Option 1A - Take a pastry bag, when the mashed potatoes cool, and put a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Make little dot’s of mashed potato on the cookie sheet
Option 1B – same as above but if you don’t have a pastry bag simply use a melon baller or a spoon and scoop them out onto the cookie sheet.

Option 2- My Frigidaire came with a great set of small cube sized ice trays. Well the damn thing has an Ice Maker built in so- I stole the Ice Trays from it and filled them with Mash Potatoes and stuck them in the freezer.

When fully frozen, take them and put into a container and keep in the freezer until ready for use.

To prepare them, simply take 4 cubes of mashed potato per serving, put in a bowl, you may want to add a teaspoon of water per serving and microwave for 30 seconds and stir them. 2-4 servings might require more time

How to make tomato paste

Yeaterday, beth made the comment on my post about making catsup that the tomato paste can has BPA in it. Of course, I never knew that you could make your own tomato paste. From the fantastic PICK YOUR OWN website- here is how to make your own tomato paste- and you can freeze it rather than can it.

The Pick Your Own site is a fantastic website with canning and preservation instructions, where to find U-Pick farms,pumpkin patches, corn mazes all over the USA where to find canning supplies- a vast plethora of preservation information!

How to make Catsup

THIS IS A REPRINT FROM MY ROB'S WORLD BLOG:
As accustomed as I am to not having original thoughts shut me up on this blog, today I think I will copy Fake Plastic Fish. Yesterday Beth made wonderful mustard and eliminated one more plastic condiment bottle from her clutches. Today I will make Catsup in an effort to eliminate a plastic bottle from mine!
This recipe is from the All Things Frugal site. I unashamedly stole it. First gather your ingredients:
1 Can Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar



Mix together, cover and refrigerate. (Note the human power mixer I used whereas Beth used an electric blender). *Electric-power consuming Fake Plastique Fish? Fake plastic Fish is really an Electric Eel?

This is how much I got out one batch plus about enough to cover two weenies- Refrigerate and it should keep for a month

The taste of this is very similar to chutney I buy at Trader Joes. Very sweet and good. And while the initial expense of the spices seems far from frugal, I would imagine one could buy them in bulk for a fraction of what I paid. You should also note that keeping in the spirit of FPF, I tried not to buy too many plastic bottle spices- I chose Colman's Dry Mustard (In a tin) and used my Trader Joe's cinnamon (in a glass bottle)- Any way I can now say that i will not buy ketchup in plastic bottles again. Thanks Beth. As far as the frugal goes you use just a small amount of the spices that cost wise it should be good.

*I tease Beth unmercifully in this post. But she is one cool fish, and her campaign against plastic usage is important and sincere. Anything I can do to help reduce plastic waste is always OK by me.

How To Make your Own Microwave Popcorn

I love pop corn but don't like all the chemicals and crap in the microwave popcorns- just when I thought all was lost along come Seattle Free School and How To make Microwave Popcorn Instructions on their blog!Popcorn for pennies! How cool is that?

And the neat thing, beside reducing those nasty chemicals in microwave popcorn, is you get to reduce the plastic wrapper from the microwave popcorn. And I'm guessing you can buy popping corn in bulk at some markets- reducing your waste even further!

Kitty's Turn: Making your own Cat treats and Toys

Yesterday we remembered the pooch for christmas, today lets not forget kitty cat! For treats, we can go to this site to make your own cat treats. My cat Sammy swears by the Tuna treats. And here's how to make your own cat toys.
One of the best cat toys are to take baby socks or small clean cotton socks like ankle high socks, fill with catnip and tie a knot at the end.
Finally, cats love fluffy pom poms on strings (at least my cats always have), here is a video on making pom poms your kitty would love to play with:

Make your own dog gifts

Let's not forget Fido on christmas morning. Here is a list of Dog treat recipes that should more than satisfy canines at Christmas time. If you have a smaller dog, look at How to make a Dog sweater from a sock to help keep your chihuahua from chilly bones. And here are instructions to make homemade Dog Toys, and here is a ball toy to make for your pooch

How to make Your own Hot Chocolate mix-

Getting ready to make Hot Cocoa Cones or Cocoa in a jar? Need a mix recipe? Here is one from that is simple easy and good And arecipe for sugar free Hot chocolate mix. Add 3 tablespoons of cinnamon for a spicy cinnamon cocoa mix.

Ande here are a couple of extra Hot Chocolate recipes:

Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe(allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces dry milk powder
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
DIRECTIONS
Sift together milk powder, white sugar and cocoa powder. Store in an airtight container.
To prepare, stir approximately 1 heaping tablespoons of mix into 1 cup of hot water.

SUGAR FREE HOT CHOCOLATE MIX:

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces dry milk powder
1 cup NutraSweet (Sucralose)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS
Sift together milk powder, Nutra Sweet (Sucralose) and cocoa powder. Store in an airtight container.
To prepare, stir approximately 1 heaping tablespoons of mix into 1 cup of hot water.

Making your own Gifts- Give a gift of Beef Jerky

Please go to the post of Make your own Jerky! Jerky makes a great homeade present. You can give it in a mason jar. and even decorate the lid (See Hot Chocolate in a Jar). Just use quart jars for this one.

Updated- How to make Apricot Brandy- Make your own Gifts

I updated the post on how to make apricot "brandy"- I have added a video that might explain better how to make fruit infused vodkas easier. The Video is from the DIY show "Creative Juice" and Creative Juice Co-host Cathie Filian.
EDIT- CHILE MAKES A POINT of wishing they didn't encourage the use of a "cheap plastic ball" to tie around the top. Most people that get that will just toss it in the trash. Why not encourage wrapping in a really nice silk hankerchief (available at your local thrift store) and tying off with a pretty ribbon. Or tie a homemade ornament around the top instead of the cheap plastic ball!

How to Brine a turkey or Chicken

Been in the stores and priced a Brined Turkey this holiday? Seems like a lot of extra expense to soak your bird in salty water. Here are step by step instructions for brining your own bird this year from the good folks at What's Cooking America?

How to make fruit roll-ups

Another way to preserve deliciuos fruit from the summer- here is a DIY on making fruit roll-ups from a Sonoma Garden blog

How to freeze Cauliflower

Ever wondered how to keep cauliflower so you can eat eat it in the winter? Freeze it! Here is a quick DIY on freezing cauliflower

Find blanching times and freezing info for all your veggies here

How to make Apricot Brandy

Technally, this is fruit infused vodka, but the site calls it Brandy.I am assuming by adding sugar and increasing the sugar content is why they arew calling it "Brandy". You can use any fruit to make it! Even though I am a tea totaller, this looks good. I may make some for gifts this christmas! How to make Apricot Brandy

How to freeze berries

How do you freeze berries? Summer is going strong and the berries are ripe for the picking. Here is how to freeze berries

How to make small batch jam

I just made jam for the first itme. This video was very instructive and easy to understand.