Fraulein's Favorite Pumpkin Doggy Biscuits

Does your dog have a sweet tooth?  Mine does.

Fraulein

Yes, Fraulein likes anything sweet and especially loves the flavor of pumpkin with cinnamon.  I hate giving her unhealthy snacks and have to admit that occasionally my dog (Fraulein) has the pleasure of licking a beater when I'm baking pumpkin or ginger bread.  I know, my bad!  Thankfully those days are over!  I found a recipe today that I couldn't follow exactly because it called for different types of gluten-free flour that I don't have, so I tweaked it using what I could find and the doggy biscuits are now in the oven, leaving my house filled with the scent of pumpkin bread reminiscent of  the holidays.  It's heavenly!

Here is my own recipe for Pumpkin Doggy Biscuits:
Ingredients:
1 cup oat flour (I make my own by simply grinding whole oats in a coffee grinder for about 15 seconds)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour or any flour of your choice
1/4 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
1 cup pure pumpkin puree  (not the pie filling!)
1 egg or egg equivalent
1 tbsp. organic virgin olive oil or heart healthy oil of choice (coconut might be good...I might try it next time!)
2 tbsp. ground organic flax seed
dash of cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice (optional but great if your dog has a sweet tooth!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the flours and ground flax seed.  Add in your optional spices if desired.  Add in the pumpkin puree, applesauce, egg and oil.  Mix until combined.  This is one treat you can allow your dogs to really enjoy!  Let your pet lick the beaters and the mixing bowl clean, after all it's made specially for them!

Now for the messy part!  Just try to channel your inner child for this task!  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly with your hand until you get a thickness of about 1/8 inch.  It's easier if you keep your hand just damp with warm water and have some patience!  Score into squares, or use cookie cutters for shapes, but do not remove the shapes.  This is just to score the shape to make it easier to break apart after baking.  Now, bake for 1- 1 1/2 hours, until the biscuit has the desired crunchiness.  For an older dog you may not want it to be so crunchy, depending on their teeth and oral health.

Remove from the oven and transfer the parchment paper to a cooling rack.  Cool completely before you try to break the pieces apart.  For best results, store in the refrigerator for up to a week or store in the freezer and remove portions as needed.

Not too pretty, but tasty and ready to eat.  I even had one!

These will make great treats, training snacks or meal supplements for your dog.  You may want to play with ingredients based on your dog's special needs and this base recipe allows a lot of room for creativity!  I hope you'll let me know if you try the recipe and what changes you have made for your own dogs!

Fraulein happily does a taste test!

Fraulein loves her pumpkin "cookies" and comes running when I offer one!  I hope your dog (s) love this recipe too!  I'd love to hear from you what kind of treats you make for your own pets!

Delicious German Chocolate Cake

My wonderful husband just turned 50!  Happy Birthday Gunnar!

 c

When I asked my husband what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday I really already knew...duh, a german chocolate cake.  What else for a guy born and raised in Germany?  So his answer was no surprise for me.  Now usually I just pick up a cake mix from the store, add a bit of this and that to add flavor and moistness, then top it off with some store-bought frosting from a can.  That just didn't seem good enough for a 50th birthday cake so I scoured the internet for recipes and found, I think, a true winner.  I must admit, baking the cake from scratch was labor intense but SO worth it!  It was moist, delicious and rich...divinely decadent!  My hubby loved it and we've been enjoying it all week, though my waistline is starting to complain!

melting the chocolate was fun!

I couldn't help but try it!  Yum!

Here is the recipe, which I tweaked only slightly by adding an egg, using dark brown sugar and substituting light sour cream for the full fat variety.

Ingredients for cake:
2 1/4 cups all- purpose flour  (I used cake flour)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
5 large eggs
4 oz. sweet baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour two 9" cake pans.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, butter, sour cream, eggs, chocolate, milk and vanilla.  Beat with mixer on low speed until well blended.  Increase mixer to high speed and beat for another 2-3 minutes.  Spoon batter into prepared pans.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.  Remove to racks to cool completely.

Ingredients for frosting:
3/4 cup evaporated milk (1 small can)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 oz. flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:
In a saucepan over medium heat bring evaporated milk, brown sugar and butter to a full boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in coconut and pecans.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.  DO NOT attempt to frost the cake until both the cake and frosting are COMPLETELY cool...it will not frost well as you can see from the picture of my completed cake. I was too anxious!  It may not have looked pretty but it sure tasted heavenly.

Gunnar enjoyed his 50th birthday cake!  I hope you will try the recipe and let me know how your family like it!

Quick And Easy Fix For A Headache!

Today my husband is home ill with a migraine headache.  Over the years my poor migraine-prone hubby has tried everything for his headaches from aspirin to Imitrex and other prescription drugs.  Narcotic pain pills only cause rebound headache and Ibuprofen and Tylenol only help a little.  But we have a secret weapon in our arsenal!  This secret weapon is an inexpensive natural product that has a myriad of uses but is especially helpful for headaches.  Our secret weapon is...drum roll please...Lavender Essential Oil.  Yes, something that simple!

 I simply dampen a washcloth and sprinkle on it just a bit of the lavender essential oil, then I roll it up and place it on my suffering spouse's forehead.  The Lavender Essential Oil really helps to knock out his tough headaches!  Lavender is wonderfully relaxing and just a few drops on the cloth make the whole bedroom smell like a Lavender garden.  My husband is able to sleep for a few hours and almost always wakes refreshed and headache free.  I hope you'll try Lavender Essential Oil the next time you have a headache.  If using the damp washcloth is impractical for you just rub a few drops of oil into your temples and dab a bit under your nose.

Wonderful Lavender

Other uses for Lavender are: anxiety/stress, wound and skin care.  For anxiety and stress you may want to rub a bit of the essential oil into your temples or simply take a few deep inhalations from the bottle.  A cup of Lavender tea will also settle those nerves!  For wounds simply apply a drop or two of Lavender essential oil to help heal and ward off infection.  Lavender is also known to help the skin and fight wrinkles so adding about 30-50 drops into your face lotion will help to fight aging and keep your skin glowing.  You may even notice less breakouts, if you are prone to them.  Experiment with the essential oil of Lavender and you will discover an array of uses and delights!  If you need to purchase Lavender essential oil just click on one of the links to Mountain Rose Herbs on my blog...they will hook you up and I can personally vouch for the quality of their products.

Let me know how Lavender helps you!  I'd love to hear from you!

Natural Beauty The Easy Way

Do you wish you could afford lavish spa treatments and body oils?  Why not just make your own?  There are lots of ways to use the ingredients around your kitchen and home to keep you youthful, glowing and looking your best!  Here are just a couple of ideas that are fun and easy and feel luxurious without a trip to the spa!

Glittery Body Glow:
This lovely, scented oil will keep your skin glowing and refreshed all day long!
Ingredients:
1 cup almond oil
1 tbsp. mineral makeup, golden tone  (powdered eye shadow works well)
10 drops natural perfume or essential oil of choice (optional)

Preparation:
Add all the ingredients to a small container.  Put the top on and swish the mixture around until well mixed.  Smooth onto arms, chest, neck and legs for a glittery glow that that will last for hours!


Morning Buzz Coffee Scrub:
A different way to wake up with caffeine in the morning and a great way to use up those coffee grounds!

Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 cup of used coffee grounds
2 tbsp. coarse salt
1-2 tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
Place the coffee grounds in a container that will be safe in your shower.  Add the salt and drizzle the olive oil, stirring with your fingers to blend.  Scrub your body gently with the coffee grounds mixture, being careful to avoid the eyes.  Rinse well and feel refreshed all over!

I hope you enjoy these fun and easy beauty tricks.  The coffee scrub feels great and is truly rejuvenating!  The body glow is fun on a summer day or on a winter's day when you want to feel a bit of summer.  Enjoy!

Are You Ready For Flu Season?

That time of year has come...yes, it's flu season!  What, if anything, are you doing to prevent the flu from striking you or your loved ones?  Take the time to take the quiz at the bottom of my blog...it will tell you if you are ready to face H1N1 and other flu viruses coming your way!

Some of the most basic tricks can help you from getting the flu, such as frequent hand washing and avoiding sick people.  These two actions are your biggest help in warding off the flu.  If you do develop symptoms grab some Elderberry tincture (I have plenty available and if you buy it by the end of this month I will give you a 20% discount!) and hot herbal teas.  You may not have much of an appetite if you develop the flu but try to force yourself to eat clear broths with lots of fresh ginger root, onions and raw garlic.  Remember to drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest.  I make a great big batch of carrot-ginger soup every fall that I store in the freezer in case of colds and flu.  This soup is very healing and easy to heat up when you are ill.  But don't wait until the flu hits because you won't be well enough to cook, so make it now and save it for when you need it!

Kelly's Carrot and Ginger Soup:

Prep Time: 20 minutes                      Servings: 6-8                          category: Appetizer/Main Dish/Soup
Ingredients:  Try to use organic products as much as possible!

2 lbs. carrots, washed and sliced  (DO NOT PEEL THE CARROTS!)
3 tbsp. virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
6 whole garlic cloves
4 cups broth or water
1 large onion
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice  (in a pinch bottled will do but fresh is truly best)
6 thin slices of fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or 1tsp. fresh thyme
gr. black pepper to taste
whipping cream - OPTIONAL to use 1/4 to 1/2 cup
6 whole cloves

Instructions:
Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat.  Add carrots, onion, ginger, whole cloves and whole garlic cloves and saute all until the onion is translucent.  Add 3 1/2 cups broth.  Cover and simmer until carrots are very soft, about 30 minutes.  Remove cloves from the broth and discard.  Puree soup in blender.  Return soup to same pot and mix in lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and thin to desired consistency with leftover broth.  If desired, whisk cream in medium bowl until just slightly thickened, about 10 seconds, and drizzle over soup when serving.  I myself do not add the cream and the soup is still delicious.  Add raw crushed garlic to soup just before serving.  I like to add an herbal garnish.  Rosemary is the garnish featured in the picture above.  Any fresh herb will make a great garnish!

Not only is this soup waistline friendly, it is incredibly good for you.  It's a wonderful fall harvest soup for crisp autumn nights.  When you feel a cold or fever coming on, make this soup and triple the ginger in the recipe.  It will be especially helpful if you add 1-2 cloves raw garlic to your soup bowl before you pour in the soup. You only get the real health benefits from raw garlic, so pile it on!  Eat this soup often when ill.  Make a big batch and keep in the freezer for when you need it and don't feel well enough to cook!  Of course, this soup tastes great and is awesome to eat even if you are feeling fine and healthy!

A Honey Of A Problem!

Today a shocking report was revealed at Natural News that I find especially disturbing.  I'm thankful that I only buy raw honey from local honey growers because today I learned that about 75% of the honey sold in grocery stores and discount warehouses is not even honey!  It is nothing more than processed corn syrup and other artificial and harmful ingredients.  To think how many consumers are innocently buying honey thinking that they are doing something good for their family.  How many of you housewives have switched to using honey rather than sugar in some of your recipes?  I guarantee you will feel cheated after you have read this article.  This article makes a strong case for buying locally grown raw honey.  It is worth your time to seek a good honey grower out.  Not only will you pay less for a high quality product, you will truly be enhancing your family's health!  Please read this article and share it with your friends, loved ones and all honey lovers you know!  Here it is...




(NaturalNews) Just because those cute little bear-shaped bottles at the grocery store say "honey" on them does not necessarily mean that they actually contain honey. A comprehensive investigation conducted byFood Safety News(FSN) has found that the vast majority of so-called honey products sold at grocery stores, big box stores, drug stores, and restaurants do not contain any pollen, which means they are not real honey.

For the investigation, Vaughn Bryant, one of the nation's leading melissopalynologists, or experts in identifying pollen in honey, and director of the Palynology Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University, evaluated more than 60 products labeled as "honey" that had been purchased by FSN from ten states and the District of Columbia.

Bryant found that 76 percent of "honey" samples purchased from major grocery store chains like Kroger and Safeway, and 77 percent of samples purchased from big box chains like Sam's Club and Wal-Mart, did not contain any pollen. Even worse were "honey" samples taken from drug stores like Walgreens and CVS, and fast food restaurants like McDonald's and KFC, 100 percent of which were found to contain not a trace of pollen.

For the rest of the article please go here: http://www.naturalnews.com/034102_honey_consumer_alert.html

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/034102_honey_consumer_alert.html#ixzz1dFKfLMrL

Now that you've read this article, are you shocked?  I was shocked at first but after giving it thought I realized this is just one of the many hoaxes and lies fed to hungry consumers each and every day.  We all need to become better label readers but in this day and age we need to go one step further!  Become proactive and take advantage of today's technology!  Take the time and do some research into the products you are buying, the companies that are manufacturing and selling them and question the quality, safety and cost, both financially and to your health, when deciding what to grab off the grocery shelf!


I would love to hear your comments and ideas for healthier shopping and buying habits!  Will you do more research into what you are eating?  Are you a honey lover and just plain mad about being duped?  I want to hear from you!

Save Big Bucks On Food And Medicine!

I don't know about you, but in this economy I am trying to save money in whatever ways I can.  I was unemployed myself for over 2 years and have only been working again for 4 months, part time and on a temporary assignment which is over at the end of this month.  I am already stressed about making our mortgage payment and keeping the utilities on, not to mention paying other bills and eating too!  I am sure many of you are in the same boat or know someone who is.  I found a great video series where we can all learn to keep the cost of food and medicine down for our families through these trying financial times.  I found it at Natural News and encourage you to check out this unique educational series for yourself!  If you are interested in learning how to feed your family for much less this low-cost video series might be just what you are looking for!  This is not just a series about how to garden and harvest your own fruits and vegetables but also how to make medicine for you and loved ones right in your own backyard.  It doesn't take an Herbalist or an expert to make basic home medicine and this series is a great value for such a low price!  I hope you will enjoy the series and share with us what you learn!


Here is the introduction and a video trailer for you to watch from Natural News:


Dear NaturalNews readers,
We've just launched a really educational video series that teaches you how to find zero-cost food and medicine all around you, even if you live in the suburbs or a city.
This is an especially timely video series because of the worsening economy and the need for people to find more food and medicine without spending money on it.
I'm personally studying this course to make sure I've got a backup supply of foods and medicines that I can readily identify and harvest if I need to.
Click here to see the preview trailer or get the video series now.


Please share with me and other readers what you think of the series after you view it!    Will this change your buying and/or food growing habits?  Will you become your own pharmacist and make your own medicine?   I would love to hear your feedback!