Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!! Who doesn’t eat chicken, other than vegans? Even people who have allergies have eaten chicken. There are so many breeds of chicken. In the Philippines we have our own famous breed called “NATIVE CHICKENS”. They come from provinces across the country and are famous for their flavor and reduced fat.
Chicken across the country; across the sea; and across the world; chicken is everywhere! Today I’m going to give you a round-up of chicken recipes from around the world!
Boom! This chicken Filipino dish is fantastic, I love the sweetness of the coconut milk and the balance of all the flavors, you should try this, I’m sure you going to love this!
One of the very difficult part of the chicken to cook is the chicken breasts, you need to be careful not to under done or over cooked the breast, but if cook to perfection? Hallelujah!!!
This is a Filipino signature dish that is unique and awesomely delicious; it is usually served during special celebrations like birthday’s, fiesta’s and more.
This was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio 1908, I love the creaminess of the sauce and the texture of the pasta. When I taste this dish I felt like I’m in one of the famous restaurants in Rome!
This is a fiesta dish that every Filipino love to serve and of-course to eat, I can eat 3 plates of steamed rice because of this dish and I’m sure you will love this.
One of our family traditions are Sunday night barbecues when family and friends drop by for dinner and a visit. Everyone looks forward to this weekly event.
This is another one of my favorite dishes. I’ve tried many different recipes in my quest for the perfect one; tweaking each one until it was just right.
And last but not the least, a dish that every hear t of Filipinos desire! This is an all-time and a part of every Filipino’s lives dish. Simply heaven!
Recently we went to Petco to buy more dog treats, we usually buy the bulk biscuits from the treat bar. The price had gone up to over $6 a pound. The pre-packaged ones were more expensive, even those on sale. The “organic” treats were in my opinion ridiculously priced, over $10 for a 6 oz. bag.
It was time to DIY dog treats for my Siberian Husky, Cannoli, who is very treat motivated. After a bit of online browsing and experimenting I came up with this recipe for dog biscuits. It’s very simple to make out of organic ingredients, and best of all Cannoli loves them.
You can make a batch of these treats and store in airtight containers for about a week. To keep store in refrigerator, it will stay good for about 3-4 weeks. Freeze in ziplock bags to keep up to 3 months.
Here’s my recipe for DIY Dog Biscuits, it makes 3 Dozen!
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Organic Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Flax Seed Meal
1 4oz. Jar Organic Strained Baby Food, any flavor as long as it doesn’t have onions or garlic
Water
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Measure the flour and flax seed meal to equal 1 cup.
Mix dry ingredients with one 4 oz. jar of baby food in a mixing bowl.
Knead until you have a ball of dough. If it’s too loose add flour a little bit at a time until you have the right consistency. If it’s too dry add water a bit at a time until you have the right consistency.
Form into ball
Place ball of dough on lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/4″-1/2″ thickness
Cut into desired shape with a cookie cutter or use a pizza cutter to cut squares
Place on to parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 mins.
Remove from oven and cool. Store in airtight container.
Measure the flour and flax seed meal to equal 1 cup.
Mix dry ingredients with one 4 oz. jar of baby food in a mixing bowl.
Knead until you have a ball of dough. If it's too loose add flour a little bit at a time until you have the right consistency. If it's too dry add water a little bit at a time until you have the right consistency.
Form into ball
Place ball of dough on lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/4"-1/2" thickness
Cut into desired shape with a cookie cutter or use a pizza cutter to cut squares
Place on to parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 mins.
Remove from oven and cool. Store in airtight container.
I think you all know by now that we own a very spoiled and finicky Siberian Husky named Cannoli. Let me repharse, Cannoli, a spoiled and finicky Husky owns us. I guess like most pet owners and animal lovers we tend to spoil our fur balls who bring so much joy to our lives.
My husband recently asked me who I spoil more, the grandkids or the dog, LOL! As if! The question should be who does HE spoil more. I categorically deny spoiling anyone, people or pets! After all it was under his watch that Cannoli decided she preferred expensive pouches of Blue Wilderness dog food toppers over the dry food it was supposed to top. So what does brilliant husband do while sensible wife is away? Why of course he was feeding spoiled mutt 4 pouches a day at a cost of almost $2 a pouch on top of her Blue Wilderness dry food (which I’m told she picked out and only ate when absolutely starving). Ouch! To be fair she did gain some needed pounds, which my hubby explained was the main goal to begin with.
Well when I got home I had to whip both mutt and husband back into shape! It wasn’t easy because Cannoli had a very vocal advocate on her side, aka dear husband who called from work several times a day to ask if Cannoli was eating. For the first few days Cannoli absolutely refused to eat the dry food, she left it for the wild birds who now due to free food like to hang out in our yard! I on the other hand was not going to relent, well not at $8 a day anyway.
We tried mixing in canned food instead of the topper. That had mixed reviews from the miserable mutt! She didn’t like the pate style, not that I can really blame her, that’s the pureed stuff that really looks unappealing. She somewhat preferred the grills and stews which were chunks of meats and veggies. But she definitely didn’t like the dry. I was baffled, she was originally on Merrick dry food, a very good grain free high protein food that our Doberman Portia thrived on. I had switched her to Blue Wilderness that other Husky owners were gushing about. She had liked it! Of course I had to keep various flavors, she likes variety. But then for whatever reason she decided she didn’t like it after all.
In the end I switched her dry food to Solid Gold, a holistic and natural brand which my vet assistant recommended and is highly recommended by Pet Food Talk’s review. But I wasn’t going to keep a variety of flavors this time, she would have to eat the High Protein Barking at the Moon flavor. I did decide that toppers were a must but they would be homemade, it would be healthier, provide the variety the finicky pup seems to need, and be cheaper. So I’ve been making homemade dog food toppers for the last couple of months.
(I feel that I must say this for new pet owners. If you’re going to switch dog food BRANDS do so slowly by mixing small amounts of the new food with the old. You do this over a week or so increasing the amount of new food mixed in daily. I usually wait until I’m low on the old food and buy a small bag of the new one to mix until I’m sure that it works for her.)
Anyway toppers are very easy to make and can be frozen until you need them. I usually cook up a batch, store them in small freezer safe containers (I reuse the round plastic containers from KFC, the red topped ones that the sides come in when you buy individual meals – I’ve been saving them for years and have build up quite a stash.)
I’ve shared my recipes for Beef and Chicken toppers in previous posts. Today I’ll be sharing a Salmon & Dill topper which is very healthy for dogs. Salmon is good for dogs, it’s a good source of the fatty acid Omega 3 which keeps her coat shiny and healthy, it also helps boost her immune system. Dill is also good for dogs, it helps calm their stomach and is rich in vitamins and minerals. The other ingredients in this topper are 2 types of squash which also have health benefits for your dog. They are in potassium which may help in reducing heart failure and Vitamin A and Calcium which help keep a dog’s kidneys healthy.
Now remember this is a dog food topper. It’s designed to make dry food more appealing. It is not meant to replace commercial dog food. I use only about a 1/4 to top her Solid Gold dry food. If you’re looking to eliminate commercial dog food from your dog’s diet that’s fine, but you must use a balanced recipe to ensure your dog gets the proper nutrients. Commercial dog foods are balanced to provide your pet with the nutrition they need, homemade food may lack some essential vitamins or minerals your pup needs. You may have to give your dog supplements to meet her needs. Before you switch to homemade dog food consult your vet and find a good well balanced recipe.
Having said all that here’s the recipe for Salmon & Dill Dog Food Topper!
Ingredients:
1 Lb. Fresh Salmon with skin, cut into chunks
1 small Long green squash (also called Opo, bottle squash, or Calabash found in Asian Markets), peeled, seeds removed, and cut into chunks
1/2 Yellow Winter Squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into chunks
1 Can Low Sodium Chicken Broth
4-6 sprigs of fresh dill, chopped
1 Tbls. Olive Oil
Directions:
Heat oil in frying pan.
Add Salmon and cook until it’s no longer opaque. It should turn somewhat white in color.
Add squashes and cook about 2-3 minutes.
Add broth and simmer until squash is tender. No more than 10 minutes.
Stir in dill.
Cool then portion out in freezer safe containers.
Toppers should keep in the freezer about a month. Thaw them out as needed. I’m not sure if it keeps more than a month because we use it all within a month. The containers I use hold about 1/2 cup of topper which is good for 2 feedings. I thaw one out a day and store in the fridge until I’m ready to use it.
Add Salmon and cook until it's no longer opaque. It should turn somewhat white in color.
Add squashes and cook about 2-3 minutes.
Add broth and simmer until squash is tender. No more than 10 minutes.
Stir in dill.
Cool then portion out in freezer safe containers.
Recipe Notes
Toppers should keep in the freezer about a month. Thaw them out as needed. I'm not sure if it keeps more than a month because we use it all within a month. The containers I use hold about 1/2 cup of topper which is good for 2 feedings. I thaw one out a day and store in the fridge until I'm ready to use it.
I think everyone knows that we share our home with a very spoiled and finicky almost 2 year old Siberian Husky named Cannoli. For the last few months we’ve been trying to put some weight on her. This has proven to be a difficult task, not only is she finicky, she’s very active too!
We’ve tried everything to get her to eat her dog food, including switching brands from Merrick, to Blue Wilderness, and now to Solid Gold. All very good dog food, and all on the high end of the spectrum as far as dog food costs. We’ve tried both wet and dry food, and a mixture of both, not to mention a variety of flavors. Nothing seems to work, she turns her nose up at them. In desperation we tried Blue Wilderness Dog Food Toppers. She liked those and picked the toppers out of the dry food. But she can’t live, much less gain weight on toppers alone.
Toppers are meant to make dry food more appealing, they come in small 3 oz. packets which cost almost $2 each. If I had to feed her just toppers, she’d need almost 6 packets a feeding, and she gets 2 feedings a day, that would cost over $20 a day!
Then I noticed the toppers looked like meat cubes in gravy. After discussions with our trainer and breeder we decided that homemade toppers would work. The toppers aren’t meant as a meal, just about 1/4 cup added to her dry food should work. So I started making her toppers and she loves it! It’s even gotten her to eat the dry food mixed in with it!
Last month I made her beef toppers in my crockpot, it was so easy! This month I made her Chicken N’ Gravy Dog Food Topper and she loves it too!
Since it was chicken I didn’t make it in the crockpot, I didn’t want the chicken to get too soft and mushy, she doesn’t do mushy! I told you she’s finicky! I basically stir fried chicken cubes, added some mixed veggies and low sodium chicken broth. I thickened the broth with a bit of corn starch and voila a new topper for Cannoli.
I make a large pot of toppers, put them in freezer safe containers, and thaw them as needed. One recipe lasts a month, best of all it cost lest than $10!
I must add that this recipe is for dog food toppers. It is not meant to replace dog food. Dogs need the balanced nutrients in commercial dog food. However if you want to make your pet homemade dog food you sure can. But before you rush to the kitchen to cook up a batch please do your research, there are many recipes out there. You may also have to give your pet vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for the nutrients homemade dog food may me lacking. Better yet consult your vet before you switch completely from commercial to homemade dog food, he or she will be able to tell you what nutrients are best for your dog.
Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe for Adult Dogs with Bison 22 lb. Bag $64.99
I also have to add that I know it’s tempting to give your pet left over stews but don’t! Most of us season our stews with onions and garlic, these ingredients are toxic to your pet. That’s why I cook for Cannoli, her food is unseasoned and definitely don’t contain onions and garlic. Before you cook anything for you dog check the list of human foods that are toxic to pets so you can avoid them.
Having said that here’s my recipe!
Ingredients:
1 Lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenderloins, chopped into small cubes
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Can Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Can Organic Mixed Vegetables – make sure it has no onions, garlic, or other ingredients that aren’t dog friendly
1/4 Cup Water
1 Tbsp. Corn Starch
Directions:
Heat oil in pan.
Add chicken cubes and cook until done.
Add mixed veggies and broth.
Let simmer about 5 minutes.
Dissolve corn starch in water.
Stir into chicken mixture to thicken.
Cook until broth is desired thickness, but no more than 10 minutes.
Let cool and transfer to freezer safe containers.
Thaw when ready to use and stir into dry food.
If you have a favorite recipe you like to make for your fur baby drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you!
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Do you have a finicky dog? Do you have to mix canned dog food or toppers with dry? Are you tired of buying expensive toppers or cans? If you said yes to one or all of these questions read for my homemade dog food topper recipe!
We have a 20 month old Siberian Husky named Cannoli. For months now we’ve been trying to put some weight on her, the vet told us she’s about 8 pounds under weight. I’ve read that putting and keeping weight on a Siberian Husky of this age can be challenging, it’s even more challenging when said pup is a picky eater.
Her regular dog food is Blue Wilderness, the vet tells me this is a great food for her. I keep several flavors on hand to mix up the taste as she seems to get tired of having the same one for every meal. I know she’s spoiled, but all out critters are. Well a few months ago she basically stopped eating all her dry food, we ended up feeding the wild birds. (Cannoli lives on our covered patio).
I tried to change her feeding times thinking she just wasn’t hungry as soon as she woke up, she’s a late starter and prefers to lounge as soon as we let her out of her crate. (Yes we crate her at night for her own safety, she gets into things and we don’t want her to eat a frog or some other dangerous thing she may find around the yard.) Well, that didn’t work and instead of gaining weight she was loosing.
I finally decided to try mixing some wet food with the dry, first trying out Blue Wilderness Toppers, little pouches of wet food you put on top of the dry food. She liked that, but it cost almost $2 a pouch! Since I feed her twice a day that cost $4 a day! Ok, so mixing wet with dry worked, just had to find a cheaper alternative.
I tried cans of Blue Wilderness, there are 2 types, the pate and the grills. The pates are ground paste of wet food, she didn’t like it. The grills are chunks of meat and veggies in some sort of gravy, she loved them. So the cans cost just under $4 each, and a can will last for 2 days. I only use about a half cup per meal. Cheaper than the Toppers, but when you add up the cost it’s about $60 a month and that’s on top of the $60+ we spent on dry food.
I still thought I could get the cost down, so I chatted with our dog trainer. We agreed that making toppers would be just as good if not better than buying canned food. I was hesitant to make my own food even though I know many folks do. If you’re going to feed your pet strictly homemade food you need to get recipes that will address your pet’s nutritional needs and supplement what is missing. Good quality dog food is nutritionally balanced for pets, homemade dog may not be and you may need to give your dog supplements. Having said that, we agreed that toppers are just for taste and Cannoli would still get all the nutritional benefits of Blue Wilderness dry food.
I found that making the topper in my crock pot was real easy. It’s pretty much like making stew! I managed to cook up a pot that should last about a month for less than $15. That’s a big savings! Best of all Cannoli loves it!
A small caveat just in case you’re tempted to make a big pot of stew for dinner and use the leftovers as dog food toppers, don’t! Most of us use onions, garlic, and salt to make our stews taste good, those ingredients are not good for your dog! In fact onions and garlic are on the poisonous list! (If you don’t use any of these ingredients in your stew, then I suppose you can give the dog left overs.) For the most part you add no seasonings to dog food.
On the bright side, a homemade dog food topper is probably healthier than anything you buy in a can. After all you’ll be using real meat and veggies, not by products and no additives!
I froze my dog food topper in small plastic containers, each one with enough topper to last a few days. I defrost and store a container in the fridge as I need it.
Again, this recipe is not meant to replace store bought dog food. It may not meet all of your dog’s nutritional needs. It is meant to be used as a topper or wet mix in to your regular dog food to make it more appetizing for finicky pups. If you want to replace your pet’s food with homemade dog food please talk to your vet and do your research for recipes that will meet all your pet’s nutritional needs and if needed give your pet supplemental vitamins and minerals as directed by your vet.
Here’s my recipe, hope your pooch loves it as much as Cannoli does.
Ingredients:
*for smaller dogs cut the meat and veggies smaller
3 Pound Chuck Roast cut into small cubes
3 large Carrots sliced into rounds
3 large potatoes cut into small cubes
1/2 Pound string beans chopped into bite size pieces
2 Cups no onion no garlic broth – if using commercial broth try Fody Chicken Soup Base it has no onions or make your own from beef bones
3 cans water
3 Tbls. flour
1 Cup water
Directions:
Place chuck roast cubes into crock pot.[spacer height=”20px” id=”2″]
Add veggies, pour in broth and water (use the broth can to measure the water), stir.
Set the crock pot on low for 8 hours.
Half way through dissolve flour in water and stir in to stew. Replace cover and cook until done.
Store topper in air tight freezer containers.[spacer height=”-50px” id=”7″]
Homemade Dog Food Topper
Print Recipe
Healthy dog food topper to mix with dry food. Made with real chunks of beef and vegetables steeped in gravy.
Last week I whipped up a batch of homemade PB & Veggie Dog Biscuits for my pooch Cannoli and her friends in Obedience Class. Since class fell on Easter Sunday it was a good time to share some treats so I packed the biscuits in Easter packaging.
This time I added Brewer’s Yeast and Flax Seed Meal to the biscuits, both are said to promote healthy skin and shiny coats. I used Peanut Butter mostly for taste, Cannoli loves her Peanut Butter, but it’s also a good source of protein, heart healthy fats, and some vitamins. Flax seed is also a good source for fatty acids which are good for skin, heart, and immune systems. Brewer’s Yeast is also said to be a natural flea repellent and helps improve coats, relieve stress, and helps the digestion.
Over all these biscuits are healthy treats for your fur ball, they’re easy to make, and much less expensive than commercial dog biscuits.
I used Wilton cookie cutters, you get a set of three: bone, dog, and paw. You can order them from Amazon. But if you don’t have these cookie cutters you can use whatever you have on hand or even roll them into balls and flatten with the bottom of a glass.
I made bones and paws, the recipe made 3 dozen biscuits, perfect for sharing!
I prefer to use organic or natural ingredients specially for the peanut butter. You want to avoid lots of sodium they put in regular peanut butter.
Store biscuits in tightly sealed containers for up to a week. To store longer freeze them in ziplock bags.
I think you all know by now that we own a very spoiled and finicky Siberian Husky named Cannoli. Let me repharse, Cannoli, a spoiled and finicky Husky owns us. I guess like most pet owners and animal lovers we tend to spoil our fur balls who bring so much joy to our lives.
Last month I made her 
Place chuck roast cubes into crock pot.[spacer height=”20px” id=”2″]
Add veggies, pour in broth and water (use the broth can to measure the water), stir.
Last week I whipped up a batch of homemade PB & Veggie Dog Biscuits for my pooch Cannoli and her friends in Obedience Class. Since class fell on Easter Sunday it was a good time to share some treats so I packed the biscuits in Easter packaging.
I used 
Ingredients:
