These muffins taste a lot like a cinnamon doughnut and are great with coffee. We love them for breakfast or anytime! :))
-3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened -1 cup sugar
-2 eggs -3 cups flour -3 tsp. baking powder -1/4 tsp. baking soda -3/4 tsp. salt -1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg -1 cup milk -1/4 cup buttermilk
Using mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and continue mixing. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth batter. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan and fill each cup 3/4 full or almost to the rim. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 35 minutes or until browned. Remove and let cool just long enough to handle.
*Sugar, Cinnamon, Butter Dip for Muffins -1/2 cup butter, melted -1 cup sugar -1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
You will need two bowls for dipping. Melt the butter in one bowl and mix the cinnamon and sugar in the other bowl. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, dip in butter and then in cinnamon mixture. Enjoy!
waiting for the grill The next time you can't decide if you want a bacon cheeseburger or a hot dog, consider this...the ultimate burger! Some folks will probably think that I have way too much time on my hands but I just love to play with my food! LOL!!! :)) These are amazing!
I started off with lean ground burger then added about 4 slices of bacon cut up. Seasoning's! I added Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Black Pepper Squeeze some mustard in there... Shake some Worcestershire sauce and Soy sauce in there for even more flavour. Finally! Form burger into "dogs" around bamboo skewers, then wrap them in bacon! Mmm! Bacon! I slow cooked them on the BBQ on the top rack. Keep a close eye on them while on the BBQ. Due to the fat dripping off the bacon you are more than likely going to have a few grease fires spitting up and toasting your burger dogs, which could get pretty messy and result in black/burnt burger dogs
I have to admit, spaghetti squash is one of my favorite vegetable, well one of the top one.... it’s easy to cook and so yummy. It’s a very cool vegetable and a great replacement for pasta. I have tried cooking spaghetti squash a couple of different ways but I always come back to baking it in the oven. When I have steamed or microwaved it... it always seems to be to much water left in the squash.
Probably the hardest part of cooking spaghetti squash is cutting the squash in half. You will need a good chef’s knife to cut the squash. First, cut off the stem if it is still attached. Then insert your knife in the middle of the squash and cut in half.
The next step is to scoop out the seeds from the center of the squash. An ice cream scoop is the perfect tool for this job. A strong spoon will work too.
Then I line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, coat it with vegetable spray and lay my squash cut side down.
I preheat my oven to 350 degrees and bake the squash for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the squash. The skin will never get soft, it will just cave in when pressed.
Flip the squash over and run a fork through the squash to separate the strands. The squash will be very hot. Spaghetti squash in a non-starchy vegetable so you don’t have to be concerned about your portion size like you do with other winter squashes (acorn, butternut etc...). Top your squash with anything you normally put on your pasta. Mmmmmm this is so good..... Enjoy.
This is a quick and easy recipe to make for your family anytime. Just add some cornbread and you have a meal. This recipe is very versatile, too, as you can use different meats and vegetables.
-1 small onion, chopped -1 pound package smoked sausage, sliced -2 Tbsp. butter or margarine -1/2 tsp. minced garlic -1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth -1/2 cup water -2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked -8 ounces velveeta cheese, cubed -1 (14 ounce) bag frozen garden blend vegetables (I used the broccoli, sugar snap peas, green beans, mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions and red peppers) -1/4 tsp. black pepper -1/2 tsp. salt
Melt butter in large skillet. Brown onion and sausage. Pour in chicken broth and and water and bring to a boil. Stir in macaroni and simmer about 10 minutes until pasta is tender. Add vegetables and stir. Sprinkle cheese over vegetables and cook about 10 to 12 minutes longer until cheese is melted and vegetables are tender stirring often. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Enjoy!
(Note: You can use chicken, ham or polish sausage and any kind of pasta in this dish. Different vegetables, too)
There’s been a video circulating rampantly about spiral cutting hot dogs. We thought it only seemed fitting to try it for ourselves and determine if it’s all it’s cracked up to be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyieI2bxyIk
The first step was obviously to go out and buy some hot dogs and skewers. Easy enough. Every grocery store has wieners and almost all of them have skewers for shish kebabs.
That’s when things got a bit trickier. It turns out that I’m not that great with wieners.
I struggled to jam the stick straight through, my aim was pretty terrible.
Eventually I made it end to end with fairly reasonable straightness, or so I thought.
As I started to spiral cut, it became clear that my skewer was nowhere near centered. In some spots it was so bad that I was only cutting a couple millimeters deep.
First attempt complete; all fingers intact. They say practice makes perfect though.
The second time around I thread the skewer vertically and it worked much better. If you’re going to try this, I’d highly recommend that.
Obviously I wasn’t going to waste a perfectly good stick of meat, so both went on the grill.
I can’t lie, they look delicious on the grill.
Once they're cook.... coat your wiener with mustard AND ketchup. YUMMY!!! :))
I have not tried this but they look super easy and yummy!!! Preheat oven to 350 press down 1.5 squares of break-apart refrigerated cookie dough into the bottom of each well. Place Reese cup upside down on top of cookie dough (or an Oreo!). Top with prepared box brownie mix, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes! HEAVEN.
Makes a yummy snack that looks like ants sitting on a log. Excellent idea for a kids school lunch or simply for a healthy summer snack.
-Celery stems are an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C with rich supplies...
of potassium, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and plenty essential amino acids. -Peanut butter is loaded with protein and “good” fats, -Raisins contain fiber, anti-oxidants and help with bone growth.
celery sticks (cut about 3 inches long) peanut butter raisins
Spread the peanut butter on the celery stick. Put the raisins on top of the peanut butter. Enjoy with a friend.
*The traditional "Ants on a log" is celery, peanut butter and raisins. But since kids love this snack so much, here's a few ways to change it a little.
VARIATION: -celery, peanut butter, and raisins or craisins (for red ants on a log) -celery, peanut butter, a layer of honey, raisins -celery, peanut butter, top with chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit pieces, granola, or different types of nuts.
-celery, cream cheese, paprika, roasted peppers and/or pine nuts -celery, cream cheese, cinnamon, and craisins or dried blueberries or tiny chocolate chips or granola -celery, cream cheese, chopped pineapple on top
-2 1/2 cups Coke -1/3 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Rum -1/3 cup Kahlua
1. Place all ingredients in a large glass and stir to combine. Pour mixture into popsicles mold. 2. Freeze for about 2 hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. To release popsicles run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 2-3 seconds.
*Slightly flat Coke will produce a popsicle that stays frozen longer. To quickly and manually flatten out the carbonation, empty out enough Coke from a 2-liter bottle to leave a 3-inch space from top of bottle to top of coke. Place cap back on and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Set aside to leave bubbles to subside.
Summer doesn’t feel complete without at least one blueberry picking trip and a batch of homemade blueberry jam cooling on the kitchen counter. :))
-6 cups smashed blueberries (you’ll need 8-10 cups of unsquashed berries to equal this amount) -6 cups sugar -1 lemon, zested and juiced -2 tsp. cinnamon -1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg -two packets liquid pectin
Fill your canning pot with water and begin to bring it to temperature. Sanitize your jars, lids and rings. Add smashed blueberries and sugar to a large pot. Bring to a boil and add cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest and juice and let jam continue to cook for about fifteen minutes. Add pectin and bring to a rolling boil for a full five minutes. Turn off the heat and fill jars. Wipe rims and put lids on. Screw on the bands and lower into the water. Process in the hot water bath 10 minutes. When time is up, remove from water and cool on the counter. When the jars are cooled, check the seal by pressing on the top of the jar. If there’s no movement, the jar has sealed. Store up to one year in a cool, dark place.
Also known as Blueberry Crumble... full of fresh blueberries for a juicy, lightly sweetened fruit crisp. Mmmmmm!!! good.
-4 cups fresh blueberries, washed, drained well -1/2 cup sugar
-1 Tbsp. corn starch -2 tsp. lemon juice -1/3 cup packed brown sugar -1/2 tsp. cinnamon -1/3 cup flour -3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats -Pinch of salt -1/4 cup softened butter (4 Tbsp.)
In a bowl combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, corn starch, and lemon juice, and mix to combine evenly. Pour into a lightly buttered baking dish.
In the same bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, salt, and butter. Stir with a fork until the mixture is crumbly and evenly blended. Spread the mixture over the berries and bake at 375 degrees F. for 40 minutes. Let cool to warm before serving. You can serve it with whip cream or ice cream.
-3 cups flour -1 tsp. salt -1 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. baking powder -3 tsp. ground cinnamon -3 eggs -1 cup oil -2 1/4 cups sugar -3 tsp. vanilla extract -2 cups grated zucchini -1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. 3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. 4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. Yields: 2 loaves
Great tip to get liquids in dog. If your dog wont drink water try buying low sodium chicken broth or better yet homemade mix about 2 tablespoons of the broth with about 1/3 cup of water. Sick dogs might not want to drink water but they love to drink broth water.
-1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted -1 can of mushrooms (or more according to taste) -8 oz sour cream -1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more according to taste)
Cook ground beef & drain. Cook broccoli & drain. Mix broccoli, beef, soup, mushrooms, sour cream together until well blended. Put into a casserole dish, place cheese on top. Bake in oven at 350 until cheese is well melted and just staring to brown.
That's kind of cool, dontcha think??? As long as you use a regular mouth sized canning jar (not the wide mouth variety) the flip top parmesan lids screw on nicely and give you a way to...
either sprinkle or pour the ingredients out. I suppose you could just recycle a used parmesan container too if you were looking for storage for one of your homemade mixtures, but the canning jars are more durable, look a little nicer, and with glass you don't have to worry about any of those chemicals leaching out into your food. You can also get a little more size variety as you can use either quart size or pint size jars.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: Overnight
Bake Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Cool Time: 5 minutes
Makes 12 rolls
Tip: Use remaining Eagle Brand as dip for fruit; add a few spoonfuls to coffee or pour into storage container and store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2 (1-pound) loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
2/3 cup (one-half 14-ounce can) Eagle® Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT Evaporated milk), divided use
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Chopped pecans, optional
On a lightly floured surface, roll each of the bread dough loaves to a 12 x 9-inch rectangle.
Spread 1/3 cup Eagle Brand over dough rectangles. Sprinkle with 1 cup pecans and cinnamon.
Roll up jelly-roll style starting from a short side cut.
Cut each into 6 slices.
Generously grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Place rolls, cut sides down, in pan.
Cover loosely with greased waxed paper and then with plastic wrap.
Chill overnight.
Cover and chill remaining 1/3 cup Eagle Brand.
To bake, let pan of rolls stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350¡.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool in pan 5 minutes; loosen edges and remove rolls from pan.
Meanwhile for frosting, in small bowl, combine powdered sugar, remaining 1/3 cup Eagle Brand and vanilla.
Drizzle frosting on warm rolls.
Sprinkle with additional chopped pecans if desired.
We are about to enter the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into m...
otion: Routine:
(1) The woman buys the food. (2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables and makes dessert. (3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - drink in hand. (4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.
Here comes the important part: (5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine... (6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery. (7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another drink while he flips the meat.
Important again: (8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine... (9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauce and brings them to the table. (10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all: (11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts. (12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed her 'night off,' and, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women.
My friend Lynne gave me a recipe book called Top Secret Recipes for my birthday. It is filled with great copycat recipes, including this one. My daughter loves pancakes in the morning so I always have some of this mix in my cupboards.
2 cups Self−rising flour 2 cups Bisquick 1/2 cup Sugar 1/2 cup Non−dairy creamer powder
Stir together flour, Bisquick, sugar and creamer. Store in tightly covered container. Refrigerate mix to use within 3 months. Makes 7 cups of mix.
TO USE THE MIX: 1 egg 1 cup 7−up 1 3/4 cups prepared pancake mix
TO USE: Into blender, put egg, 7−up and prepared pancake mix. Blend at high speed until smooth, 1 minute. Allow 1/3 cup batter for each 6" pancake.
Those are real easy to make at home. If you make them up ahead of time and freeze, then all you need to do in the morning is take it out of the freezer and heat it up. If you are like me... press for time in the morning those are quick, yummy and they are healthier too! Mmmmmm!!! :))
MEAT – your favorite (frozen breakfast sausage or sausage patties, cooked bacon, sliced ham)
EGGS – your favorite way to cook eggs (cooked in oven, fried)
CHEESE – (slice cheese, shredded mild cheddar cheese or what ever kind you like)
1 Tbsp. butter, ranch dressing, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup on the bottom half of the bun (opt)
Preheat oven to 350 degree.
Cook your eggs.
Heat up or cook the meat.
Slice English Muffins in half and place them on a baking sheet. Place in oven for about 10 minutes to toast the English Muffins.
To assemble Breakfast Sandwich...bottom half of muffin, condiment if u wish (opt), meat of choice, cooked egg and cheese on top and then put the top half of the muffin on.
If you want to eat these right away, just stick them in the oven for 5 or 10 minutes until they are warmed through and the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
FREEZER: If you are going to freeze them, wrap them individually in aluminum foil and then place them into a ziplock bag. *To eat, either defrost overnight or microwave in the morning. About 1 minute to 1 ½ minutes on high should do it.
The morning cook at work makes those eggs for the residents, so I decided to make them at home. It’s a super easy way to make eggs especially for company or for a crowd. It also works great if you are making breakfast s...
andwiches because you get the perfectly round shape.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a muffin tin and lightly spray each spot with non-stick cooking spray. Crack an egg into each muffin spot. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove eggs from muffin tin. Eat and enjoy!
Add baking soda to the water when you hard boil eggs. It raises the pH of the water and makes them easier to peel by reducing the albumen's ability to stick to the shell. SMART
What a smart idea someone came up with! I love this! With all these summer parties coming up this is a cute way to bring a veggie platter, everyone will think you are so clever. You could even add a yellow and orange one for additional color.
Holy Yum! This tasted like our favorite Taco Dip covered in Doritos. We were both in heaven. Feel free to add olives or even black beans. Make it your own. :))
1 lb. hamburger 1 pkg. taco seasoning
8 oz. sour cream 1 pkg. crescent rolls (8) 1 can tomato sauce 1 can diced tomatoes (optional) 1 cup shredded cheese Dorito chips
Brown hamburger and drain. Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce, tiny bit of water, and diced tomatoes. Simmer... In 9x13 dish, press out crescent rolls and roll them to form crust. Layer hamburger mixture, sour cream and then cheese. Crush about 3/4 of a bag of Doritos and put them on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Enjoy!!!
I’ve made pizza, sandwiches and muffins in a waffle maker. Why not make cinnamon roll waffles! Make sure to spray the waffle iron well because they will stick.
IDEA: Slice them into sticks, pour a little syrup into the bottom of a wide mouth cup, place the sticks in with just the tips touching the syrup and you’ve got a nice dippers for the kids.
*Cinnamon Roll Waffles 1 can of store bought cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting
Spray waffles iron with cooking spray, place 4 cinnamon rolls on waffle iron and close to cook. Cook until light goes off a the waffles are cooked through.
*Cream Cheese Syrup cream cheese frosting (from cinnamon roll can) 1 Tbsp. corn syrup 1 Tbsp. water
Mix together the frosting and the corn syrup. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the syrup reaches the desired consistency. Drizzle over hot waffles.
scoops, left over taco seasoned beef, shredded cheddar. Microwave 15 seconds. Great snack. Could add finely chopped tomatoes and bit of lettuce. Serve with sour cream n salsa. YUMMY!!! :))
(RECIPE POSTED BY DIANA ROSS MADILL) Here is a recipe for some cookies that have become our favorites. You can use them to make fantastic ice cream sandwiches. Freeze the cookies before you put a scoop of ice cream between them, wrap sandwiches individually and return them to the freezer. The cookies are equally good on their own.
1 cup butter or margarine 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 Tblsp. vanilla 2 large eggs 3 cups flour 1 tsp. each baking soda and salt 1 pkg. butterscotch chips 2/3 cup Skor Toffee Bits 1 1/2 cups peanuts (salted or plain)
Preheat oven to 350*F. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs together. Add flour, baking soda and salt, mix well. Add remaining ingredients, mix again. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets, about 2" apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until slightly golden. Let cool on sheet for 3 minutes and then remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Will make about 4-5 dozen cookies depending on size.
With this balloon method it is really easy to make an impressive looking chocolate bowl, perfect for impressing dinner party guests. Fill yours with fruit, sweets, ice cream or any kind of creamy pudding or make individual bowls.
*You will need (makes one large bowl): 1 large balloon Sellotape 1 medium sized bowl 1 cup dark or milk chocolate 1 cup white chocolate Baking paper A sharp knife A sweet filling of your choice, such as strawberries and cream.
Step 1 Blow up your balloon and tie the end. Take a small piece of cellotape and place it just to the side of the knot in the balloon - this will ensure that the balloon stays in one piece when you deflate it later. Place the knotted end of the balloon inside the bowl and secure in place with Sellotape.
Step 2 In two separate bowls melt the two kinds of chocolate either in a microwave, or over a pan of boiling water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water if using this method. Once the chocolate has melted, leave it to cool until it is around body temperature, (you can test this by dabbing a bit on your lip, if it doesn't feel hot, the chocolate is ready.) Cooling the chocolate is very important as the balloon may pop if it's too hot. Pour around a quarter to a third of the dark or milk chocolate onto the balloon followed by a quarter to a third of the white.
Step 3 Leave the chocolate to set either in a cool room, or in the fridge if you want to speed things up. It is ready when the surface is solid enough to touch and no longer shiny.
Step 4 Continue to layer the chocolate onto the balloon, allowing it to set between applications until you have used almost all the chocolate - save about a quarter of the white chocolate to make the base of the bowl.
Step 5 Pour on the final bit of white chocolate and then immediately flip the balloon over onto a piece of baking paper. Hold the bowl or balloon until the chocolate has set enough for you to take your hands away without the balloon moving. Then leave to set for a couple more minutes. Undo the Sellotape which is attaching the bowl to the balloon and then lift off the bowl.
Step 6 BE VERY GENTLE WITH THIS STEP...... Hold onto the knotted end of the balloon and pierce it with a sharp knife in the centre of the piece of Sellotape you attached earlier.
Step 7 Pull gently on the knotted part of the balloon to help let the air out. Once the majority of the air has been released, you should be able to remove the balloon easily.
Step 8 Your bowl is ready to fill with anything you like!
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained well 1 can mandarin oranges, drained well 2-3 ripe kiwi, peeled and sliced into thick half moons
1 cup green grapes, halved 1 cup strawberries, quartered Zest from one lime, about 1 tablespoon 2 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. poppy seeds (optional)
Combine the fruit in a medium-large serving bowl. Add the lime zest and poppy seeds, if using, and gently toss. Drizzle the honey over the fruit and again, gently mix until the fruit is evenly coated with the honey. Serve.
Serves: 2-3 This recipe generously serve two people, but for four servings just double the recipe. If you do not have croissants on hand, use brioche, Challah, French bread or a baguette will work well. Try to use bread that is 1-2 days old when making bread pudding, older bread will absorb more of the custard. So good. :))
3 croissants (preferably 1-2 days old) 3/4 cup Nutella 1/4 cup pecan halves 2 eggs 1 cup cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice each croissant in half lengthwise then slather one side with Nutella. Put the halves back together to make sandwiches and cut into 2-inch pieces. Add sandwich pieces and pecans to a small baking dish (suggested: 10-inch x 5-inch loaf pan). To make the custard, add eggs, cream, vanilla extract, salt and sugar to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the custard over the sandwich pieces then gently push down the bread so the custard starts to absorb. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes then remove the foil and continue to bake uncovered for about 10 minutes until the bread pudding is golden brown, has risen slightly and the liquid has been completely absorbed. Sprinkle icing sugar on pudding when cool.
Think special breakfast for a birthday morning, surprise breakfast-in-bed mornings or just for fun… Whatever the reason, chocolate, fluffy pancakes in the morning are a fantastic idea! They are sinful first thi...
ng in the morning..... but oh so so good. :))
1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick mix 1 cup Betty Crocker brownie mix 1 cup milk 2 eggs whipped cream chocolate syrup sprinkles
Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or to 375°F then spray with cooking spray or grease with vegetable oil or butter. In large bowl, stir together Bisquick, brownie mix, milk and eggs until blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle or skillet and cook until edges are dry. Flip and continue to cook pancakes are cooked through. Stack pancakes on individual plates then top each with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and sprinkles.
Turn Any Blender into a Magic Bullet with a Mason Jar - Turns out MOST mason Jars will fit the blender blade as a lid... just fill, fasten, and flip :)
Kids love these sweet banana splits, made in foil packets and heated over the coals of a backyard campfire or baked in the oven at your next slumber party. Be creative and add peanut butter chips, coconut, butterscotch or caramel. Mmmmmm!!! :))
6 large bananas, unpeeled, stems removed 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 pkg. miniature marshmallows Any other toppings you’d like (toffee chips, caramel pieces, berries, sprinkles, etc.)
Preheat the grill for high heat. Spray 6 sheets of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap bananas, with cooking spray. Slice the peel of the banana from stem to bottom, while slicing the banana inside lengthwise. The bananas can be cut into slices instead if you like, (while still in the peel) for easier handling later. Carefully open the banana just wide enough to place the chocolate chips and marshmallows inside the peel with the banana. Stuff with as much of the chocolate chips and marshmallows as desired. Wrap the bananas with the aluminum foil and place on the grill or directly in the coals of a fire. Leave in long enough to melt the chips and the marshmallows, about 5 minutes. Unwrap bananas, open the peels wide, and eat with a spoon. :))
Summer heat in Los Angeles can be brutal and if your hot, your dog/s are hot.
Did you know that dogs are much more susceptible to heatstroke than humans?
The obvious reason: their fabulous fur and the fact they do not sweat on any part of the body that is covered in fur. They only have sweat glands on their cute little feet. They count on panting, they release excess heat this way and this cools down the body.
It is our job to keep our dogs cool and comfortable in the heat.
In an effort to keep your dog cool you may give them some ice to chew or put some cubes in their water bowl. Sounds logical? NO!!! Ice, ice water or very cold water can cause severe muscle spasms that result in bloat.
There are many opinions on this subject, but I thought I would share this information just in case:
Please read the following letter.
This was posted on another board with permission to cross post in the hopes
of saving another dog from having to go through this awful experience.
After showing our dogs we went back to our site/set up and got the dogs in their
crates to cool off. After being back about 30 minutes I noticed the water bowl was low on
water. I took a hand full of ice from my cooler and put it in his bucket
with more water. (Note: I use a small Playmate cooler at ringside with ice
water in it also. Have for over 15 years now) I have an 18 foot trailer with AC and set up, as a rolling kennel. After checking the dogs and thinking
they were cooled off enough we fed everyone. As we were walking around
removing the feed dishes from the crates, one of my friends stated that one of our dogs
seemed like he was choking. I went over and checked on him and he was dry
heaving and drooling. I got him out of the crate to check him over and
noticed he had not eaten. He was in some distress. I checked him over from
head to toe and did not notice anything. I walked him around for about a
minute when I noticed that he was starting to Bloat. I did everything I was
taught to do in this case. I was not able to get him to burp, and we gave
him Phasezime.
We jumped on the golf cart to take him down to the show vet only to find out that
he did not have a bloat kit on hand. He referred us to the clinic that was to be on
call, but the clinic was closed. Finding another clinic that was open we rushed him in and they were ready and waiting for us.
They got him stabilized very quickly. After he was stable and out of distress we transported him to AVREC where he went right into surgery . They wanted to make sure no damage was done to any of his vital organs. I am very happy to say no damage was done to any vital organs
In surgery the doctor found that his stomach was in its normal anatomic
position. The Doctor and I went over the events of what happened up to the
point of the Bloating. When I told him about the ice water he asked why I
gave him ice water, I told him my history behind this practice and his reply was "I have been very lucky for the past 15 years." The ice water I gave him caused violent muscle spasms in his
stomach which caused the bloating.
Dr. Vogf stated that giving dog's ice to chew or ice water is a big NO, NO; there should be no reason for them to have ice or ice water. Normal water (room Temp.), or cooling with cold towels on the inter thigh is the best way to help cool a dog. How Dr. Vogf explained it to me was like this:
If you, as a person fall into a frozen lake what happens to our muscles?
Think about that, and then compare that to your dog's stomach.
I felt the need to share this with everyone, in the hopes that some may
learn from what I went through, I do not wish this on anyone. Our baby is home
now and doing fine. He does not like the fact that he has to be walked on a lead in the yard to keep him from running and he hates not being able to go out and rough house with the others, but he needs to heal and be calm.
So please if you do use ice and ice water, beware.
Bloat is the second leading killer of dogs after cancer. A dog with a bloating stomach has a short time to live without emergency veterinary intervention. A little information about Bloat
BLOAT can occur in two forms: gastric dilatation (swelling of the stomach from gas); or, gastric dilatation with volvulus, i. e., torsion, which occurs when the stomach twists on its axis. Often, both forms of bloat occur in a single episode with the second form quickly following the first. When this happens, BLOAT is fatal in minutes. BLOAT is also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus or GDV.
Tragically, the majority of dog owners have never heard of BLOAT. Typically, an owner awakens in the morning or returns home from work and finds dead his/her, otherwise healthy, dog. As dog owners rarely have an autopsy performed, the cause of death is never determined, and the owner never learns about BLOAT. Most canine diseases (e. g., cancer, hip dysplasia, etc.) progress over weeks, months or even years, not minutes. The dog owner has the opportunity to notice that his/her dog is not feeling well and has time to take the dog to the vet to begin a course of treatment. Along with the treatment the owner learns about the disease.
With BLOAT, the disease progresses in minutes or, at most, hours. The only treatment is emergency medical attention. In its two advanced forms, the only treatment is surgery. Symptoms of BLOAT may include:
• excessive salivation/drooling
• extreme restlessness/pacing
• unproductive attempts to vomit/defecate
• evidence of abdominal pain (whining and tenderness in the stomach area)
• abdominal distension
• rapid breathing/panting
• cold/pale mouth membranes
• collapse
There is alot of information available on line and if you have a large dog i would suggest you do your homework.
