Switching To Purina® Pro Plan® and A Recipe For A Doggie Birthday Cake

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ProPlanPet #CollectiveBias

As a dog owner, nothing makes me happier than knowing that I'm doing everything I can to make sure our dog is happy and healthy. He's such a big part of our family, and I just can't imagine life without him. So one of my biggest concerns is finding a dog food for him that is packed with great nutrition, and a taste he will love.

We've tried feeding him a few different brands of food, but then I found out that switching him to Purina® Pro Plan® dry food would be a smarter choice. The goal of Purina® Pro Plan® is to give your dog the nutrition to be his absolute best, helping him to be energetic and resilient, and maintaining an ideal body condition, healthy skin, and a stunning coat.

These are all very important concerns for our dog, so making the change to Purina® Pro Plan® was an easy decision for us.

I found the most amazing selection of Purina® Pro Plan® at PetSmart, and a helpful staff to answer my questions about which formula of food to choose. I love shopping at PetSmart because I always find everything I need there, and the selection of pet items is the biggest I've ever seen. And of course, I love finding all the cute toys, Halloween costumes and treats there as well.

This is our sweet boy Chewy. He really is the best dog I've ever met, so good natured and loving, and very gentle with my grandchildren. He loves watching any show with animals in it and growls and barks at them. I think this is one of his favorite things in life, besides eating and playing fetch.

Making the switch to Purina® Pro Plan® was easy, and Chewy loved it right away. There was no tummy upsets or noticeable changes that we could see. I really like the fact that real chicken, beef, lamb, or salmon is the #1 ingredient found in all Purina® Pro Plan® dry formulas.

It's the first dry dog food brand to use and be founded on the idea of real meat as the #1 ingredient to help promote total body health. Every high quality ingredient is chosen for a specific purpose.

And just like people, what kind of food that dogs eat will help determine the quality of their health. I know as dog lovers, we all want the best for our beloved pets, so switching to Purina® Pro Plan® can be a healthy choice.

You can share about your dog with like-minded dog owners on the Purina® Pro Plan® Facebook
page here. Share what means the best life for your dog, photos, stories, and more.

We have a large family, so that means it's always somebody's birthday. Birthday cakes and presents are a must for all of those happy celebrations. The first year we had Chewy my grandchildren wanted to give him a party too. So we did, and when his second birthday rolled around, they wanted to do it again.

So now it's just a fact of life that Chewy gets a birthday party every year, just like everyone else. So of course he needs a birthday cake, right?

This year I made him a Peanut Butter Cake. It's got carrots, flour, honey and peanut butter in it. I frosted it with more peanut butter, then I sprinkled pieces of the  Purina® Pro Plan® on top of it. Though it's a dog cake recipe for dogs, humans can eat it too, minus the dog food on top.

Doesn't everyone bake their dog a birthday cake, put a hat on him, and sing him Happy Birthday?

I know it's silly, but it's become a happy family tradition for us, one that my grandchildren have come to love. Chewy even gets presents and it's the perfect time to spoil him.

This is a super easy cake to make, with ingredients I almost always have on hand. I gave Chewy one slice of it on his birthday and kept the rest in the refrigerator. He got a little piece of it for a few days, and I know he couldn't believe his good fortune.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Dog Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peanut butter, plus additional
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup whole wheat or white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup peanut for frosting the cake

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
Combine the egg, peanut butter, oil, vanilla, and honey in a large bowl, blend well with a hand mixer
Stir in the carrots and mix thoroughly.
Sift together the flour and baking soda and fold into the carrot mixture.
Spoon cake batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes; then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Frost cake with additional peanut butter and top with dog food pieces.

 If you would like to try this food for your dog,visit the Purina® Pro Plan® MyPLAN website to get your dog's MyPLAN recommendation and a rebate offer for a free bag of Purina® Pro Plan® Dry Dog Food (4-6lbs, up to $18.99.) Good only in U.S.A. A.P.O's, F.P.O's. Void where taxed, prohibited, restricted. Allow 6-8 weeks for shipment. LIMIT ONE REQUEST PER INDIVIDUAL, ADDRESS, or EMAIL ADDRESS. Offer expires 04/30/2015. See full terms.

Visit PetSmart to find the complete selection of all the Purina® Pro Plan® dog foods. And if you're like me, you won't be able to resist popping into the toy aisle to see what's new.

Needless to say, our Chewy is a well loved pup. He's a lucky guy, but we're pretty lucky too because we get to share our lives with such a loyal and loving animal.

Do you ever celebrate your dogs birthday, or bake him a cake? Is there some special treat you make him? I'd really love to know. Leave me a comment.

Carrot Tea Cake From Martha Stewart's Cakes Book

I have to say that carrot cake is one of my all time favorite cakes. But the thing is, they can vary so much in quality. And they are rather time-consuming to make.

I came across this easy recipe for whenever I need a quick carrot cake fix. It's moist and delicious, and the cream cheese frosting is simply fabulous. It's baked in a loaf pan, and the perfect size for snacking, or having a slice with a cup of tea or coffee.

It is from the book Martha Stewart's Cakes. I just love this book, and it includes over a 150 cake recipes, including ones for bundts, loaves, layers, coffee cakes, and more.

Recipe for Carrot Tea Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed grated carrots (from about 2 carrots

For Frosting:

8 ounces (1 bar) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan, dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
Beat in carrots. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, beat until just combined.

Transfer batter to prepared pan, smooth top with spatula. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Turn out cake onto wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting:
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Spread frosting over top of cake.

I originally published this last spring. It's so good and perfect for the season, so I wanted to share it again.

SNICKERS® Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WhenImHungry #CollectiveBias

I like to think of myself as a fairly mild tempered person. I roll with the punches, and at this point in my life, it takes an awful lot to make me angry. BUT there is one thing that brings on a major case of crankiness and irritability. Something that just makes me feel not like myself.

That happens when I get hungry. You know, the kind of hungry that you've been ignoring for hours because you are busy or rushed and there's simply been no time to eat. I try not to let that happen very often, so I like to have on hand my favorite candy bar in the whole world, SNICKERS®.

By keeping some in my purse or backpack, I can stop that awful, overwhelming feeling of being so hungry while enjoying this yummy treat. And I just found SNICKERS® Peanut Butter variety that is so good, it inspired me to put together a batch of Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars.

Since this is my favorite candy bar, I was excited when I heard about two other new varieties available too. Besides the Peanut Butter flavor, there's now Almond and SNICKERS® Extreme.

I love that when I get hungry, I have such a great choice of flavors to satisfy that hunger. The Peanut Butter bar actually comes in four pieces, so if I don't eat them all, I can save some for later. Of course I'll never give up the classic SNICKERS® Bar that I've loved since I was a kid, but it's nice to get a new spin on an old favorite.

One of my daughters makes excellent cheesecake and whenever it's around you can bet I want a big piece. But my attempts at making one just never work out for some reason. So even though I love cheesecake, I thought it would be a recipe I wouldn't try making anymore.

But them I discovered Cheesecake Bars!! Oh my, these are so creamy and delicious. Packed with the SNICKERS® Peanut Butter pieces, they taste just like the best combination of cheesecake and peanut butter ever.

And these are easy to make, so much easier than a regular cheesecake. You start by grinding up chocolate sandwich cookies, combine that with melted butter and pat into the bottom of a 8x8 inch baking pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. This gives you a crust that won't fall apart, but stays nice and firm.
Blend together the cream cheese filling ingredients and then stir in the chopped candy bar pieces. Top with additional pieces. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and let sit for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

22 chocolate sandwich cookies (I used Oreo)
5 tablespoons butter, melted
16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup Peanut Butter flavored SNICKERS® pieces, chopped and divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil with foil hanging over the sides. Put aside.
For the crust: In a food processor or blender, pulse the cookies into fine crumbs. Stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together in a medium sized bowl. Press evenly into the lined pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool as you prepare the filling.

For the filling: Beat cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract together with a mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Fold in 1-1/2 cups of the chopped Snickers and spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Top with remaining 1/4 cup. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheesecake has set and the edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool for 30 minutes on the counter and then completely in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Lift the foil out of the pan and cut into squares.

See more great SNICKERS® recipes and fun stories on the SNICKERS® social hub.

Enter the SNICKERS® "Who are you when you're hungry?" contest by uploading a personal photo or video from your Computer, Facebook, Instagram or use the SNICKERS® Meme Generator to create something new! Voting begins at Noon on 5/11/15 and ends at 11:59:59AM ET on 7/15/15.

Are you like me and find yourself getting cranky or irritable when you are hungry? When you're not you because you're just so hungry? And what is your favorite kind of SNICKERS® Bar?
Leave me a comment, I'd love to know your answers!

Easy and Healthy Sauteed Cabbage Recipe

I know some people seem to have a dislike for cabbage, but I'm not one of them. I remember my Mom boiling it until it was a soggy mess, and it's certainly true that I don't like it like that. But when it's sautéed with butter and seasonings, it tastes delicious.

This is an Ina Garten recipe, and like all of her recipes, it's flavorful and fabulous. I like making this as a side dish for lots of meals, whether it's turkey meatloaf, burgers, or fish.

Serve this to the people you know that don't like cabbage and they just might change their minds. I made this for lunch the other day and my two daughters loved it, and they never eat cabbage.

It's also a better way to make your cabbage on Saint Patrick's Day this year. I love corn beef and cabbage on that day, but not when the cabbage has been cooked in the same pot with the corn beef. This version is much better I think, and definitely looks more appealing.

The only change I made in Ina's recipe is to add some Mrs. Dash to it. I love the flavor it adds to dishes without adding any extra salt.

Ina Garten's Recipe for Sauteed Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 small head white cabbage, including outer green leaves (2 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut the cabbage in half and, with the cut-side down, slice it as thinly as possible around the core, as though you were making coleslaw.
Melt  the butter in a large saute pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage,
 salt, and pepper and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and begins to brown. Season, to taste, and serve warm.

Makes 6 servings.

My Recipe For Cowboy Cookies Made With M&M's® Crispy

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CrispyIsBack #CollectiveBias

It's no secret that M&M's® are one of my very favorite candies. I've loved them ever since I was a little girl, when they were only available in Original and Peanut. Time has brought lots more varieties and one of my absolute favorites has made a comeback!

That's right, M&M's® Crispy is back, and I'm so glad. I found them at Walmart, and immediately knew I wanted to put them in my recipe for Cowboy Cookies that I had promised to make for my grandchildren. I love being a Nana that bakes treats for my grandkids, and Cowboy Cookies are a real favorite in my family.

I remember when M&M's® Crispy first came out years ago, and how much I loved them. And now that they are back, I know that the individual snack size will be perfect to toss in my purse or lunch bag. At only 180 calories, they make a great tasting lower calorie snack for at home or on-the-go.

They are also available in larger size bags in the bagged candy aisle. That's the size I bought to make my cookies. I often make baked goods like cookies and brownies with M&M's® because they always seem to be everyone's favorites.

Cowboy Cookies are packed with oats, coconut, pecans, and usually, chocolate chips. Adding the M&M's® Crispy pieces instead gives then added crunch, and I love the bright colors.

I guess I don't need to tell you that my grandchildren loved these cookies and now want me to always make them with M&M's® Crispy. They are totally right, and I'm officially changing my recipe to include them.

These cookies really are delicious, and perfect for kids lunchboxes and afterschool snacks. I make them a little larger than the norm, and that way they stay softer. I also love oatmeal cookies, and the oatmeal flavor is really good in these.

Recipe for Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups M&M's® Crispy candies
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture, beat well. Stir in the oats, M&M's®, coconut and pecans.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for about 12-14 minutes or until browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 2 dozen.

Whether M&M's® Crispy is an old favorite that you are happy to see back, or you haven't had a chance to try them yet, look for them at your local Walmart.

I found the larger bags here in the candy aisle, and be sure to look for the individual snack size bags in the checkout aisles at the front of the store.

See more great M&M's® Crispy recipe and party ideas on the M&M's® Crispy social hub.

Are you like me, and remember the great taste of M&M's® Crispy and are happy to see them back? 
And if you haven't tried them, go ahead because they might just become your new favorite variety!