Border Collies and Common Health Problems

When it comes to livestock work, nobody can belittle the abilities of border collies. These intelligent and hard working dogs are excellent in herding different kinds of animals from sheep to cattle, pigs, ostriches and others. This characteristic makes them champion in every farmer's hearts.

Border collies excel not only in herding but in other activities as well such as flyball and disc dog competitions. In order to keep them happy and fit to do the tasks expected of them, breeders should make sure that they produce healthy puppies free from diseases such as:

Hip Dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia, or HD is the most common disease affecting border collies. It is a degenerative disease characterized by varying degrees of hip joint laxity or looseness, partial dislocation and severe arthritic change. Hip dysplasia is a result of the abnormal development of the hip joint in the young dog. It could affect one or both legs, both right and left sides. Symptoms may not exist but the most typical are pain and discomfort during and after vigorous exercise, walking or running with an altered gait, limping and decrease of activities in general. Without treatment, the dog may not be able to walk anymore.

Collie Eye Anomaly.

Collie Eye Anomaly, or CEA is a congenital disorder in which parts of a dog's eye such as retina, choroid and sclera do not develop normally. It can be a mild disease that can cause visual impairment but may also cause blindness. While CEA is not a progressive disease, there is no method known to treat collie eye anomaly right now.

Epilepsy.

Another genetic disease affecting border collies is epilepsy. It is a chronic disease characterized by seizures. Two types of epilepsy are primary and secondary. The primary epilepsy is genetic or inherited thus it is sometimes called true epilepsy. A dog with primary epilepsy may have his first seizure between the ages of six months to five years. On the other hand, secondary epilepsy refers to seizures caused by health issues such as degenerative and developmental diseases, toxicity, infections and metabolic, nutritional and traumatic issues.

If you suspect your border collies may be affected with one of the diseases mentioned, you should seek out your vet's attention at once. Proper tests and medication, if there is any, should be done to help your dog. Border collies deserve more than just painful diseases. Have them checked and treated to make your beloved pets happy and healthy.

Easy Fast Dinner Recipes - Inexpensive and Quick Recipes

Have you just arrived home from a long work day and want to prepare something simple? You look in the refrigerator and the only thing that looks easy is the not-so-tasty frozen dinners, so instead you hop in the car and it's off to the fast food restaurant.

Here are some quick and easy to prepare delicious recipes:

1. A Quick Dessert

Ingredients:

- 4 Pieces toast
- 4 sl Cheese Nutmeg
- 1 1/2 c Applesauce
- 1/4 c Sugar

Direction:

- Add sugar and nutmeg to applesauce.
- Put applesauce on toast, about 3 tablespoons on each piece of toast.
- Lay a slice of cheese over the sauce.
- Bake in a moderate oven until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

2. A Quick Way To Decorate Cake

Ingredients:

- 1 pk Marshmallows
- Vanilla to taste
- Green food coloring
- 1 pk Red hots
- Box of cornflakes (4 1/2 c)
- White angel food cake

Directions:

- Melt marshmallows, add food coloring and vanilla.
- Add the cornflakes, stir until well coated.
- Spread this onto a cookie sheet, shaping into holly leaves.
- Place a red hot in middle.
- Let dry about 5 hours.
- Then top a white frosted angel cake with the holly leaves.
- Makes a very pretty cake.

3. A Real Easy Cookie

Ingredients:

- Graham crackers
- Pecan halves
- 1/2 c Sugar
- 2 Sticks cutter

Directions:

- Melt butter and sugar.
- Bring to a boil.
- Boil for two minutes ONLY.
- Place graham crackers on foil lined sheet.
- Place nuts on cracker center.
- Spoon butter and sugar mix over graham crackers.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes on top rack.
- Cool completely before breaking apart.

4. Baked Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

- 1 cn (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
- 1/2 cn Milk
- 1 ts Prepared Mustard
- 1/8 ts Pepper
- 2 c Hot cooked Elbow or medium shell Macaroni (1 1/2 c dry)
- 2 ts Margarine or Butter, melted
- 1 tb Dry Bread Crumbs

Directions:

- In 1-quart casserole, combine soup, milk, mustard and pepper.
- Stir in macaroni.
- In a cup, combine margarine and bread crumbs.
- Sprinkle over casserole.
- Bake at 400 degrees F.
- 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
- Makes 2 1/2 Cups = 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings.

5. Beef and Rice Crisp

Ingredients:

- 1 lb Lean ground beef
- 1 c Coarsely-chopped onion
- 1/2 c Coarsely-chopped green pepper
- 2 tb Ketchup
- 1/4 ts Salt
- 1/2 ts Dry mustard
- 1 1/2 c Cooked rice
- 1 c Milk
- 1 (10 oz) can cream of Mushroom soup
- 1 1/2 c Shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 ts Worcestershire sauce
- 2 c Corn flakes, coarsely crushed
- 3 tb Butter, melted

Directions:

- Saute beef, onion and green pepper in a large frypan until meat is browned; drain off any fat.
- Blend in ketchup, salt and dry mustard.
- Turn meat mixture into a 2 quart round casserole; spread rice on top.
- Gradually stir milk into mushroom soup.
- Stir in cheese and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour over meat and rice layers.
- Combine crushed corn flakes and butter; sprinkle evenly over casserole.
- Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven 35 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Makes 6 servings.

HCG Diet Recipe For HCG Stages

HCG recipes are not tough to locate. Simply browse the web and you'll discover a lot of HCG recipes claiming to be the most powerful. But of course acquiring the correct a single is a distinct matter.

The sort of HCG eating habits recipe which will give the most benefit ought to be dependent on the stage of HCG remedy you are in. There are four phases. The first level is the preparatory phase exactly where you get ready your physique for the HCG. In this stage you will have to take some supplements to assist your body speed-up the metabolic process course of action. The next stage begins when you start acquiring the HCG. Your diet recipe will certainly not be the very same during the very first phase. To begin with it will be loaded with body fat for two causes - to enable you to have sufficient reserve vitality till the HCG normally takes effect and enable you to adjust more very easily to the calorie restricted period of the remedy which is the 2nd stage of level two.

Cycle three recipes sustain fat reduction gains in preceding phase. The recipe advised normally consists of food rich in protein and fiber. This is a stage where you can take pleasure in some of your previous preferred food given that your eating plan can previously include fats which have been previously prohibited. Starchy, oily, quickly and processed food are even now frowned upon.

After getting passed all tests and attained the figure you like, the stage four recipe - called maintenance formula or eating habits - ought to not current difficulties. Besides, your new seem is the greatest motivation to maintain the eating plan and in comparison to your previous recipes, this a single resembles a tiny little bit of your previous diet before you chose to have HCG therapy due to the fact now you are allowed to add starch, despite the fact that gradually, to your eating habits. However, you are needed to continue to keep your protein heavy diet plan and remain away from quickly meals and processed food items.

Recipe - Scampi Shrimp - A Family Favorite

Seafood was always plentiful where I grew up on the west coast of Florida. Shrimp was a dinner time staple in our house. This Scampi Shrimp recipe was formulated from a combination of tastes and ingredients from my all time favorite restaurant recipes in my hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Scampi Shrimp

1 pound (peeled and deveined) jumbo fresh shrimp
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon steak sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Cooked fettuccine

Peel and devein shrimp. Cook onion and garlic in butter in a large skillet (medium heat), stirring constantly, 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil; add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Serve over fettuccine. Yield: 3 to 4 servings

When I moved away from the coast of Florida where fresh seafood is plentiful, I also moved away from the seafood specialty restaurants that I'd always loved to dine at during my formative years. I began experimenting in my own kitchen, where I perfected this Scampi Shrimp recipe. My goal was to create a scampi recipe with just the right combination of herbs, worcestershire sauce and butter to achieve great taste and perfect aroma. I like to serve it over fettuccine, however it can be served over rice or any other type of pasta. It should be doubled or even tripled for a large group and works well with a salad or vegetable of choice on the side.

Eating Cheap: A Week's Worth of Inexpensive Meals

Short on cash? Are you a starving student? Or maybe you're saving up for that next tank of gas!

Whatever the case, sometimes we all need to cut corners until the next paycheck rolls in.

These meals will fill you up without emptying your wallet. They should feed four hungry mouths.

While prices vary widely depending on your part of the country and your grocery store, you'll still find these dinners will stretch your food dollar to the max.


Lentil stew. One package of lentils, a couple of carrots, a couple of potatoes, water. Place the package of lentils in a large soup pot and add the appropriate amount of water (1-1/2 cups water to one cup of lentils works best). Peel the potatoes and carrots, and slice to bite size. Add to soup pot. Season to taste. If you have it: Add a ham bone, a bit of leftover beef, bacon bits, bay leaf, or favorite herbs.


Baked potatoes. Nothing complicated here. Buy large baking potatoes or just get a bag of potatoes on sale. If small, bake more of them per serving. Choose your favorite toppings: Simply butter, salt and pepper, cheese, broccoli, sour cream, bacon bits, or whatever is on hand.


Cheese quesadillas. Make these with flour tortillas. Heat two tortillas in a skillet and remove one to a plate. Top the remaining tortilla with shredded cheese. When melted, about 1-2 minutes, place the other tortilla on top. Allow to cook for a minute or so, flip the whole thing over and cook the other side for another minute. Dump onto a plate, slice with a pizza cutter. If you have it: Add shredded cooked chicken to the cheese. Serve with salsa.


Scrambled eggs. Get a dozen for less than one dollar. Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add milk, salt, and pepper. Cook eggs in a skillet. If you have it: Add your choice of mushrooms, cheese, green pepper, or onion.


Spaghetti and sauce. Here again, not too creative, but you can pick up a package of spaghetti and a can of sauce for less than two dollars. Add parmesan cheese on top.


Tuna sandwiches. Frequently on sale, tuna provides a meaty dinner this week. For four filling sandwiches, use four of the smaller cans. Dump all of the cans into a bowl, add mayonnaise or salad dressing, along with some relish if you've got it. Stir, spread onto bread. I like to use ranch dressing.


Grilled cheese sandwiches. Butter bread on both sides and place on a medium-heat grill. Add a slice of cheese. Splurge on an extra slice of cheese per sandwich!

Accompaniments:

Watch for sales on frozen vegetables. You can frequently pick up a one-pound bag for less than a dollar.
Slice a fresh tomato into wedges or a cucumber into slices to go with a sandwich. Any fresh vegetable will do.
Slice a piece of fruit for a healthy dessert.
Stop by Walgreen's and see what's on sale in their food aisle. They frequently have good deals on canned mandarin oranges which make a tasty dessert. Add a bit of coconut or a few marshmallows if you have them.
Walgreen's frequently carries canned mushrooms on sale, too.
How about lunch for a quarter? Check Walgreen's for ramen noodles.
Cake mixes and canned frosting are often priced under a dollar, especially the store brands. Your only additions will be a bit of oil (or applesauce if you're counting calories) and a couple of eggs (save from the meal above). For a couple dollars, you can have dessert for a couple of nights or snacks for a few days.

Even if you're on a tight budget, you can still create a tasty meal. Not gourmet dining, but you won't be hungry!

Make an Old-Fashion Comfort-Food Meal For Your Family Quickly and Easily!

Sometimes we just feel the need to have an old-fashion comfort food meal. These recipes are quick and easy to make and will be a hit with your family. The best part is that all these recipes are inexpensive so they will fit right into your food budget. Start with Aunt Stella's Cheeseburger Pie as an entree, add Easy Old-Fashion Baked Beans, they bake for 1 1/2 hours but they are quick to assemble and can be baked ahead to save time later. The Garden Vegetable Salad will round out the meal.

AUNT STELLA'S CHEESEBURGER PIE

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup catsup
1 pkg American cheese
1 can biscuits

Brown the hamburger meat with the onion, salt it to suit you, and drain off fat. Add the catsup and stir to mix up. Place the mixture in the bottom of a round cake pan. Top with the cheese slices then the biscuits. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

EASY OLD FASHION BAKED BEANS
This recipe is from an old grocery store ad.

2 cans (regular-size) Great Northern Beans
1 cup tomato catsup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp prepared mustard
1 medium onion, chopped
6 slices bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the onion and bacon. Set aside. Combine the beans, catsup, brown sugar, and mustard. Pour the bean mixture into a lightly buttered casserole dish. Top with the bacon and onion mixture. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

GARDEN VEGETABLE SALAD

1 head cauliflower
1 large bunch of broccoli
1 can black olives
1 lb fresh white mushrooms
1 lb cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
salt to taste, optional
Your favorite dressing

Cut or break cauliflower and broccoli into bite size pieces; place into a salad bowl. Slice the mushrooms into the bowl. Drain the black olives well and add to the bowl. Cut the tomatoes into halves and add to the bowl. Add the onion rings and salt, if desired. Mix vegetables together well. Add your favorite dressing (I prefer Italian) and toss before serving.

Enjoy!

Fat Loss Recipe - Delicious Fat Loss Quesadilla Perfect For Any Diet

Quesadillas and wraps are an easy, fast and inexpensive way to get high quality nutrients into your fat loss diet. However, it is also easy to go overboard when it comes to the calorie content that can be loaded into these quick and simple meals. From your choice of wrap to how you actually cook it can make the difference between bloating yourself up with unnecessary carbohydrates and fat, or feeding your body in way that leaves you full of energy & satisfied, while keeping you in a favorable calorie range.

Here is how to make your own Fat Loss Quesadilla:

1) Start with a wrap that is made from whole grain - not just 'with' whole grain. In the future I will profile various brands and flavors - addressing the types of grains, fiber, etc. - One brand I like is the Wrap-itz from 'Tam-X-icos!' - but there are many others.

Pull out 2 tortillas.

2) Scramble an extra large egg using non-stick spray, such as Pam Organic Olive Oil Spray.

3) Keep in mind, this is a 2 serving quesadilla, so you can share it with someone or save the 2nd serving for tomorrow's lunch. Using a pan that will allow the tortilla to lay flat in, warm the pan on very low heat.

4) Add a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan and a tablespoon of butter (or Olivio). Then place one tortilla in the pan. Add 2 rounded tablespoons of cheddar cheese and spread evenly on tortilla.

5) Add the following:

- quarter cup of canned green beans.

- 2 rounded tablespoons of canned corn.

- 2 rounded tablespoons of canned sweet peas.

- Spread the scrambled egg over veggies.

- Add sea salt, black pepper, onion powder & garlic powder to taste.

- Sprinkle with another tablespoon of cheddar cheese.

6) Place the 2nd tortilla on top & gently press with spatula so cheese sticks to it. Check bottom with spatula to see if it is starting to brown. Lift up top tortilla - if cheese is sticking - its time to turn it over. Using your spatula, scoop under & lift out of pan pace your other hand on top, flip over & place in pan.

Cook for about 4 - 5 minutes - the bottom should look like the top - a dark/golden brown.

Cut in half & eat. Remember, this is 2 servings. And here is the nutrient breakdown for one serving:

Calories: 350

Fat: 22 grams

Protein: 13 grams

Carbohydrates: 25 grams

Sodium: 380 mg

Fiber: 6 grams

For 350 calories you get a nutrient dense, well-balanced, great-tasting, appetite-satisfying fat loss meal that can fit into almost anyone's fat loss diet program. You can also create your own variations of this to match it perfectly to your fat loss goals.

Old Fashion Recipes For Ida Mae's Meat Loaf and Sweet and Sour Cabbage

Make your family this old-fashion meal of Ida Mae's Meatloaf and Sweet and Sour Cabbage. Sit down to an old fashion meal that is comforting, tasty, and inexpensive. Serve with a multi-grain bread and your favorite dessert. If you have leftover meatloaf, make meatloaf sandwiches the next day. This is a great recipe for stretching your food dollars in these tough economic times.

IDA MAE'S MEAT LOAF
This recipe is from old church suppers in Southern Indiana.

2 lb ground beef steak
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup warm water
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 can (8-oz) tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using your hands, combine the beef and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the bread crumbs, and ketchup; combine. Pour the warm water into the dry soup mix and stir to blend. Add the soup mixture to the other ingredients. Mix together well. Put the mixture into a loaf pan. Top the meatloaf with 2 strips of bacon. Pour the tomato sauce overall. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

SWEET AND SOUR CABBAGE

2 lbs red cabbage
1/4 lb margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Shred cabbage and soak in very cold water for 30 minutes; drain. Place drained cabbage in a large saucepan and add vinegar, onion, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and bring cabbage to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the cabbage is just tender, stirring often. Add the margarine and sugar, stirring well to melt.

Enjoy!

Camping Recipes - Be Creative And Enjoy The Fun-Filled Activity

Do you want to enjoy a great tasting meal while camping you normally have at home. Well ,if there is a will, there is a way. You can use camping recipes to prepare good food while camping. Camping recipes can also be prepared deliciously even when are are facing limitations that outdoor cooking brings. Nothing can be more satisfying than a tasty meal made over campfire. Irrespective of what equipment you have, these can help you to relish a hot meal or a snack requiring hardly any preparation.

If you have frying pans on your camping trip, you can cook great camping recipes that need sauting, like fajitas, stir fry etc.These recipes use ingredients that are easy to make and are also nutritious. If you plan your cooking beforehand and do the cutting of vegetables at home before leaving for the camping trip will ease your cooking at the camp site further.

In case you want to prepare steaks at the campsite, all you have to do is just brings a basic grill with you which can be placed over the campfire for a hearty delicious steak or another meal of meat to give you the extra energy during your outdoor activity. Some camping recipes like apple, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are so simple to make, preparing these don't even need fire and are quite satisfying.

It's essential to have nutritious food when your are outdoors camping. Many of the campers also may indulge in activities like fishing, boating, hiking which requires lot of energy. So to meet the energy demands of these people, its essential to keep track of what you eat and eating nutritious is a must for them. To keep yourself going through the day, it's essential to eat nutritious breakfast.Some foods like apples, bananas, trail mix, beef jerky, granola, oatmeal, grapes, bagels, peanut butter and beans.

This is a nutritious camping recipe which is simple and can be made in less time. This recipe is also energizing and the best one to use during your camping trip. To prepare this, you can stew at home, and also freeze it ,so that you can use the campfire to warm it later at the campsite.

- Peel off the skin and cut into two large potatoes

- Slice two large potatoes after cleaning

- Peel the skin of the two onions and chop them.

- Put the vegetables in a large sized coffee can and add some seasoning oil to it like chili seasoning or Tony's seasoning.

- Place 1 ground hamburger on and season it again.

- Keep this can in the coal of campfire for 45 minutes

- Before serving, stir it and then serve it hot.

Get creative while cooking at the campsite. Try some of your favorite home recipes on the campfire. You need to do some alterations in your home recipes which are easy and simple to make during outdoors. To get more camping recipes, which are delicious, nutritious, simple to make during outdoors can be obtained from the internet.Keep record of all these for use in future camping vacations.

Why Nylon Dog Collars?

As nylon dog collars are becoming more and more popular amongst conscientious owners who want their pet to be well-looked after (and even those who are style conscious!), we look at why nylon is becoming the dog collar of choice in the canine world.

As mentioned a sentence earlier, the style of nylon dog collars can be unquestionable, with a variety of websites offering you the chance to jazz up a collar with your own impressions.

In training, they can be used for the 'tug-and-release' method and they can be a more humane choice than when compared to the chain collar, which can cause some dogs pain. Simply giving a verbal command and temporarily applying pressure to the leash attached to the collar can train a puppy to be more obedient, a nylon collar can enhance your efforts.

Nylon collars can also be practical. There are hundreds of manufacturers out there and a few with innovative ideas that can help your dog to remain safe even more. One of these fantastic ideas includes a nylon collar with a fastened bright light, a tool which can alert pedestrians and car users to your dog's presence at night.

You know your dog best and you know what they are likely to get up to should you lose them, or even if they would run away. So - be sure to prepare yourself and get a collar that could do so much more than make 'walkies' easier for you or your family members.

Hookworm Infection In Dogs

Hookworm infection or ancylostomiasis is the most serious endoparasitic infection affecting the gastro-intestinal tract of dogs.

A typical three-week lifecycle of hookworm has different interesting aspects. Infection starts when the immature hookworm larvae enter the host animal either through oral route or by penetrating the skin. These larvae are also transmitted from the mother through the placental route or through mother's milk. These larvae enter the blood stream and make their way to the intestine. Here, these larvae mature into adults. Adult hookworms attach to the intestinal wall using their hook-like mouth parts that contain teeth-like structures. These worms are primarily blood-suckers. Female worms are prolific egg-producers laying up to 30,000 ova per day. These eggs are excreted into the environment along with feces. The eggs hatch in the outside environment and gradually develop into a third stage larvae, which are now ready to infect another host animal.

Diagnosis of hookworm infection in dogs is done using microscopic examination of stool sample. Presence of hookworm eggs in the feces indicates infection. It is hard to detect adult hookworms in the feces since these worms are really small in size and adhere firmly to the intestinal wall.

Hookworm infection causes severe anemia. Symptoms include severe weight loss, pale appearance, dry skin, dull-colored hair coat and blood in the stools. A severe hookworm infection can be fatal for the pups. There are a number of drugs used for the treatment of hookworm infection. Some of these include febendazole, mebendazole, febantel and dichlorophene. In case of young pups, blood transfusion might be required along with deworming so as to keep the baby alive.

Hookworm infection is most common in new born puppies. However, it is possible to control hookworm infection in dogs by following certain preventive measures. Strict hygienic conditions should be maintained in the surroundings. It is important to have the dogs dewormed periodically. Feces should be disposed promptly at isolated places. A nursing female dog should be treated along with her pups since nursing may reactivate infection in the mother.

Larvae of hookworms have also been known to infect humans causing a disease known as Cutaneous Larval Migrans (CLM). These larvae penetrate through the human skin causing a severe itching sensation known as ground itch.

Pitbulls - Exercising Your Pitbull

The owner should also pay attention to the mental and physical shape of his dog and regular exercises are likely to improve the dog's condition. The things to be done in order to immediately impact the dog's long term health are the following: besides providing him with a raw diet, the owner must make sure that his pit bull is walking 3 to 5 miles during every day because walking seems to be the best exercise when it comes to any canine pet.

And pit bulls are not the exceptions because they love to roam and to discover new places in the world around them. Hand walking is the best way to provide the dog with daily exercise and is also helping the owner in order to create a bond with his pit bull. This hand walking is helping the dog in order to build his mental health too. A pit bull has to see his owner as being a confident leader and therefore the dog's attitude towards hand walking will change dramatically because a dog that used to be a strong puller is likely to pull less after the first hand walking.

a heavy way or he appears stressed, the owner must back off in order not to exhaust his pet. If the dog becomes accustomed to walking for 5 miles, he will be ready to walk more and the distance may be increased to 10 miles.

The progress will be slow because the owner should consider the dog's health in order not to leave his dog breathless. If the dog is recovering well from his hand walking, the owner may add different outlets for exercises when it comes to choosing an exercise program. The distance is important because it has to be long enough in order to burn all the extra energy but short enough in order not to harm the dog's health.

The physical fitness program may start by taking a walk to the vet in order to ask for a professional advice because the exercise is to be considered the missing link that is needed in order that the owner makes a bond with his pit bull. Long hand walking can prevent the dog's problems when it comes to the way he behaves outside his house because one should consider that a tired pit bull can be a happy and healthy one.

The hand walking is considered to be a gift, the best one that an owner may give to his pet. A hand walking should start with the current level of daily exercise; the owner has to increase slowly the walking time and distance and should expect his dig to "tell" him when is high time to make the next move. The owner needs only to pay attention to his dog behavior; he should notice if his dog is feeling really sore after walking 3 miles because if the pit bull feels so, his owner must not push him to walk more until the animal recovers from being tired.

Choosing The Right Puppy - Boy or Girl?

So many decisions to make...but one of the hardest decisions is sometimes - "Shall we have a girl or boy puppy?" Many people feel that girls make better pets, However, I am here to tell you that some of the sweetest, most devoted pets I have ever seen have been neutered boys.

Here at Stoney Hollow Toy Poodles, I have a number of poodles that are my "personal poodles""who are my dear friends and close companions. These poodles are with me all day, every day. My closest companions and friends, they greet strangers, prospective puppy parents and friends with grace and decorum, never showing the slightest sign of bad manners - and they are all intact boys, usually working stud dogs.

These boys are attentive and eager to please. They have no personal agenda the way females sometimes do. Despite the "girls are better" myths commonly bandied about, I really have to disagree. Always available, always eager to love and be loved, I absolutely have to say that in my experience as a breeder and a lifelong dog-lover, boys make better pets.

I will concede that "intact males" - boys that have not been neutered- often display all the unpleasant territorial behavior that people dislike - leg-lifting, aggression, etc. which makes them slightly more difficult to handle as family pets. However, it has been my experience that if you would only have your little boy neutered at 5 months or so, you will eliminate those issues 95% of the time. Those bad behaviors are instinctive canine behaviors designed to let everyone know that this yard, car, house or whatever belongs only to HIM! But, these behaviors don't occur until the pup nears breeding age, when his hormones begin to kick in. Neutering eliminates the production of testosterone, the primary hormonal trouble-maker.

Should you have one of the 5% that still insists on marking territory, this is an easily solved training issue. As long as your dogs is house-trained, you are looking at a matter of teaching your male dog that the house belongs to you, not him. Simple, consistent correction if he makes a mistake will easily resolve the problem. All of my house-dogs are boys and are all intact - I do know that this works!

So, feel free to choose a little boy for your new family member - just be sure to have him neutered as soon as possible!

Soul Food Recipes - 3 Ways to Cook Confidently

Soul food recipes have enjoyed a tradition of down-home cooking and what we affectionately call comfort food. People in the south, especially African Americans see it as the holy grail of eating and good times.

It's used to celebrate, comfort and even heal, that's how important it is. But because of the tight economy more people choose to cook more meals at home and save money (25% -75%) rather than eating out.

The problem is most of us like soul food , but in this fast-food age less of us know how to cook those magical meals our grand mothers and great-grandmothers cooked with ease. If you're a new mother, wife, single man or house-husband you may have this desire or need to cook. But you may lack the mental tools and skills to pull it off.

Fortunately the internet has dozens of soul food recipe sites with those favorite dishes you enjoyed since you were a child. You know, the one's your great-grandma used to prepare for holidays, birthdays and special occasions. That's good news, but you may be one of the millions of "recipe challenged". Meaning you can read a recipe, but the results always turn out between weird looking and out-right disaster.

Don't panic, here's 3 ways to cook soul food recipes more confidently.

1. Know Your Cooking Terms.

This seems like a simple issue, but it may surprise you how much this will add to your cooking confidence. Plus, it may surprise you how many people don't know the correct cooking terms in a recipe, but think they know. For example, do you know the difference between mix and fold? Many cooks don't.

As a result, not knowing the difference between those two cooking terms is the difference between a scrumptious dish fit for a king or queen or garbage a starving dog wouldn't eat. I recommend getting a cooking dictionary or at least a book of cooking terms. When you come across a recipe term you're not sure of you can immediately look it up. By doing this simple action, you'll be a recipe expert in no time when it comes to cooking terms.

2. Know Your Seasonings.

If one skill defines soul food , meaning how to enjoy it and how to cook it, it's the seasoning. Knowing how to season and what to season with what food is one of the hallmarks of a good cook, especially when it comes to southern food.

Here's another tool that can give you a quick start and give you quick confidence. Get a soul food seasonings dictionary, available online. This will show you what seasoning go with what dishes at-a-glance. This information will help to make your cooking mistake free.

3. Know Your Measurements.

This is one of the quiet but important keys to cooking with confidence. Traditionally our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used guesstimates based on their experience. For example, a dash of this, a pinch of that. To give you quick confidence when preparing any recipe, get these 3 important - but inexpensive tools. A measuring cup, measuring spoons and a small scale. By using these simple tools you'll have the confidence your measurements are accurate and your portions are right. They will save you the cost of the recipe failures you have to throw in the garbage can. That cost savings alone is worth the small investment, Don't you agree?

By following these simple tips your cooking confidence will increase each time you apply them. The soul food recipes you choose will turn out more like the ones you see in the book or on the website for a change. In addition, they'll taste more like you imagined them to be.

How to Host a Mexican Fiesta

Any time is a great time to host a Mexican fiesta. This type of dinner party or get together is a wonderful way to show off your Mexican cooking skills. As far as menu choices, the possibilities are almost endless.

Mexican fiestas are typically very casual and colorful occasions. This goes for the atmosphere, food and decoration, alike. Mexican food options include everything from tamales and tacos to burritos to guacamole to salsa to refried beans to carne asada to quesadillas to margaritas to deep fried ice cream to Mexican wedding cookies to much more!

There are many dishes that can be made and frozen, ahead of time... even as far as several weeks in advance. Doing so makes it much easier to get things ready, on the day of the event.

Some recipes such as hot dips and even enchiladas or burritos can be prepared and served in crock pots, which can easily be placed along a table for serving. For outside fiestas, plugging the pots into a plug strip will eliminate the need for multiple electrical outlets.

Grilling is another great option, for outside fiestas. Even recipes as simple as grilled corn on the cob with chili butter, lime juice and a touch of cheese are more than festive when prepared in this manner.

Large green onions, also referred to as 'knob onions' are yummy grilled, as well. Grill with jalapeños, drizzle with lime juice and serve with carne asada, for a traditional treat. These onions can be found in Mexican markets.

Another idea for a Mexican fiesta, at home, is a taco bar. Similar to those seen in Mexican restaurants, a taco bar can include all the ingredients to assemble tacos, burritos, etc. be sure to include other side dishes such as tamales, nachos and refried beans.

No party, of any kind, is complete without a variety of cold beverages. Serve Mexican beer, sangria, margaritas and a selection of non-alcoholic drinks like iced tea, lemonade and soda... even ice cold water will be appreciated, by some.

To give your buffet tables a Southwestern feel you can use terra cotta tableware and serving bowls. You may also opt to use brightly covered disposable tableware that is now available in many south of the border patterns.

Pinatas are a must, for any fiesta... especially when there will be children in attendance. Again, as with the tableware, they can be purchased in many different varieties, both online and at party supply stores.

Use a very large sombrero, for a unique and inexpensive centerpiece. Place a balloon bouquet in the very center. Fill the remainder with corn chips. Place small bowls of guacamole, salsa and cheese dip around the sombrero. Enjoy!

Homemade salsa is quite simple to make. Consider making your own using one of the following Mexican recipes

Salsa Recipe

2 (10 ounce) cans tomatoes (Rotel brand-1 hot and 1 mild)
1 (14 ounce) can peeled tomato
1-2 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 (4 ounce) can green chilies
1/4 cup onion
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Use a food processor to pulse the onions and jalapeño to desired consistency. (This should only take a few seconds.) Add tomatoes with juice and green chilies, process again. Transfer to a bowl and add spices.

Chill until flavors are combined, approximately 2 to 3 hours.

Pico de Gallo Recipe

3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, no stems
1 or more jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice or more to taste
salt to taste

Directions

Slice the tomato in quarters and remove seeds and gel. Chop into small chunks.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator 1 hour to let the flavors mingle.

Healthy Low Calorie Meals

The ideal way to keep your metabolism revved up is to eat small-frequent meals, which in turn makes it much easier to lose weight! Eating small, balanced meals of approximately 300 calories each, will help you to assure your weight loss and assist you in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

One of the easiest ways to cut the extra calories out of the diet is to cut out the empty calories. Empty calories are found primarily in soft drinks, juices and even alcoholic drinks. Regular consumption of these drinks usually account for all the daily calories required for simple day to day survival. Stick with water and low fat milk!

Here are some tasty foods you can eat on a low calorie meal plan.

poultry (no skin, chicken breast, turkey breast, ground turkey, etc.)
white fish
eggs
lean meat
fresh fruits and vegetables
skim milk
rice
low fat cheese
baked or boiled potatoes
whole grain bread
whole grain pasta
low calorie/low fat salad dressing
sugar free foods

Take the time to measure out a serving size. It will make meal planning and calorie counting a lot more productive and enjoyable.

Here is a breakdown of how to distribute your caloric intake throughout the day for a 1300 calorie per day diet. As long as you stay within your intake (of course with little to NO fats) you can choose just about anything you would like to eat.

Breakfast:400 calories
Morning Snack: 100 calories
Lunch: 400 calories
Afternoon Snack: 100 calories
Dinner: 200 calories
Evening snack: 100 calories

Inexpensive Cobb Pizza Oven With Multiple Other Uses

If you decide to buy a pizza oven for the home it will probably be electric and only capable of cooking pizza, nothing else. Since these ovens have such restricted use they tend to be used a couple of times, and then forgotten.

Instead of wasting money this way you may wish to consider a viable and inexpensive alternative, the Cobb Grill.

For those who are not familiar with the Cobb it is a compact multifunction cooker that makes an excellent pizza oven, but does much more as well. The fuel of choice for the Cobb is the humble charcoal briquette. 6 - 9 briquettes is sufficient for up to 3 hours cooking time.

For use in the home the Cobb is ideally sited close to the main kitchen cookers extraction hood. Unless your extraction can cope the Cobb should be lit outside and left for 15 minutes for the coals to turn grey. The design of the Cobb is such that the sides of the cooker remain cool, so when the Cobb is ready it can be picked up and brought inside. You are now ready to to use the Cobb as a pizza oven.

You will soon realise that the Cobb makes an excellent emergency cooker for the home in times of power cuts. It comes with its own carrying bag and is compact enough to take camping or use on a boat.

If you've ever watched the 'Hairy Bikers' on TV you'll recognise the Cobb they feature regularly. These two British Chefs have travelled the world cooking many different cuisines using the Cobb as their cooker of choice.

Whether at home or away the Cobb will cook everything from a full family breakfast to a roast dinner with all the trimmings. We've already mentioned its capabilities as a pizza oven, but it will do so much more. You can bake bread in it, smoke meat or fish, use it as a wok, cook stew and dumplings and it makes an excellent BBQ.

When we think of BBQ we're bound to think of the smoke and occasional flare ups. With the Cobb its not a problem. Meat juices are directed into a moat arrangement in the bottom, so never come into direct contact with the heat source and hence produces little or no smoke. For this same reason the Cobb doesn't flare up.

The moat serves several purposes. As well as collecting meat juices it can be part filled with water or wine etc. As the stove heats, the steam from the moat keeps the cooking meat above moist and helps prevent shrinkage. In addition, if you wrap vegetables in foil they can be cooked in the moat and not absorb the meat juices. The liquor left at the end of cooking makes an excellent base for gravy or a sauce.

As I said, the Cobb is much more than a pizza oven.

Inexpensive Outdoor Programs For Troubled Teens

Outdoor activities are considered therapeutic for troubled teens. Teens become troubled when they feel they are worthless. Outdoor activities give them a sense of self worth that starts the process of turning their life around.

Outdoor activities with family will help a withdrawn teenager come back to his or her family fold. Hiking, biking and gardening are some of the inexpensive outdoor activities that families can do together and help their teen get over his or her problems. Volunteering for charity sponsored outdoor activities as a family can help the teenager focus on something more than negative thoughts.

When families are unable to manage the teen on their own, inexpensive wilderness and other outdoor camps specially tailored for troubled teens will help them change for the better. These camps have experience field instructors who teach troubled teens new skills while weaning them away from negative habits. The number of teens recruited for these camps are few and the instructor can deal with specific problems on a one to one basis. Troubled teens work as a team with other troubled teens. They help themselves and others to change their ways for the better. The camps involve outdoor activities work and discipline that are proven therapeutic methods to help troubled teens. Some camps are sponsored by grants and charge a low fee or help teenagers for free.

Troubled teens are argumentative, defiant, disobedient, and unmanageable and lack motivation. Outdoor programs like wilderness camps teach them to work against the elements with others who have the same issues. They are cut off from society and learn to fend for themselves with other teens. They learn new skills and this increases their self confidence. Wilderness camps include many activities like hiking, mountain climbing and river rafting. These camps sometimes offer a troubled teen an outdoor interest that endures for life. Some camps address specific issues that trouble teens like ADD/ADHD or weight loss.

Troubled teens turn their life around while participating in group physical activities. They learn responsibility, cooperation, participation and to deal with consequences of their actions. They learn to take responsibility for their actions, to overcome hurdles and to solve problems. The instructors are usually experienced counselors. They help the teen find goals and values at the camp. They organize workshops to increase the communication skills of the troubled teen. The group setting helps teens understand that they are not alone and they have peers who want to change their ways just as badly as they do.

Before sending their teens to these wilderness camps, parents need to check the credentials of the organizers and the qualifications of the counselors. The organizers should have a reputation of helping teenagers. They should not be a vehicle of abuse. Parents should check the testimonials of those who have attended the camps. Parents should also check if there are any complaints about the treatment of troubled teens at the camp. The object of camps should be to help teenagers and not demoralize them.

Parents should encourage troubled teens to participate in outdoor activities to help them focus on activities that have a positive effect on their behavior.

Pinto Beans and Cornbread - Using Leftovers to Feed Your Family Delicious Meals For a Week

In tough economic times, we all need ways to save money. Stretching your food dollar is an excellent way to save money and eat well.

Two huge money wasters regarding food are eating out and wasting leftovers. It is not uncommon to spend $10 on a sandwich, fries, and a drink. My first thought is to imagine what I could have purchased at the grocery store for $10.

I can feed my family several meals for $10. I also imagine how healthy, or unhealthy, the meal is that costs $10. Fast food meals are typically loaded with calories, fat, sugar, and cholesterol.

Meal planning is very important to my family. Here is an example of a weekly meal plan designed to stretch your food dollar. Dried beans are very inexpensive. On Sunday, I will cook a large pot of pinto beans. I will also cook some chicken breasts in water and store the shredded meat.

You want to cook enough beans to last several meals. This will vary according to the number of people you are feeding. I save electricity and time by cooking my beans and chicken at one time rather than at each individual meal.

The Sunday meal will consist of a bowl of warm pinto beans topped with chow-chow or ketchup. I make a pan of cornbread, and serve the meal with a cold glass of buttermilk or sweet white milk. A green onion is a nice side addition, or a hunk of sweet Texas or Vidalia onion. Fresh sliced salted tomatoes, when available, are a tasty treat. My husband enjoys crumbling the cornbread in the bowl and ladling his soup beans on top. A side salad is optional.

Cornbread is a great breakfast or lunch staple. You can serve it warm with fresh honey, or crumbled in a glass of milk or buttermilk. Tortillas are great breakfast treats filled with scrambled eggs and cheese or warmed with honey inside.

On Monday, plain tortilla chips are spread evenly in a casserole dish for nachos. These are topped with a bed of shredded cheese, then layers of beans, shredded chicken, and jalapeno peppers. This is baked at 350 degrees until cheese is melted. The cheese base helps support the other additions. Add shredded lettuce to the top after baking, along with salsa and sour cream.

On Tuesday, more leftover pinto beans are mashed up to create refried beans for chicken bean burritos. Flour tortillas are warmed and spread down the center with the mashed beans. Add shredded lettuce, chicken, cheese, salsa, diced onions, jalapeno peppers, and roll up burrito style. Microwave the burritos quickly to melt the cheese. You can prepare burritos ahead of time and store in plastic wrap for quick re-heating later.

On Wednesday, I take fresh corn tortillas from the refrigerator and fry up crispy tostada shells. These are drained on brown paper bags. Refried beans are spread along the surface of the fresh cooked shells. Add shredded chicken, lettuce, salsa, cheese, sour cream, hot jalapeno peppers, and black olives. Now you have tasty pinto bean and chicken tostadas. These fresh shells are so much tastier than boxed, ready made tostada shells.

On Thursday, what happens next depends on what's left. Shredded chicken can be used in chicken stew, chicken salad sandwiches, or in crock-pot chicken barbecue. My family loves my chicken barbecue on hamburger buns served with coleslaw or potato salad.

We keep a jug of fresh tea in the refrigerator, and water is always available. Fresh lemon slices in a glass of ice water are refreshing. Soft drinks are okay in moderation, but they are expensive and unhealthy. Kool-Aid has a delicious pink lemonade drink mix. Real lemon juice also makes simple and tasty lemonade; the recipe is usually on their label. Tea and lemonade contain sugar, but they are certainly tasty and affordable alternatives to sodas.

I do not cook the same meals each week. This is just an example of a Mexican style menu for one week. There are many other alternatives that include fresh ground beef, sirloin steak, red beans, potatoes, other bean varieties, and rice dishes. If you use a bit of imagination, you can come up with many ideas of your own to stretch your food dollar during tough times by simply planning your meals in advance.

Spicy Chili Recipes - Tuna Chili Curry

This is for all of you out there who love spicy chili recipes. I created this Mouth-watering recipe by chance, due to the fact that I'd been ill and had not been shopping and therefore was practically out of food.

I had a quick look through my kitchen cupboards and found the ingredients that I have put together to create this magnificent spicy and delicious chili recipe, which I am now sharing with you.

One of the chief benefits, aside from being totally healthy and easy and quick to cook is the fact that it is really as cheap as chips to make.

If you like any kind of spicy chili food, then you are going to love this - I promise you.

So get your chili taste buds ready for this one. I'll be very surprised if you don't make this one of you spicy favorites. If you like it hot, like I do, then simply add more chillies or chili powder.

I call it Spicy Chili Tuna Curry and it is ideal for anyone, but especially for students and the like who are living on a small budget.

Spicy Chili Tuna Curry.

Ingredients:

One Large Onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
1 Inch of fresh ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
1 flat teaspoon of garlic granules (use fresh garlic if you prefer)
1 large green pepper (roughly chopped)
1 large red pepper (roughly chopped)
3 - 6 table spoons olive oil
1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 gram)
1 tin of tuna in spring water (200 gram) drained
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
3 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sugar (Optional)
2 heaped tablespoons of Patak madras curry paste
4 - 6 tablespoons of vinegar
2 flat tablespoons of salt Fresh ground black pepper Juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 teaspoons of extra hot chili powder (Use less if you prefer)
Rice cooked

Method:

Fry the onions until medium to dark brown. Add garlic and ginger. Add peppers and stir-fry on high heat for 5 minutes. Stir in curry paste. Fork in your Tuna and mix well. Add tinned tomatoes and tomato puree. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and lemon juice and stir well. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes once it's boiling.

Dish up on a bed of rice.

This meal serves four to six good helpings!

I kid you not, this is one of the best tasty and yet inexpensive spicy chili recipes.

Spanish Food and Drinks: Tapas, Gazpacho, Paella, Cava, Sangria, and Rivers of Red Wine

Spanish food and drink - Spanish cuisine, if you will - is quite different from how it may be perceived in the United States. In fact, when most Americans think of Spanish food they tend to think of dishes that hail from Mexico rather than Spain. Tacos, tostadas, enchiladas and such are, however, wholly Mexican creations and the tourist will be hard pressed to find them in Spain unless Taco Bell manages to open a franchise there.

Like most things in modern Spain, traditional Spanish food tends to differ based upon the region that it comes from. The Southern city of Seville, for example, offers cuisine that is reputed to be very delicious while also being very simple to prepare. Here you'll find the cold soup Gazpacho, which is a vegetable cream that includes tomato, cucumber, garlic, paprika, olive oil, and vinegar. This is usually served with bread or even with tomato-bread.

In the Northern region of Navarre you may find many specialties of meats and fish, with one original recipe consisting of a delicious trout stuffed with cured ham. Many dishes here include the local beans Pochas de Sanguesa, and of particular interest are the vegetables like asparagus and Pimientos del Piquillo, a mild red pepper dish. This Region is also famous for his Tapas.

In addition to traditional regional fare, the nation of Spain does have some delights that are enjoyed nationwide. For instance, many like to snack on quick Tapas, prepared bite sized snacks that may include pieces of fried squid or octopus, spicy sausage, cheese, squares of fruit, or even sweet candy with almonds. Tapas is literally everywhere in Spain and is often enjoyed during siesta as opposed to a full meal. Prices for Tapas vary slightly from place to place, but it is often a very inexpensive treat. In some places you can get a Tapa for as little as one Euro and in others that same one Euro will get you a glass of red wine and a Tapa. No wonder many Spanish stop at the local bar, for a meal.

Another well-known Spanish food is Paella (pronounced paeya) delicious mixed dish that consists of rice combined with many different types of meat and Seafood. Paella, is perhaps the most famous dish to come from Spain and, although it originates from Valencia, it can be found and enjoyed pretty much everywhere in the country, from the north to the south.

Spanish drinks are not quite as varied as the foods, but there are some particularly enjoyable specialties. Spain, like France, is a wine-drinking country and is famous for its various forms of Sangria, a sweet red wine that is combined with any number of other wines, liquors, and fruits. Sangria recipes differ based upon who is doing the mixing, so it's not uncommon to find sangria that includes apples and bananas in one bar or restaurant and one that contains grapes, white wine, and oranges in another. Tinto verano is very similar to sangria, and is very popular at the south, were it is drunk during pestival. Wine is available everywhere in Spain and costs very little, starting for 1 euro for a glass. The wine loving tourist will have little to complain about when visiting Spain. Moreover, the prices of alcohol are cheaper in Spain that in any other western european country.

Spanish wines differ from region to region but most share two common traits: they are delicious and very inexpensive. The region of Catalunya, for example, offers wondrous Red wines from Peralda, Alella, Priorat and Tarragona, and the famous sparkling wine known as Cava. The region of Galicia offers several fine wines as well. Here you will find the remarkable Ribeiro, and other favorites include Fefinanes, Betanzos, Rosal, Valdeorras, Ulla and Amandi. Talking of Wine, you can't escape Rioja, which come from a region with the same name and is a lovely, greattasting, inexpenssive popular wine. They even have their own Wine festival in the end of summer, where red wine is splashed everywhere.

It is important for the tourist, visiting Spain to note that Spanish libations are typically much stronger than those they may be accustomed to in the US. In fact, a Spanish drink may be as much as three times stronger than a similar drink made at home. Some experts advise that the visiting American count three rounds for ever one actually ordered. Also popular with the Spanish and visitors to their country are Horchatas, which are frozen drinks made with milk and a variety of crushed and chopped nuts. Heralded for both their taste and the fact that they are rich in vitamins, Horchatas are enjoyed in every area of the country and differ only slightly from region to region or recipe to recipe. In the hot summer, their popularity is on top.

Coffee and hot chocolate round out the staple of Spanish drinks. These are enjoyed daily by most Spaniards, including children who often receive chilled coffee topped with ice cream as a treat. Coffee and hot chocolate are often drunk for breakfast and lunch and are enjoyed with churros, a pastry that is comparable to a fritter. Many tourists, however, complain that the Spanish coffee taste more like the american mild one, and not like the rich french/italian coffee.

Advantages of Meat

Meat has always stayed as a rich source of food in terms of taste, nutrients and also medicinally at times. The advantages of having meat are helpful to younger people in the process of growth and they reach the elder ones as well. The invaluable source of food, the meat (the tissues under animals' skin) has been serving the people from times immemorial. The alarming sources of the health, nutrients etc can find answers in meat eating. Out of a large number of health benefits of eating meat, its contribution as a fabulous source of high quality proteins is remarkable and it is to be noted. This cannot be given or substituted by even a single vegetarian food. Meat holds all the required amino acids that the body needs to maintain a balance.

For growing children, small amounts of meat are absolutely important for the growth purposes. The children when they turn to adolescence by attaining puberty, the essential amounts of albumin are needed for the overall physical growth, which will help them in the future (probably for better PRODUCTIVE reasons). The child can be enriched with meat for his/her building up of albuminous tissues and thereby growing better. The adults also suffer from the loss of albumin, which can be provided by meat.

Apart from being the richest sources of iron, meat also supplies phosphorous which can be easily digested. This is less available in any of the vegetarian diets and cereals and legumes.
The meat also serves as a rich source of nuclein, which is the important component of albuminous diet. The intestinal activities if impaired can be rectified with albumin and nuclein, which comes abundantly from meat.

Boer goats serve as a biggest source of goat meat and the goat supply essentially means supply of nutrients and taste of rich culinary usage. By eating meat, the action of certain duct-less glands like the thyroid, is stimulated, and the increased activity of this gland has a protective influence against infectious diseases, as tuberculosis. Meat is medicinally important too, and this forms the foundation for goat sales and goat supply in a higher pace. Meet the nutrient requirements with meat.

How to Cook the Best Pasta the Real Italian Way

Most people think cooking pasta is really easy. Just throw some noodles in boiling water and drain it when it is soft enough, right?

Sorry to say, that is wrong. What is hopefully true is that the secrets I am going to reveal to you will make pasta one of your favourite dish to prepare and enjoy by yourself or with your dear ones.

First of all, allow me a short digression. To a serious pasta lover the name "noodles" is plain simply dreadful. Noodles is a very good name for Chinese pasta, or Japanese, or Thai, or any other nationality pasta, but not for Italian pasta. Calling Italian pasta "noodles" would be like calling American baseball or English cricket something like "Stickball". That is just sad.

Yes, pasta is easy to cook, *if* you have the right ingredients, *if* you know the right way of preparing it, and, above all, if you have the right attitude. "What is this?" - I hear some of you gasp - "I now have to be like a zen archer or a samurai warrior just to prepare a bowl of noodles?" Let's proceed in order, one secret to the next (by the way, didn't we agree never to call pasta noodles again?)

PASTA SECRET #1: ATTITUDE

Let's start with the most important aspect: attitude.

If you feel your guest swooning in delight over your steaming pasta is a good thing, you have to take cooking seriously. Cooking, and especially cooking pasta, is an act of love and self-sacrifice. It requires your personal energy, your prana, your inner and outer purity, and your uninterrupted concentration. Without these elements, cooking is not cooking anymore, but just cold, mechanical, heartless food preparation. Would you feed such food to your dog?

Before even start preparing your utensils, stand in your kitchen, facing the stove and get inwardly ready to cook. Silence around you and inside you is needed. A short meditation would be even better. Soulfulness is essential.

Feel inside you and visualise in front of your mind's eye the final pasta dish you want to prepare. Feel the aroma of the pasta, the looks, the sound the moist pasta strands do when stirred together, even before they are cradled by the sauce. Imagine the joy on the face of the friends that soon will be enjoying it.

Then, act with determination and precision but never with hurry.

Quality Kitchen Knives - More Important Than You Think

Cutting, chopping, slicing, dicing and cleaving - a mere glimpse into the everyday responsibilities of the kitchen knife. Around the world, in all continents there is the same universal use for a kitchen knife, and the preparation of food is unlikely to go away any time soon.

The kitchen knife market is totally saturated, but that does not mean that this huge array of choice is a good thing. The likes of CostCo and Walmart in the US, and Tesco and ASDA in the UK produce or import kitchen knives that you can pick up at rock bottom prices; entire knife blocks with eighteen kitchen knives can cost you less that USD$20, and people gladly by them. Then, they buy another set two years later, and another and another.

This is because cheap kitchen knives are a false economy. In this example, a false economy means that people are attracted to buy poor quality knives because they are very affordable; however, this affordability is not real, because the poor quality knives have to be replaced fairly regularly. In their lives, consumers have the option of buying one set of high quality, expensive kitchen knives, or they have the option of buying a new inexpensive set every few years which ultimately turns out to be far more expensive.

Not only are cheap knives a false economy, but they can be a real danger to your fingers. Obviously a higher quality kitchen knife is going to be sharper and pointier, but they are very solidly built. The cheaper alternatives can have very week blades that are made out of a single piece of steel. This blade can easily flex when it is put under a small amount of cutting pressure, which means it could easily flex out of position and over a supporting finger - leading to a pretty unpleasant accident.

In extreme examples - and something that has been seen before - the blades can actually snap and leave an even sharper edge exposed; the knife then needs replacing and is a hassle to dispose of properly.

Although the upfront cost is somewhat greater to buy quality kitchen knives (such as Global, Shun, Zwilling/J. A. Henckels, Cutco, Wusthof, etc.), the peace of mind you get from knowing they are not going to break, and will serve you well for decades far outweighs the price difference. In some instances you will be paying more for the brand and label of a good knife forger, but with this comes many layers of tightly folded steel, properly engineered ergonomic handles and decades of experience in the business of forging kitchen knives.

You May Try the Internet Rather Than Buying Cookbooks

Family cookbooks or easy cookbooks seem difficult to purchase specially if you are on budget but it is not necessary to purchase any family cookbooks or easy cookbooks for quick and easy recipes. With internet approach is making life easier for many people, it can help you also. Careful cooking can help trim your waistline as well as food budget. Eating out frequently is disastrous to both, your waist line and your pocket.

Shop in stores where you find lots of healthy produce/ meats/ dairy rather than filling your cart all with junk food. You may check other shelves for inexpensive items as most expensive ones are always kept at eye level.

Apples, Oranges, Potatoes/ onions if purchased by bag rather than by piece are cheaper. Try shopping for products that are in season as they are best in flavor as well as price. Canned foods packed in juice along with low sodium must be preferred. Avoid buying washed lettuce/ cabbage/ carrots and you pay more for less quantity.

Brown rice/ whole wheat Muffins contain 4 gram fat/ 100 calories. Oatmeal is economical as well as nutritious. Cereals/ grains that don't come in fancy packs are equally good and may be stored in air-tight containers. Whole wheat pasta is expensive as compared to white pasta but is healthier. You are free to make your choices.

Ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meats are quite expensive as compared to plain meats. You may try canned fish/ chicken to make sandwiches/ enchiladas/ casseroles/ salads.

You may use dried milk-powder for various recipes. Block cheese or pre-shredded may be used for various recipes. These are some tips that you may not find in many of family cookbooks or easy cookbooks. You can scan internet for various quick and easy cooking recipes and save money that you want to spend on these books.

Beware of That Nasty Manufactured Dog Food

Natural dog food will almost certainly help to prolong your four legged friends lifespan. Why is this? A lot of the processed dog food out there today is made from grain based food that is commercially processed and contains a lot of harmful chemicals and, who knows what other nasty ingredients, that are foreign to a dogs digestive system.And this is where a lot of problems originate. If a dogs digestive system isn't operating properly or if it is being infected with harmful chemicals some very serious health issues can arise.

This could be one of the main reasons for the prevalence of cancer in dogs. In the past dogs were more likely to die of old age, cancer was a fairly rare occurrence, but now many dogs prone to develop various forms of cancer, which is not only bad news for your pooch, but is also very expensive for you as well.

While genetics and poor breeding may have some bearing on a dogs chances of contracting some form of cancer, poorly manufactured food is probably one of the main reasons. So one of the simplest things you can do to reduce the chances of your dog falling foul of this devastating disease is to give him a good healthy diet of natural food.

Just remember that todays dogs originated from the wild where they had to hunt for their food and that food certainly didn't contain all the nasties that todays processed foods contain. And remember back a few years when there was all the furore about pet food manufactured in China being bulked up with Melamine, a chemical used in the manufacture of wallboard products. That episode caused some dogs to become very ill with kidney failure, in fact many dogs died, and a host of other health problems.

All of these unnatural additives, along with the massive amounts of preservatives used to give dog food a long shelf life, are certainly not good for a dogs health and wellbeing in my humble opinion.

By giving your dog a good natural varied diet without all those chemicals and additives will definitely help in keeping those nasty diseases at bay.

Remote Dog Training

What is the best and most cost effective way of training your dog? Any new dog owner has mulled over this question in their head and some have even gone as far as to check into remote dog training or professional trainers.

But ultimately, who is it that you want your dog to respond to? Who is giving the commands? The answer of course, is you. So it only makes sense to train your dog yourself. It is very reasonable to train on your own. All you need is the proper information, and with a little time and effort, you will succeed.

The best time to train is when you first get him/her as a puppy. This is common knowledge among dog owners, however; people sometimes do not believe they need training. Instinct covers some things, but certainly not all. If you get a dog after it is a few years old, training becomes more of a challenge, but can be done.

If your puppy or dog is exhibiting signs of misbehavior, it can be caused by several different issues, some of which are miscommunication, confusion, anxiety, fear and so on. It is important that you never yell at your dog. Yelling instills fear and you will accomplish nothing if your dog is afraid of you.

It is said that dogs can sense the demeanor of their owners and will respond accordingly. This is true, and if your dog can feel your anger or frustration, he/she will react as such. Always approach your dog with a kind, but authoritative voice, when training and in everyday situations.

If your dog is exhibiting attention seeking signs with barking, whining or begging, never EVER give in! They might also do those things when they have to use the bathroom, but you will learn and know your dog's behavior pattern for needing to go outside to distinguish that from attention seeking.

There are many aspects and details in effective dog training. Making sure to praise your dog and reward with treats, a trip to the park or a long walk will help with becoming your own dog trainer. You may also wish to investigate some training assisting collars such as dog shock collars or dog bark collars.

Most importantly, you will need to learn the proper way to train your dog. It makes no sense to spend hundreds of dollars having someone else train your dog, when you are the one your dog needs to obey. That is a recipe for confusion on the part of any dog.

There are many excellent eBooks available online today covering training that will turn you into your own professional trainer, and the sooner you start, the more well behaved your dog will be. Save the money for all the treats you will need to buy because your dog is so awesome!

Include An Apple A Day For Good Health

The apple was the first fruit mentioned in the bible, not always allowing the noble apple to prove the life enhancing powers it does possess. The pectin in the reddest apples has among the most antioxidants of any natural food. Science continues to show cases of high priced medications contain potent versions of what we are eating naturally all the while. A healthy recipe for healthy living does include the humble apple.

Apples come in a variety of excellent flavors, shapes, colors for us to choose from, in order to tantalize our taste buds, and encourages us to eat this great fruit right off the tree it was grown on.

Apples help our bodies fight cancer; studies have shown that there are several components in juicy fruit, such as apples, which help to prevent the growth of cancer cells. Healthy apples are most potent when the fruit is eaten whole, including the skin, and by choosing the darker apples, such as deep Red Delicious, Fuji, Jonathan, Rome Beauty and Red Spartan. Apples are a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Italian researchers found people who ate more than one apple a day lowered their risk for oral, esophageal, colon, breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancers by 9 to 42%.

Apples benefit our health by helping to fight cholesterol. Two key components, the pectin in the reddest apples and poly-phenols, which have the most anti-oxidants of any natural food, can help to lower cholesterol, and prevent the oxidation of LDL, which is the bad cholesterol. Bad cholesterol results from the chemical process that fills the arteries with clogging plaque. Save the apple skin; it has two to six times the antioxidants that the actual flesh of the apple has, science shows, and most of us need all the help we can get when it comes to healthy eating.

Apples make us smarter. Apples boost the production of acetylcholine, which is a chemical that transmits messages between nerve cells. In a recent study from the University of Massachusetts, researchers suggest that apples may keep your brain 'smarter' as you age and the components help boost our memory, potentially lessening the possibility of getting Alzheimer's disease.

You know the saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". It may well be true that it is time to rethink this, and start eating your apples as a receipe for healthy living.

Apples help us to breathe easier. United Kingdom researchers found that children of pregnant women who ate apples during pregnancy, were less likely to wheeze or develop asthma by the age of five. This healthy fruit may also protect the lungs of adults, help in the prevention of asthma, lung cancer and other diseases.

Many people have eaten apples all their lives but ppeled for them in order to not take in all the pesticides used in apple growing. Recently, many have changed their thinking and have taken to organic, whenever possible, or washing the regular treated apples thoroughly, in order to eat the healthy peel. Organic is wonderful, but not always available.

The next reason to eat healthy apples daily is, that apples are a difficult food to eat; they require chewing a great deal, as they are dense and firm. This healthy food is packed with fiber, approximately five grams per apple, and is low in calories, approximately 80 for a medium sized apple. Apples contain a natural sugar which enters the bloodstream slowly, keeping our insulin levels steady; a much better choice than a sugary snack, which will give us a fast high, then a low in our sugar levels, creating hunger faster, as well as giving us little nutritional value.

Apples are truly a beneficial choice for healthy living. It is highly recommended you keep eating apples, as they are one of nature's perfect foods, and after eating these gems, you will feel full longer, keep your cholesterol lower, be smarter, breathe easier, help to boost your memory, and keep your insulin at a decent level. What more could we ask from one healthy food?

No Fail, Perfect Every Time Prime Rib

This is the easiest, most fool proof way that ANYONE can use to cook the perfect prime rib. You will need your roast, kosher salt or ice cream salt (quite a bit but it is very inexpensive), an aluminum turkey roasting pan and some spices.

Purchase your cut of beef from the best source that you know. This goes a long way towards the end results when you purchase the best that you can afford. Your best bet is to purchase the roast without the ribs still attached, although it looks pretty as a picture on the serving plate if you leave them on. It is just a little more difficult to carve.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Let your roast come to room temperature and prepare your roast by seasoning the outside of it with Worcestershire powder, pepper and paprika. Make sure that all areas are seasoned well. Let that rest a moment while your prepare the pan. Layer the salt 2 inches thick in the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with HOT water. You don't want this sitting in water but you want it to just stick together enough to create a salt 'crust' around the roast. Now place the roast on top of this salt and continue the process of layering the roast with salt until you have a thick crust of about 1 and 1/2 inches. Just keep working with it, letting it rest in between if you need to, until you have that desired thickness. This crust seals in the moisture and ensures a moist and flavorful roast.

Now, if you have an oven thermometer for cooking meat, that is ideal. Insert the thermometer into the roast, close the oven door and attach the prong to the base. Set your timer for 130 degrees.

I was a little squeamish when I first tried this because you have the temperature of your oven at 500 degrees!! It's going to burn! And all that salt will make the roast salty!! Let me tell you, this works.

Cook the roast 12 minutes for every pound. Example, if you have a 15 pound roast, multiply 15 pounds times 12 minutes which gives you 180 minutes. Divide THAT by 60 minutes and you need to cook your roast for 3 hours. As soon as the timer goes off, remove the roast and let it stand for half an hour before carving. The temperature will continue to rise to about 140 at which time, take a hammer and crack the salt and remove as much of it as you can before transferring to your serving platter. Take a damp towel and brush off as much of the salt crystals as you can.

Carve immediately and serve with aus jus and a great horseradish sauce and there is nothing better! Leftovers (if there are any) make darn good sandwiches, too! Enjoy....

Budget Friendly Gift Ideas

Gift giving can be expensive, especially if you have a large family or lots of friends. Throw in an ailing economy and it can be down right depressing. Below are some inexpensive gift ideas to help you get the most for your money!

Quick Holiday Tip: The very BEST way to shop is to shop AFTER the holidays and get all the great 50-70% off sales. You can also look for big sales throughout the year. If you can plan for that each year, you will have most of the work done by the time the next holiday season rolls around!

Low Cost Gift Ideas:

Homemade gifts:

A few Examples...

* knit, sew, crochet - You can make blankets, scarves, mittens, napkins, etc.

* scrapbook- You can create a photo collage, a special memory scrapbook, etc.

* woodwork - You can design some napkin rings, pens, cross, keepsake box, etc.

* jewelry - This is a great idea for those who have this ability. Make a beaded necklace, earring, etc.

* potpourri - You can make your own with different spices and scented oils.

* bath salts - create you own homemade jars of bath soaps

* Be Creative! You can do SO much of you just get those creative juices flowing and USE your God given talents!

Practical and Inexpensive Gifts you can Buy:

Time: Nothing says I care more than your time. You can make a coupon gift, take a friend to lunch, organize a room in your friend's house. Whatever your talent is, give it to someone. It costs you nothing but your time and THAT is the best gift you can give.

Edible Goodies: This can go in so many directions. Cook for someone. Bake cookies and put them in decorative tins you can get at the dollar store. Make jar gifts with the dry ingredients and recipe of your favorite cookies, brownies, etc.

Pedicure: This is less then $20 and I know BOTH sexes like this! LOL!

Gift Cards: These are great gifts when you have no time or for parties. $10 is not a bad gift card. Trust me the person will NOT give it back! LOL!

Music: Create a CD of your friend or loved one's favorite songs. If it is for a spouse make a LOVE CD.

Chocolate: For many women this is a gift they will LOVE you for!

Ornament: You can buy or design a pretty ornament.

Gift Basket: Get in inexpensive basket and add some of their favorite things to it. Or make it themed...candles, spa, edibles, etc.

Candles: Need I say more?

Gourmet Nuts: They sell these at grocery stores cheap. You can put them in a pretty container and there you have a yummy and fun gift.

Stationary: This is always a sure thing with a woman.

Gourmet Coffee or Teas: Again, you can find these in grocery stores. Instead of going to a specialty sop where you will spend too much money, buy them at the grocery store and make the presentation creative.

Magazine Subscription: Most magazine subscriptions are fairly inexpensive. They usually range from $10-$25.

Movie Night: Buy a $5 blockbuster gift card, large microwave movie theatre popcorn bowl, and candy. Put it in the popcorn container and there you have a gift that anyone will appreciate.

Beauty Supplies: Look for sales. Buy one get one free lotions are very popular this time of year. Use it to your advantage and you can have two gifts for the price of one.

Framed Picture: This is the perfect gift for a parent of loved one. Frame a picture you know they will appreciate. They will LOVE it!
For the Kids...Below are Cheap Gift Ideas for your children and teenagers.

Some of these inexpensive gift ideas can be used for multiple ages. That is why you may see the same idea more than once with a different twist in some cases!.

Toddlers...

Balls: Toddlers are easy to please. Balls are fun and teach eye hand coordination.

Dress Up Clothes: You do not have to spend a fortune on a store bought dress up outfit! Go to your local thrift store, give some pretty hand me downs, or clear your closet. They will LOVE dressing up.

Puzzles: Great gifts for little ones.

Books: Buy them a book and READ it to them.

Play Dough: My kids LOVED play dough and it's non toxic, so this is a great and inexpensive gift for toddlers and even a little older.

Stuffed Animals: Who doesn't love stuffed animals?

Children 5-10...

Time: Time is important to your kids. Make them a special coupon book of things you know they would like to do. Or make a "gift certificate" of a special day you plan and present it to them. They will have it to look forward to in the near future.

Dress Up Clothes: You do not have to spend a fortune on a store bought dress up outfit! Go to your local thrift store, give some pretty hand me downs, or clear your closet. They will LOVE dressing up.

Candy: This is a no-brainer.

Board game: Games are fun. PLAY the games with them.

Books: Buy them their favorite book or a few in their favorite series.

Diary: Encourage them to write their feelings.

Coloring Books and Crayons: Most kids love to color.

Hot Wheels: My HUSBAND loves these. LOL!

Stuffed Animals: Who doesn't love stuffed animals?

Barbies: Great gift for a girl and MANY of them are $10 and under.

Slippers: Kids love character slippers. Pay Less sells them for cheap.

Jump Rope: Easy and great gift to get them moving.

Tweens and Teens...

Time: Time is important to your kids. Make them a special coupon book of things you know they would like to do. Or make a "gift certificate" of a special day you plan and present it to them. They will have it to look forward to in the near future.

Candy: This is a no-brainer.

Board game: Get a great game that a teenager will like and tape a coupon on it for a fun day with family and friends to play it. Teens are at the end of there time with us. MAKE the MOST of it!

Gift Cards: Teenagers LOVE to shop. This is a GREAT gift for a boy or girl.

Beauty Supplies: Most teenage girls LOVE anything related to beauty.

Disposable Cell Phone: If you cannot afford a cell phone, get them a disposable one. At least they will get it for a bit and it will encourage them to work for it!

CD's: Music is a no-brainer. Be careful what you put in their ears though!

Books: If they like to read, get them their favorite type of book. Or get a devotional book. Spiritual growth is important at this age.

Journals: They need to have a place to vent and put their feelings

Pens: I know girls love these.

Craft Supplies: If they are crafty or good with their hands this is a fun gift.

Models: A lot of boys like to create models.

Pedicure: This is less then $20 and I know BOTH sexes like this! LOL!

Sports: Get them a poster of their favorite sports person. Or, anything related to sports!

Party: Create a coupon or certificate agreeing to throw a slumber or regular party for them and be the hostess with the mostest.

Clothes: What teenager doesn't like clothes?

Magazine Subscription: Most magazine subscriptions are fairly inexpensive. They range from $10-$25.

As you can see, there are MANY things that you can do and buy this Christmas season without going crazy and overspending. Be creative. Pray. Look for the best deals, and soon you will find that holidays do not need to be expensive!

Copyright © Lara Velez, All Rights Reserved.

BBQ Pizza

BBQ pizza, in most cases chicken is easy and addictive. This bbq pizza recipe uses the oven, but you can easily use a bbq grill. Also, this barbecue pizza uses a fresh dough, but if you don't have time
or are just that lazy, use a pre-packaged pizza shell like Boboli, or foccacia. Either way, the finished product will be far superior to delivery pizza at a fraction of the price.

And, if you use a pre-packaged shell, this recipe can be done in as little as 15 minutes! No matter which dough you choose, you will still have that kitchen pizza smell that will get the kids running.

Finally this bbq pizza uses a secret ingredient- a creamy garlic sauce that blends with the bbq sauce- really really good.

If you do not have one, I highly recommend a pizza stone- they really improve the finished product.

Pizza Dough (skip down if using a pre-done shell)

8 oz. warm water (100 degrees)
1 package yeast

1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp sugar
3 cups flour

Mix yeast and water and sugar together until dissolved. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes until a froth forms.
Put the rest of the ingredients in a food processor bowl. Process while pouring in the water.
The mixture should form a sticky ball that pull away from the sides. Remove to an oiled
bowl and let rest in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.
Remove and cut the dough into to equal pieces. Work the dough in your hands to form a ball. Set
balls again to rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. If it goes higher, do it! I cook mine at 550 degrees.
On a floured surface roll the balls into approximately 12" discs or ovals or amoebas. Who cares? It's your pizza.

Now let's top the bbq pizza:

Barbecue Pizza toppings:

1.5 cups cooked chicken mixed with approximately 1/2 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
Sliced red onions (very thin)
2 cups mozzarella or jack cheese
BBQ sauce ( approx 2/3 cup)

Garlic Sauce (optional)

For garlic sauce, mix 3 cloves crushed garlic with about 1 cup mayonnaise. Thin out with about 2-3Tb. water)

Cilantro

First, put about 2/3 cup of bbq sauce on the shell and follow with about 1/3 cup of the garlic sauce. I use squeeze bottles as they make it easier, but you can use a spoon or your fingers.

It should look like a Jackson Pollack painting.

Next lay down the cheese, sprinkle the chicken on top and finish with the onions. The onions will cook and not be very sharp, but put as much as you'd like. Slide your pizza into the oven and bake.

For raw dough: 12 minutes at 550 degrees.
For a pre-cooked shell about 8 minutes.
It's your pie, so let it go as long as you'd like.
Remove and sprinkle on cilantro!

Mangia mangia, cowboy.