LEARN ABOUT IT

So many times dogs bark to express themselves.  However, dogs bark in a home due to fear of the unknown sound they have heard and fear a stranger or something unusual.

Once dogs bark and get reassurance from you by petting or they see what they were barking at disappear they learn that doing this will cause the fear or unusual item to go away.

Some of the best books on the market to help you train your dog to stop this annoying habit are listed below:

Sit, Stay, Fetch - Dog Training Secrets to correct your dog’s problems or to train correctly from the beginning.

Dove Cresswells Training - This is dog training with visuals.  You get all the how to’s only you don’t need to spend your time reading.  You can just watch and immediately implement.

Dog Food Secrets - Ever wonder what your dog food is make with.  Learn how to lengthen your dog’s life with nutritious foods.

Do-it Yourself Dog Training Traing yourself without hiring an Expensive Trainer - If you can’t afford a professional dog trainer get the information that a professional uses and do it yourself.  Have a well mannered dog quickly and easily.

House Breaking Your Puppy in 7 Days - You really can get your dog trained in 7 days.  Wouldn’t it be nice to get this task over with.

Clickertraining your Dog With Amazing Results - This is a unique way to use sounds and body langugage to train your dog.

Instant Fix To Dog Behavior Problems - See Uniqueness is at hand with this dog training with videos so you can actually see how it is being taught to the dog instead of just words.

Make these scrumptious wings for New years and see your friends and family go wild.

Here is what you will need from the grocery store:

• 1 package uncooked chicken wings (you can get drummies only if you like them or whole wings and cut them yourself)
• Lemon Juice
• Pepper
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Directions:If the wings are frozen thaw them in their bag in the regrigerator.  Get out several 1 gallon plastic bags depending n how many wings you have.  Place wings in plactis bags.  In a small mixing bowl combine 1 cup lemon juice with 1 tsp pepper and pour over chicken wings in bag.  Seal the bag and place in a 9x 13 pan back in the refrigerator and let sit overnight or at least 4 hours.When ready to cook remove the chicken wings to a large try, cookie sheet or platter.  Lay them out separately and lightly sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Turn them over the do it again so the seasoning is on both sides of the wings.  Have your grill on and ready before you do this.  Place the grill on very low and put the chicken wings on the grill.  If your grill plates are too large for the wings and they will fall through put aluminum foil on the grill racks.  Cook the wings for ab out 10 to 15 minutes turning once until cooked through.  The cooking time may be shorter depending on the heat of the grill and flames you have,.  It you are cooking these in the oven.  Place the wings in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with foil and put on broil for about 6 minutes per side for a total of 12 minutes.  Enjoy

Okay Christmas is over but you have a mound of ham left over and you don’t have time to create a perfect feast for your family because everyone is back in the swing of their lives running to sports, school events, bands, etc.

The ham sandwich can give you all 4 food groups and is quick and especially delicious.

• Okay here are your choices for bread
  Whole wheat
  Rye bread
  White
  Cheese
  Combination bread
  Cinnamon Raisin
  Oatmeal

I like to make the sandwich warm so will warm the ham in the microwave and then the sandwich right before I eat it.  Like 30 seconds or less in the microwave.

• Cheese:
  swiss is especially good
  cheddar is great strong flavor
• American
• Provolone

Sauces:

• Yeah!  This is where you get creative.  Try a variety (not at the same time)
  Spaghetti sauce
  ranch dressing
  spicy mustard

Lettuce
Tomato
Banana peppers (pickled)
Hot Peppers

Here is my favorite:

Oatmeal bread
swiss and american cheese
ham
ranch dressing
lettuce
tomatoes

Here is the best salsa recipe I have ever made.

My family does not even like regular jar or store bought salsa anymore.  I usue to make salsa and cook the ingredients on the stove but once was in a hurry and just used everything straight from the garden, after a little washing.  The result was a flavor burst in my mouth with all the wonderful flavors that were not toned down by cooking them away.

Hope you enjoy and give me your comments.

• 8 tomatoes
• 3 green peppers
• 4 jalepeno peppers (you can remove some or add some depending on your taste)
• 1 small onion
• Garlic cloves or minced garlic
• salt
• Olive Oil
• Parsley
• Lemon or lime juice

Cut off the tops of the green peppers and remove seeds.  Cut off the tops of the jalepenos but do not remove seeds.  Cut the outer skin off the onion and cut in four sections. 

Place these items in a food processor and run until everything is small.  I usually don’t leave big chunks of the jalepeno as small chopped bits blend better and give flavor throughout the salsa.

Drop in 1 teaspoon on minced garlic.  You can use the stuff out of the jar from the store or put in 2 whole cloves.

Wash the tomatoes and cut off the tops and cut them in half our fourths and put them in the food processor on top of the already chopped up peppers and onions.

Process these until the tomatoes are well chopped.  Open the food process and remove the container and put a strainer in your sink and pour the mixture from the processor into the strainer and let strain all the excess liquid from the tomatoes.  I usually use my well washed hand in their to stir up the salsa and speed up the process but you can use a big spoon.  When Most of the excess liquid is gone dump the strainer mixture into a bowl or container. 

Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice.  I prefer lime juice but once ran out and used lemon juice and it worked just as well.  I use the bottled juice but it you have fresh it would be even better.  Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Stir everything together with a spoon and quickly get out your chips and get some because as soon as your family knows you have homemade salsa made it won’t be around for very long. 

Here is a great breakfast casserole recipe.  I have had many compliments on it.

12 eggs
sale and pepper to taste
1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups bacon or ham
2 c sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 (12 oz container sm curd cottage cheese)
1/2 cup melted margarine

Use the melted margarine and brush around the sides and bottom of the 9 x 13 inch pan.  Beat the eggs.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

We have all heard about the lady who asked for a recipe and she was told it was two fifty and she thought it was $2.50 and when she got her credit card bill she was charged $250.

Well this recipe below is supposedly from that version of a recipe.  The lady was trying to get publicity in stating she was trying to get revenge against Neiman Marcus.  It gave her a memorable story and she could profit from it.

This is shockingly close to my Grandmother’s recipe which is over 90 years old as passed down.

NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES (Recipe may be halved)

2 cups butter
24 oz.chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
Cream the butter and both sugars.
Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda.
Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar, and nuts.
Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

Try this as it is from that supposed recipe.

What would a sugar cookie be without icing and decorations.

Remember presentation is everything.

Get these items at the store:

Powdered sugar
butter or margarine
food color if you want to make different colored icing
milk

You will need 1 lb of powdered sugar. Place a stick of softened butter in a bowl and put in 1 lb powdered sugar.  Pour in 3 tbsp milk and beat with an electric mixer.  You will need to watch the consistency.  If you want it thinner add milk in very small amounts.  I use a 1/2 tsp at a time as the powdered sugar does not need much to get watery very quickly.

I like to have a little thinner icing for the cookies so that decorations I place on them immediately will adhere and the icing will be very smooth. 

Once you ice a cookie put it on paper towels to allow the icing to thoroughly dry.  When that is done you can stack them on top of each other and the icing has hardened so it won’t mess up your decoration.

If you want a color add just a drop of food coloring at a time while you are beating.  Too much food color will make the icing runny.

Use colored sugars and sprinkles to decorate.  I use red hots and mini chocolate chips for eyes or buttons.  I also use thin licorice for mouths.  You can place a cut out paper shape over your cookie and sprinkle around it like a stencil.  This is fun, easy and looks good.

My Grandma and then my Mom changed and perfected these sugar cookies to be a thick, soft cookie that melts in your mouth.  Paired up with a buttercream icing glaze these cookies are perfect to eat alone or dunk in a glass of milk.Beware they do not last long once baked as everyone will not take just one and you will find yourself making a double batch of these in the future.

Okay I am a little biased but this recipe I have been told my many is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. 

Not only do these chocolate chip cookie disappear immediately I am always asked for the recipe in which I usually reply, hey just let me know when you want cookies and I will get you some.

Yes, I am a little picky about giving this out to friends, family and local people because it has won blue ribbons at local fairs not only one year but several years at different fairs and contests.

Here is it:

• 2 sticks margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (make sure this is real)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chunks (use a really good chocolate for this-extra dark and 60% cocoa if possible-make sure it is not bitter by tasting a little.  Some 60% are good and some are too bitter with no fat content) 
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup toffee bits 

You can absolutely use butter instead of the margarine, however, these cookies are popular because they stay thick instead of flatening out and getting too crispy.

I like to find a really good extra dark chocolate.  It tones down the sugar a bit to give these a rich taste.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F . Put oatmeal into a food processor and pulse the oats into a fine flour.
2. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and the sugars. Beat in the eggs one at a time-DO NOT OVERBEAT.  (Note:  I like to do this by hand to just blend until the eggs are mixed with the margarine.  It will make the eggs tough if you beat them too long.  Fold in the vanilla. In a separate container, mix flour, oat flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Sift dry ingredients into creamed butter and sugar slowly.  This part should definitely be stirred.  DO NOT BEAT in the ingredients.  When adding the dry ingredients do smaller portions.  Add chocolate chunks, pecans and toffee.
3. Shape to about the size of a small golf ball or 1 1/2 in across and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  You can use a silpat or also a baking stone.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven.

Remove to a wire rack immediately after removing from the oven to keep the cookies from cooking further from sitting on a hot baking sheet.

Let me know how you like them and any modifications you make. Give comments.
This recipe was changed from my mother’s recipe who had changed the recipe she had from her mother before that.