# My first attempt at Nikki's home cooked recipe, LOL



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Well, I put off making Nikki's home cooking recipe because I wanted to wait until I had the time and energy to do it just right. That "perfect day" never arrived, so I decided to do it today, LOL. 

The kitchen looks like a bomb hit it. :new_shocked: It was my first try at using a manual food mill. I thought it would be easier than a food processor. It works fine, but you need a lot of hand strength to crank the mill, which I don't have. (I have carpal tunnel and other things going on with my hands.) Well, I got the food pureed. I think I might need a large food processor. I have a mini version. 

Either the recipe makes less than it is supposed to, or I mis-measured something, oops. I weighed everything carefully and came up a little short, LOL. So I just threw in some more chicken and brown rice and I'm hoping for the best!

I was really worried that Nikki wouldn't eat it because of the supplements that I have to add to the food. So I crushed the supplements into a powder, put the powder in a big bowl and added a little honey and chicken broth, and mixed well. I let the vitamin mixture sit there for a few minutes while I pureed the food. Then I added the pureed mix of chicken/brown rice/veggies to the big bowl, and mixed very well. 

Nikki loved it! She ate the whole thing and went back to lick the bowl a few times. :chili: 

I think it took me about 90 minutes to make 10 days worth of food, which really isn't too bad. I refrigerate 3 days worth of food, and freeze the rest. So I have to prepare the food 3X a month. Next time will be easier! Thanks for letting me share this experience.


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

How come you have to puree the food, wouldn't the pups like chewing the food better than licking it up? Do you feed her 2x a day? Sorry about the questions i'm just curious. I have finally found a Holistic Vet an hour away from me from a link that you provided on here. I can't remember if i thanked you or not. I'm losing my mind lately. I'm going to be making an appointment for my furbabies and see about making their food. I really enjoy your posts. I feel as if i have learned quite a bit and that is why i'm going to be checking out the Holistic Vet and try to learn everything i can.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Oh, it's not pureed like baby food, sorry I wasn't clear. It's more like a fine mince. It actually is a little chunkier than canned dog food. She still chews the food. The mixed veggies have to be minced fine, for easier digestion and the chicken and rice, for precise measurements. For additional chewing, Nikki gets dried wild salmon treats (Thanks, Tami!) and she chews them a good long time. She also has her tendon chews, and I give her apples, too. 

I feed her the recipe 2X a day. To be sure she is getting the right amount each day, I purchased 10 one-cup size Anchor Hocking storage bowls with lids. I got them at Wal Mart or Target. I measured out her daily portions. I put 7 bowls in the freezer and 3 in the fridge. It's easier for me this way, and in case of emergencies and someone else has to feed her, the portions are already measured out.


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## gibbert (Jan 13, 2005)

That sounds pretty cool, Suzan. I think I would enjoy cooking for the Ts ... atleast every once in awhile ... but I've never done it, as I've always read that you must be very careful to ensure you're providing everything they need, as well as keeping the calories in the same range as their regular diet provides/provided. Clearly you've done your homework before getting started. Where did you find the information that shows you how to keep that balance?


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

QUOTE (gibbert @ Aug 22 2008, 06:14 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=623224


> That sounds pretty cool, Suzan. I think I would enjoy cooking for the Ts ... atleast every once in awhile ... but I've never done it, as I've always read that you must be very careful to ensure you're providing everything they need, as well as keeping the calories in the same range as their regular diet provides/provided. Clearly you've done your homework before getting started. Where did you find the information that shows you how to keep that balance?[/B]



I paid $50 to Dr. Susan Wynn, Nikki's veterinarian, to create the recipe. I tried to do it on my own using nutritiondata.com and the fantastic files and database in the Totally Home Cooking Yahoo Group, but when I realized it was going to take a lot of time, I decided that it was worth spending the money to have a nutritional expert do it. Anyone who can read a spreadsheet and cook can do it, but it's the time factor in creating the recipe that overwhelmed me. And I'm so right brained that using Excel just makes me crazy, LOL.

This is the way I feel about it. It's a balanced recipe, custom created just for Nikki. Will I get it perfectly right every single time? Probably not. But do we eat a perfectly balanced meal every single day? Not likely. 

The recipe has the correct proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals etc., just for Nikki, so she will get what she needs. And I know exactly what goes into her food. Nikki will be eating the same organic chicken, veggies, and brown rice that we eat, with her added supplements, instead of food that is chosen and prepared by some big corporation whose main goal is to make money. (sorry for the "soapbox" comment, lol.)


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## susie and sadie (Jun 22, 2005)

Congratulations! I'm so glad Nikki loved it! :chili: 

I was a little nervous when I first started home cooking - I think I triple measured everything...lol. But I'm sure you did just fine. 90 minutes isn't bad for 10 days worth of food. :thumbsup:


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

That's great Suzan! I know you've been looking forward to that for a long time!


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

Gosh Suzan, you must have read my mind or I read yours! I literally was just thinking about you this morning wondering how the home cooking was going. Wait till you've done it for awhile. Nikki will sit at your feet adoringly, especially if you give her little bits of chicken or carrots as you are cooking. They really know how to train us with positive reinforcement, you know?  

I use a hand mixer to mix mine....some pieces are a little chunkier than others, but a most is tiny enough. We use the sweet potatoes instead of rice, so that helps to make it all into more of a mash. Believe me, it will get easier to do after a few times and you'll figure out all sorts of short cuts. 

Well done! I'm so glad Nikki liked it!! :aktion033:


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## Gemma (Jan 19, 2006)

that's great :smilie_daumenpos: it will get easier. my kitchen looks like if an earthquake hit and a bomb at the same time :HistericalSmiley: the worse part is washing dishes the rest is fun. I mash the veggies a little bit with a hand masher thingy and if I cook fish that falls apart easy but if I cook turkey or chicken I process that in the food processor. I cook once a week and put them in little bags and take 3 bags out every night for the next day. he eats 3 times a day. I add calcium, vitamins and Gastriplex (for IBD symptoms) after I warm it up. I make him chicken jerky for treats. it feels sooooooo good when you know what is in the food. he loves the food every time :thumbsup: by the way, I have no idea how to cook for ourselves. we eat burgers and junk food.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks for your nice comments. 

I'm sure it will be a breeze next time. Nikki hovered around me during the process. It's funny how she seemed to know it was for her. How cute is that? I'm very happy and relieved that she liked the food.


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## aprdh (Oct 21, 2007)

I'm glad it went well! :chili: I have often thought about cooking for Bailey. I was at GVS this week for Bailey's check -up and inquired about Dr Wynn. I have to go back to see Dr Langs, one of the internist at GVS, in two weeks and I will talk to her more about us seeing Dr Wynn.


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