PET FOODS

It’s a little late this year but winter is certainly upon us and I for one am feeling the cold.  So I have decided to spare a thought for those creatures stuck outside braving the frost.  This is a simple idea that doubles as an activity you can do with children during the half term break.  While we’re at it, why not make a little treat for our four legged friends too.

BIRD FEEDER

Select a container, you could use a flower pot, paper cup a coconut shell or string bags from your oranges.  If you use a cup or flower pot, knot the 2 ends of a piece of string together then attach a twig or lolly stick to the loop end.  Thread this through a hole in the bottom and use it to hang your bird feeder from a tree.

Fill the container with wild bird seed then weigh the amount it uses.  Now weigh out an equal quantity of shredded suet.  Over a low heat melt the suet.  Once it has melted add the bird seed and stir well.  Leave the mixture till cool and starting to set, you will see it turning white.  Once it starts to set, fill your container and leave till completely hard before hanging outside.  If you use an orange bag, wait till the mixture becomes firmer then form into balls and place them in the bag. 

DOG BISCUITS

200ml Low Fat Milk

1 Egg

340g Peanut Butter

200g Wholemeal Flour

175g Plain Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

In a jug, combine all the wet ingredients.  Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl and add the wet ingredients.  Mix them till they form a stiff dough.

Flour the surface and roll out the dough to 1/4” thick.  Cut out your shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  They do not spread when cooking so you can fit them in quite snuggly.  Bake your biscuits for 15 minutes at 180C then turn them over and cook for a further 15 minutes till quite hard and crisp.

I have so many cutter but always like to use them as appropriately as possible like the foot shaped one that I only use for cheese biscuits.  I have used a bone shaped cutter which I've had for years but usually only gets an outing at halloween so it's really great to find another use for it.  The dog cutter looks to me like an Airedale, or a 'Stanley' as it's known at a well known vintage shop.  I got it from Sew White, a great little online home, kitchen and craft shop.