DIY Homemade Dog Food

Tue 20 Oct. Butternut squash on sale, and a value pak of boneless skinless chicken breasts, and the next thing you know I'm breaking out the crockpot and dumping brown rice, diced carrots, lentils, cut green beans, that whole mess of diced butternut squash, and three chicken breasts in it. After four hours it was all cooked through and ready to be scooped in full-mush measure into waiting bowls. Those house pups were so very excited the next day when these came out of the fridge at mealtime. Here they are in waiting mode:

To stretch it out, I did add some of their dry dog food into it. And Scarlett is a true Hoover, making every bit of hers disappear in about 10 seconds flat.

These pups made sure that they tackled the preferred part of each of these meals last week, and then they'd move on to the storebought crunchy bits.

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Based on "DIY Homemade Dog Food," by Chungah Rhee of the Damn Delicious blog. [Published 27 April 2015 /Updated 19 September 2025]

Based on "Easy Crockpot Dog Food," by Chungah Rhee of the Damn Delicious blog. [Published 13 May 2015 / Updated 08 July 2024]

Meal No. 4224: Chick-Fil-A Dupe Sandwiches

Tue 20 Oct. Last Tuesday gave me a chance to come back to homemade fried chicken sandwiches, in the vein of what you get at a rather famous and controversial fast food joint. In my professional travels of late, those have been getting ordered for our work lunches, and I know my homemade versions are just much better. So good, I had two that night.

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Largely based on "Chick-Fil-A Dupe Sandwiches," from Drew Reilly of Dish with Drew. First spotted on Instagram. [Published 25 June 2026]

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

Mon 19 Oct. UNC chums and alums is going to have to be an ongoing affair around here. Yesterday’s blog post chronicled the meal around which four of us gathered, and our conversation and consideration (and occasional consternation) about place and people kept us rooted to our seats until almost midnight. But we turned our serious attention to a rewarding dessert offering just in time: oatmeal chocolate chunk ramekin cookies fresh from the oven, topped with scoops of double chocolate liqueur ice cream. I do believe they were a hit. (Anything I can do to increase the likelihood of more nights like that with these very fine folks is going to propel my confectionary machinations!)

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Adapted from "Mini Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookies," by Lindsay Landis of loveandoliveoil.com. [Published 21 September 2015 / Updated 22 November 2019]

Meal No. 4223: Cheddar Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Mon 19 Oct. Another gathering of fellow UNC alumni with a Golden Fleece bond amongst us? That suited the moment last Monday and brought warmth and cheer to an unusually chilly Roediger House. Camille, Chris, and Samuel journeyed from near and far and brought the gift of delightful company and heady conversation, and what ought one to do but be grateful?

Well: one should also serve guests a suitable supper. Befitting of the weather, cheddar crust chicken pot pie seemed the smart seasonal selection. A smattering of roasted herbed whole green beans helped fulfill the green grub need and we dug into our portions when we could pause from our talking.

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"Chicken Potpie with Cheddar Crust," from Food Network Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 8 (October 2011), p. 132-133.

Vanilla Texas Sheetcake

Sun 18 Oct. The raucous reunion of RoHo regulars last Sunday night required a dessertish denouement, and I figured a sizable soup serving needed a grand spread of Texas sheetcake as its concluding complement. Fortunately, the double chocolate liqueur ice cream batch I’d made the previous week had sufficient quantity as to let it ride alongside. We didn’t seem to mind doubling up on the fun.

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"Vanilla Texas Sheet Cake," from Karli Bitner of Cooking with Karli. [Published 11 March 2026]

Meal No. 4222: Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Sun 18 Oct. The ‘boo’ feel of October puts the household into a monster and madness mode…or at least pulls us toward those movies and series that highlight the horror or macabre. This past Sunday’s gathering started early enough to squeeze in episodes of the latest take on Stephen King’s Carrie, and the regular besties were present and accounted for. But the deep chill and temperature plunge after some record heat in the preceding weekdays propelled our menu to emerge from the soups and stews category.

This time, I went with bacon cheeseburger soup. What a blast of balanced flavors and seasonings, inundated with but not overwhelmed by the volume of fresh-grated sharp cheddar cheese, tasty on tongues and not fully satisfying until seconds were sampled upon a return to the pot.

Now, understand that this soup tends to be so good that one should harbor no hesitancy about its leading role in a meal at any time...but you better believe that the rudeness of upper 30s temps that Sunday morning drove the decision-making. I ain’t ready for winter yet.

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Based on "Bacon Cheeseburger Soup," from Catalina Castravet and Holly Nilsson of SpendwithPennies.com. [Published 01 March 2018]

Meal No. 4221: Chicken Thighs and Two Sides

Sat 17 Oct. I’m often seduced by supper simplicity, as happened last Saturday night. After a full and challenging week working out of state, I gravitated toward the idea of herbed baked chicken thighs and two sides, which on that occasion included some canned green beans tucked away in the cabinet and easy stovetop stuffing. It was tender and juicy and flavorful like dark meat promises to be, and there was more than enough of everything to pile the plate high and mighty.

Meal No. 4220: Hot Honey Bacon Ranch Chicken Wraps

Sun 11 Oct. Our rainy weekend, while the dregs of Hurricane Isaias passed ever-so-slowly over the area, drew to its inevitable close Sunday a week ago, and once more it found me packing my bags...this time for a full week up in Virginia. But lunch was called for before I departed, and it let me use up some leftovers for yet another version of a wrap. On that day, the call coming from the kitchen gods said we needed to see what we thought of a bacon ranch chicken wrap, and our unrepentant response to that call was one of gustatory gladness.

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Dressing adapted from "Chicken Bacon Hot Honey Ranch Quesadillas," by Nick Nesgoda of Burnt Pellet BBQ. [Posted 10 October 2025]

Double Chocolate Liqueur Ice Cream

When I found myself heading into a full week on the road Sunday before last, I had some heavy cream that was not going to survive my absence, according to its use-by date on the carton. And who doesn't love ice cream? So I dug into the archives and brought out double chocolate liqueur ice cream, a nudge more chocolatey than called for, and slightly sweeter so that I'd find it more sensational, it proved rich and creamy and decadent...and a special container was left for the latest Wednesday visit by the dear and delightful Amy. I have sometimes served it along with some other dessert, like cake, but why? It pretty much stands on its own, or else we risk being completely overwhelmed when asking it to ride shotgun with something else.

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"Double Chocolate Liqueur Ice Cream," by Kita Roberts. From her Pass the Sushi blog. [Published 09 August 2012 / Updated 11 June 2024]

Meal No. 4219: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Sat 10 Oct. The long day and night of cool temps and unending rain while the remnants of Hurricane Isaias gallivanted about the region sure put me into a soup mood, and the house had just the right amount of broccoli to turn into broccoli cheddar soup. The veggies got spiced, herbed, and roasted, and the mirepoix proved an excellent starter, and the chicken broth and heavy cream brought flavor and a silky reservoir for all the rest of it to ride around in. Plenty of freshly-shredded cheddar and a garnish of the previous day’s fried thick-cut bacon made the bowls look and taste pretty.

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"The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat)," from Averie Sunshine of Averie Cooks. [Published 09 January 2015 / Updated 15 July 2025]

The Hurricane Isaias System Seizes a Saturday

One of the latest first-of-the-season hurricanes on record worked itself into a named-storm frenzy while churning over the Gulf of Mexico in early October, coming ashore near Destin, Florida, last weekend with a Category 2 rating. After that, it sort of sauntered.

It managed to cause quite a bit of destruction and inconvenience, and sadly also a handful of deaths, in the Sunshine State and neighboring Alabama. But we’ve all seen much worse and can be grateful for what it didn’t become or do.

Still, it packed an enduring punch once it shattered into a disorganized mess, putting a damper on most of the eastern United States as its pieces and parts fanned out and brought plenty of rain.

It showed itself capable not only of settling in but also in drawing in enough enduring moisture that kept the rains a-coming, albeit often more drizzly than drenchy.

Bands nonetheless passed over with a more pronounced intent, and we were glad that this was not one of the occasions where the house showed itself as not impervious to precipitation.

This is a house with pooches, of course, and we still had to head outside to take care of pooch business. Fortunately, sometimes it was just sort of spitting or sprinkling in between all those windy drenching downpours.

I still got out and did an evening stroll...

...enough to get me across the finish line on my daily move and exercise goals as mandated by my Apple Watch.

By Sunday morning, we were still getting the effects here in Winston-Salem:

That was the day I got wind of why, which was a clash of weather systems that stalled out the movement:

And then (and it seemed at long last!), the clouds parted and blue sky returned and the warming rays of an October sun finally burst through:

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Sat 10 Oct. The Saturday of Presidents’ Day Weekend was gravely dampened by the passing remnants of a tropical system that came ashore along the Gulf of Mexico, but the Roediger House was brightened by the visit of a film crew of students from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. They are evaluating the usefulness and adaptability of this grand domicile and, if they decide this can work for them, they’ll come take over the place in early November. I wanted to have something to offer while they were here working, and that put me onto the trail of lemon sugar cookies. They seemed to like ‘em pretty well and even took extras along to share with roommates and significant others. That pleased the chef, no doubt!

Also, when I was in Stafford, VA, I caught sight of this license plate on the last day of September that I’m sure remains an unknown message for most folks who might see it up there. As for me, I read it immediately as “Fighting Pickle,” which is indeed the mascot of the UNC School of the Arts.

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"Lemon Sugar Cookies," from Melissa Stadler of ModernHoney.com. [Published 21 March 2016 / Updated 06 September 2018]

Meal No. 4218: Bacon Cheddar Sandwiches

Fri 09 Oct. Once I’d decided I didn’t want to have to run to the store last Friday, I turned to a couple of packages of bacon that needed to be fried. My trusty electric skillet moved that project along to a speedy enough conclusion, and then those crisp slices were ready to be joined by slices of sharp cheddar cheese on brioche buns for a tasty sandwich supper.

Meal No. 4217: Baked Chicken Thigh Fillets

Thu 08 Oct. Before heading to Virginia for a couple of days of work at the front end of October, I had some remaining chicken thigh fillets that I’d vacuum-sealed for longer storage in the fridge till I got back. Those were perfect once I returned and headed into meal-making mode last Thursday. Spiced and herbed, but first rubbed with olive oil, they baked up flavorful and juicy and were welcomed in abundance. All that was needed with ‘em was spiced roasted broccoli, and a fine meal was had by all.

Meal No. 4216: Taco Beef Sheet Pan Nachos

Mon 05 Oct. It was another day where I worked up a lunch meal before tossing all my gear into the car to hit the road for a few days of work in Virginia. That meant something simple, ‘cause that’s how I’ve gotta roll. Taco-seasoned ground beef was the centerpiece of a sheet pan of nachos, with more than enough cheese, black beans, onion, and dollops of sour cream to boot. Then I propped my eyelids open for the drive north, ready for wonderful collaboration with school leaders in two different school districts in our neighboring state to the north (although the 90-minute shut-down of I-95 north of Richmond was not in my plans!).

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Sheet Pan Nachos seriously modified from "Loaded Sweet Pork Sheet Pan Nachos," from Elyse of Six Sisters Stuff. [Published 14 March 2018]

Taco-Style meat depended partly on "Crispy Beef Tacos," by Hilah Johnson. From HilahCooking.com.

"Homemade Chili and Taco Seasoning," from Jamie Lothridge of MyBakingAddiction.com. [Published 03 February 2011]

Meal No. 4215: Pan-Fried Spiced Chicken Thighs on Salad

Sun 04 Sept. After an earlier experiment with pan-frying spiced chicken thighs in a shallow pool of grapeseed oil not long ago, I was ready for another round. On mixed fresh greens with the last of the latest batch of homemade creamy Caesar dressing, this supper hit the spot as the first weekend of October wrapped up.

Meal No. 4214: Mushroom and Swiss Burgers

Sat 03 Oct. While the weather on the first Saturday of October didn’t exactly call for an evening of grilling, my taste cravings did. Digging deep under the mattress to find enough money to afford the ground beef, it was a supper of mushroom and Swiss burgers and a sizable mound of kettle chips for this guy. With high hopes that I could make it less overwhelming by pressing the patty down to a lower profile, it nonetheless maintained a hefty diameter even after grilling…and it was all a wonderful messy handful and required a spirited attack to keep it all manageable for the consumption. It sure is convenient to have a wetbar sink close by to un-burgerslime my hands.

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Adapted from "Grilled Juicy Burgers," originally from Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks recipe magazine, July 2003 [Updated Online 03 February 2011], p. 52-53.

Boxelder Beetles to Beat the Band

Dateline: Summer 2026. Here’s another backlog blog item that is getting posted today as part of my obsession with chronicling the goings-on of the Roediger House. This past summer brought a new pest to my yard, and to my awareness: boxelder beetles.

I don’t need to know where these have been all my life but once they started invading the space, they quickly grew into teeming hordes. (We also had a brief invasion of kudzu beetles—also a novelty for me—but that proved more short-lived.)

Once I did my internet research about these boxelder beetles, I first tackled them with the insecticide that I had handy. After that I went with a more natural beetle deterrent, and for quite a few weeks it was my regular mission to stomp them everywhere they were spotted.

That went on for a while, mind you, although after my initial full-frontal attack on them, the pesky remnants who thought they’d be allowed to live quickly learned of a different reality. By late summer, they gave all indications to make me believe we’d achieved full eradication, but I’m sure I’m just fooling myself.

Meal No. 4213: Chicken Shawarma Caesar Wraps

Dateline: Mon 28 Sept. September’s end represented a four-day work trip to Virginia, and there was just enough leftover chicken shawarma available before I left that Monday to throw together an easy and increasingly frequent (and varied!) lunch meal: chicken shawarma Caesar wraps. In addition to that well-spiced and nicely diced chicken, there was shaved Asiago and parmesan, some crushed croutons, chopped Romaine lettuce, and the crowning touch of just enough homemade creamy Caesar dressing. As I have practiced and improved the roll-and-tuck of large flour tortillas, and decided the right technique for finishing these in a skillet, a rather pleasing simple meal emerges and offers up an enduring satisfaction.

Meal No. 4212: Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma

Dateline: Sun 27 Sept. After a most enjoyable weekend of houseguests at the end of September, it was nice to wrap up the gorgeous day that Sunday afternoon with an early start to a Mookie evening. It’s always a good time with that rascal, even if we had to endure him without his better half, Kristen. For our supper, knowing I had to clean out the fridge before heading out of town for the week, we fell back to a faithful new favorite: sheet pan chicken shawarma, with plenty of garlic and red onion. I’ll jump on any excuse to thrown in roasted spiced broccoli and cauliflower, so those were the tasty sides.

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"Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma," by Sam Sifton of New York Times Cooking. [Updated 23 January 2024]