News from Dexter's Deli

SPOT'S STEW... YUM!

You may have heard of Spot's Stew, the popular canned stew for dogs and cats that Dexter's has carried for years, but did you know it was originally a homemade recipe? Well, here is the official Spot's Strew recipe for you to make for your dog or cat. It's easy and healthful... heck, you could eat it too!

Yield: About 8 Cups

2 ˝ pounds whole chicken
Ľ cup chopped fresh garlic
1 cup green peas
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
˝ cup coarsely chopped sweet potato
˝ cup coarsely chopped zucchini
˝ cup coarsely chopped yellow squash
˝ cup coarsely chopped green beans
˝ cup coarsely chopped celery
1 tablespoon kelp powder
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
11 to 16 cups spring water

Add before serving:
a good quality pet multivitamin and an oil supplement

For dogs only: Add 8 ounces whole barley and 6 ounces rolled oats, and adjust the water content to a total of 16 cups or enough to cover the ingredients (According to Halo Veterinarian, Dr. Donna Spector, cats require zero carbohydrate content in their diet, so this would be an unnecessary addition for cats).

Instructions: Combine all of the ingredients in a 10-quart stockpot (stainless steel, please) with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat as low as possible and simmer for 2 hours (the carrots should be quite soft at the end of the cooking time). Remove from the heat, let cool, and debone the chicken. With an electric hand mixer, or using a food processor and working in batches, blend all the ingredients into a nice puree; the stew should be slightly thicker for dogs and more soupy for cats. Using zip lock bags or plastic yogurt containers, make up meal-sized portions. Refrigerate what you'll need for three days and freeze the rest. Be sure and seek your pet's advice (and your vet's) on ideal meal sizes.

Serving Size: Amounts will vary depending on age, activity level, current health, weight, and season, but here are some guidelines: The average adult cat will eat roughly 1 cup a day. Because dogs vary so much in size, consult the table below. The amount shown should be split into at least two meals daily.

Dog's Weight Total Daily Portion
Up to 10 pounds 1 to 1 ˝ cups
11 to 20 pounds 2 to 3 cups
21-40 pounds 4 cups
For each additional 20 pounds, add 2 cups. Remember, all pets are individuals, so let your intuition and observations guide you, and always consult your vet.