A quick and unique recipe for Super Bowl parties or really any sporting event is the Chili Cheese Beer Dip. Note: this recipe is not heart healthy.
1 tub of Johnson's Regular Chili (found in the freezer section of King Soopers grocery stores)
1 pound chunk of Velveeta or 1- 16oz jar of Cheez Whiz
1 bottle of beer (Non alcoholic beers work, but for some reason light beers don't.)
Skim the fat off the chili and melt the cheese with the chili. Add enough beer to make the mixture a dipping consistency. Keep the dip warm by using a hot plate or electric fondue bowl. Serve with Frito chips.
Enjoy!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Dear Just Be: We can’t leave the house without our dog destroying it. Can you help?
You should know that your dog is not destroying your home to get back at you for leaving. They are responding out of panic. This is clinically known as separation anxiety.
Separation Anxiety can be triggered by several things:
1.) Your pet is never or rarely left alone.
2.) There is a change in routine or structure in the household (i.e. someone leaves the home, you have a new work schedule)
3.) Your pet goes through a period of time being in a kennel or shelter (can be traumatic from the dog’s point of view).
First, confirm or diagnose that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. Answer the below questions honestly.
• The behavior always occurs when he/she is left alone for a short or long period of time.
• He/she follows you around when you are home.
• He/she gets extremely excited and greets you frantically when you come home.
• He/she reacts (excitement or depression) to your preparations to leave the home.
• He/she does not like to spend time outside by themselves.
If you said yes to most if not all of the above statements then your dog does have separation anxiety. You should take your pet to a behavioral specialist to learn some techniques to overcome the problem, or you can find techniques through your veterinarian, books or online.
Do keep in mind that separation anxiety is not an obedience issue, but a panic response. So going to obedience training or punishing the dog will not treat separation anxiety. Punishment has been said to actually make matters worse. Also, don’t get another pet. Many think if their current dog has a buddy they won’t be stressed and won't destroy the house, but the issue lies with you and not another animal. Lastly, crating your dog can be extremely dangerous. A dog can still urinate, defecate and howl in the crate. What is worse is they can injure themselves trying to escape the crate.
Some short term solutions in treating your dog are:
• Leave your pet with a family member, friend or neighbor when you leave the home
• Take your dog to work with you, even for a half day
• Talk to you vet about drug therapy
For more information on your dog visit:
Denver Dumb Friends League
Animal Planet's Dog Guide
Separation Anxiety can be triggered by several things:
1.) Your pet is never or rarely left alone.
2.) There is a change in routine or structure in the household (i.e. someone leaves the home, you have a new work schedule)
3.) Your pet goes through a period of time being in a kennel or shelter (can be traumatic from the dog’s point of view).
First, confirm or diagnose that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. Answer the below questions honestly.
• The behavior always occurs when he/she is left alone for a short or long period of time.
• He/she follows you around when you are home.
• He/she gets extremely excited and greets you frantically when you come home.
• He/she reacts (excitement or depression) to your preparations to leave the home.
• He/she does not like to spend time outside by themselves.
If you said yes to most if not all of the above statements then your dog does have separation anxiety. You should take your pet to a behavioral specialist to learn some techniques to overcome the problem, or you can find techniques through your veterinarian, books or online.
Do keep in mind that separation anxiety is not an obedience issue, but a panic response. So going to obedience training or punishing the dog will not treat separation anxiety. Punishment has been said to actually make matters worse. Also, don’t get another pet. Many think if their current dog has a buddy they won’t be stressed and won't destroy the house, but the issue lies with you and not another animal. Lastly, crating your dog can be extremely dangerous. A dog can still urinate, defecate and howl in the crate. What is worse is they can injure themselves trying to escape the crate.
Some short term solutions in treating your dog are:
• Leave your pet with a family member, friend or neighbor when you leave the home
• Take your dog to work with you, even for a half day
• Talk to you vet about drug therapy
For more information on your dog visit:
Denver Dumb Friends League
Animal Planet's Dog Guide
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Dear Just Be: How do I know when to have my car maintenanced?
Approximately 75% of American’s own a car. This is a big investment for many people. Sadly, not enough people maintain their investment. Failure to maintain your car or truck can be very costly for you (monetarily) and others (physically due to an accident). However, if you do follow your car’s maintenance schedule, you save money on repairing and replacing prematurely worn parts and you may save money on fuel consumption because your car will run properly.
The first step in figuring out when to take your car in for maintenance is looking at your car’s owner manual. If you don’t have the owner’s manual, locate the parts department of a dealership that sells your type of car or truck, and ask them to order one for you. Keep the manual in a convenient location for quick reference. The owner’s manual is THE resource of maintenance information for your car.
Another quick way to determine your car’s maintenance needs is on how and where you drive. Your automobile manufacturer will then provide you a schedule on when to take your car in for maintenance based on if your driving habits are “normal” or “severe.” Below are definitions of what is considered normal and severe driving conditions.
Normal:
Highway driving on paved roads in relatively dust-free areas
Severe:
Stop-and-go city driving
Driving in extremely cold weather
Dusty driving conditions
Towing a trailer
Idling for long periods
Trips less than 10 miles
Vehicles that drive in severe conditions will require more maintenance than those that drive in normal conditions.
For more information on vehicle maintenance visit:
American Automobile Association
The first step in figuring out when to take your car in for maintenance is looking at your car’s owner manual. If you don’t have the owner’s manual, locate the parts department of a dealership that sells your type of car or truck, and ask them to order one for you. Keep the manual in a convenient location for quick reference. The owner’s manual is THE resource of maintenance information for your car.
Another quick way to determine your car’s maintenance needs is on how and where you drive. Your automobile manufacturer will then provide you a schedule on when to take your car in for maintenance based on if your driving habits are “normal” or “severe.” Below are definitions of what is considered normal and severe driving conditions.
Normal:
Highway driving on paved roads in relatively dust-free areas
Severe:
Stop-and-go city driving
Driving in extremely cold weather
Dusty driving conditions
Towing a trailer
Idling for long periods
Trips less than 10 miles
Vehicles that drive in severe conditions will require more maintenance than those that drive in normal conditions.
For more information on vehicle maintenance visit:
American Automobile Association
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