Cassie DeNisco

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Reminders of Him By Colleen Hoover -Book Review

I am so happy to be sharing our 4th book of the month with you- Reminders of Him! This month I went with a newer release by one of my favorite authors, Colleen Hoover. Colleen Hoover books are the best because she’s able to write a really wide variety of pieces.

I initially was introduced to her through Verity, which is an absolute must read if you haven’t already. It Ends With Us, also by CoHo is a completely different vibe but another must read. Colleen Hoover books are always so good so I was happy to get my hands on this one when it came out!

Reminders of Him–Shop Here

reminders of him

The cover of this book immediately draws you in, so I knew just from the outside this was going to be good. This book follows Kenna and Ledger, both dealing with the grief of losing someone they both love. We learn Kenna is a single mother, who was actually in the accident with her boyfriend Scott died.

Kenna went to prison for the accident and was never able to see her child. Scott’s parents blamed her for the accident and the after math. When she got out, Kenna goes back to the small town. She wants to see if she can meet her daughter for the first time.

Kenna meets Ledger, the bartender at the local pub and they hit it off. It gets a little steamy between them until Kenna realizes Ledger is Scott’s best friend who she never got to meet. With this beginning alone, it really draws you into the book.

The details surrounding the accident are not what they seem but everyone in the small town wants Kenna to go, except Ledger. As he learns more about her and the day of the accident, he realizes how terrible Kenna was treated due to everyone’s grief. By the end of the book, Ledger helps to make it possible for Kenna to see her daughter and they end up falling in love.

Final Thoughts

I really liked how Kenna got a happy ending. You could feel how much pain she was in throughout the book from the accident. It was great to see that Ledger ended up helping to create a relationship between her and Scott’s parents.

Ledger lost his best friend but was able to see what Scott saw in Kenna. Ledger took care of Scott’s daughter like his own so this book was just so heart warming and a great read. It wasn’t as heavy as some of her other books.

I hope you enjoyed this book review of Reminders of Him! I have been loving this book club we created so be sure to subscribe to my list here so you don’t miss one! You can read last month’s, Death By Dissertation here!

My Summer Pasta Salad Recipe

Pasta salads are a summer staple in my house but I don’t always want to eat pasta with it. This recipe is a twist on a pasta salad that uses a different kind of grain but is still delicious. I love this combo of flavors and I think you will too. Make sure you’re following me on Pinterest so you don’t miss any of my recipes. My summer pasta salad recipe is refreshing and perfect for a summer day!

summer pasta salad recipe

Ingredients

Salad:

1 1/2 c Pearl Couscous or Farro

2 tomatoes

1 red onion

1/2 of a cucumber

feta cheese

Dressing:

1/2 c Olive oil

1/4 c red wine vinegar

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tbsp dried basil

salt

pepper

Directions

  1. First cook the couscous or farro according to the package. Allow plenty of time for it to cool.
  2. Chop the tomatoes, onion, and cucumber into bite size pieces and set aside.
  3. Mix together the dressing and then add to the cooled couscous. Add in the rest of the produce and mix well.
  4. Finish off with adding the feta on top. I like a lot so I would use a whole block or container but add as much or as little as you would like.

This recipe is seriously the best because its a twist on a traditional summer pasta salad recipe. I feel like by the end of summer I am so over real pasta salads that I love switching it up with different grains. I also find this version to be a bit healthier because couscous and farro are so good for you.

Let me know in the comments below your summer pasta salad recipe! You can check out more recipes like this one here.

Homemade Dog Treats

This quarantine has turned me into the homemade dog treats queen. If you read my last post about puppy products you need, then you would know I am a strong advocate for minimal ingredient treats. If you wouldn’t eat them for yourself, then why give it to your pup? I’ve started to make homemade dog treats and I’ve dedicated this blog post to my absolute favorite recipes!

4 Ingredient Dog Biscuits

homemade dog treats

Ingredients:

1 Banana

1 c Pumpkin

2 c Whole Wheat Flour

1 egg

Directions:

This is one of the best recipes for dog biscuits. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Mash up your banana and then mix it with the pumpkin and egg. Slowly start to add the flour and begin mixing with your hands. Once the dough forms, roll it out and add whatever shape. Bake for 25 minutes and let harden before you indulge with your pup! (These store for about a week)

Dog Peeps

homemade dog treats

Ingredients:

1 c Honey

1 c Water

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 tsp Salt

3 tbls Unflavored Gelatin

Coconut Flour

Silicone ice cube trays

Directions:

First start by combining 1/2 c of water and gelatin in your mixing bowl. While that is sitting, start stirring the honey, 1/2c water, vanilla and salt in a sauce pan on a medium to high heat. The temperature of the mixture should reach around 240 degrees which will take about 6-10 minutes. After the mixture is the right temperature, add to the gelatin and mix in slowly. Put your mixer on high until you reach a fluffy consistency. Grease your silicone trays and then carefully pipe your fluff mixture into the trays. Let this set for at least 4 hours (I did overnight) and then remove from the mold. I dusted mine with coconut flour because they were still tacky and then let Sky enjoy!!

Puppy Pops

homemade dog treats

Ingredients:

1 Banana

1 c vanilla yogurt

1 tbls Peanut Butter

Directions:

These are my go to treats for Sky! She loves them. First add all your ingredients to your blender and then pour into silicone ice cube trays. Let set and then store in your freezer. Take one out whenever you want to give your pup a sweet treat! These are my all time favorite homemade dog treats!!

As you can see, these homemade dog treats are first so easy to make but second pretty healthy. Too much sugar for dogs isn’t good but making sure they are getting in fruits and veggies is so important. I love knowing exactly what is in Sky’s food so these homemade dog treats are perfect for us!

Follow me for more recipes on Pinterest @cassiedenisco!

Puppy Products You Need Right Now!

It’s hard to believe that Sky is now 10 months old! I’ve been putting together a list of puppy products you need right now these past 7 months. These months have had some of the best and hardest times of my life. People really aren’t kidding when they say puppies are as hard as babies. My list of responsibilities has grown but I wouldn’t change a thing because she is always the best part of my day.

One major thing I’ve learned from having a puppy, similar to a baby, is you have to do what’s best for your own dog regardless of the tips people give you. It’s always nice to hear what products people love or training tricks they have but you have to be flexible because something that one person loves might not work for you and your pup. This list is full of products and things I’ve come to love for Sky and would reccomend you and your pup try out!

1. Hut or Play Pen

puppy products

We soon found out that Sky hated her metal cage. No matter how comfy we tried to make it, she would just freak out in it. After some research, we found this mesh play pen from Amazon and she is so comfortable in it. We use it similar to how we would use her crate but it’s just more cozy than a normal cage. This was a serious game changer!

2. Car Seat

puppy products

I will never drive with Sky again without her car seat! We used to just keep her on my lap in the passenger seat but she started to get so crazy, not to mention it’s not the safest for her to not be tethered to something. This K & H Pet Bucket Booster was pricy, but we bring it inside when she’s not using it and it doubles as a bed in my kitchen for her. This a puppy products that changed the game for us. It’s seriously awesome because it keeps her safe and she loves to be in it!

3. Antlers over Raw Hide

puppy products

For so long I remember getting raw hide bones for my families’ dogs but they are not good for them! Once they eat the raw hide it can expand in their stomachs and then make them sick. We switched to antler chews for Sky because as she gets older, she does need something to chew and these are more natural. We get them at all stores like Walmart, Petsmart, or PetCo and they keep her busy and happy!

3. Ear Cleaners

puppy products

With Sky being a French Bulldog, her ears stand straight up and attract so much dirt. She even got an ear infection because we weren’t doing the best job cleaning them. We found a cleaner that you pour into their ears, let it sit for a second and then have them shake out. After that, we take a cotton pad and just gently pull out the extra wax that didn’t already come out. It definitely is more effective and helps to keep her ears healthy.

5. Velcro Harness

puppy products

This is another Frenchie tip but I do think velcro harnesses are really great for all dogs. We noticed for Sky, normal harnesses don’t sit correctly on all of her muscles and she needed one to come up higher on her neck and leave more room for her shoulders. We love this Voyager Harness from Amazon not only for the quality but for the price as well. We’ve actually gone through two harnesses and I don’t think I’ll ever buy another brand, unless I want a patterned one!

6. Fruitables Dog Treats

puppy products

What I’ve learned about treats is that if you wouldn’t eat them yourself, you shouldn’t give them to your puppy. I like to get minimal ingredient treats. It’s good to know exactly what the ingredients are and I would eat myself. I love the Fruitables dog treats because they are minimal ingredients and the actually smell good. I also love that they help Sky get in her fruits and veggies that are so good for her.

7. Toothbrush & Toothpaste

puppy products

Dental hygiene is so important even in dogs so as weird as it sounds, brushing your dogs teeth should be a step in their weekly routines. Sky actually doesn’t hate having her teeth brushed but I find her tooth brush and paste does much better then the cleaning stick treats. I prefer just putting the little silicone brush on my finger because I can really move around her teeth. Starting with a good oral hygiene routine now will set your puppy up for a great mouth as they get older. These puppy products are a must get.

8. Kong Products

puppy products

Not only are these a yummy treat for your pup, but they also are a tool for you to use to keep them distracted! The puppy phase is definitely tough, especially working from home so I loved giving Sky a little peanut butter or a few small treats in here when I needed her to play quietly. I highly recommend these because they help to keep you and your puppy sane!

9. Training

I was definitely skeptical about enrolling Sky in training programs. With her breed and what I’ve read, they’re usually pretty easy to train but I’m so glad we signed her up. We use clicker training and to this day, it still works. I would look into it if you’re looking for a training method for your dog. We found a beginner class at our local Petsmart and not only did she learn tricks, she also got to socialize with so many puppy friends which was great!

10. Gates

puppy products

Sky came home on a Saturday and by Monday our house was already gated. Baby gates are so helpful because they allow her to roam freely in the room we’re in, without her heading to another room. With working from home, I would just keep her in whatever room I was in and it would make my life so much easier. Everyone I know agrees gates are a must get puppy products.

Getting Sky was seriously the best time of my life so far and she is the greatest companion. I know a lot of you are thinking about getting puppies or just got one because of quarantine so I say just do it. I hope this list of puppy products is so helpful! As long as you can afford them and will give them the love they deserve, it’s always the perfect time to add a new friend to your home.

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Follow Sky on Instagram : @skythefrenchgirl

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