Kaptin's Krunchy Kibble

Makes 20 to 30 servings

This is my basic kibble recipe. I keep the first 8 cups in a sealed container in the refrigerator and freeze the rest in vacuum-sealed food storage bags. With the vacuum-sealed food storage system, you can take out only what you need and then reseal the bag. The kibble will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups rye flour
2 cups non-fat milk powder
2 teaspoons bone meal
1 cup plain wheat germ
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 2% tablespoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 eggs
1 cup safflower, olive, or corn oil
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cups water
4 cups cooked ground beef, pork, lamb, duck, chicken, or turkey
2 cups cooked and pureed sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped dried apples
2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spray two large cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, milk powder, bone meal, wheat germ, parsley, and salt.

3. Beat the eggs and blend them with the oil in a smaller mixing bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce.

4. Add the water to the flour mixture and mix well.

5. Fold in the egg mixture and combine it all evenly.

6. Add the meat, sweet potatoes, dried apples, and spinach and press them into the dough.

7. Spread the dough on the cookie sheets, making it very flat and thin. Use a knife to cut it into small squares.

8. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the kibble is golden brown and not doughy when you break a piece open.
    During the baking process, take a wooden spoon or spatula and move the kibble around on the cookie sheet so
    that it bakes evenly. Then turn off your oven, keeping the door closed, and let it dry out in the off oven for at
    least 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

9. When you remove your kibble from the oven, it will still be slightly warm and moist. Let it sit on cooling racks
    for another hour or two until it is completely dry and cool.

Variations: Here are some other ingredients I like to add for flavour and nutrients: alfalfa leaf, barley, basil leaf, beets, broccoli, brown rice, carrots, flaxseed meal, green beans, kamut, nutritional yeast flakes, peas, potatoes, rolled oats, rosemary leaf, and zucchini.