Super Easy Meatballs - slow cooker

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds LEAN ground beef (if you don't use lean, you will have some oil to scrape off the top of he sauce after it's fully cooked)
1 1/4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs (less breadcrumbs is a preference for some people, but I find this helps them stay together in the crock pot. You can also mix regular bread crumbs with Italian seasoning...)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I often use dried and less than this because my husband isn't a big fan of parsley...and it tastes just fine)
2 cloves garlic, minced (I've also used dried...works fine)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (or a few tablespoons of onion powder, if you're onion haters like us)
1 egg, beaten
You can also mix in basil, oregano, sugar, etc...depends on taste preference.

1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.25 ounce) can tomato puree (Basically you just need enough sauce to cover all the meatballs. I also add some extra flavor in the sauce. Throw in some onions or garlic or whatever you like to make the sauce pop.)

Directions
In a bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, onion, and egg. Shape the mixture into about 16 meatballs.
In a slow cooker, mix the spaghetti sauce, crushed tomatoes, and tomato puree. Place the meatballs into the sauce mixture. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. (I often start on low and then finish on high...just a preference)

Directions for meatballs subs:
Take a hero roll, slice in half lengthwise and put cheese slices (I stick the the "white" cheeses - swiss, provolone, monterey, etc.) on BOTH sides of the bread. Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese bubbles and bread is toasty on the edges. Place about 6 meatballs on the sub and make sure to put enough sauce without it spilling over the edges. Cut in half and enjoy! :)

Patriotic Trifle

• 
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese , softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces Cool Whip
• 1 angel food cake , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 quart strawberry
• 1 quart blueberries , can use blackberries
• 3/4 cup sugar , for berries
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
• 2 cups milk

Directions:

1. 1
   Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar.
2. 2
   Add sour cream, vanilla and Cool Whip.
3. 3
   Mix pudding as directed and add to cheese mixture.
4. 4
   In separate bowls add sugar to each type of fruit and let sit. You can also add a bit of orange juice to fruit mixture if fruit isn't very juicy.
5. 5
   In a trifle dish, or clear glass bowl, put a tightly packed layer of angel food cake pieces.
6. 6
   Drizzle a little orange juice over cake layer.
7. 7
   Now alternate layers of berries, pudding/cheese mixture and cake til dish is full.
8. 8
   Last layer should be pudding/cheese mixture.
9. 9
   Garnish with fresh berries.
10. 10
    Refrigerate at least 4 hours. This is really good made the day before too.
11. 11
    This is a beautiful dessert and looks very difficult so get ready to enjoy all the compliments you'll receive when you bring this dish to your next event.

Winter Salad

I love this salad. I make so many variations, depending on what I have on hand but the main ingredients are always on sale in December/January so it's a great winter salad.

1 Avacado
1 Ruby Red Grapefruit (you will probably only need half of it)
2 1/2 cups arugula lettuce
Avocado based dressing OR raspberry vinaigrette OR homemade dressing (see below)
Ground black pepper (to taste)
Sea Salt (to taste)

Other optional ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Parmesan cheese
Chopped Cilantro (2-3 tablespoons)
Fresh Basil (about 1 leaf)
Pine nuts
Blackberries (YUM!)

Optional homemade dressing:
2 Tablespoons Fresh Grapefruit Juice
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Honey
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Instructions:
Peel and "skin" individual grapefruit slices, use as much or as little grapefruit as you like -I usually use half. Keep slices whole. Cut and slice avocado. Toss arugula with dressing, salt and pepper and any other optional ingredients. Top with sliced grapefruit and sliced avocado.

Glazed Carrots

This is a go-to carrot recipe for me. I love carrots, and I find this is one carrot recipe that pleases an entire table - even carrot haters. I sometimes omit the parsley. Great for thanksgiving!

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons spicy mustard or regular prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups sliced carrots (whole baby carrots work fine too)
2 teaspoons fresh minced parsley

Preparation:

Cook and drain carrots (until crisp tender)

Melt butter in a large skillet; stir in brown sugar, mustard, and salt. Stir in carrots. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thoroughly heated and nicely glazed, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 4.

Monkey Bread

INGREDIENTS
1/2cup granulated sugar
1teaspoon cinnamon
2cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury® Grands! Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4cup butter or margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS
1 Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan (or pie pan or 9x9 pan) with shortening or cooking spray. In large -storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
2 Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan.
3 In a sauce pan bring brown sugar and butter to a boil; pour over biscuit pieces. 
4 Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

remember this song?

in this very room there's quite enough love for one like me and in this very room there's quite enough joy for one like me and theres quite enough hop and quite enoughpower to chase away any gloom ....... always thought of it as a slightly odd chirch song is it efy?? where did it come from?

Quick and Tasty Muffins

These were a regular in the Terry household, especially on Sundays:

mix together:
3 c flour
1 c sugar
4 t baking powder
1 t salt

add:
1 c milk
1/2 c oil
2 eggs

Stir gently with a fork. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake 350: 20 minutes.  After baked,  dip top in melted butter, then dip in mixture of cinnamin and sugar.

Burrito Wraps

1 pound hamburger
taco seasoning
1 can of black, pinto, or kidney beans; drained and rinsed
shredded cheese
tortillas
sour cream (optional)
salsa (optional)

Cook hamburger, add about 1/2 package of taco seasoning and cook according to package directions or I just add a little chili powder. On each tortilla put one scoop of meat, one scoop and of beans, and some shredded cheese. Roll up burrito (I usually roll up 3 sides, leaving the 4th open) and cook on skillet. Flip to brown both sides and melt the cheese. Great as finger food!

Chicken Pitas

2-ish pounds of chicken
bbq sauce
grated cheese
pita pockets (I bought Greek flat bread one time by accident and my husband likes that even better)

Cook chicken and shred/cut up. Mix with as much barbecue sauce as you like. Put in warmed pita pocket and top with grated cheese. This is also good cold.

Cathy's Spring Salad

Spring Salad Mix

Pear Slices

Craisins

Glazed Pecans

Sunflower seed kernels

Bleu Cheese crumbles

Litehouse brand dressing: Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette

My First attempt I put sliced strawberries in, and used a balsamic vinaigrette... I wasn't in love. Turned out great with those changes.

Peanut Butter Bars

I realized about 2hrs. before ballet practice that I was supposed to bring a treat for all the kids to share. I looked at my ingredients and looked online and found these gems. They're delicious and super easy. They taste a lot like Reese's peanut butter cups. Yum!

1 cup butter or margarine melted,
 2 cups graham cracker crumbs,
 2 cups confectioners' sugar,
 1 cup peanut butter,
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips,
4 tablespoons peanut butter

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the 4TBLS. peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Frozen Burrito Casserole

Just made this for dinner and it turned out great!

- Make a white sauce from cream of chicken, sour cream and milk. You can add some seasonings like cumin, curry powder, chili powder or whatever your kids will eat

- In a 9X13 pan, dump corn and black beans into the bottom, then put the frozen burritos on, pour the sauce over everything.

- Top the casserole with cheese and olives.

- Bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. (I had to cut the burritos in half after 20 minutes in order for them to get cooked all the way through).

You can also use whatever you have to make the sauce. I ended up using mayonnaise, the veggies I had in my fridge for the sauce and that worked as a replacement.

Chicken Costa Vida Salad

In a crock pot, put a few breasts of frozen chicken and cover it in salsa. Cook it on low all day. Then, just build your salad with a tortilla, rice (I put taco seasoning and diced tomatoes in it) black beans, chicken and lettuce. You can also put salsa, tomatoes, parmesan cheese - whatever you like for topping on it. The key to making it taste the same is to get the Costa Vida ranch. I used to just go buy the ranch, but last time I found this recipe and it works pretty good.

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
2 tbsp lime (or to tast)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa (opt)
hot sauce (opt)

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix and 2T juice in a blender. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken in the fridge.

Sister Arther's Chicken Casserole

A cute old lady in the ward wrote this recipie up for me after serving it to us one night. It was yummy!

1 chicken
1 pack Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (herb)
1 (8 oz.) sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 onion chopped
1/4 c. butter

Roast or stew one chicken and debone. Mix 3/4 pack of stuffing mix and butter. Mix sour cream, 2 cups chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Stir in chopped onioin, water chestnuts, and chicken. Top with remaining stuffing mix. Bake at 325 to 360 for 45 minutes. Serves 8.

If you stew the chicken you can save by using the broth the chicken was cooked in.

Good with water chestnuts, apples, walnuts, to add some crunch. Use 2 cups of chicken broth if you stew the chicken use the broth.

Best Ever Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 1/4 hr Serves: 16, Yield: 1 9x13 pan

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 1/8 cups sugar 3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Garnish
chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 275°.
Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
Stir in banana mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
Spread on cooled cake.
Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

NOTE: Do not skip the freezer part! Makes the cake so moist. Store it in the fridge, and it tastes the best the next day.

Oreo Truffles

These are super easy and super yummy. Great to put in a tin and deliver to people for Christmas. They're best if kept in the fridge.

1 package Oreo cookies (take 7 out of box)Can't use double stuffed
1 package cream cheese
Bakers Chocolate(white or semi sweet) You can melt your favorite kind of chocolate chips if you prefer.

Put all Oreos(besides the 7) & cream cheese in food processor or blender. Blend until pretty smooth.

Scoop out with a melon scooper or shape in to balls and put on cookie sheet. Put in freezer to set. Melt your chocolate. Dip balls in to chocolate to cover. Place back on cookie sheet and put in freezer until chocolate sets.

Alfredo Sauce

This recipe is NOT for the "low fat" diet concious :-)

1 Cube real Butter
1 Cup Heavy Cream
3/4 Cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt

Mix all ingredients into a small sauce pan. Heat on medium until butter and cheese are melted and sauce is smooth.

Pour over your favorite pasta. I add cooked chicken or shrimp and broccli to make a complete meal then serve with garlic bread. It is super delicious!! Better than any restaurant

(I cut up chicken into bite size chunks. Stir fry in butter and sprinkle with Lawrey's Salt. Same with shrimp - just buy the kind with no shells and stir fry the same way)

To make easy garlic bread just cut french bread in half (lengthwise) spread with butter and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt and parsley flakes. Toast in a toaster oven (or under broiler) 'till golden brown. Remove from oven and slice into individual size servings.

ENJOY!!

Chicken Supreme

This is one of my kid's most favorite meals.
Layer the following in a 2-qt casserole dish:
1 cup rice, cooked
1 cup cooked, cut up chicken
1 can cream of something soup mixed with 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup peas.
The top layer is uncooked stuffing, crushed, mixed with 1/4 cup melted butter.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This recipe is easily adjusted to your family's preference. (ie. more or less chicken, more or less peas.)

Posted by Kate (Ginger's sister)

super simple Peach Cobbler

If you haven't guessed yet, I LOVE desserts. I also love baking, I prefer it to cooking. This may be why I am responsible for 7 of the 10 dessert recipe posts now. :)

9x13 baking pan
1 or 2 Large can of peaches in HEAVY SYRUP
yellow cake mix
stick of margarine

Pour the can of peaches into the baking dish. (I personally like a lot of peaches so I use 2 cans but I drain most of the juice from the second can.) Pour the yellow cake mix evenly over the top of the peaches. Slice the margarine into thin squares. Place on top of the cake mix evenly all over trying to cover as much space as possible.

Bake on 350degrees. It usually takes around 45min. Watch it and take it out with the butter is completely melted and the cake mix looks a golden brown. It will thicken as it cools. Don't worry if there are a couple spots of dry cake mix, it will still taste yummy.

Chicken and Dumplings

So I have a husband who LOVES chicken and dumplings. I've tried it a couple times since being married and have never been able to get them to turn out correctly. Today I came across this very easy recipe! I don't have a soup recipe for you because usually I just wing it. I typically just make a thick chicken broth and add chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Anyway here is the dumpling recipe:

2 Cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp soft margarine or butter
1 Cup milk (or more)

Combine: lour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in soft butter. Gradually stir in milk (add enough to be sure dough stays very moist and sticky).

Drop dumplings into simmering soup. You can drop in about a tsp for small dumplings and about a Tbsp or larger ones. (They do not need to be round because they are going to plump up anyway). Place lid on pan and simmer on a low heat. Check after 10 minutes. You can check with a knife to be sure center is cooked through.

CHOCOLATE Brownies

These brownies are to die for. I HATE cakey brownies and these are moist and yummy. If you're a chocolate lover you have to try it out. Don't make these if you're on a diet. :)

2/3 cup butter or 2/3 cup margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar (reduce to 1-1/4 cups for a less sweeter taste)

1/4 cup water

4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (24 ounces) You can use semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate depending on what you like. I use the milk chocolate.

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon  baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

• Directions:

1. Set oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
3. In a heavy saucepan, bring butter, sugar and water to a boil, stirring constantly until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved (about 3 minutes).
4. Remove from the heat, with a wooden spoon, stir in 2 cups chocolate chips until melted; cool slightly, beat in vanilla.
5. In a mixing bowl,whisk eggs, gradually add in the chocolate mixture, beating with a wooden spoon until completely mixed.
6. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt; add to the egg/chocolate mixture; mix well to combine.
7. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.
8. Spread into prepared baking pan.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes (don't over bake) Mine took just over 40min.

Breakfast for Dinner???

I love breakfast for dinner! My stomach is never awake enough to enjoy it in the morning. I hope a pancake recipe doesn't sound lame, but I hate box pancakes, the consistency is never how I like it. So here is the scratch recipe I like to use:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of white sugar

1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter or margarine; melted

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients first. Then add milk, vanilla, egg and melted butter. Mix until most of the lumps are gone. Cook on griddle at 350 degrees. Yields 12-14 pancakes depending on how big you make them.

Cathy's crock pot Pulled Pork

Pork roast
3/4 cup brown sugar
2-3 tsp worsteshire sauce
tsp ginger powder
tsp dry mustard powder
apple juice
large bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Honey bbq sauce
sliced provolone cheese (smoke flavor added is best)
Pioneer rolls - (like hoagie rolls)

Mix the brown sugar, worsteshire sauce, ginger and mustard into a paste. Rub over roast, and place in crock pot. Pour apple juice over roast, until just covered. Cook on low over night for lunch the next day, or all morning and afternoon for dinner. Remove roast, and empty crock pot of all but about a half cup of the juice/drippings. Replace roast, and add bbq sauce. With fork, break apart roast, and coat with sauce. Simmer on warm until ready to serve. Serve on buns with the cheese.

Texas Egg Rolls

1 package egg roll wrappers
2 packages cream cheese - softened
approx 1/2 small can diced jalapenos and all the juice
Oil for deep frying
Pepper jelly

With mixer, blend the cream cheese, jalapeno juice and jalapenos. Spoon about a tablespoon of mixture into each egg roll wrapper, and fold according to package. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve with pepper jelly. You can either warm the jelly in the microwave, and dip the egg roll, or spoon it on cold. I prefer the mild version (green), Bill prefers the red.

Zuppa Toscana

I don't know who all posts on this blog, or if you're all in Southern California or what...but up here in North Idaho we are entering soup season! This is a copycat Olive Garden recipe, but honestly, I like this version better.

1 lb Italian sausage

2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced lengthwise once and then in 1/4 inch slices

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 can bacon bits (I'm sure real bacon would be fine as well)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C kale or swiss chard, chopped

2 cans chicken broth

1 quart water

1 C heavy whipping cream (I used regular and it was fine)

Cook sausage in a 300° oven for approximately 30 minutes. Drain and cut into slices. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a pot, and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.

Add sausage and bacon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for another 10 minutes and then add kale and cream.

Heat through and serve.