Comfort Food In The Crock-Pot...Doesn't Get Much Easier Than This!

I think that this title says it all! I have been looking for easy recipes to make this week, as I am packing up to make the move to the Northern GR area this weekend. Slowly I'm making a dent in the stuff from the house, and ever so slowly getting things over to the new place and put away. The goal is to only need to move a few items and the furniture on Saturday and then to only have to place the furniture and hang up decorations/pictures as time allows. I think that it will be less stressful this way!

My Momma was in town until today, and so she was a big help in pulling this recipe off! I put everything together on Sunday night, so all she had to do was add the last ingredient and turn the Crock-pot on, oh and stir it up once or twice. :)

CROCK-POT MACARONI & CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz. Elbow Macaroni; cooked (I left mine a little firmer)
24 oz. Colby Jack Block Cheese; cubed
16 oz. Velveeta Cheese; cubed
1 Stick of Butter; sliced
16 oz. Milk

Spray your crock-pot with Cooking Spray. Place 1/3 of the Noodles in the bottom of the crock. Add 1/2 of the Cheese and 1/2 of the Butter. Add 1/3 of the Noodles, and then the remaining Butter and Cheeses. Top with remaining 1/3 of the Noodles. Pour the Milk over the top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stirring once halfway through.

It is VERY cheesy and gooey! Perfect for a cooler day. Would make a great side dish as well to anything that you're making.

Scrumptious Side Dish!

Last night I made this recipe as a side to the main course of our meal for supper. I thought that they turned out wonderfully and actually wished that I had made more of them!

ROASTED MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS:
2 Lb. Fresh Mushrooms with stems
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp. Olive Oil
Salt to Taste
Pepper to Taste
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Thyme

Preheat the oven to 400. Place aluminum foil in bottom and up sides of baking dish. I used and 8x8 square dish. Pull the stems from the Mushrooms and cut in halves or quarters. Put Mushrooms in a bowl with the 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. Toss to coat. Put in the baking dish. Roast for 15 minutes. While Mushrooms are roasting; place the Thyme, Minced Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar and the 1 tsp. of Olive Oil in the bowl you used to coat the Mushrooms and mix together. Pour over the Mushrooms that have roasted for 15 minutes. Roast for an additional 10 minutes.

These were very tasty! Probably helps that I LOVE mushrooms!!!! Give them a try!

A Summer Meal Idea!

Tomorrow is our community picnic at work to honor our residents. Without them I wouldn't have a job! So, for them I am very grateful! :) My boss asked me if I would make a pasta salad and I happily agreed to do so.

I haven't had this salad in a long time, but it is so good. Especially with the sauce, which is a huge thanks to my Aunt B. for the recipe for it. Not sure it would taste quite as good without it. This makes a great Main Dish, or a Side Dish.

MACARONI TUNA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 Box Ruffle Macaroni
3/4 Small Bag Frozen Peas
1 (8 oz.) Bag Shredded Cheese
1-2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes
2 (12 oz.) Tuna Fish; drained

SAUCE:
1 C. White Sugar
1 C. Vinegar
1 C. Mayo
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Boil the Macaroni until tender. Drain and cool. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the Sauce. Add the Tomatoes, Peas, Cheese and Tuna. Once the noodles are cooled add them and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is just the right amount of creaminess and not-so-creaminess. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Oh My Potatoes!!!!!

Last night for supper the bro and I grilled up some homemade burgers that our Momma had put together and froze for us last weekend. We needed something to go along with them, and my boss at work had mentioned how she had made these potatoes and I thought that they sounded pretty stinkin' good, so I made some. Oh My!!! They were delicious!

BUTTER & PARMESAN POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:
1 - 1 1/2 Lbs. Red Skin; size B Potaotes
1 1/2 Sticks of Butter; melted
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Melt 1/2 stick of Butter and pour into a cookie sheet. Sprinkle on a generous amount of Parmesan Cheese. Cut the Potatoes in half and place cut side down on top of the Butter mixture. Melt the remaining stick of Butter and pour over the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with more Parmesan Cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

This made the house smell so yummy, and was a great addition to the burgers.

A Great Easy Summer Meal Idea

Last night, I wanted to make something quick and easy and this recipe fits the bill for that. My Mom made the comment that these would be great paired with a pork chop on the grill or even chicken. We just had them as the main course and they were great that way as well!

ITALIAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

INGREDIENTS:
2 Zucchinis
2 Garlic Cloves; minced (I used already minced in the jar that I had in the fridge)
1 Tomato; seeded and finely chopped
1/2 C. Fresh Mushrooms; finely chopped
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3/4 C. Parmesan Cheese; Shredded and Divided

Preheat the oven to 400. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Cut Zucchinis in half lengthwise; scoop out the pulp and seeds, leaving 1/4 inch shell. Reserve the pulp from both Zucchinis. In a bowl combine Pulp, Garlic, Tomato, Mushrooms, Basil, Oregano, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Olive Oil and 1/2 C. Cheese. Divide the mixture evenly between the 4 halves, and place in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until zucchinis are tender. Sprinkle with remaining Cheese and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes. 

They were packed with a lot of good flavor! Give them a try!

A Delicious Combination!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I pray that 2013 is filled with many of the Lord's richest blessings for all of my readers! We had a great time celebrating at home last night with some of my oldest friends. I call them my "step-momma" & "step-daddy". I made BBQ Meatballs in the Crockpot, and we had Cheese & Crackers. We had a great time talking, laughing and watching the ball drop in NYC on TV. Normally we go downtown and watch the Ball drop here in GR, but this year another friend was not able to join, so we didn't go. Which, was probably better as I have not been feeling the greatest and fighting off Bronchitis/Upper Respiratory crud for a few weeks now. I'm finally starting to feel more like myself, and am looking forward to when it is completely gone! :)

Tonight I decided that while we still had to use up some leftover ham, and some BBQ Meatballs that I made last night that I would also make a yummy side dish to go along with it. One that is healthy, well, relatively! Remember the post that I did about Butternut Squash? Well, I decided to use some of that tonight.

I thought that it was delicious! The Bro is not a huge fan of Butternut Squash, so his response was, "Eh". Oh well, more for me then! :)

BUTTERNUT SQUASH-APPLE-CRANBERRY BAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 Large Butternut Squash; peeled & cut into 1-inch Chunks (I had already frozen some)
2 Large Tart Cooking Apples, cored and cut into chunks
1/2 C. Fresh or Frozen Cranberries (I used Fresh ones)
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 C. Butter

Preheat the oven to 350. Place the Squash in the bottom of a baking dish. Add the Apples and then Cranberries on the top. Mix together the Brown Sugar, Flour, Salt and Nutmeg and pour over the top. Slice the Butter and dot across the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes. 

It had just the right amount of flavors that melded so well together. Thanks Pinterest for another GREAT recipe!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

I want to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! I know that I had a wonderful Christmas with my family! It all started at my house on Saturday when we did our family Christmas here. It was great to watch the expressions on my nieces and nephew's faces when they opened their gifts. Especially when my nephew opened his Thomas The Train items, oh how he loves his trains! :) So sweet. We were all blessed with many wonderful and thoughtful gifts...My parents bought my sister-in-law and I Pandora bracelets with a couple beads on them, they are beautiful and VERY unexpected. I made a lot of Life Expressions signs as gifts, and also made my mom and sister-in-law necklaces from Origami Owl. I also received these BEAUTIFUL teacups from my brother & sister-in-law!

I absolutely LOVE them and cannot wait to use them!

On Monday, we all met at my Aunt & Uncle's house in Illinois. My Mom's brother and his family, and her sisters and their families were all there, along with my Gramma. We had a fun afternoon together and ordered our traditional meal of pizza for supper. We then proceeded downstairs to open gifts together. Then it was back up stairs to have a yummy array of homemade cookies and treats, and the traditional glass of wine for those old enough to partake. The younger bro, Mom & Dad and I made the drive home last night and we attended our church this morning for a WONDERFUL Christmas Service. I then made a Ham for dinner. We had that with a Bavarian Ambrosia (thanks Pinterest), Jell-O and Corn. It was a yummy meal. Overall, I have had an EXTREMELY blessed Christmas and hope that you have too! Let's all remember that among all the craziness and busyness, that Jesus is the reason for the season, and give the praise to Him.

BAVARIAN AMBROSIA:

INGREDIENTS:

1 small box orange Jell-O
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup orange juice
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a medium bowl, dissolve Jell-O, sugar and salt in boiling water. Stir in orange juice and syrup from pineapple. Chill until thick as unbeaten egg white. Beat until fluffy light with beater.

Stir in Cool Whip until well blended, then fold in pineapple and coconut. I also added drained Mandarin Oranges and Marshmallows to it. Pour into large bowl and chill.

So much to be THANKFUL for!!!!

I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is once again only a day away! How crazy!!!! I have so many things to be thankful for this year.

1. I'm thankful for a loving and faithful Heavenly Father who knows what's best for me!
2. I'm thankful for a loving, God-fearing family, whom I love very much!
3. I'm thankful for a loving, faithful, and encouraging church family!
4. I'm thankful for all of my wonderful friends, near and far. You all are so dear to me!
5.. I'm thankful for a warm home.
6. I'm thank for my health...I've been through a lot in my short 32 years, but I'm still so thankful that I have gone through those things, just so that I can be thankful today!
7. I'm thankful for the encouragement from a friend that came at "just the right time" to push me into being a better, healthier me!

I recently, last week recently, started working out at a local gym. I'm on Day #5 of gym work-outs, but have fit in a few walks outside to keep going. I feel GREAT!!!! I have so much more energy, and it really isn't hard to get up and get my work-out clothes on and hit the gym in the mornings, of course it's nice that I have a friend that will be there with me so we can talk and laugh our way through it all! I have tried losing weight and being healthier in the past and failed miserably...the one thing that I've noticed this time is that I'm serious about it and I WANT as much as I need to stick with it. I was also blessed this morning by meeting Crystal, a girl that works at the front desk at the gym I go to. She and I got to talking and she told me about her ongoing journey and then told me that she is working towards a specific goal weight and that there are Doctors in this area of MI that will perform an excess skin removal surgery for free, that's right FREE only after you've reached and maintained your goal weight for a certain amount of time. The reason that these Doctors do this is to use the skin for grafting of burn patients. When she told me this, and even as I type it, I teared up. Not because I want to have plastic surgery when my weight loss journey is done, I would NEVER do that for vanity's sake...but because of the help, the hope that I could offer others. Those that know my family and the story of my AMAZING cousin, know just how much this thought touches my heart! So, now not only MUST I do this for me, I MUST do this for others in need as well. WOW, the Lord sure knows who to put in your path at the right time! What an AWESOME God we serve!!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm far from being close to being able to do this, but I WILL get there and this will be my focus and determination! I have a huge smile on my face because of the mysterious workings of my Lord!

Now that I've told you my story and what I'm thankful for I'm going to share a recipe of one of the many yummy things we will be having on our Thanksgiving table tomorrow! My parents are coming into town tonight and will be here through the weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing them! Instead of having to do all of the work tomorrow, I decided to prep some food today.

I have never made homemade stuffing before, but this year I decided that I would. I'm amazed at how fast this went together. I will definitely be doing it again!

AWESOME SAUSAGE, APPLE & CRANBERRY STUFFING

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 C. Whole Wheat Bread; cubed (I bought the pre-toasted, pre-cubed bread from my local grocery store)
3 3/4 C. White Bread cubed 
1 Lb. Sausage
1 C. Onion; chopped
3/4 C. Celery; chopped
2 1/2 tsp. Dried Sage
1 1/2 tsp. Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1 Golden Delicious Apple, cored and chopped
3/4 C. Dried Cranberries
3/4 C. Chicken or Turkey Stock (I used Chicken Stock)
4 Tbsp. Butter; melted

Preheat oven to 350. Spread White and Wheat Bread Cubes in single layer on large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes; until evenly toasted. Remove to large bowl (Since I bought pre-toasted I skipped this step). In a large skillet, cook the Sausage and Onions over medium heat; stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the Celery, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme; cook, stirring for 2 minutes to blend the flavors. Pour Sausage Mixture over Bread in bowl. Mix in chopped Apples and Cranberries. Drizzle with Stock and melted Butter. Spoon into serving dish. (I put mine in the fridge for tomorrow.) Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

I want to know what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving? Please share with me! :)

One Made Up As You Go Along

My Dad and Older Bro have been gone to Europe for a week now, and my Mom had been staying here until today. She left to go pick up my Gramma and spend a few days in the Thumb area, so that they can shop in Birch Run! While she was here there was a lot of cooking going on around here...mostly items that are already posted here, but this recipe is one that my Momma made up herself! I've got to say that it is definitely a keeper and was oh so yummy in the tummy!

This can be served as either a Main Dish (add a few more meatballs) or a delicious side.

We shall call it:

BAKED ZUCCHINI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Large Zucchini; skinned and sliced 
1 Jar Chunky Pasta Sauce of Choice
7 Frozen Meatballs; halved
1 C. Shredded Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Place some of the Pasta Sauce in the bottom of the dish. Layer some Zucchini on top. Sprinkle on some Shredded Cheese. Add more Pasta Sauce, the rest of the Zucchini, the Meatballs and the rest of the Pasta Sauce. Top with remaining Shredded Cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Bake for about 1 hour.

This is so delicious, and is also great re-heated. If you can find a Zucchini I highly reccomend it! :)

A Truly Scrumptious Side Dish

I am so addicted to Pinterest that it's not even funny. Maybe I should seek help for this addiction? Nah, it's too much fun and I get way too many good ideas to give up a good thing! :)

All of tonight's supper is compliments of Pinterest! This was so easy to throw together and I can almost taste the yumminess (is that even a word? Oh well!) that it is sure to be!

HONEY ROASTED RED POTATOES:

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Red Potatoes; cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. Onion; finely diced
4 Tbsp. Butter; melted
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 tsp. Dry Mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste

***I doubled the sauce recipe***

Preheat the oven to 375. Cut up the potatoes and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the Onion over the top. Mix the Butter, Honey, Dry Mustard and Salt & Pepper together in a bowl; whisk to incorporate. Pour over the top of the Potatoes. Slide tray into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Don't these look great? Give them a try!

Potatoes Are So Good!

This is the side dish that is being served with the Chicken recipe that I just posted. I can't wait to try them. I found this recipe on Pinterest, but the courtesy goes to Paul Deen, as this is her recipe.

OVEN ROASTED POTATOES WITH GARLIC & ROSEMARY

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 Lb. Small New Red Potatoes
1/4 C. Olive Oil
4-6 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. Fresh or 1 tsp. Dried Rosemary
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Pare a narrow strip of peel from the middle of each potato. In a large bowl mix the Oil, Garlic, and Rosemary; add the Potatoes and toss well. The season the Potatoes with Salt and Pepper. Transfer the potatoes to a shallow baking dish and place in oven until potatoes are tender when tested with the tip of a knife. Serve hot.

Oh so yummy!

A Macaroni Salad to go Wild for!

I have to thank my friend J. for this recipe! It has fast become one of my favorites, although mine never seems to taste quite like hers does it was still very good. I received many compliments on it, not only from my family who was over for Sunday dinner but also from the group of friends that I hang out with on Sunday nights! I consider it a success!!!! :-)

***NOTE*** Bear with me on this as I do not use exact measurements. It's more of a 'to your taste' kind of thing.

MACARONI SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 C. Elbow Macaroni; cooked
7 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 small jar Mayo (I used the smallest Hellman's size)
4 Whole Kosher Dill Pickles, cut into pieces
3 Apples; cut up into small chunks (I used Gala's)
1/2 lb. Bacon; fried and crumbled
1 small onion; diced

I used an Egg Slicer from Pampered Chef to chop up the Hard Boiled Eggs. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Place in the refrigerator and allow flavors to meld.

See, I told you that this recipe was easy-peasey! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

A Great Twist on Carrots

I love carrots! When I made the chicken on Saturday night it needed something to go along with it. I had bought some baby carrots at the grocery store on Saturday to use with a roast, but since I didn't need them all I decided to use some as the side dish for supper on Saturday night!

GLAZED BABY CARROTS

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 C. Baby Carrots
2 Tbsp. Butter
3-4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Cook Carrots on stove-top until tender and easily pierced with fork. Drain off the liquid. Add Butter an Brown Sugar and stir; then place lid on pan and shake to combine. Do this until butter is melted and carrots look glazed.

I hope that you will give this recipe a try if you've never had them!

A Well Stocked Freezer!

Today I went to a local Farmer's Market and got an AWESOME deal on sweet corn! I decided to load up and use a recipe from my Aunt B. to make freezer corn. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE frozen sweet corn, and thought what better way to stock my freezer for winter than this? I have watched my Mom do this in the past and thought that it was a lot of work....You know, having to shuck all the corn, remove all the silks, then precariously use a VERY sharp knife to kernel the corn. Turns out it was easier than I thought! Especially with the Corn Kerneler from Pampered Chef that I have! This handy-dandy little tool is MAGIC I tell ya...It literally took 2 seconds to get all of the corn off the cob and into the pan. I'm LOVING it! Needless to say, I have more corn than I do freezer room so I'm sharing my harvest with those closest to me...It's always nice to share ya know?!?!!!!

FREEZER CORN

INGREDIENTS:
8 C. Sweet Corn
1 C. Water
1 Stick Butter
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt

Place Corn in large pot. Cut up Butter and add to pot. Add Water, Sugar and Salt; stir to combine. Heat to a boiling and allow to boil for 1 minute. Turn off burner and allow corn to cool to room temperature. Place into freezing recepticles (I used Ziploc Freezer Quart Bags); seal and allow to cool before placing in the freezer.

See, I told you that it was easy-peasey!

Do You LOVE Asparagus As Much As I Do?

I LOOOVVVEEE asparagus! I was so thrilled to find bunches and bunches of FRESH Michigan grown asparagus at the Farmer's Market this past weekend. I just had to get some...I wasn't quite sure how I was going to cook it up, or what I was going to serve it with...I just knew that I had to have some of this yummy stuff.

Tonight I made supper to bring over to my Brother and Sister-in-laws house as they recently had their third baby (A BOY!) and my Mom is there this week helping with the two little girls. I thought that it would be nice to make life easy on them and just have a meal brought in! I made them Inside-Out Chicken Pot Pie and also brought over some of the asparagus, as I know that my Mom loves it as well. I must admit that I did have a bit of an ulterior motive for being so nice...that was to spend a little snuggle time with the newest addition over there...It was SO worth it! :-)

So, without further a-do here is what you need for this simple side dish:

BALSAMIC BAKED ASPARAGUS

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bunch Asparagus
2 1/2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Place Asparagus on a cookie sheet; Spray with Cooking Spray (YES spray the Asparagus as well). Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes; or until tender. While baking; place the Butter in a small saucepan and melt...you will want to "brown" the butter a bit to add a little extra flavor (that is to overcook it a bit; scald if you will), add the Balsamic Vinegar and the Worcestershire Sauce; stir. Take tray out of the oven and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and then pour the Butter Mixture over the top. Serve.

My Mom tried a piece right after we arrived with it, and the look on her face said it all!!! She said that it was fantastic and that she could eat the whole plate by itself. Not too bad for a first time recipe I'm thinking! I really enjoyed it as well. I hope that you will give it a try and let me know what you think of it!

A Vegetable Of Sorts...

A GREAT Sunday dinner, nor a Holiday dinner is complete in our house without these Potatoes! I haven't made them in a while, and with Sunday having been Easter I told the bro that I would make them. He was thrilled!!!

Now,  I will say this....it probably is not the greatest of ideas to try and prep your Easter/Sunday dinner on Saturday night, especially when it's late and you have just gotten home from being gone for 4 days and are very tired! Yes, I ran into a little bit of a problem while doing this....Normally I am a great multi-tasker and have no problem doing 10 things at once, but apparently on Saturday night this was not one of those times. I peeled the potatoes, put them in the pot, filled it with water and set it to boil....then left it to go and do some other things. About 40 minutes or so later, I could smell this rancid smell from my kitchen (and mind you, the bro was sitting on the couch playing a game on his phone the whole time, a whole 3 feet away from this pot on the stove. And didn't say word ONE about it!!!), needless to say it was my potatoes. The water had boiled out and potatoes were burnt crispy to the bottom of the pan!!!! I couldn't help but laugh!!! The good thing was that I still had enough potatoes left that I could peel them and start over again. Even though I DESPISE peeling potatoes! QUIT LAUGHING AT ME!!!! hehehe

SUNDAY POTATOES

The cast:

INGREDIENTS:
8-10 Medium Potatoes; cooked and mashed
8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened
1 C. Sour Cream
1 tsp. Garlic Salt
1/4 C. Onion; diced
3 C. Sheredded Cheddar Cheese

Mix the Cream Cheese into potatoes. Stir in the Sour Cream, Onion, Garlic Salt, and about 2 C. Shredded Cheese. Place into 2 Quart Casseorle dish. Dot with Butter, Sprinkl with Paprika and cover with remaining 1 C. Shredded Cheese. Bake at 350 for 1-1 1/2 hours. You can make this the night before and place, covered in the fridge overnight and then bake at 275 for about 4 hours.

Before the oven:

Who Doesn't Like Deviled Eggs?

We used to have these every Easter when I was growing up. I haven't had them in a LONG time, so I decided to make them to go along with our Easter dinner.

I know, some of you are saying...'I already know how to make deviled eggs, why is she posting this?' Well...because people make them very differently, and maybe this might give you an idea!

DEVILED EGGS

INGREDIENTS:
As many Eggs as you would like to boil
Miracle Whip
Sweet Pickles; cut into small pieces
Small amount of pickle juice
Paprika

Boil the Eggs. I place the eggs in saucepan and bring the water to a boil. I then let them boil for 10 minutes; then remove them from heat and let them sit in the hot water until it is cooled. Peel the eggs and slice them in half length-wise. Scoop out the yolks into small bowl. Smash the yolks with a fork. Add enough Miracle Whip, pickles and pickle juice to mix with yolks. Spoon into Egg halves and sprinkle with Paprika.

Here's the finished product:

Just like my Gramma makes them!!! 

Birthday Dinner Side Dish!

I made this as a veggie to go along with our dinner today. I also made the sweet potato casserole that I had posted on here earlier this month! I am really impressed with this recipe and will definitely make it again! My Momma and I LOVE Brussel Sprouts...Her more than me, but I would've never thought to do them this way. They turned out fantastically.

(I must apologize for not having pictures of what you need. My camera decided to quit working all together this weekend!) :-)

GLAZED BABY CARROTS & BRUSSEL SPROUTS:

INGREDIENTS:

2 Lbs. baby carrots

2 Lbs. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and scored

1 1/2 C. Chicken broth

6 Tbsp. Butter

1/3 C. Packed Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp. Black Pepper

Blanch carrots in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer carrots to bowl of ice water using slotted spoon. Return water to boil. Add sprouts and blanch until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another bowl of ice water. Drain vegetables, and refrigerate if making ahead. Bring stock, butter or margarine, and brown sugar to a boil in a heavy large skillet. Stir until sugar dissolves. Boil until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Can be prepared 6 hours ahead; return to boil before continuing. Add carrots. Cook until almost tender and sauce begins to coat, shaking pan occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and pepper. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.

I did blanch the veggies last night and kept them in the fridge to complete the process after church this morning. I WILL make these again!!!

Tonight's Side Dish

This is the dish that I served along with supper tonight! It is one of my favorites, and I LOVE to make it! I have to make mention that this recipe came from a wonderful friend, who I call my Step-Momma...She and I used to work together at Bronson Hospital and she is like a 2nd Mother to me. So, thanks so much for this recipe Momma S.!

APPLE BAKED BEANS:

What you need:

INGREDIENTS:
1 (48 oz.) Randall's Great Northern Beans; drained (I only made 1/2 the recipe, so I used a smaller jar)
4 Tbsp. Butter
3 C. Granny Smith Apples; cubed
1/2 C. Onion; chopped
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Catsup
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt

Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter in large skillet. Add Apples and Onions; cook for 10 minutes, or until apples are tender.

The apple peels will lighten up considerably and should look like this:

Add Brown Sugar:

Stir until dissolved. Blend in the Catsup, Cinnamon and Salt. Place beans in a 2 Quart casserole dish and pour apple mixture over the top and mix well. Bake in oven for 1 hour.

This is what it should look like:

These are so delicious! Who would've thought to add apples, catsup and brown sugar to make some tasty baked beans! I love to make these. I hope that you will try them and enjoy them as much as we do.

Better Than Subway's Subs!

We just finished another yummo dinner here at our house. The discussion over the supper table was about the food we had growing up. The bro made the comment that we always knew what we were going to have from week to week, sometimes many of the same things each week....He said that he liked that. My reply was something to the effect that I could gladly go back to that and not make so many yummy new things! To which he promptly recanted and told me that he has enjoyed all the new stuff that I've been making and to PLEASE continue doing so! Hmmmm

As you could probably guess from the title of this post, we had subs for supper tonight. Subway has a meatball sub, that I will admit is pretty good but I found a recipe for Mini Meatball Sliders, and thought I would try it out, except I used mini sub buns instead of dinner rolls.

MINI MEATBALL SUBS

Here is the cast of characters (minus the bread):

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Ground Chuck Or Ground Beef
½ C. Panko Or Other Bread Crumbs
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
½ tsp. Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ C. Milk
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
½ Medium Onion, Diced
1 Jar (large) Marinara Sauce
12 whole Dinner Rolls (or Sub Rolls)
Provolone Cheese Slices


Mix meat with bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk. Knead together with hands. Roll into heaping tablespoon-sized rolls. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for one minute. Add meatballs between the onions and brown for one minute. (You might have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet.) Pour in jar of marinara; shake pan gently to mix. Put on lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. When ready to serve, cut each dinner roll in half. Place a wedge of Provolone on the top and bottom of each roll. Spoon a meatball into bun (if using dinner rolls), or several onto sub buns.

Serve immediately!

Yesterday, in anticipation of tonights dinner I made a side dish to go along with. I doctored it up a bit, and it turned out fabulously!

AMERICAN POTATO SALAD:

Items needed:

INGREDIENTS:

5 Lb. Red Potatoes (I used Russet)

6 Eggs

2 C. Mayonnaise

1 Onion, diced

1 Small Green Bell Pepper, seeded and diced

3 Stalks Celery, thinly sliced

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

***NOTE*** I added 3 Tbsp. prepared Yellow Mustard, 2 1/2 tsp. Dill Weed, & some Paprika on top.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender but still firm. Drain, cool and cut into cubes. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. In a large bowl, combine chopped potatoes and eggs. Mix together mayonnaise, chopped onion, green onion, green pepper, and celery. (And any other add-in's you use) Season with salt and pepper, then mix well. Cover, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Here's how mine turned out:

I could hardly wait to try it tonight!

Here's the completed picture:

Tomorrow is Wednesday, which means that it's Bible Study Fellowship day for me! I am really enjoying our study through the book of Isaiah this year, and have really learned a lot! I can't believe that it's almost May and that BSF is almost over. :-( I hope that my schedule is open enough next year that I am able to participate again. As I've mentioned in other posts, every few months we have an All Group Fellowship after the main meeting. This is the time when the small group of ladies that I meet with get together at someone's house for a time of food and fellowship. Well, tomorrow is one of those days. I decided to make something simple, but that sounded so good to me! I have been craving Raspberries lately so this is what I decided to make:

EASY RASPBERRY CREAM PIE:

The cast:

INGREDIENTS:

25 Whole Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
4 Tbsp. Butter, Melted
1 C.  (generous) Raspberries
3 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Containers (6 Ounce Each) Raspberry Yogurt
1 Pkg. (3.4 oz.) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 C. Heavy Whipping Cream
Extra Raspberries For Garnish

To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crust cookies in a food processor (or smash in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin). Stir in melted butter until all combined. Pour into a regular pie pan and press crumbs all over the pan and up the sides. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes—just long enough for it to set. Cool crust completely.
Place raspberries on a plate or in an empty pan. Smash them with a fork, then sprinkle on 3 tablespoons of sugar. Stir together and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine raspberry yogurt with the instant vanilla pudding mix (just the powder itself.) Beat on low until combined, about 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and whip on low for 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn mixer on medium-high speed and beat for two minutes, or until mixture is thick.
Turn off mixer, then fold in raspberries until just combined. Pour into cooled pie pan and spread evenly. Freeze for two hours, or until very firm. Cut into slices and top each slice with cookie crumbs, dollops of whipped cream, and extra raspberries. Keep in freezer, allowing time to thaw before serving.


Now before I go on and show you the pictures of the finished product, I have to show you the COOL NEW gadget that I have, that I used for the cookies! It is a MANUAL FOOD PROCESSOR!!!! What is that you ask? It is a food processor that you DON'T have to plug into the wall, and it is FABULOUS!!!!! This thing is truly amazing! It is a New item that The Pampered Chef just came out with, and it is a HUGE hit! I have used mine for so many things and it has become a favorite in my kitchen.

Here it is:

You pump the handle (that round thing on the top) to chop items. Mine is in the locked position.

It has a round rubber grip on the bottom to hold it in place.

I threw the Oreo's in 6 at a time and this is what it did, with very little effort!

The best part is, that this whole little beauty is dishwasher safe...all except the lid which you just want to wipe off with a soapy rag, not submerge it in water. The blades are SUPER sharp as well, and considering how much I've put mine to use in the few weeks that I've had, they've stayed that way. AMAZING!!!!!

And here's the pie right before going into the freezer:

I can't wait to dive into this tomorrow!

Both the Meatball Sub Recipe and the Pie are courtesy of the Pioneer Woman! Boy does that lady have some tasty recipes!

I hope that you all are having a great week so far! Don't forget to check out my Birthday GiveAway post for your chance to win!