Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 1/4 lb lean hamburger                                    1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs                                   1/3 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
Mix together and form into balls...I got 16 meatballs.  Bake at 400F for 15 minutes.

Sauce
2 cups brown sugar                                     1/2 cup vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce                                          2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup water                                               1 tbsp ketchup
Mix all in a sauce pan until it boils. 

Place cooked meatballs in a casserole dish and pour the sauce over top.
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.
Serve with rice

Banana Carrot Muffins

I made these for our conference potluck, and they are so YUMMY!!!!!

Banana Carrot Muffins
3 - 4 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup grated carrot (about 2 carrots)

Mix first four ingredients. In another bowl mix all dry ingredients (leave carrots until the end).  Then  mix the wet and the dry together.  Fold in carrots.
Place in well greased muffin tins 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes.  If you want to make bread; place in well greaser loaf pan and bake for 40 -50 mintues.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter room temperature
8oz cream cheese room temperature
2-3 cups powder sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

With beaters, cream together cheese, butter and vanilla.
Slowly add suagr until you get the desired sweetness and thickness.

ENJOY!!!!!

After making this twice...I found a recipe that omits the butter in the frosting. I am going to try it next time.






P.S. Does anyone use this anymore?

Creamy Spinach Chicken Dinner

This is another new one we tried last week. I added some sharp cheddar cheese, and it gave it more of a bump up in flavor. Doug liked it the way it was.

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 Cups uncooked penne pasta
* 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
* 1/2 Cup chopped onion
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
* 10 Cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach (I just put in a bag.)
* 2 Cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, cook chicken and onion over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until juices run clear Stir in soup and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach, cheese and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted. Drain pasta. Add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

This is one we tried the other day after we carved pumpkins. It was sooo quick and easy, and tasted pretty good too. (I thought just a little too much garlic)

* 1 tbsp canola oil
* 1/2 tsp celery salt
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
* 2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds

Directions

Combine oil, celery salt, garlic powder and seasoned salt. Add pumpkin seeds. Toss to coat. Spread 1/4 of the seeds in a single layer on microwave plate. Nuke on high for 1 minute, Stir. Microwave 2-3 minutes longer or until seeds are crunchy and lightly browned. Stirring after each minute. Repeat with remaining seeds. Serve warm or cool, storing in an airtight container.

Squirmy Wormy Sandwiches

So, we found this recipe in the taste of Homes magazine, and even though I don't like Hot Dogs, found these to be okay. My kids and Hubby LOVED them. Also, it's fun for the season.

# 1 package hot dogs
# 1 Tbsp oil
# 1/2 Cup ketchup
# 1 tbsp brown sugar
# 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
# 1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard
# Dash liquid smoke
# 6 hamburger buns

Cut each hot dog into eight strips. In a large skillet, saute hot dogs in oil until golden brown. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and liquid smoke. Heat through, Serve on buns.

Official Day 1

We survived day one. We left homebase around 9:30a and after a quick lunch in Wells, NV we pushed through to arrive in Reno at 5:30 (Reno time.) A relatively uneventful day and much easier than we expected. We finished with a buffet at Circus Circus, a few midway games and that was it. Tomorrow we’ll stop at the Jelly Belly factory and then drive on down to Solvang.

Here we are taking off. I drove the first 3+ hrs.Our travel mates...

Here's the bean and her travel mates. :)
We stopped at a rest stop in Valmy (to clear the air in the car. :-))
Cam decided to join the other two in picking "flowers" but she gave them to their mom instead of us ... silly billy. more tomorrow.

Cinderella Brownies

1 cup Margarine or butter

1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. marshmallows

Mix 1 egg at a time with butter, cocoa, and sugar. Then add the flour and vanilla. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 mins. Then place marshmallows on top and return to the oven for 1 min.

Frosting

1/2 cup margarine (softened)

1 2/3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1/3 cup milk

Mix all together until well blended. Then frost the brownies.