Sweet & Sour Meatballs

I have two amazing big sisters. One lives in Mesa, Arizona and the other lives in Farmington, Utah. They are both fantastic cooks and I hardly get to see either of them. :( Boo. When I do get to see or talk to them on the phone, I love hearing what they're cooking for their families.

My sister Nicole has SIX kids! Four boys and two beautiful girls. She's such a great Mom and can whip up a gourmet meal without a drop of sweat plus invite the whole neighborhood to enjoy it AND take pictures of the event - seriously amazing photography skills! I envy her! My other sister Holly, is also Supermom! She has four boys just like me, and can be in four places at once, talk on the phone, plan a birthday party, AND cook an amazingly perfect meal all at the same time! Okay, I exaggerated a little bit...but not that much. Seriously. She is a supreme multi-tasker and good at everything she does! Plus everyone likes her and enjoys being around her!!

I look up to both of my big sisters and strive to be like them. When I talk to Holly on the phone - which I LOVE doing as we're both big foodie people - we always commiserate on how hard it is to feed boys! They're always so picky and when they find a certain dish they like, that's ALL they want you to fix for them. UGH! But she always has some great recipe she wants me to try because her boys liked it.

So...long story short, this recipe: Sweet & Sour Meatballs came from her, which came from her Lionhouse cookbook. My boys have never been huge meatball fans. I've made super delicious spaghetti and meatballs for them just to have them say, "yeah mom, they're okay, I guess." Seriously?! So I have to admit I was a little hesitant to make these. But Holly swears by them so they MUST be good. And by golly, they WERE! They were AMAZING!!! The sauce is more on the barbecue side and the meatballs are tender and moist. Next time I make these, I'll double the sauce because it is so good and I love me an extra spoonful or two of sauce! Yum! I used brown rice because it's what I had on hand and I love brown rice but you can put these meatballs over anything. White rice, noodles, mashed potatoes... you get the idea! Seriously. Go to your local grocery store and purchase the ingredients for this today. You will thank me. And Holly. :)

Sweet & Sour Meatballs (recipe from my sister Holly):
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, lightly mix together these ingredients:

-1 pound lean ground beef
-3/4 c. rolled oats
-2 eggs, slightly beaten
-1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
-1/2 c.milk
-1 tsp. salt
-pepper to taste
-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Divide into 12 meatballs and place in casserole dish.  Then make this sauce:
Sauce (DOUBLE if you want extra yumminess!):

-1/2 c. brown sugar
-1/4 c. vinegar
-1 tsp. mustard
-1/4 c. barbecue sauce
-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and heat for a few minutes just to dissolve sugars. Pour over the meatballs and place in preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes and serve over rice, pasta or potatoes.

ENJOY!!

LINKING THIS RECIPE TO THESE FUN PARTIES - CHECK IT OUT:

Classy Clutter, Six Sisters' Stuff, I Heart Nap Time, 33 Shades of Green, Tasty Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Spicy Link Up, Homemaking Linkup, Wednesday Wowzers, Create and Share, Strut Your Stuff Link Party,

Super Easy TWO Ingredient Fruit Dip



 In the summer, we eat a ton of fruit! I'm always trying to find some new way to add fruit to a dish or a new dip to try out so we don't get bored of the same thing over and over again. When I saw this dip recipe over at Six Sisters' Stuff, I HAD to try it. My family LOVED it! And only two ingredients, yes please!! It's rich, creamy and fluffy and compliments all fruits. Perfect to bring for a get together or to add with your weekend BBQ. So yummy!

2 Ingredient Fruit Dip (recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff):

-1 (8oz) container WHIPPED cream cheese (MUST be the whipped kind!)
-1 (7 oz) container Marshmallow Creme

Put both ingredients in a bowl and whip with a whisk until completely combined and fluffy (I made my strong husband whip it up, haha!). Serve with fruit of any kind. ENJOY!!

The Best Homemade Brownies!

These brownies are the BOMB!! They are so easy, quick and have the best flavor. Plus they use very few ingredients that you probably have on hand right now! When they're done, they have a yummy crystalized crust on the top that is divine! Here are the ingredients:

The Best Homemade Brownies (recipe from my Aunt Cathy):
1 stick + 2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. cocoa powder
4 egg yolks (save the whites!)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. nuts (optional)

So first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a microwave-safe mixing bowl melt the butter and cocoa together (as below):

Then add your egg yolks, (making sure to set your egg whites aside in a bowl to whip up later) vanilla, sugar, flour and nuts. It will looks like this below. Note: I didn't add nuts to mine.

 Whip your reserved egg whites (I use a hand mixer) until thick:

 Stir lightly into brownie mixture:

Mine usually is a little lumpy but that's ok!

 Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

When these brownies are done they have a yummy crystalized crust on the top so they don't need frosting. My mouth is watering just thinking about how good these are! And so simple!!

LINKING THIS RECIPE TO THESE FUN PARTIES:

Crazy Sweet Tuesdays,

Amazing White Chicken Chili

I know it's almost summertime but this chili is a classic any time of the year. My family loves it! It has so much flavor plus lots of fiber, protein, and even some veggies! And it doesn't get any easier than dumping some cans of beans and frozen veggies into a pot does it?? And it tastes sooooo good! 

White Chicken Chili (recipe from my sister Nicole):

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

3 chicken breasts, cooked & cut up (or 1 large can chicken)

2 (14 oz) cans of chicken broth

3 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. lemon pepper

1 bag frozen sweet white corn

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, undrained

3 (14 oz) cans white beans, any kind, undrained

1 (14 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

sour cream, optional

tortilla chips

shredded cheese

In a large pot, saute garlic and onions in a bit of oil. Add everything else, except sour cream, chips and cheese. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Stir in a little sour cream if desired. Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips. Serves a large family and then some!

ENJOY!!

Fork Tender Country Style Ribs & Coleslaw!!

Guess who got to guest post over at Classy Clutter?! THIS GIRL!!!! Okay, I'm a little beyond excited for the opportunity since I really look up to the talented ladies (Mallory and Savannah) who run the cutest DIY blog ever. I am thrilled to be a part of their Classy Cookin' week!

Click HERE for the recipe for the tastiest country style ribs and coleslaw around! And don't forget to check out Classy Clutter every day for super cute projects for your home and more!

Super Easy Cheesy Enchilada Stack!

If you've been looking for a fabulously easy Mexican food meal your family will love with only a few ingredients, look no further! This is it! This Enchilada Stack is sooooo yummy and quick to throw together. My boys DEVOURED it! The picture above is the sliced version and the picture below shows what it looks like when it comes out of the oven. All cheesy and gooey with enchilada sauce (can you tell I'm hungry right now? :) Mmmmmm...

Super Easy Cheesy Enchilada Stack (recipe from Chef in Training):

• 1 lb. ground turkey or beef


• 2 (10 oz) cans red enchilada sauce


• 6 (8 inch) flour tortillas


• 1 (8 oz) bag shredded cheddar cheese


• 1 (16 oz) can refried beans


• 2 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies


• 1 bunch green onions

Cook the turkey or beef in a skillet until cooked through. Drain the fat. Stir 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the meat. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Now to assemble the stack:

1. Place one tortilla on the baking sheet. Top with 1/3 of the whole beef/turkey mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.


2. Top with one tortilla, half the refried beans, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, 1 can drained green chilies, and 1/4 cup cheese.


3. Repeat step 1 and then 2.


4. Top with 1 tortilla, remaining beef mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.


5. Top with remaining tortilla and cover the stack with aluminum foil.


6. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the filling is hot.


7. Uncover the stack and top with remaining enchilada sauce, cheese and green onion.


8. Bake 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.


9. Cut the stack into 6 wedges.


10. ENJOY!! :)

Creamy Layered Jello Squares!

Okay, so I'm not the best photographer out there but seriously, Jello isn't the easiest model to work with! ;) These creamy Jell-o squares are sooooo much tastier than they look in this picture! It's such an easy side dish to prepare and it's super low-calorie and low-fat (35 calories and 1.5 g fat per square)! My family eats the entire 8x8 in one meal, it's that good!

Creamy Layered Jello Squares:

• 1 1/2 c. boiling water


• 1 pkg. (8 serving size) or 2 pkgs. (4 serving size) Sugar Free Jell-o, any flavor


• ice cubes


• 1 c. cold water


• 1 1/2 c. thawed Cool Whip LITE

Stir boiling water into Jello in large bowl for at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add enough ice cubes to the cold water to measure 1 1/2 cups. Add to Jello and stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate about 45 minutes or until Jello is slightly thickened. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the Jello and set aside. Add 3/4 cup of the Cool Whip to the remaining Jello. Stir with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour into an 8x8 square dish. Refrigerate about 15 minutes until set but not firm. Carefully spoon the reserved 1 1/2 cups of Jello (that you set aside) over the creamy layer in the dish. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Spread a layer of Cool Whip on the top of the two layers and cut into 9 squares to serve. ENJOY!!

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 35 calories; 1.5 g total fat, 55 mg sodium; 4 g carbs; 1 g protein

Snickerdoodle Muffins!

These muffins are heavenly. The last batch I made for my family was gone in mere seconds.

They're almost like a snickerdoodle but in muffin form and man, are they delicious! And most likely you have everything to make these little babies right in your cupboard!

Snickerdoodle Muffins: (adapted from here)

• 1 1/2 cups flour


• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder


• 1/2 tsp. salt


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg


• 1 egg


• 1/2 cup milk


• 1/3 cup melted butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon and then add the last three ingredients, careful not to overmix. (Mixture will be a little lumpy and sticky.) Scoop batter (I use a cookie scooper) into greased muffin tins. I usually get 10 muffins out of this recipe but you could make them a little smaller or larger depending on what you like. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Now, for the good part: the snickerdoodle topping,

• 1/4 cup melted butter


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Melt the butter in a bowl and mix together the sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. After the muffins have cooled down a bit, take them out of the muffin tin and one at a time, dip the tops in the butter and then the cinnamon & sugar mixture. And voila! Amazing Snickerdoodle Muffins! ENJOY!!

Ridiculously Delicious & Healthy Quinoa Patties

I am mildy obsessed with quinoa. If you don't know what quinoa is, get with it!! No, I'm only kidding. :) It's pronounced "Kin-Wah" and is considered to be a whole grain but it's actually a seed. It's one of the most amazing whole grains because it cooks fast, tastes great (and is completely versatile) and provides all 9 central amino acids, making it a complete protein! It's also gluten-free and cholesterol free and usually is almost always organic. Seriously, what's not to like?! I'm always on the look out for a new recipe that I can fix my family that's healthy, filling and if I'm lucky, sneak some veggies into! These patties taste great and are super healthy and filling plus they have little bits of zucchini inside that your kids will probably look right over. ;)

Quinoa Patties:
Ingredients:

• 2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see below for cooking instructions)
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2 green onions, chopped - including white parts
• 1/2 tsp. Splenda or sugar
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• olive oil for frying

To cook quinoa:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
2. In the meantime, take a large bowl and mix together the cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, zucchini, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, garlic powder and the cooled, cooked quinoa. 
3. Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Mixture will be a little sticky so use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop it up and drop into pan. Then lightly flatten to 1/2" thick with the bottom of the measuring cup. It's best to cook these slowly over medium-low so they set-up and don't burn. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Looking for more quinoa recipes?

Easy Quinoa Salad
Kale & Quinoa Salad

Festive Golden Grahams Party Mix!!

Yummiest. Snack. EVER. It is addicting. I almost should apologize for showing you this recipe because once you make it, you won't be able to stop eating it, and furthermore will continue to make it every week or so because it is THAT good. It's sticky, gooey, cerealy, coconutty goodness will always be on your mind! Soooo, my apologies and you're welcome. :)

Festive Golden Graham Party Mix: (recipe from my sister, Nicole Mason)

• 1/2 box Corn Chex Cereal


• 1/2 box Golden Grahams Cereal


• 2 cups shredded coconut


• 1/2 cup slivered almonds


• 1 cup sugar


• 1 cup corn syrup (Karo)


• 1 cube butter


• 1 bag festive M&M's

Directions: Mix sugar, corn syrup and butter in a saucepan and boil for 2 minutes. Pour over first four ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. After about one or two minutes, add the bag of M&M's and mix until combined (not too long or the M&M's will melt!). Lay out mixture on a piece of parchment paper to cool. So yummy to have around the holidays! ENJOY!!

Easy Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

I LOVE this recipe. Not only is it extremely easy but it is SOOOOO good! One of my favorite meals to eat, especially on a cold night. Or even on a warm one. Doesn't matter, this stuff is good. You can eat it by itself or with tortilla chips like my family likes. YUM!

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili (recipe from plain chicken):

• 1 can black beans


• 1 can corn, undrained


• 1 can Rotel, undrained


• 1 package ranch dressing mix


• 1 tsp. cumin


• 1 Tbsp. chili powder


• 1 tsp. onion powder


• 1 8-oz package light cream cheese


• 2 chicken breasts
  

My family loves this chili so I like to double it. It makes the best leftovers and even freezes well. Directions are simple: Drain and rinse the black beans. Place your chicken at the bottom of the crock pot, then pour out the whole can of corn (undrained), Rotel tomatoes, and black beans on top of chicken. Top with seasonings and ranch dressing mix. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top (picture below). Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When time is up, stir cream cheese into chili and shred chicken with 2 forks. Stir together and VIOLA!

Easy, delicious chili your family will love! ENJOY!!