2016 Summer Bucket List: We almost finished it!

One of my favorite days of the year has finally arrived.  The day I get to spend the next 81 days with my family!  We love summer vacation in our house.  It's a time for all 5 of us to be home together...all.day.long.  I probably should say that we love this time of year for the first 6 weeks or so, then we all need a little break...from each other.  Just kidding...sort of.

The bucket list this summer is a compilation of all of our ideas.  Ok most of these are my ideas but you can probably see who actually picked what.  LOL 

Go to Mrs Wilcox's house (7/15)

Walk 100 miles as a family (we made it to 75.5)

Document our summer every day on Instagram (8/14)

Have a water balloon fight (7/4)
Try a new restaurant in town (Blaze Pizza, 7/14)

1 week sugar free (the whole family) (week of 7/24)

Make yogurt silly putty (6/14)

Girls lunch/tea party at The Tea Room at the Depot
Go to a White Sox Game

Get a new vegetable or herb from the farmers market (Rye Berries 6/18)

Find 10 new geocaches (we found 19 from 5/27-7/10)
Attend mass at a church in a different town (7/3, Green Lake WI)
Make Jello Sherbet

Go to the drive-in (7/10)

Buy/play a new family game (Farkle, 6/3)

Go to the zoo (8/4)

Go to the movies  (6/17)
Visit/Eat at All Aboard Train Diner (7/18)

Visit Wolf River Refuge (7/7)

Make Campfire Cone Smore's (7/22)

Make Soap Foam Sidewalk Paint

Get a pool pass! (5/31)

Stay in a silo (aka double cottage) (6/9)
Complete the library summer reading program (7/22)
Kids photo scavenger hunt (6/9)
Go to Airtastic or Jumpzone (6/21)
Learn a new prayer (each kid has a different one) (still in process)
Write a letter to someone in the military (operation gratitude) (7/13)
Choose items to send to military members (operation gratitude) (7/28)
Complete a Shoe Cutting party for Sole Hope (still in process)
Create one (or more!!) blankets for Project Linus (6/4, we created 3)
Go fishing (7/2)
Feed the ducks (6/19)
Complete 5 Lego Challenges (6/28)
Visit a State Park (6/28)
Olympic ring art project (8/13)
Each kid plans/makes dinner (whatever they want!) (Chloe: 6/24, Allison 7/12, Matthew 7/14)
Get new couches (arrived 7/26)

So....tell us below, what's on your summer bucket list?????

#1,812: Lasagna Bread

I was honestly not sure my family would totally enjoy this recipe, but they proved me wrong (once again) and went ga-ga for it!  Honestly, this is super good.  I was a little nervous about the ricotta mixture making this too soggy, but it didn't.  I also only made half of a loaf initially, and had to make the other half because my family was eating this so quickly.  That is a very good sign!  I would (and will) definitely make this again for my group. 

1 large loaf of French bread 

olive oil

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste (I omitted)

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper

1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley

6 oz fresh mozzarella

fresh basil, torn (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Add in the onion and garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, thyme, and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Stir together, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside. 

Heat oven to 375F. Cut French bread in half lengthwise. Pull out some of the bread from the center of each half, creating a well for the meat mixture.  Place on a baking sheet and cook in the oven until lightly toasted, just a few minutes.

Spread the ricotta mixture over the toasted bread. Top with the meat mixture, then a layer of fresh mozzarella. Bake until golden and bubbly, 15-18 minutes. Top with fresh basil, if desired.

#1,811: Dorito-coated Chicken Tenders

So this recipe calls for Cool Ranch Doritos, but my family is a Nacho flavored Dorito fan, so we used those instead.  Although I had issues with this recipe (the coating did not stick very well to the chicken and came off easily/stuck to the pan), my family enjoyed this and said they would eat it again.  :)  This recipe (with the Nacho flavored Doritos) made my kitchen smell like a Mexican restaurant which was encouraging to my family and I kept getting comments of "Oooh, it smells so good in here!"  That's always a great sign to a recipe! 

1 lbs boneless chicken breast tenders 

2 cups buttermilk

1 (12 oz) bag of Cool Ranch Doritos (or whatever flavor you prefer) (I used nacho flavored)

1 cup flour

*optional 1-2 Tbsp Ranch seasoning mix for extra Ranch flavor (I omitted)

In a medium bowl, marinate the chicken strips in buttermilk for 2-3 hours, up to overnight.

When ready to bake preheat oven to 400°.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Place the Doritos and flour into food processor or blender to crush and blend until the Doritos are the size of panko bread crumbs. Add in Ranch seasoning if desired.  Transfer crumbs into a medium bowl.

Remove each chicken strip from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off and coat the chicken in the Dorito/Flour mixture. Transfer to lined baking sheet. Continue with all chicken.

Bake chicken strips for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

#1,810: Inside Out Ravioli

So I'm not sure how this isn't considered just a typical "pasta bake" instead of inside out ravioli.  After I put it all together I realized that ravioli is filled with ricotta cheese and that is exactly what the dish is missing!  Add it!  Although my family devoured this entire pan of pasta, it definitely would have made it more ravioli like if I would have added a layer of ricotta cheese (maybe mixed with some parsley and Parmesan cheese!!?!?!?) before I topped it with the meat mixture.  I'm definitely doing that next time!  Regardless, this was still good, but I think the ricotta would have made it even better. 

1 pound pasta (I used medium sized shells and elbow macaroni to use up what we had in our pantry)

1 (10 ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach (I omitted)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

1 (16 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
I also added some minced garlic and a few shakes of Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium pot, cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.

Cook spinach according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown ground beef, chopped onion and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Combine cooked spinach, cooked pasta, bread crumbs, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, beaten eggs and olive oil.

Spread spinach mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with meat mixture. Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

#1,809: Chocolate Zucchini Carrot Bread

Chloe has been begging me to make zucchini bread for them for breakfast.  Of course, I could have just made traditional zucchini bread, but why do that when I can find another new recipe for us to try?!  So I found this recipe for zucchini bread with grated carrots in it.  Since she asked me to make it, Chloe helped me make this one.  I have to admit, she's getting pretty good at cracking eggs!  (Only 2 tiny shells in the bowl this time.  LOL) What I liked about this recipe was that it made 2 loaves, so we have one to eat this week for breakfast, and we have another one in the freezer for another time.  

2 cups white whole wheat flour (I used 1 c all purpose and 1 c whole wheat flour)

1 cup sugar

½ cup toasted wheat germ (I used wheat bran)

½ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1½ cups grated zucchini

½ cup grated carrot

3 large eggs 

⅔ cup plain low fat yogurt

⅓ cup canola oil

1 tablespoon vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and spray two 8 inch bread pans with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through baking powder).

In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (zucchini through vanilla).  Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips then pour mixture evenly between both bread pans.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.

NOTES

Freezer friendly! Simply wrap individual slices in plastic-wrap and freeze in one large resealable plastic bag. To reheat simply microwave for 45-60 seconds.

#1,808: Dishpan Cookies

I posted earlier that my Grandma Betty passed away last week and I decided to make some of her recipes for her wake.  Although her potato chip cookies are one of her most popular ones, these dishpan cookies are one of my most favorite ones that she ever made.  This recipe makes A TON of cookies (like 10 dozen!), so keep that in mind!!  These are  best served the day you make them or the next day because they are crispy on the edges, but softer in the middle.  As these sit out, the texture tends to get more and more crispy.  You can also freeze these after you make them.

4 c all-purpose flour
2 c sugar

2 c brown sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 c vegetable oil

1 1/2 c instant oats

1 c shredded coconut

4 c cornflakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large roasting pan mix together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda.  Next add the vanilla, eggs, and vegetable oil and mix together.  

Then add the oats, coconut and cornflakes and mix it all together by hand.

Drop on parchment-lined cookie sheets with a small scoop and bake for 15 minutes.

When cooled you can drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.    

#1,807: Potato Chip Cookies

Sadly, a few days ago my Grandma Betty lost her battle to cancer.  She was 86 years old and loved baking for her family and for family gatherings.  When I told the girls we had lost Gigi, Allison asked if we could make her potato chip cookies.  I figured this would be a great way to show our love and appreciation for her by making one of her dessert specialties (I decided NOT to make her famous brownies, b/c I knew I couldn't compete!).  Typically she would make/serve these covered with powdered sugar, but I figured since most of us would be wearing dark colors at her wake, this would probably not be a good idea.  With or without the powdered sugar, these are light, airy, and delicious.  We love you Grandma Betty!  

2 cups butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3 cups flour

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1½ cups crushed Potato Chips

Powdered (confectioner's) sugar (for dusting), optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer.  Add vanilla and mix.  Add flour and mix well.  Add potato chips and mix well.

Drop by teaspoonful’s onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and transfer to cooling rack.

Dust with powdered sugar and allow to cool completely.

#1,806: Cherry Angel Fluff Salad

I don't know about most of you, but lately, when I have to make/bring something to a gathering or get together, I want the easiest, fastest recipe possible.  This recipe seemed to be the perfect, "throw-together-at-the-last-minute" type of recipe that I was looking for.  Plus it has some of my favorite sweet ingredients.  Who doesn't love the sweet cherry pie filling and anything that has the 2 ingredients of mini marshmallows and frozen whipped topping certainly can't be bad right?!  Plus, I hoped the addition of "rainbow sprinkles" would be a big kid pleaser.  :)

This was really, really good and actually went over pretty well at the party.  It's sweet, so you can eat a little and feel like you are indulging in more.  I woul definitely make this again.

1 (20 ounce) can cherry pie filling

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, plus extra for garnish

1 cup miniature marshmallows, plus extra for garnish

1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (or 2 8-ounce containers)

Optional: rainbow sprinkles

  

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Gently fold in the whipped topping until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.   Garnish with additional marshmallows, coconut, and rainbow sprinkles (optional) before serving.

#1,805: Meatball Sub on a Stick

I wasn't sure how much my family would like this recipe AND I was skeptical about the meatballs cooking through and not making the dough soggy, but I was happily proven wrong on all/most counts of this recipe.  The kids loved making this recipe even though they complained through the beginning saying they "couldn't do it."  As for the actual recipe, the meatballs were pretty good, but there was WAY too much breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese that I couldn't get it all to mix in.  I actually had to dump about 1/4 of a cup of dry ingredeints out of the bowl that wouldn't mix. The kids thought the meatballs were a little spicy too but I think it's only because they got a piece or two of crushed red pepper in their bite.  If you don't like the meatballs you could easily use any meatball recipe you already have/use/like.  

1 lb lean ground turkey

½ cup Italian bread crumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp dried Oregano

1 Tbsp dried Basil

1 Tbsp dried Parsley or ¼ cup fresh chopped

½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can Pillsbury Original bread sticks

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

12 (10"-12") wooden skewers

Marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 375°.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In bowl combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Oregano, Basil, Parsley, red pepper flakes and garlic. Form into 1 inch meatballs.

Open can of bread sticks and starting with one bread stick at a time thread dough then meatball. Repeat the process with 2 more meatballs alternating dough-meatball, ending with dough. Make sure to spread dough and meatballs away from each other by about ¼", so the meatballs bake through and the dough has room to expand.

Bake for 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Remove from oven and sprinkle each skewer with 1-2 Tbsp of shredded mozzarella cheese. Place back in oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce for sipping.

#1,804: 3 Ingredient Homemade Cheese Crackers

I made these crackers for my kids.  I love that they are easy, the kids can help, and it's a healthy alternative to store bought crackers.  Unfortunately my kids enjoy processed crap and have not yet liked any minimal ingredient crackers I've tried to make.   Sadly this recipe followed along with the kids' trend of giving a thumbs down.  None of the kids liked these.  I thought they were ok...a little bland, but ok.  I certainly wouldn't turn these down, but they did.  I stuck these in the freezer and will try giving them again when we go sugar free for a week this summer.  Maybe their tastes will start to change and they will actually like them! 

1 cup whole-wheat flour
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into tablespoon size chunks (I needed about 7 tbsp to get it all to incorporate and turn into a ball)

4 oz. or 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese…the sharper the cheese the cheesier the crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine all three ingredients in a food processor and blend. The mixture will eventually turn into one big ball chasing itself around the bowl. Be patient because it can take a few minutes.

Roll the ball into a log about 1 ½” in diameter. At this point you could refrigerate the dough until later. With a sharp knife slice ¼” thick pieces off the log (pictured above) and place each one flat on an ungreased baking sheet. Try to rotate which side you are cutting down on because the top of the log does start to flatten a little. It is like your very own homemade slice and bake!

Bake for 8 - 14 minutes or until golden brown. The thicker the crackers the longer it will take.

These crackers can be stored in the freezer so double the recipe and save some for later!

#1,803: Brown Sugar Meatloaf

I ended up throwing this recipe into my oven a little late, and knew my family was too hungry to let this cook for an hour if I made it into a loaf pan.  So I got out my trusty pampered chef square brownie pan and made these mini size so they would cook faster.  I flipped these over when they were about 3/4 of the way done cooking so both sides could brown up more, which I'm glad I did, but the brown sugar/BBQ sauce that was on the bottom got a little overdone, hence the darker spots you see in the photo.  My family LOVED this.  Especially my non-meat eating 4 year old!  Seriously, we had to cut him off after asking for more 4 times.  I will definitely make this again for my crew!!

½ cup light brown sugar

½ cup BBQ sauce

1 small onion, small diced (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

2 eggs

¾ cup milk

1 cup finely crushed Ritz Cracker crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.  Lightly spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Spread the brown sugar into the bottom of the pan evenly. Top the brown sugar with the BBQ sauce. Set the pan aside.

In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and using your hands mix everything together evenly. Try not to over work the meat, which will result in a dense loaf.

Place the meat on top of the BBQ sauce and press evenly into the pan.

Bake the meatloaf for 60-70 minutes until the juices run clear or a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°F/70°C. (I baked mine at 375 degrees for about 15 min, then turned the heat up to 400 for about 15 min or so). 

Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes. Drain the excess fat and transfer the meat to a platter to serve. (Because I used ground turkey AND made these in mini form, there was no excess fat to drain off). 

#1,802: Enchilada Sloppy Joes

There were 2 things that drew me to making this recipe for my family...the limited number of ingredients, and the word "sloppy joes."  This was a super fast recipe that Allison (age 9) and I threw together one afternoon for dinner for our family.  I was shocked how much my family enjoyed this as much as they did!  Even my picky eaters happily ate this.  Although Matthew was upset that I would put "lettuce" (cilantro) in it!  Ha! 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, diced (I omitted)

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce (I used about 3/4 of a can)

½ cup cilantro, chopped (I used more like a tbsp)

1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese

4 hamburger buns

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in the ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain off any excess grease. Pour in the enchilada sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.

Turn the oven on to broil. Place the bun bottoms on a baking sheet and lightly toast. Top the buns with the meat mixture, then the cheese. Place the bun tops on the baking sheet, cut side up (to toast) and place the baking sheet in the oven. Broil just until the cheese is melted and the top of the buns are toasted.

Place the top of the buns on the mixture and serve.

#1,801: Eggless Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Yes I made this banana bread in a bundt pan.  This is what happens when you are at your mom's house and are making this at 9 pm, and realize she doesn't have a loaf pan!  Whatever! The kids were all skeptical of this weird looking "doughnut" but surprisingly they all really enjoyed it!  I personally thought the batter was a little dry, so I added a heaping spoonful of sour cream to give it a little more moisture. Although this bread was a bit dense, it was still quite good. 

⅓ cups White Sugar

⅓ cups Brown Sugar

⅓ cups Butter, Softened

2 cups All-purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

¼ teaspoons Baking Soda

¼ teaspoons Salt

1 cup Mashed Ripe Bananas (we used 2)

1 cup Chocolate Chips

1 heaping spoonful of sour cream

In a large bowl, cream sugars and butter for about 5 minutes (mixture does not get smooth). 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with bananas, beating after each addition (the batter will be thick). Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon into a greased 9-inch x 5-inch x 3-inch loaf pan (I used three 5.75 x 3 inch loaf pans). Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Summer Electronics Rules

I'm sure you've seen something similar to this list floating around facebook and pinterest.  I know that's where I first saw this idea...and loved it.  So I created a "must complete first..." summer chore list before the kids can watch tv, use an iPad, or listen to their music on their iPod/phone (old phone, only plays music and some apps).

Of course, Brian and I like to go to the gym after lunch and I personally like to take a nap, so if it's before 8 am (please let me sleep!), or between 1-3 pm, they can do whatever they want.  I hope this works...

Summer Rules

If it’s before 8 am…go ahead and watch tv or use an iPad.

If it’s after 8 am:
Did you:
Eat breakfast
Make your bed
Brush your teeth
Get dressed

Now choose 3 more things to do (without whining, arguing, or fighting with your siblings!):
Read for 20 minutes
Write or draw for 20 minutes
Play outside for 30 minutes
Complete at least 3 pages from your workbooks/summer packets (needs to get checked)
Play a game with Matthew (or each other) WITHOUT arguing
Write a letter (with drawings) to someone.  (You actually have to mail it).  It needs to be at least 8 sentences.
Clean up a room in the house (not your bedroom)
Build with legos or rainbow looms for 20 minutes
Play an educational game (i.e. IXL) for 20 minutes on the computer…if it’s available
Work on learning your new prayer
Vacuum the kitchen
Emptied upstairs garbage cans
Made mom and dad’s bed

#1,800: Whipped Chocolate and Cherry Pie

Do you know how many years ago I pinned this recipe??  FOUR!!  When I knew book club was coming up and I was looking for a recipe to make, I figured it was long over due for this recipe to be made, tried, and reviewed!  My kids watched me make this and were begging to try it, so I brought home the leftover pieces for them to try.  They raved about this recipe/pie.  Personally, I thought it was good and enjoyed it, but it wasn't the best thing I've ever eaten (I'm more of a french silk girl...the cherries (although I liked them) could have been omitted for me. LOL).  But I would definitely make this again, and I can think of a few family gatherings that this pie would probably go over well at.  

22 large marshmallows

2/3 cup milk

7 oz milk chocolate candy bar, chopped

1 container (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided

1 graham cracker crust (10 inches)

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

In a large saucepan, combine the marshmallows, milk and chocolate. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until smooth. Cool completely. (This would make a very rich, but excellent hot chocolate!!)

Fold 3/4 cup whipped topping into chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Top with pie filling and remaining whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Yield: 8 servings.

#1,799: Ricotta Stuffed Meatballs

I was not sure my family was going to enjoy these meatballs, but they LOVED them.  We enjoyed them so much we had them as meatball subs, and again a few days later with spaghetti.  These were really simple to make and I was going to cook them in the crockpot as directed, but I started them too late and still wanted to eat them for dinner.  So I threw the uncooked meatballs in a 9x13 pan, poured a jar of spaghetti sauce over it and baked at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes or so.  They were done, and my family was happy!

1½ pounds lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

½ cup plain breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

2 tablespoons milk

1½ teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 cup ricotta cheese

½ cup Parmesan cheese

½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 (29 ounce) jar pasta sauce

In a large bowl combine the beef, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, milk 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Use your hands to fully mix the seasonings with the meat. Form the meat into 1½ - 2 inch meatballs.

In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine.  Spoon the mixture into a large zip-top bag and cut off the corner of the bag.

Form a well in each meatball, careful not to push all the way through. Squeeze about a teaspoon of the cheese mixture into the meatball and pinch the meatball closed so non of the cheese is exposed.

Pour half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the meatballs on top of the sauce and top the meatballs with the remaining sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours.

If you choose to not use the slow cooker method, follow all the instructions as written, but use a 9x13 baking dish to cook the meatballs at 400°F for 30 minutes.

#1,798: Sausage Biscuit Bites

So I made these Sausage Biscuit Bites several weeks ago but didn't read the directions correctly and ended up browning/crumbling the sausage mixture and then adding on top.  They still tasted good, but it wasn't what exactly like the original recipe and I figured it was changing the taste/texture a little.  So I held off on posting this recipe until I could make it again and give it a second try.  I was super leery about adding the raw meatball on top of the biscuit, because I was afraid the grease would seep into the biscuit and get it all soggy.  So I decided to pre-cook the meatballs partially and then add to the biscuit and let it finish cooking.  I think that was a very good idea!  My family loved these little bites, and we ended up eating them for dinner.  I decided to make these larger, and used regular canned biscuits (not the grands kind) and did not cut them up at all.  So I had 10 biscuit meatball muffins instead.  I also had extra meatballs/filling leftover so I just baked those on a cookie sheet and served them on the side (I only used 1 can of biscuits for my family/dinner).  We really, really enjoyed these and I will/would definitely make these again!

2 (10 count) cans flaky biscuits (Grands Jr)

1 lb sausage (Tennessee Pride)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix uncooked sausage and cheese gently until well blended. Shape into 40 balls of equal size.

Remove biscuits from cans and separate each biscuit into two layers, making 40 total biscuit layers. Press one layer of biscuit into cup of lightly greased mini-cupcake pan. Repeat with remaining layers.

Place sausage-cheese ball in each biscuit cup. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until biscuits are browned and sausage balls are bubbly.

#1,797: Tamale meatballs

I had super high hopes for this recipe, but I had to admit, I didn't love this.  I liked it, and if you told me I had to eat it I would, but I certainly will not be voluntarily making this again.  Chloe ate one thinking it was a regular meatball (which she likes) and wasn't a fan of this either.  Not bad, just not great.  Maybe if you baked these in the oven, and not in a crockpot they would be better because they would have a little crispy/crusty coating to it.  I didn't like these enough to give them a second try. 

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1½ cups cornmeal

¾ cup tomato juice

½ cup flour

4 cloves finely chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

Sauce

5 cups tomato juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients. Form into balls the size of a golf ball. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker.

Combine the tomato juice, chili powder and salt. Pour over the tamale balls.

Cook in the slow cooker on low for about 6 hours, or until cooked through. Serve over rice.

#1,796: Italian Ground Beef Casserole with Biscuit Topping

I am ashamed to see/post/admit, that it's been a month (almost ONE MONTH) since I posted my last recipe.  My goodness, this school year, although wonderful, is really taking a toll on my blog!  :)  It's been a busy, busy couple of weeks and my blog has unfortunately had to take a back seat.  However, there is only 2 days of school left, so let's hope that helps get this blog back in action!!

I've still been making a few new recipes, but with our schedule being so crazy, we've been eating a lot of faster, old favorites instead.  But I still have a few more to post (hopefully tonight...???) that we've made and tried and just not posted.  THIS is one of those recipes.  I think I made this 3-4 weeks ago!!  So as I totally expected this got mixed reviews from my crew.  2 really enjoyed it, and 2 preferred the bread topping.  Some of my kids definitely have my aversion to meat!  We will all eat it, but it has to taste just right or we don't like it.  :) 

I would definitely make this again though (with my additional seasonings...see recipe below).  It was so simple to make and I liked that I could make the meat mixture ahead of time and then just reheat, and throw together when we were ready to make it.  I love any meals I can at least partially prep ahead of time.  

1 lb ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

salt and pepper

¾ cup water

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
I also added some garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning.  I thought it was bland without it. 

2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1½ cups frozen peas, carrots and corn (or any mixed vegetables), thawed (I omitted)

1 (16 oz) can refrigerated flaky layer biscuits

1 tablespoon butter, melted

½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, breaking up as it cooks. When it is about half-way cooked through, add the onion and continue to cook until the onion is soft and the ground beef is fully cooked. Drain, if necessary, and season to taste with salt and pepper.  This is where I also added the garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning.

Add the ¾ cup water, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spread half of the hot meat mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with ⅔ cup of the mozzarella, then spread the vegetables evenly over the cheese. Top with another ⅔ cup of mozzarella. Spread the remaining meat mixture over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Open the biscuits and split each biscuit in half lengthwise, making 16 thinner biscuits. Arrange layers of the biscuits over the top, overlapping, in 3 rows of 5 each. (You will have one half of a biscuit leftover.)

Brush the melted butter over the tops of the biscuits. Sprinkle with the oregano. Bake the casserole until golden brown, about 25 minutes.