Our Favorite Meatballs

We love the consistency and taste of PW’s meatballs.  I often make these meatballs with spaghetti but we will have to try PW’s Meatball Sliders recipe.  I think the milk is what makes the consistency amazing.  Then browning the meatballs with the onions adds a fabulous flavor. 

Recipe by the Pioneer Woman

Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 1 jar (large) Marinara Sauce

Preparation Instructions

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.  Serve with spaghetti. 

Three-Cheese Baked Pasta

recipe by Southern Living

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) package ziti pasta
• 2 (10-oz.) containers Alfredo sauce
• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preparation

• 1. Cook ziti according to package directions; drain and return to pot.
• 2. Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream; toss with ziti until evenly coated. Spoon half of ziti mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
• 3. Stir together ricotta cheese and next 3 ingredients; spread evenly over pasta mixture. Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• 4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
• Note: Ziti pasta is shaped in long, thin tubes; penne or rigatoni pasta may be substituted. For testing purposes only, we used refrigerated Buitoni Alfredo Sauce.

Note: Prepare up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, and bake as directed.

Peach Cobbler

Recipe by Taylor Steele

Ingredients

2 cans Sliced Peaches

1 can Sliced Peaches, drained

Cinnamon

Yellow Cake Mix

½ cup Butter

Brown Sugar

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place peaches in a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Pour cake mix in a separate bowl. Cut butter into cake mix. Sprinkle mixture over the peaches. Sprinkle cobbler with brown sugar.

Bake for 30 - 45 minutes until brown.

Enjoy!

Gold Medal Dessert

My Aunt Sue made this dessert years ago and I fell in love with its cool creamy texture.  I typically made this dessert in the Summer but it can be served anytime of the year. 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine pecans, flour, and butter. Press into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine milk, chocolate pudding mix, and vanilla pudding mix. Beat until thick. Pour over cream cheese layer.

Top with remaining Cool Whip.

Grate Hershey’s bar over the top of the dessert.

Gold Medal Dessert

Recipe by my Aunt Sue

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup butter, softened

 

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 (16 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed, divided

 

• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix

 

• 1 Hershey’s bar milk chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine pecans, flour, and butter. Press into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the Cool Whip. Spread on top of cooled crust.
3. In a large bowl, combine milk, chocolate pudding mix, and vanilla pudding mix. Beat until thick. Pour over cream cheese layer.
4. Top with remaining Cool Whip.
5. Grate Hershey’s bar over the top of the dessert.
6. Chill for several hours then serve.

Enjoy!

I recently found a great beef fajita marinade.   My family all agreed this was a great recipe.

Beef Fajitas Marinade

Recipe by Allrecipes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, mix together the lime juice, water, olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and liquid smoke flavoring. Stir in cayenne and black pepper.
2. Place desired meat in the marinade, and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cook as desired.

Enjoy!

I love a good pasta salad during the dog days of summer.  This creamy pasta salad with bites of fresh basil will cool you off and feel you up.  I served this recently with BLT sandwiches.  Delish!

Summer Pasta Salad

recipe by Allrecipes

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 cups rotini pasta
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water, and drain.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and garlic until well blended. Mix in basil. Add pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives; fold gently until mixed. Chill several hours or overnight. Stir gently before serving.

Enjoy!

Cool Veggie Pizza

Recipe by Pampered Chef

Did you know that I used to be a pampered chef consultant?  It was right after I married Josh and before we had kids.  I really enjoyed all their products.  There are a few of their recipes that I still use to this day. This cool veggie pizza may not sound appealing at first but I encourage you to give it a try.  Most people love it.  If there is something that doesn’t appeal to you, substitute it or remove it. 

Cool Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. package refrigerated crescent rolls
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 tsp. Dill Seasoning
• Salt & Black Pepper to taste
• 2 cups assorted fresh vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, green or red bell pepper, tomato, green onions, mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, yellow summer squash)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Unroll crescent dough on a cookie sheet.  Press seams to seal. Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely.
To prepare vegetables, coarsely chop broccoli or cauliflower. Slice cucumber, bell pepper, tomato or green onions, then dice into smaller pieces. Slice mushrooms. Grate carrot. Crinkle cut zucchini or yellow squash.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, pressed garlic and dill. Season with salt & pepper; mix well. Spread over cooled crust.
Sprinkle vegetables over cream cheese. Cut into squares and serve.
Enjoy!