Just Perfect Sloppy Joes

Love slow cookers on work days. I assembled everything the night before and put it in the fridge. In the morning all I had to do was put it in the slow cooker, turn it on low and head out the door. I came home from work to a hot and ready meal. Perfect. This recipe is also great to freeze the leftovers for a quick meal later in the month.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Farmhouse Favorites.
Ingredients
3 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
28 oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup catsup
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
8 sandwich buns, split
Directions
Combine all ingredients except buns in a slow cooker. cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high setting for 3 to 4 hours. Serve in sandwich buns. Serves 8.

Hamburger Noodle Casserole

Casseroles make for quick and easy dinners for busy work days. I threw this one together in a matter of minutes. Tossed in some broccoli hoping my finicky eater would whine less. Didn’t work for her but the rest of us loved it. Yummers!

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Cozy Casseroles.
Ingredients
16 oz pkg wide egg noodles, uncooked
1-3/4 lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
26 oz can cream of mushroom soup
12 oz pkg shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; set aside. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, brown beef with onion, green pepper, salt and pepper; drain. combine beef mixture, noodles and soup. Pour into a greased 13” x 9” baking pan; top with cheese. Bake, uncovered at 325 ⁰F for 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serves 6 to 8.

Parmesan Meatballs

Springing forward is such a horrible mean thing to do to a person. Today was a long, tough day. I found it hard to focus and concentrate on my work. Time to make some comfort food. These meatballs over pasta were a perfect ending to a crazy day. My family enjoyed them and we are a picky meatball family. I however am on a strict diet and didn't get to enjoy them. Oh they smelled scrumptious.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for the cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--
Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Meals in Minutes 10th Anniversary Edition.
Ingredients
1 to 1-1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp dried, minced onion
1 egg
1 cup milk, divided
2 to 4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
10-1/2 oz can beef broth
1/2 cup dry white wine or beef broth
Directions
In a large bowl, mix beef, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, onion, egg and 1/2 cup milk; shape into 1-1/2" or 2" balls. Sauté in butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat; remove meatballs to a platter when browned. Decrease heat to low; whisk flour into drippings in skillet. Increase heat to medium and gradually whisk in remaining milk, broth and wine or broth; bring to a boil until mixture thickens, stirring often. Return meatballs to skillet; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
 

Gourmet Beef Noodle Casserole

I think spring may finally be here, it was absolutely beautiful out. Windows were open, music was blasting and house cleaning didn’t quite seem like a chore. Once the kiddos were home it wasn’t long before they were outside. Love it! Dinner was easy too. I love fix it and forget it casseroles. We only ate about half so I’m happy to have leftovers for later this week.

Recipe from … Gooseberry Patch Best-Ever Casseroles
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Ingredients
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup burgundy wine or beef broth
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup onion, chopped
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 oz wide egg noodles, cooked
Directions
Brown ground beef in a skillet; drain. Add tomatoes, sauce, green pepper, mushrooms, garlic, salt, sugar and wine or broth; cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream, onion and one cup Cheddar cheese; set aside. In an ungreased 13"x9" baking pan, layer half the beef mixture, half the noodles and half the cheese mixture; repeat layers. Top with remaining Cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 ⁰F for 40 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Meatball Hoagies

Over the weekend Christopher talked Abby into giving Subway a try. I laughed. She doesn’t eat lunchmeat, cheese or veggies and she was making faces as he listed all her choices. Then he mentioned meatballs and cookies. Sold! She is now a meatball hoagie junkie and requested them for dinner.

I really have no recipe to share as these are way too easy to make. I started with my basic Italian meatball recipe and made some homemade spaghetti sauce. Assembled them on soft steak rolls with some provolone cheese on the bottom and sprinkled parmesan on top. Definitely adding these to my quick go to meal list.

Slow Cooker Beef Roast

This is one of those days when I wonder why I even bother. Christopher was activated for state emergency. Dumb old winter weather. So that meant a 3 pound roast for the kiddos and I. If you're hungry stop by our house, there are tons of leftovers. Ugh. My kids just don't eat much at all. Is that a girl thing?
My snow day was no different than every other day except I added shoveling to my list of chores. I hate shoveling. Every deployment I tell myself when he gets back I won't shovel or take out the trash. I look forward to not doing these things and yet here I am. He just doesn't seem to be here when the trash needs to go out or when the snow is done falling. It's such perfect timing that it's become a joke between us. I really need to get better at my timing.

Recipe from a friend or two.
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Ingredients
3 lb beef roast
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 oz) packet dried onion soup mix
1/2 cup beef broth
Directions
Mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and beef broth. Place roast in a slow cooker. Pour soup mixture over roast. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce

There is a town close by that has this little dive of a diner called "Coney Island". My dad loves their hot dogs and recently I found out Christopher does too. I started my search for the secret recipe. After looking all across the internet I found the perfect version right in my kitchen. Duh! I was surprised to find it in one of my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. Christopher said they were perfect.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Taste of Autumn.
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Ingredients
1 lb ground beef, browned
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp dried cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp onion, diced
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 cups water
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a skillet. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced to sauce consistency. Makes enough sauce for 6 to 12 hot dogs.

Shephards Pie

Brrr Baby! Despite the unbearable cold temps I kicked some serious household chores' butt today. I started the day with grocery shopping even though it was so cold out my tire pressure light was on the entire time. Yikes. I still drove the car but lets not tell Christopher. Once home in my slightly warm house I really got to work. The bathrooms are all cleaned from top to bottom, bedrooms vacuumed, beds all changed, laundry is washed and folded, dogs bathed and I even jumped on the treadmill. If only I motivated like this everyday. Dare to dream. By the the time Christopher came home dinner was on the table and the kitchen was cleaned up. I'm officially done for the night. Yeah! I even ate healthy today which I think calls for a reward. Like a foot massage.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Homestyle Family Favorites.
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Ingredients
4 to 5 potatoes, peeled & boiled
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb ground beef
1 tomato, chopped
6 mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup brown gravy
1 (10 oz) package frozen peas, thawed
Directions
Mash potatoes, butter, milk, salt and pepper together; set aside. Brown beef in a skillet over medium-high heat; drain. Add tomato, mushrooms, parsley, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and gravy; mix well. Add peas and simmer 5 minutes; pour into ungreased 13” x 9” baking pan. Spread mashed potatoes over top; bake, uncovered, at 400 ⁰F for 40 minutes.

Hamburg Roll

I was going to take it easy today and ease back into my routine. I'm feeling good with only a slight sore throat and I get tired too quick. Today's goals were to do the grocery shopping, take care of the pups and nap. I did everything but nap. Oy. What is wrong with me? I'm so exhausted now and once I post this I'm heading off to the couch. There will be a "do not disturb" sign around my neck. I did do the grocery shopping, then cleaned off the front porch, put new lights in the swag above the door, cleaned the carpets, mopped the kitchen floor and when needed ran the dogs in and out since neither of them can do stairs. I can't wait till Scruffy can do stairs. Once I sat down for dinner I didn't think I could get back up. Christopher reminded me that I was suppose to be relaxing today. But the house looks and smells amazing. I love my family but boy I must of raised them in a barn. I didn't cook, clean or do laundry since last Monday and you could tell. Doesn't anyone see these messes around here. So now the house is back in order, the family is fed, the kitchen is cleaned and I am "off duty".

Recipe from American Legion Auxiliary Cookbook.
Ingredients
2 lbs hamburger
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup crushed saltines
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
dash or pepper
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup extra sharp cheese, shredded
4 tbsp chopped green pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix hamburger, eggs, milk, saltines, onions, salt and pepper together. Pat flat on large wax paper to form square. Mix rice, cheese and peppers together. put evenly on top of beef and roll like a jelly roll. Bake 40 to 50 minutes.

Lasagna Soup

I made a silly faux pa with tonight's chicken dish. You will hear all about it tomorrow. It gave my friend, Trudy a chuckle. I'm sure she was shaking her head at me. So I have switched dinners and will attempt to remake the chicken tomorrow night. Stay tuned.
I never even heard of lasagna soup until my friend Paula over at "Queen of my Castle" brought it to my attention. The recipe is from Paula Deen and the actually name is "Tastes Like Lasagna Soup". The name says it all. It taste exactly like lasagna. I started by baking a French baguette. Sorry Paula but I had to make it, I forgot to buy one. This soups makes for any easy meal and my only suggestion is if you made it at all ahead of time don't add the Parmesan cheese until prior to serving. I did sprinkle the soup with the mozzarella and then placed it under the broiler. Totaling fooling my family into thinking I slaved all day in the kitchen.

Ingredients
1 lb ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
1 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1 box (32 oz) chicken broth
2 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups broken lasagna noodles
1 package (5 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic Crostini, recipe follows
Garlic Crostini
1 thin French baguette
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.
Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 oven proof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Add a garlic crostini slice on top. Serve immediately.
For the garlic crostini
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F.
Cut bread into 1/4-inch round slices. Place on baking sheet and brush each slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; place in oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each side with smashed garlic cloves.

Italian Beef Hoagies

Cold weather + slow cooker = warm and cozy home.
Sometimes I wonder where my brain is. I had a doctors appointment scheduled for late in the day. Apparently it slipped my mind that I have children who come home after school. What was I thinking? I hate not being there when they get home. I decided to make a slow cooker meal for dinner so I didn't have to rush around once I returned home. Then schedule change, Christopher wouldn't be home for dinner. *grrr* I hate that. The girls and I ate dinner and there is so much left over. Thank goodness this was so yummy, I don't think anyone will mind having it tomorrow night.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Slow Cookers, Casseroles & Skillets.
Ingredients
3 to 4 lb beef chuck roast
2 .6 oz pkgs zesty Italian salad dressing mix
2 C water
24 oz jar pepperoncinis, drained and liquid reserved
15-18 hoagie rolls, toasted and split
Garnish: shredded provolone cheese
Directions
Slice roast across the grain into 4 pieces and trim any fat. Place in bottom of a slow cooker. Mix together dressing mix and water; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, until tender; use forks to shred beef in slow cooker. Slice pepperoncinis into rings and add to slow cooker along with reserved liquid from jar. Cover and cook for a few more minutes, until heated through. Serve beef on toasted rolls, topped with cheese. Serves 15 to 18.

Cheeseburger Soup

Yeah for no school!
The girls' holiday vacation started today and they are now home till December 1st. I had them help do the Thanksgiving grocery shopping and they unloaded the car for me. Without fighting. Love that. It was just suppose to be us girls for dinner tonight but Christopher surprised us and came home early from bear camp. Yeah! I don't feel like I see him much at all. He had plans to take me out but I already had dinner ready to go. It was a yummy too. Another winner for even the finickiest eater at the table.

Recipe from my kitchen drawer.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
4 tbsp butter
4 cups beef broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Velveta cheese
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
Directions
In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir beef, onion and garlic, until beef is brown. Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Ranch Beef & Noodle Skillet

It's the little things in life that make my day. Like a sale on baby portabella mushrooms! They were perfect in tonight's dinner. I made sure to sit next to Abby so I could steal her's off her plate. Silly kid doesn't know what she's missing. After dinner we were cleaning up the kitchen when Christopher decided to get a glass of water. He took a sip and then gave me a look. I knew exactly what he was thinking and before I could warn him to behave I was wet! First there was dead silence and then the girls started laughing. Now the kitchen is my playground and you don't mess with me on my turf. I spun around, turned on the faucet and grabbed the hose. Soaked him! The kiddos loved it!

Recipe from Hidden Valley Ranch.
Download "Ranch Beef & Noodle Skillet"
Ingredients
1 package (12 ounces) wide egg noodles, dry
1 packet (1 ounce) Hidden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 pound freshly sliced mushrooms
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sliced green onions (optional)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions and drain. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, and seasoning mix and stir until smooth. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet. Add the beef and cook stirring to break up the meat until nicely browned. Drain the beef. Add the mushrooms back to the skillet. Add the noodles,sour cream mixture, and cheese to the skillet and stir until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Rib Eye Steak With Whiskey Cream Sauce

O...M...G!
I heard about this recipe over on Paula's blog "Queen of my Castle". She said, "Oh My GOODNESS this is delicious. I seriously want to lick the pan when I make this sauce." She wasn't kidding. Words can not even begin to describe how delicious and mouth watering this recipe is. I am not exaggerating when I say you need to cancel whatever dinner plans you have for tomorrow night and make this instead. The sauce was so amazing! I was worried that I would taste test it too much and have to make a second batch before the steaks were done. Oh Pioneer Women how I love thee.

Recipe found in The Pioneer Women Cooks.
Ingredients
5 tbsp butter
3 tbsp diced onion
1/4 cup whiskey or beef broth
1/4 cup beef stock or broth
dash of salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup light cream
2 rib-eye steaks
Directions
Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add onion and cook until brown, about 4 minutes. When brown, turn off the burner temporarily and pour in the whiskey or 1/4 cup beef broth. As soon as the whiskey evaporates, turn the burner on medium and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup beef broth. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Whisk in another tablespoon of butter. Allow the mixture to bubble for 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to low. Over low heat, pour in the cream. Whisk, adding more cream if the mixture looks too brothy. Allow to simmer on very low heat while you prepare the steaks. Stir occasionally.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Generously salt and pepper the steak on both sides, then add it to the hot skillet.
For medium rare, cook for 2 mintues on each side of a thin steak or 3-4 mintues on each side of a thick steak. Place the steak on a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the other steak. You can cook both steaks at the same time if you prefer and your skillet is large enough.
Spoon the sauce over the steak!

Sage Pork Chops

Comfort food after a long day.
Carpets are shampooed. Grocery shopping is done. Halloween costume #1 is cut out and about half way done. Have I mentioned how much I don't like Halloween? Laundry is done. More resumes sent out. House is vacuumed and cleaned. Since it was Wednesday and Christopher wouldn't be home I decided to have dinner early and get the kitchen cleaned up. I fed the girls at 5:00p and by 5:30p I was cleaning off the table. Then Christopher walks in the door. He's confused because we didn't wait for him for diner and I'm confused because I wasn't expecting him home. That's when I realized it was actually Tuesday. Duh!
The pork chops were good but way too salty for me. I don't normally cook or bake with salt and this recipe called for one teaspoon. I was going to cut it in half but at the last moment decided to stick with the original amount. Wrong call.

Recipe found at All Recipes.
Ingredients
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp ground black pepper
6 center cut bone-in pork chops
2 tbsp butter
1 cup beef broth
Directions
Combine the salt, sage and black pepper in a small bowl and rub on both sides of the chops. Melt the butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute the chops for 5 minutes per side, or until well browned. Add beef broth to the chops, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer chops for 45 minutes.

Meatloaf

TADA! How do you like my new graphic? I was looking for a way to label recipes that were a hit with my family. It's so rare that I make a dinner that pleases everyone. I get so excited when it happens. Tonight was a child friendly meal. Christopher once again was not home and I had no leftovers. Grilled cheese meatloaf sandwiches to the rescue. After trying a new meatloaf recipe that was not a hit, I was warned not to mess with the classics. I made my basic plain Jane meatloaf, sliced it up and used it within a grilled cheese. I made it in the morning and shampooed the carpets while it baked. Dinner was quick, easy and mess free.

Recipe found in my recipe drawer.
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 cup apple juice
1/2 tsp dried sage leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs
3 slices bread, torn into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup ketchup, chili sauce or barbecue sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients except ketchup. Spread mixture in ungreased loaf pan or shape into 9x5-inch loaf in ungreased rectangular pan. Spread ketchup over top. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in center of loaf. Bake uncovered 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 160 °F.

Italian Wedding Soup

Delizioso!
Dinner was a hit across the board. Haillie loves Italian wedding soup and she is the reason I finally made some. Abby loved the tiny baby meatballs. Make Abby's food cute and she will eat it. I didn't have endive so I replaced it with baby spinach. For my finicky eater I finely chopped the baby spinach and said it was seasons, like parsley. I know, I am a horrible mom but if Abby would of known it was spinach she would of spent all evening trying to pick it out. I made my meatballs smaller than the recipe called for. Using a teaspoon of meat per ball. I know some recipes suggest baking your meatballs to give them some color and reduce the grease in the soup. That is just not the way it's suppose to be done, it messes up the texture. The meatballs are meant to be boiled just use extra lean ground beef.

Recipe found at
Ingredients
Meatballs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tbsp dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
Soup
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
2 cups thinly sliced endive (I used baby spinach)
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Directions
To make the meatballs: Stir the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the beef and pork, then shape into 3/4 inch balls. Place on baking sheet and set aside.
To make the soup: Bring the broths to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile fill a saucepan with water and bring to boil. Add orzo to water and cook till al dente, about 10 minutes. When orzo is done, drain and add to soup. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Sprinkle soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

This has got to be one of the cutest dinners we have had in awhile. Christopher wasn't home tonight so I was going to have a fend for yourself sort of night. We have more than enough leftover in the fridge. But Abby really wanted to have the minis tonight. She is so finicky and picky with food that if she shows the slightest interest I jump on it. I think she even ate more than me. These would be perfect for Sunday night football. 

Recipe found at Pioneer Women.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup panko
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 jar (large) marinara sauce
12 dinner rolls
4 slices provolone cheese, cut into four wedges each
Directions
Mix meat with panko, 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 with the sauce onto the bottom bun; top with the top bun.

Beef Stew

A big bowl of beef stew on a dreary rainy day was good. Having everyone around the table eating without a complaint was perfect. *sigh* Of course being that I have a smart ass family the topic of goulash came up and how I'm am forbidden from ever making it again. Goobers! But they are my goobers and I love them. I actually made this the day before in my insane cooking spree. Tossed it in a pot, added a little water and reheated it on the stove. Easy.

Recipe found in my drawer.
Ingredients
2 lbs cubed beef stew meat
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp all purpose flour
3 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
3 cups water
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water
Directions
In a large pot or dutch oven, cook beef in oil over medium heat until brown. Dissolve bouillon in water and pour into pot. Stir in rosemary, parsley and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
Stir potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into the pot. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer 1 hour more.

Amazing Meatloaf

My family has renamed this recipe "No So" Amazing Meatloaf. Sadly, I have to agree with them. It was way too sweet for us and I even cut back the brown sugar to a fourth cup. *ick* I ended up throwing it away which now has me in a pickle for leftovers. They ganged up on me and decided that I am not aloud to mess with recipes of food they already love. I promise to never, ever, ever again change, mess with or try another meatloaf recipe and only serve my ever so loving family my original version. Cross my heart.

Recipe found in Gooseberry Patch Cozy Country Christmas.

Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1-1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1-1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Mix all ingredients; spread in a lightly greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Bake, uncovered for about 1-1/2 hours.