Meatball Stew

I prepared this stew a few days ago using potatoes, carrots, and onion from my parents garden.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Slow-Cooked-Meatball-Stew

It was smelling so yummy within 1 hour of putting it in the slow cooker. By the time supper rolled around, I was so ready to eat it. The first time I made this (the recipe is from an old Quick Cooking issue) I followed the recipe and put a note by it -- "yum, try cream of mushroom soup next time". So this time I tried Cream of Mushroom Soup rather than the tomato soup. It was very tasty. So if you prefer a non-tomato based stew, don't be too nervous about making a substitution.

Savory Pork Roast

I've never baked a roast in the oven because I'm too scared of making it too dry. Well, I finally got brave enough to try. This recipe was awesome! I found it in an old Quick Cooking magazine. I used some of the leftovers to make the Italian Pork Hoagies that was in the same issue. So here are a couple recipes that were tasty. Paige even like the roast, especially the edges with the herbs. I had to leave while it was baking and Bryce took it out of the oven, so he did great.

1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons dried margoram
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage (which I didn't have so I used poultry seasoning)
1 boneless pork loin roast (4 pounds)

Combine the seasonings; rub over roast. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. (I put my little metal cooling rack in a glass baking dish and put the roast on that, as you can see in the picture.) Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Yield: 9-12 servings.


Italian Pork Hoagies
(The second time I made this I used sliced cheese, slightly heated the leftover pork in the microwave, and broiled the sandwiches until the cheese melted and the top bun was toasted. It was a little quicker and not as much cheese mess.)

6 hoagie buns, split
1/2 cup pizza sauce
12 slices cooked pork (1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Open hoagie buns and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce on the bottom half of each bun. Top with pork; drizzle with salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops of buns are lightly toasted. Replace bun tops. Yield: 6 servings.

Superior Meat Loaf

Hi, everyone. It's been a while since I've posted a recipe. Not that I haven't been cooking -- just busy and crazy most of the time. Have any of you tried the meat loaf recipe on the back of the Lipton onion soup & dip mix box? Well, this is it. I thought it was very tasty.

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
2 lbs ground beef
3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs (I used Italian because that is what I had the most of)
2 eggs
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Shape into loaf in 13 x 9 inch baking or roasting pan. Bake uncovered 1 hour or until done. Let stand 10 minutes. (8 servings) (I use diet lean ground beef, so I didn't have too much "fat" in the pan. I know my mom has mentioned cooking meat loaf on a rack placed in the pan so it's not soaking in its juices, so people could try that approach.)

Oven-Roasted Veggies

This is a recipe that Bryn and Bryce and I really like. It is my adaptation of the recipe on the back of the Lipton onion soup mix box. We cook it in the oven and we cook it in the dutch oven. Yummy!!

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
potatoes, washed & cut into bite size pieces
carrots, peeled & cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the potatoes and carrots in a gallon size ziploc bag. I usually cut enough to fill the bag at least 1/2 to 3/4 full. (You need room to shake everything together.) Dump in the oil (sometimes I use vegetable oil and sometimes olive oil, depending on what I have). (I actually don't usually measure the oil, so I might not even use a full 1/4 cup.) Sprinkle in the onion soup mix and garlic powder. Zip the bag shut and shake to cover the veggies with the seasoning. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and then spread the veggies on it. Bake, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender and golden brown.

Swedish Pancakes

These our my family's most favorite pancake! They are awesome and so easy and fast.

Basic Recipe:

1 C Flour
1 C Milk
1 egg

Mix and fry

My family of 6 will usually eat 4-5 batches of this, I usually melt a few tbs. of butter and pour off into batter with  some sugar/honey just before frying to make it supreme! This also greases the pan.

THESE ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!