Sweet and Sour Meatballs - the easy way

1 package frozen meatballs

1 jar chili sauce

1 jar grape jelly

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Homemade Rice-a-roni

1 cup rice
1/2 cup broken up angel hair pasta
2 T. margarine or butter

1 T. seasoning (McCormick Grill Seasonings work well for this!)

3 cups water
1 T. bouillon (chicken, beef, vegetable)
OR
3 cups broth

Melt Margarine in pan. Cook rice and pasta in margarine until it starts to turn a bit brown. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and all to sit for an additional 5 minutes.

If you are feeling really awesome you can combine the rice and broken pasta in a canister ahead of time (Example: 6 cups rices and 3 cups pasta). Then whenever you want Rice-a-Roni, just scoop of 1 1/2 cups of that mix and add in the remaining seasonings and water.

Roasted Broccoli with Cumin & Red Pepper Butter

If you don't like broccoli - try it prepared this way. This dish is so tasty, and is a great compliment to any meal.

1 head of Broccoli, chopped

3 TBSP Butter

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp ground Cumin

1/4 tsp ground Red Pepper

1/4 tsp Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. In a small skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add Salt, Cumin, Red Pepper and Sugar; cook 30 seconds. Toss butter mixture with the broccoli in a large bowl.

3. Place broccoli on the prepared baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes, stirring occassionally, until tender ad lightly browned.

Funeral Potatoes

This is a dish my mom always made growing up on holidays. I love it, and it is the ultimate comfort food.

7-8 Potatoes, boiled until very soft, cooled, peeled, and grated (Or use simply potatoes or frozen hashbrowns)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

2 TBSP melted butter

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup crushed corn flakes

1 cup parmesan cheese

2-4 TBSP melted butter

Place potatoes in a greased cake pan.

Combine soup, 2 TBSP butter, milk, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Spoon over potatoes.

Combine corn flakes, parmesan and butter. Sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus

A quick, easy and delicious side dish.

1 LB Asparagus

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 TBSP Olive Oil

3 TBSP grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place asparagus in a baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Toss lightly to coat. Roast, uncovered for 15 minutes or until tender crisp. Toss twice during cooking. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with cheese.

Cheesy Corn Muffins

My friend Sarah shared this recipe and it is so yummy! The muffins are moist and flavorful, and the recipe is so easy!

1 C milk

1 C low-fat cottage cheese

2 eggs

½ C packed cheddar cheese (about 2 oz.)

2 pkg (8.5 oz. each) corn muffin mix

1) Preheat 400. Line 18 muffin cups. Combine milk, cottage cheese and eggs in large bowl. Use an electric mixer to blend on medium speed 1-2 min.

2) Stir in cheddar cheese, then stir in muffin mix just until blended. Don’t over mix

3) Bake 13-15 min. or til light brown and clean toothpick

Mexican Rice

1 c. rice
1 Tbs. Butter
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 roma tomato diced
3 c. water
1 cube of Caldo de Tomate (found in the Mexican isle of your grocery store)

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Add rice and garlic and stir until rice starts to turn a golden brown. Add tomatoes and stir. Add water and caldo de tomate. Cook until all the water is dissolved. If rice is not cooked all the way, you may need to add more water. Stir and enjoy!

Lemon Spaghetti

This recipe comes to you from "The Mozzarella Lady", aka as Giada De Laurentiis.  I love her.  My husband loves her too, but not for the same reasons. ;)  And we all love the way she says mozzarella, right?  I've had her cookbook sitting in my pantry for 3 years now and have never made a single dish, until just the other night.

This dish was super simple & tasted wonderful with a side of sliced Roma tomatoes (for you tomato lovers out there).  I will say this though...I think it would taste so much better as a side dish rather than a main dish, which is why you'll see it listed in both categories. Oh, and I might add the that the left overs served cold, right out of the fridge were quite delicious as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Cafe Rio Rice

Ingredients: 3 c. minute rice 4 tsp. chicken boullion 1/2 bunch cilantro 3/4 tsp. salt 1/2 onion chopped 1 can green chilies 1 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

Blend cilantro, chilies, and onion until smooth. Bring water (amount given on box for rice) to a boil. Add blended mixture and other ingredients; mix. Cook on low 30 minutes.

Grilled Asparagus

1 bundle of Asparagus, ends trimmed

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Clove Garlic, minced

Generous pinch of Kosher Salt

Toss all ingredients together. Grill on a pre-heated grill for about 10 minutes, or until tender.

Low Carb Chicken & Strawberry Salad

I found this in my Betty Crocker Low-Carb Lifestyle Cookbook. One of my favs. This salad is super tasty!

Dressing:
3 TBS Apple Juice
2 TBS strawberry jam
2 TBS balsamic vinegar

Salad:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast halves
8 cups bite size spinach leaves
1 cup strawberries cut in half
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (I prefer mozzarella instead)
2 TBS finely chopped walnuts

In small bowl, mix all dressing ingredients until blended; set aside.

Cook chicken in skillet 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken to cutting board.

Add dressing to skillet; stir to loosen any pan drippings.

Cut chicken into slices. Among 4 plates, divide spinach. Top with chicken, strawberries and cheese. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Easter Morning Pull Aparts

These are Deeelish!

Ingredients

1/2 PKG Butterscotch Pudding Mix (Non-Instant)

pinch Cinnamon

16 Frozen Rhodes Rolls

3/4 Stick Butter

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Grease all sides of Bundt Pan

1. Mix together:

1/s PKG (Non-Instant) Butterscotch Pudding Mix

pinch Cinnamon

2. Place 16 Rhodes Frozen Rolls in pan and sprkinle with pudding mixture.

3. Melt 3/4 Stick Butter and stir in 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar. Mix until combines and smooth. Pour over the top of rolls

4. Cover with Foil and let rise overnight. (6-7 Hours)

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn over on a plate and enjoy!

Best Baked Beans

4 cans of Pork & Beans
8 slices smoked bacon, cut into pieces
1/2 large green pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/8 cup mustard

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a baking dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and cook in the oven for 2 hours.  Stir, reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, or until desired consistency of baked beans is done.

*This can be prepared in a crock pot all day if desired. 

Jalapeno Cheese Ball

8 oz cream cheese
3 Jalapeno peppers, chopped VERY fine
1/4 onion OR 1 tsp chopped onion
1 tsp finely chopped pimento
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
finely chopped pecans

Mix together all but pecans and chill 1 hour. Form into ball and roll over the pecans

Cookie Salad

In honor of BBQ season I thought it would be fun to share a fun side salad we love. If you've never had this it's really addicting!

2 packages Instant Vanilla Pudding (3.4 oz pckg)
2 cups Buttermilk
12 oz Cool Whip
2 cans Fruit Cocktail (drained)
1/2 package of Fudge Striped Cookies

In a large bowl, mix together the pudding mix and the buttermilk. Fold in the whipped topping. Mix in the fruit cocktail. Chill until ready to serve. Crush cookies and mix in just before serving.

Three Cheese Macaroni

Oh. My. Gosh. This is such an indulgent dish...but I promise there won't be any leftovers!


Makes 8-10 Side Dish Servings

Ingredients:
12 oz Penne Pasta
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1/4 Cup Butter
1/2 tsp Ground White Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
8 oz American Cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded (2 cups)
2 oz Mozzarella, shredded (1/2 Cup)
20 Ritz Crackers, crushed

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. In a large pot cook pasta according to directions, drain and return to pot.

2. Add milk, butter, pepper, and salt. Stir in Cheeses. Transfer to a greased 2 quart casserole dish.

3. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Carefully stir mixture. Sprinkle with crushed crackers and bake 5 more minutes or until crackers are browned and mixture is heated through. (Don't overcook or mixture will curdle) Let stand 10 minutes before serving.