Recipe: Teriyaki Pork Roast

A long time ago, I teased you with a peak at a recipe.  This morning, that same recipe is cooking away in my crock pot, and I thought I would finally take the time to share it with you.  It contains a couple secret ingredients.  Don't leave anything out -- and be sure to make the gravy!  It is fantastic -- and oh, so flavorful!

Turn roast fat-side UP for cooking.

Teriyaki Pork Roast

¾ c. apple juice

2 T. sugar

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. vinegar

1 tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. garlic powder

⅛ tsp. black pepper

1 lean boneless rolled loin pork roast (2-3lb.)

3 T. cold water

1½ T. cornstarch

In crockpot, mix juice, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and pepper.  Add roast, turning to coat.  Turn fat side up.  Cover & cook on low 7-8 hours or until meat is very tender.

Transfer meat to warm platter.  Cover & keep warm.

Strain cooking liquid & place in saucepan.  Skim off fat.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil.  In a small bowl, mix water & cornstarch until smooth.  Stir into boiling liquid.  Stir, bring to a boil, & boil for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

TIPS :: Sometimes, I like to shred the meat, and mix with gravy and egg noodles, making a casserole -- but you can also serve the gravy and meat up separately  (sliced or shredded) with noodles, rice, or potatoes.  Delicioso!  ENJOY!

When roast is done, remove layer of fat on top and shred (or slice) meat.

Best gravy ever!

Recipe: Chicken Fajitas (Crock Pot Friendly)

I'm nothing if not a trailblazer... said nobody... ever... about me.  I'm more of an "ahaaaa!" moment kind of girl -- and usually long after everyone else has done their ahaaaas!  I thought I'd share this particular "ahaaaa!" moment with you.

I have a recipe that our family has used for chicken fajitas forEVER.  The kids (especially) love it.  In fact, if they ask what we're having for supper and I say "chicken," they always ask, "Chicken Fajitas?"  It kind of makes me nuts because, really people?  Can we eat something besides Chicken Fajitas?

But some days, I confess, it sounds good to me too, and I WISH that I had thought to marinate the chicken earlier so that we could have fajitas for dinner.  Typically I grill the chicken [either outside, or on the George Foreman grill] and cut it in strips for the fajitas.  Depending on where the grilling fits into my day, that may mean re-heating the chicken when it's time to eat.  But wouldn't it be IDEAL if I could just pop the chicken in the crock pot and let it simmer away in the marinade all day?  Then, I could just shred it, and....  Wait!

What did I just say?  Of course: IN THE CROCK POT!! Why didn't I think of that before??

So, I challenged myself to make our favorite Chicken Fajita recipe in a new way... in the crock pot.  My plan was to use our favorite marinade recipe which only has TWO ingredients in addition to the chicken:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup lime juice

How easy is that?  Obviously, this isn't a traditional, spicy, Mexican-style kind of fajita.  Typically, we serve green pepper slices (fresh or steamed a little in the microwave), shredded cheese, salsa, and [of course] soft tortillas with these.  When my mom serves them, she often has sour cream.

Anyway, here's what I did.  I used the amount of frozen chicken breasts that would be appropriate for our family.  I trimmed off some visible fat, and put the chicken in the crock pot.  I poured the marinade over the top, and set it on low.  Initially, the marinade did not cover the chicken.  Not even close.  But, during the day, I opened the crock pot, and move the chicken around.  This helped the chicken to cook evenly, but it also allowed each piece of meat to be in the marinade.  Eventually, the chicken cooked down, and the juices got added to the marinade, creating more liquid.  When I felt the chicken was cooked, I took it out and shredded it.  I skimmed the remaining marinade for any fat, and then added the shredded chicken back into the marinade.  [Please note that it's only okay to do this since the marinade was also COOKED!]

Now, we'll see what kind of reviews this gets from the family.

The verdict is in:

• My son and daughter loved it.  My son mentioned how much more the flavors of the marinade permeated the meat when cooked this way.
• My husband still prefers his chicken grilled & sliced.
• And, as for me?  I really enjoyed it.  1).I agree with my son's comments, however, the meat definitely seemed more salty when cooked this way.  Next time, I might add some water to the marinade to dilute it a bit.  2).I really like the meat shredded rather than sliced.  3). It was the first time when I ever felt like I had my act together for a Chicken Fajita dinner!  That's huge to me.

Have you tried any "old favorites" in the crockpot lately?

Recipe: Skillet Beef Chop Suey

Once upon a time, I told you that I would share this recipe.  I thought it was time.  It is still one of my favorites, and if I have all of the ingredients, it's an easy and delicious dinner!

Skillet Beef Chop Suey (4-6 servings)

1 lb. ground round

1½ cups celery strips

1 cup green pepper strips

1 large onion, wedged (I often use dehydrated onion flakes instead.  Before cutting the other veggies, I add a small amount of water to the veggie bowl & add 1Tablespoon of onions first, to hydrate.)

1⅓ cups water

2 T. cornstarch

2 T. soy sauce

1 tsp. garlic salt

⅛ tsp. black pepper

2 cups water

2 cups Minute Rice

Brown meat in large frying pan.  Drain grease.  Add vegetables.  In a bowl, combine water, cornstarch, soy sauce, garlic salt, and black pepper.  Mix well, and pour over meat/vegetable mixture.  Bring to a boil, and then turn to simmer until sauce is thickened, and vegetables are as done as you want them.  While this mixture simmers, prepare rice per package directions.  [Obviously the quantity of rice can be changed to suit your family.]

Serve meat and vegetable mixture over rice.  I like to have the soy sauce on hand for a little extra seasoning after I've served myself.

ENJOY!

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Recipe: Baked Ham & Noodles (Casserole)

I have fond memories of eating this casserole as a kid.  It wasn't necessarily in the regular rotation of meal choices, but I enjoyed it each and everytime it DID come up in the rotation!  This is about as basic, basic, basic as it gets, folks.  It's nothing wild and crazy, or hot and zesty.  It's just simple and down-home, because you know... I grew up on a farm and all that... ummm.... NOT.  But you get the idea.  Comfort food at it's finest (and a great way to use up leftover ham!)  Maybe you'll have some of that after Easter Sunday?  Just sayin'.

LOL - don't talk to me about the irony of this happy pig-face for a pork recipe!

I know, I know... but I couldn't resist!  *wink

Baked Ham & Noodles (Casserole)

12 oz. pkg. wide egg noodles (or your favorite kind of noodle)
2 cups ground or finely chopped ham
1 small onion (I use dehydrated)
1/4 cup milk
salt & pepper
butter
breadcrumbs

Cook noodles according to package.  Place layer of noodles in buttered casserole, then a layer of ham, and sprinkle some onion, salt, and pepper.  Repeat, layer by layer until all ingredients are used, ending with a layer of noodles on top.  Pour in milk, but (depending on casserole size/depth) make sure the milk doesn't cover the top layer of noodles.

Melt a tablespoon or so of butter in a small pan, and add a handful of breadcrumbs.  Stir over low-medium heat (watching carefully) until butter is absorbed and breadcrumbs are toasty.  Sprinkle over casserole.

Bake for one hour at 350F.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blessings to you and your family this Easter weekend as we celebrate our RISEN SAVIOR!  How will you celebrate?  My own family will be together for worship on Sunday morning (there is no better worship than on Easter Sunday!), and my extended family will gather for lunch at Jill's.  Guess what she asked me to bring?  (THIS!)  Whatever your plans, enjoy the blessings of the day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Linking with:

Jennifer Rizzo for Fabulously Creative Friday

Craftberry Bush for The Inspiration Gallery

Weekend Dinner: Roasted Vegetables and Smoked Sausage

We headed out Saturday morning on our usual adventure, with a stop at the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner.  My hubby had been craving kielbasa, which was on sale -- and I have been thinking about brussel sprouts.  I didn't know how I was going to marry the two for supper, but I was determined, and picked up a few extras items to help.

I love my brussel sprouts roasted in the oven, and decided to combine them with carrots (which I already had) and small red potatoes and asparagus (which we picked up at a local Penn-Dutch market).  My hubby had originally intended to grill the sausage, but we ran out of time, and it was easier to just put it in the oven with the veggies.  See directions below...

Ingredients before roasting

1.  Preheat the oven to 450F

2.  Wash and cut up all the veggies to roughly the same size.

3.  Combine veggies in a big bowl, and sprinkle them with olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

4.  Line a baking sheet with foil, and add the veggies.

5.  Cut up about half of a [Hillshire Farms] smoked sausage [which was what my hubby decided on], and add that to the baking sheet as well.

6.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 450.  You can adjust this time based on how tender you like your veggies.  My oven takes a while to warm up (even after it beeps to tell me it's ready), so... this timing was just right for me.

Another great PLUS?  If you line the baking sheet with foil, as I mentioned, clean-up is SO EASY!  All we had to wash was our plates and utensils!

Reviews?  My hubby said I can make this again anytime.  I enjoyed it as well.  Our daughter was less sure, being a little pickier about her veggies -- but she was a good sport.

Easy prep.  Easy clean-up.  (And no leftovers!)

My kind of meal!

{Salad & Veggies}

Being Smart About Leftovers (and a semi-homemade meat-sauce recipe)

Since I'm hitting the road for a special trip in a few days, I'm trying to be smart with our recent leftovers. Though my hubby is a great cook, he isn't into the routine of preparing dinner every night.  A few nights of leftovers might come in handy while I'm gone.

Some of our dinners are delicious as leftovers.  Others, not so much.  Some are easy re-dos at home, but would never "fly" in a lunch-box.  To get the biggest bang for my buck, I try not to just "auto-pilot" our leftovers straight into the refrigerator.  Instead, I like to think about how they are likely to be used.

• Will the leftovers be used for packed lunches?  If so, take the time after dinner to divide them up into plastic containers that will fit in lunch-bags/boxes.
• Will the leftovers need to be reheated in a double-boiler?  I like chicken casseroles reheated this way, as I think the microwave tends to make reheated chicken taste like rubber.  If you will reheat this way, you might think about a larger plastic container that will hold all of the leftovers until it's time for the double-boiler.
• Will the leftovers be reheated in the microwave?  If so, you might want to transfer leftovers immediately to a microwaveable container to save having to do it later.
• Is it likely that the leftovers will be used within the next few days?  If not, consider freezing.  A great example of this for our family is spaghetti sauce*.  I have a standard sauce I make, and it's always way more than we need for one dinner, but... I've learned that nobody is likely to want it again the next day.  Rather than let it go to waste waiting in the fridge, I've learned to freeze the remaining sauce immediately after dinner.  It's always enough for a second round for our family, and I try to take advantage of it on a day when I don't have time to cook.
• Regardless of how the leftovers will be used, don't refrigerate in cooking pans.  There are two reasons for this.  The cooking pans take up more room in the fridge than stackable plastic containers -and- you will likely need those pans in a day or two.  You might as well clean them out and wash them up sooner rather than later.
• Remember the rules about freezing meat.  Never freeze raw or cooked meat twice.  I've heard that this is really more of a quality issue than a safety issue as I'd originally thought.  Either way, I'm not willing to take the chance.

What are your best leftover tips?

Since I mentioned it above, I thought I'd share the easy-peasy recipe for our family's favorite meat-sauce.  I guess it would fall into the "semi-homemade" category.  It's just the right combination of flavors and spice for us.  If you're curious about the addition of tomato paste, we like how it thickens up the sauce.

* Our Favorite Meat-Sauce for Spaghetti

1 lb. ground round

1 can  Hunts "traditional" spaghetti sauce (26.5 oz.)

1  can tomato paste (6 oz.)

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Brown ground round, and drain off the grease.  Add spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, and garlic.  Mix well, cook over medium-high heat until bubbly, and then simmer a while longer.  The longer you let it simmer, the more delicious it becomes!

Recipe ~ Chicken Squares

There's been much social media talk lately about back-to-school lunches.  'Tis the season, you know!  I talked a little HERE about our school lunch routine, and realized that I never shared the Chicken Squares recipe -- so I thought I'd share it today, in an effort to help out those of you who are brainstorming for the new school year.

3 oz. cream cheese

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (I cook my own, but you could use canned as well)

1½ dehydrated onion

2 T. milk

¼ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. pepper

8 oz. can crescent rolls

Blend cream cheese, chicken, onion, milk, salt, and pepper.  Separate crescents into four squares.  Press dough together at perforated spot, also flattening it out a bit to make the square a little larger.  Divide chicken mixture between the four squares.  Bring up the four corners, and pinch together.  Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

** I often double this recipe, allowing me to use a whole brick of cream cheese (since the mini ones can be hard to find), and to have leftovers as well!

** In Pampered Chef fashion, I often make this recipe "in the round."  To do this, I use the crescents in triangular form placing them around a round baking stone with the short side facing the inside of the stone.  I roll the dough a little thinner since there is overlap, so that it will get baked through.  Then, I spoon the chicken mixture around the entire circle, and fold over the point of the crescent, pressing to the inside of the circle.  Bake the same way.

My kids are always so happy to have these in their lunch.  They provide a delicious break from the everyday sandwich.

Again, no picture, as the timing of my post was off.  But, I did provide a little graphic so that you could PIN this recipe if it sounds like something your family would enjoy -- and I hope you will!

When Life Gives You Too Much Spinach...

... make a spinach quiche!

My kids thought I was out to get them for sure, but I just HAD to find a way to use up all of the spinach that I had purchased for a little salad bar at the graduation party.  Granted, it might not be "salad" to you, but at our house, it is the salad green of choice (mostly).  We don't have anything against other greens, but spinach seems to stay nicer longer at our house.  Therefore, it was what I chose for the party -- for better or worse.

My kids would tell you "for worse," because now I had to think of ways to use it up.  We couldn't consume it fast enough by just eating a little salad with our dinners.  I decided to cook it all down, and make a spinach quiche of some kind for dinner.  I chose a crustless "Impossible Spinach Pie" recipe that I found HERE. I changed it up just a bit by adding a few strips of leftover bacon, cooked and crumbled.  It was delicious.  I loved it.

My husband was kind (though cooked spinach is not his favorite) and was ?glad? (I think) to eat it knowing I was being thrifty and using up what we had on-hand.  The kids?  Not so much.  While we eat raw baby spinach, cooked spinach has not really been in our repertoire -- if you know what I mean.

Here's the recipe with my variations.  Of course, all credit goes to Cooks.com, and to Bisquick before them. Once upon a time, I was a card-carrying member of The Bisquick Recipe Club.  I saw a million variations of this Impossible Pie idea.  I'm sure the recipe originated with Bisquick.

Impossible Spinach-Bacon Pie

{* my variations}

10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed, chopped*, and drained

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 handful chopped green* onions

4-6 slices bacon*, cooked and crumbled (I used pre-cooked)

1½ cup milk

3 eggs

¾ cup Bisquick baking mix

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 375F.  Grease pie plate.  Mix spinach, cheese, onion, and bacon in plate.

Beat remaining ingredients until smooth.  Pour into pie plate.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool five minutes before serving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today, I'm thinking a lot about friends far and near who are experiencing hard times in one form or another, be it health issues, financial issues, kid issues -- or a combination of them all.  As I write this, I just received an e-mail from a blogging friend who said she prayed for me today.  I've never met her, but we enjoy a sweet on-line friendship, and I am ever-thankful for her friendship and yours, friends.

Life is hard, and let's be honest.  It gets harder every day.  This world is so messed up on many levels -- and you all know we could go on and on about that.  It could really drag us down if we let it.  I don't know about you, but I choose to look for the good.  I choose to find the joy.  I choose to make Spinach Quiche... when life gives me too much spinach!

Now, go forth and encourage one another.  Pray for one another!

Oh, and eat your spinach!  xo

My Top Recipes ~ A Heaping Helping of Comfort Food

If you visit here often, you know that I share recipes here on my blog.  Not often, and not regularly.  But, I do share.  Some of the recipes I share are old family favorites.  Some are new recipes that we've found via blogs or Pinterest.  Others are recipes shared by friends.

My Killer Hashbrown Casserole was a recipe originally from my husband's cousin in Minnesota.  I got the recipe via my mother-in-law who makes it for family dinners, and knows I love it.  I posted it not all that long ago, but it already comes in at #3 on my "favorite posts of all time" stats.

The next recipe-post comes in at #4, but the recipe isn't mine at all.  I found it on Pinterest.  This Pumpkin Roll was something my daughter really wanted to try.  We got the recipe from Stilettos and Diapers.  The fun part about my post is that my daughter told how SHE made the Pumpkin Roll.  It turned out NOT to be her favorite thing to eat, but I was more than willing to help her out with that! (sigh)

Another recipe that we found on Pinterest is Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups (#7) from Plain Chicken.  These ooey-gooey pizza-style crescents are a family favorite, and great for an easy dinner!

The recipe for Sweet Pepper Poppers (#8) came from a church-friend.  She made them for a lunch at her house, and I HAD to have the recipe.  They're a bit addicting for me, I confess!  They're a great colorful dish to share for the holidays -- but also a super summer appetizer.  No cooking involved!

The #9 favorite post of all time is a post called "Scavenger Hunt" -- and you might not think you'd find a recipe there, but... you will!  Towards the bottom of the post, you'll find the recipe for Pineapple Angel Dessert.  My mom shared the recipe with me, and it came from a friend of hers.  This is a decadently sweet dessert, and so light and fluffy.  It's a real treat!  You'll have to turn on the oven, but as far as ingredients, the only thing easier is to buy a pre-made cake at the store.  TWO ingredients here!

And coming in at #10 with NO PHOTO is my mom's Holiday Cheese Ball.  It's a real favorite as well, and I never seem to arrive in time to take pictures before it is consumed -- or at least destroyed.  You'll just have to trust me.  It's yummy.

Do you cook/bake a lot during the summer?  We definitely tend to keep things simpler on the cooking side, and don't do anywhere CLOSE to the baking that we do during the colder months.

This has been a crazy VBS week with my sweet hubby working a late shift.  He's at home in the morning, but my daughter and I are at VBS.  We're at home in the evening, but by the time he gets home, we're thinking about bedtime.  Our son is on an ever-changing schedule, so add that to the mix.  No dinners together this week. (sad face)  I'm looking forward to next week and a fresh start!

What have you been cooking up lately?

What are your summer specialties?

To Buy (School Lunches) or To Pack?

I know...
This post is out of season.  It probably would've been more helpful back in the fall when school started.  On the other hand, perhaps you're at the point in the school year where you're out of ideas when it comes to packing school lunches.  Maybe this will help.

Our kids came to a mature decision at the beginning of this school year.  School lunches aren't worth our hard-earned money.  Portion sizes were wonky, and some favorite items had been taken off the menu.   I was thrilled that the kids came to the conclusion to "pack" everyday on their own.  In my opinion, it's much easier to grocery shop, choosing healthy items that my family loves, than to hand over cash and not know what my kids are eating.

A few things about our family:  Yes, our kids are teens and yes, I pack their lunches.  No judgement on those of you who have your kids pack their own lunches.  This is just the way we roll around here.  I figure their job is to go to school, and right now, my job is a stay-at-home-mom... so I do the packin'.  Also -- our son did buy school lunches about once a week last year, but... he became disenchanted by the end of the year, and then by last fall, it was a no-brainer for the new school year.

Typically, I pack:

• a sandwich (or sometimes a leftover main-dish item that is delicious cold --to my kids)
• a veggie
• a fruit
• a yogurt
• a munchie or dessert item - sometimes

Some of those "eat it cold" leftovers include*:

• Pizza
• Chicken Squares (perhaps I'll share this recipe soon) 
• Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups

(*When I make these items for dinner, I've learned to make extras for lunches the next day, and my kids are always happy to have something different than just a sandwich.)

So, tonight I'm making pizza.  And though we often make our own dough, today I grabbed some pre-baked crusts at the grocery store.  Sometimes I even find these for cheap at our local grocery outlet -- a real SCORE!

I'm making full-sized pizzas for our dinner, but this time I also grabbed some personal sized crusts for tomorrow's lunches.  I'll add toppings depending on each child's favorites, bake them while we eat dinner, and when they've cooled, I'll cut them in quarters and wrap them up for tomorrow's lunches.

Tomorrow morning, I'll have all kinds of extra time since I don't have any sandwiches to make.  I might even enjoy my first cup of tea before the kids head out to the bus stop!

Oh, and while I'm at it -- let me share my recipe for homemade pizza sauce.  It's from my mom, and I've used it for years.  It's enough for one large pizza -- maybe a little more if you like your sauce on the light side.

Pizza Sauce

6 oz. can tomato paste

1/3 c. water

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Mix well to incorporate spices.  Can be frozen.

How many more weeks of school do your kids have?

A Recipe: Stuffed Peppers

I know.  This post has nothing whatsoever to do with Easter.  Well, here's the thing.  I've been wanting to share this recipe with you -- and since I just made Stuffed Peppers the other night... it was on my mind, and I actually remembered to take pictures, so... yeah.  Today's the day.

My mom used to make stuffed peppers when I was growing up.  I always enjoyed them, although it wasn't until I was older that I learned to appreciate the pepper part of the dish - LOL.

A pan full of yummy goodness!

It's only within the last couple of years that I've started making them for my family -- for no reason in particular, other than... the idea never came up.  I think it was my hubby who said, "how about stuffed peppers this week?" -- and I went to my mom for her recipe.  I've tweaked it and twisted it a little, and compared it to some other recipes, and came up with my own version.  It's become one of our go-to recipes, and I thought I'd share it with you.

For us, there are two critical points:

• that the peppers are cooked and very soft
• that the rice is not overcooked and mushy

That said, this is the recipe that works for me!

Stuffed Peppers

4 green bell peppers

1 lb. ground round

2 c. uncooked MINUTE rice

16 oz. tomato sauce*

1 ½ tsp. dehydrated onion (our preference)

1 ½ tsp. chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

* PLUS extra sauce to pour in bottom of dish -- or even just water to help steam-cook the peppers.  The size of your casserole will determine how much sauce/water to cover the bottom.  I use a 9x13 pan, and use 1-1 ½ cups of liquid in the bottom.  TIP:  If you use sauce vs. water, you can spoon it over your peppers when they come out of the oven!  (yum-O!)

1. Brown ground round and drain.
2. Prepare rice per instructions on package, but only let it sit to absorb the water for 2 minutes or so.  Drain the rest of the water.
3. Halve the bell peppers top to bottom, removing core and seeds.  
4. To a large mixing bowl, add meat, rice, 16 oz. tomato sauce, onion, chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.
5. Place *extra sauce/water in bottom of baking pan.
6. Add pepper halves, and stuff with meat mixture.
7. Cover with foil, and bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes -OR- until peppers are cooked to your liking.

Depending on the size of your peppers, you might end up with extra meat-mixture.  I freeze it, and it's ready to go for a small batch of peppers sometime!

And speaking of extras -- this recipe is more than enough for a meal for our family.  We have enough for another night -- or for several packed lunches!  My hubby and son like to take them to work for a "hot lunch."

Comfort food at it's finest!

  

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Recipe: Sausage Pilaf

This recipe is a family favorite.  It's a great recipe to make and take too, I've discovered.  I've taken it to several holiday covered-dish get-togethers, and if you have a good way to keep it hot while you travel, it gets even yummier and creamier along the way.

Sausage Pilaf

1 lb.Bob Evans "original" or "savory sage" sausage

1 T. onion flakes

1 can cream of celery soup

1¼ c. milk

½ c. raw rice

½ tsp. sage (OMIT IF you used the "savory sage" sausage)

Brown sausage and drain.  Combine with all other ingredients, and stir well to mix.  Bake in covered casserole at 350F for about 1 hour, or until rice is cooked.  Stir, scraping sides of casserole every 20 minutes, leaving cover off for last 10 minutes.)

Today, I am thankful that:
1. God will not be surprised by the outcome of this presidential election
2. God in his sovereignty, will still be in control no matter which candidate wins

Thought: Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings. ~Marianne Williamson

A Recipe ~ Meatza Pie

My mom and I got to talking about meal planning the other day.  We're ready to move into those cozy fall-winter kind of suppers.  We were trying to recall some old family favorites, and Mom remembered "Meatza Pie."  "Meatza" meaning: meatloaf + pizza.  I made it recently for dinner, and I thought I'd share the recipe with you.  Maybe it's exactly what you need for a cozy dinner while your riding out Hurricane Sandy.

Here in NEOhio, it has been raining and raining, with wind, and strong wind gusts.  School is cancelled for today (due to "uncertain weather conditions"), and we're praying that the electricity will stay on.  I know that many who have stopped by here are dealing with much more than that...  Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers!

Meatza Pie

1 lb. ground round
1 egg
1/2 c. bread crumbs
2 T. ketchup
1 tsp. garlic salt

Mix egg, bread crumbs, ketchup and garlic salt with meat.  Pat lightly on sides and bottom of a 9" pie pan.

1/3 c. tomato paste
2 T. ketchup
1 T. instant onion (or fresh if you prefer)
1/4 tsp. oregano
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese

Mix tomato paste & remaining ketchup.  Spread over meat.  Sprinkle onion, & mozzarella cheese over sauce. Crush oregano into Parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle over all.  Bake at 375F  for 30-35 minutes -- or until you're confident that the meat is done.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

TIP:  I like to let it stand tipped to one side w/ a utensil underneath... to let any grease drain to one side.  Since the meat-crust will shrink up a bit, you'll have room to spoon any grease away.

AND:  You can adapt this recipe to suit your spice or pizza-topping preferences.  Even use your favorite pizza sauce.  You get the idea.

I'm linking up with Sandi @ Rose Chintz Cottage for:

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Scripture that reminds me of God's great love for me

2. sweet bloggers who blog words of encouragement

3. the fact that we knew school was canceled last night -- so the kids could sleep in undisturbed this morning

4. our family :: at home in safety :: together

Thought: (borrowed from Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage) Remember the tea kettle - it is always up to it's neck in hot water, yet it still sings. ~Unknown

Recipe: Bacon-Cheese Dreams

Need an easy lunch or dinner?  How about a delicious open-faced sandwich?  I served these the other night with a salad, and it was such a simple dinner.  Here's what you'll need for:

Bacon-Cheese Dreams

Ingredients:

1 slice of bread for each sandwich you'd like to serve.

bacon (cooked, 1-2 slices per sandwich)

tomatoes (sliced, 2-3 slices per sandwich)

1 slice of American cheese for each sandwich

Directions:

Lightly toast the bread in toaster.

Place cooked bacon pieces on toast.

Cover with tomato slices.

Cover with slice of cheese.

Using broiler-safe pan, place sandwiches under broiler for about 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  WATCH carefully!

You can eat these with your hands, but sometimes it's easier to cut them up, and use a fork --because the sandwiches are still hot!  My mouth is watering as I write this post.  I'm thinking we're going to be making these again soon!

linking up here: 

Also at: 

Carole's Chatter

Food on Friday: Today it's Bacon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But wait!

Don't go away just yet!!  I want to tell you about a sweet giveaway going on over at Lemonade Makin' Mama.

[photo used with permission]

The goodies include:

• goat's milk soaps
• a pretty flowered bowl
• green party napkins
• organic peanut butter cups
• Branch colored pencils
• shimmery mineral eye shadows with an applicator brush

Just go to LMM to find out how to enter to win!

(A winner will be chosen by Thursday 6/28/12.)