Meatloaf Schmeatloaf, I LOVE this meatloaf!

Last night Beth and Kevin and the girls came out for dinner and to hang out and we had a great time with such wonderful down home food. We had meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy and canned corn topped off with a from scratch chocolate cake Beth and Kevin brought. Even though we live just 25 min away from each other we hadn't seen each other since the beginning of December. The girls just love coming over and playing with Katelynn and Katelynn is beginning to love the interaction too. Tara was doing a great job of teaching Katelynn how to crawl, which I have a video of but the camera battery is dead. So, it will have to wait.

Back to the meatloaf. So, for the past eight years Ben and I have been looking for a good recipe for meatloaf and I think that we have found it. Others have just been not so good. This is Paula Deen's Basic Meatloaf. There is even a video. Beth wanted the recipe so I thought I would share it here too just in case someone was in the same predicament we all were in with not so good meatloaves.


Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
Minced Garlic (whatever you like)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats or old fashioned

Topping:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.

Topping:
Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf.

Bake for 1 hour. Meat Thermometer to 160 degrees F.

I hope that you all try it and enjoy it. It really is good.

Thanks Beth and Kevin!!

For weeks and maybe even months on end we have been raiding Beth and Kevin's house every Sunday and eating dinner with them. They are always so gracious to us and feed us great food, well, the hot dogs may not have been "great" food but it was still food. This Sunday was no exception we invited ourselves over, we always ask first, and had some Vegetarian Linguine. It was so good. So, I called over for the recipe yesterday and we had it again and since I need to get the recipe written down I will share it with you too. It is SUPER easy and I even ate all of the vegetables, that is a shocker since I don't easy many vegetables.


Vegetarian Linguine

6 oz Linguine Pasta*
2 Med Zucchini Thinly sliced
2 Green Onions chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 tbsp butter
Olive Oil*
1 tomato diced
2 tsp fresh Basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 oz provolone cheese shredded*
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese*

Cook Pasta according to package directions. Combine zucchini, green onion, garlic, butter and oliveoil in large skillet. Saute 3-5 minutes. Add tomato, basil, salt, pepper and pasta. Cover and simmer 3-5 minutes. Add cheeses and serve.

* I used half a box of linguine coated with olive oil and had that bowl of leftovers. I used about 3 or 4 tbsp olive oil to coat the vegetables well. I also used the shredded italian cheese blend. The cheese adds allot of flavor to the pasta so don't forget it. If you want meat with it I had some precooked and cut up chicken wedges added to my plate.

Hope you like it and thanks Beth for the recipe.

Anna

P.S. Katelynn now weighs 10lbs and 11oz and 22.5 inches

This is worth blogging about!!!

Disclaimer: Becca you will not appreciate this post, sorry ;)

Every year when spring comes I start watching and looking and waiting for STRAWBERRIES!! The thing is the strawberries in the store are not what I am looking for. Neither are the strawberries that are on the corner being sold in printed boxes. I am waiting for the ones that are in the shack type stands where the patch is right behind where you buy them, in the cardboard boxes with green baskets. Oh, those are the ones I am talking about. They are HUGE and SSSOOOO red and ripe. They are so delicious. And so when the strawberries come that means Home Made Strawberry Pie.


Here's what you need
1 Deep dish premade Pie Crust
4 baskets of strawberries (you probably will only 3 but the 4th is good for taste testing LOL)
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp Cornstarch

Cook pie crust according to package directions for a crisp crust 10-15 min then cool. While that is baking prepare strawberries. 1 cup mashed strawberries and then fill pie crust with bite size pieces just level. Cook mashed strawberries and water in small pot for 2 min. Mix cornstarch and sugar well add to pot. Mix and dissolve sugar. Continue mixing until it thickens to a jelly state. It will start turning darker and jelling around the pot. When it doesn't run pour over pie. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

My mom made this pie every summer while growing up and it is so yummy. Ben loves when he sees it in the refrigerator.

To do List

I have to do some things today and this is one of them. I think it has already been a good day. Last night I decided that I want to make Tina's Sticky Buns for breakfast and what is so wonderful about them is you can get them ready the night before and I also learned about my ovens delay timer. I had been wanting to use it but I didn't want to delay something and then we miss dinner or something totally throws off the schedule. Anyways I got them ready last night and set the oven and hoped that everything would work in the morning. And guess what It DID!!! Here is the recipe for all of your viewing pleasure too

Tina's Sticky Buns
10-15 Frozen Dinner Rolls
1 lg package Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 stick butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
chopped Nuts of your choosing(optional)

Place Frozen Dinner rolls in Bundt Pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle rolls with package of pudding and nuts. Combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in small sauce pan and melt together. Pour over rolls. Turn rolls to cover with sauce. Let rise overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden. Let cool for 5 min. Ease rolls from pan sides. Flip onto large plate. Enjoy!

Pre-Flip


Post-Flip


I used 14 rolls and only have about 4 left between Ben and I, which they won't last long. They are starring me down as we speak.

What I need/want/have done today

Need
1. Pick up Ben's Suit from cleaners after 2pm and before 5
2. Pick up meat for dinner tomorrow
3. Vacuum
4. Take out trash

Want
1. Put away Canning supplies in Tupperware, put in attic
2. Build Katelynn's Closet stuff (will show pics when done)
3. Scrapbook
4. Start Katelynn's Quilt

Done
1. Dishes
2. Laundry (well...it still needs to be put away)
3. Blog
4. Bills
5. Web Surfing

I thought there were other things on my list but I can't quite remember them, I am sure I will fix that problem once I start doing everything else.

So, I better get going. I will type at you all later.

Anna

Stuff

Things are going very well here. Max and Jesse had their Birthday Party I think they had fun. There was ALOT of squeals of excitement and balloon popping. What else could you expect from three year olds. Sarah did a great job with having things for the kids to do, if they wanted. She also made a Mr. Potato Head for for pin the ear and nose on Mr. Potato Head. There was Lunch, Cupcakes, a try at the Potato game, presents and then Max and Jesse were finished with the party. They wanted to go home. They didn't cry or anything they just stated the fact that they wanted to go home. Here are some pics of the day.

Jess was aiming a little low to blow out the candle so Dad had to help him out a little.


Max blowing out the candles.


The Potato head


Presents

Sunday I made this. I know it might not look the greatest but it is pretty much Meatloaf Meatballs. In the recipe book it is called Porcupine Meatballs, I don't know why, maybe it is a little spiky.

Porcupine Meatballs by Jennifer Dzialonski


3/4 lb Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 Cup milk
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 medium onion chopped
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk

Combine meat, 1 cup milk, rice, onion, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Shape with an ice cream scoop and place in slow cooker. Mix soup and 1/2 cup milk. pour over meat balls. Cover cook on low for 5 hours.

My notes: Make some separate gravy if you like it more saucy. I like how you don't have to cook anything before cooking. We made baked potatoes for a side dish.

It has been a few weeks so I had Ben take another pic of me.


I think the camera added ten lbs. I really don't think I look that big. I am 17 weeks here.

In shopping news, everyone here knows I am tall, right? It has been horrendously difficult to find pants that are long enough. I don't want to buy pants that I am not going to wear. I think I have tried on every pair that Destination Maternity has to offer, I am not about to spend $200 on a pair of jeans either. After weeks of looking in stores and on the internet, I remembered ebay. I checked them out and found some pants. I am so freaking happy. Having one pair of jeans was not so cool. Sarah and beth may be sick of seeing me in them already and I still have months to go. I was also able to find myself a new christmas scrub top for work in a store today so it is being dried as we speak so I can wear it tomorrow. I will talk to you all later.

Anna

P.S. 10 more days till we find out. WOO-HOO!!

"One of those people..."

...as Becca called it. I have decided that I was to have some organization to my recipes that I like and so you shall be seeing some of my favorite recipes as I find them. I say find them because I make something that Ben and I like and then the next time I want to make it I can't find it. I can't remember if it is in the Betty Crocker, the magazine, or the brown book and the list goes on. I think that I have made four different types of Sloppy Joes and whenever I make sloppy joes Ben always asks which one it is that I made. This is why I am going to be "one of those people" and post my recipes here and so hopefully I will be able to find them!! As I make them I will try and take a pic and post the finished product, don't you hate making something and you have no Idea what it is supposed to look like in the end, and then when I make something it NEVER turns out like the book picture. So, here are my recipes with pictures from a real kitchen. Oh and my favorite, when you go out to eat and the plate NEVER looks like the pic on the menu. Then one we get is usually limp and ugly looking. Anyways...

To start this off I have my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe. We would always make these as kids and I LOVE them. They are a thicker type of cookie, meaning you need something to wash it down with.

Kiss Thumbprints


1 cup sugar
2 cups butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
42 chocolate kisses

In large bowl, beat sugar, margarine, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy. Add flour and baking powder, stir until mixture forms a smooth dough. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. With thumb, make imprint in center of each cookie. Bake at 350 for 11 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned around edge and set. Place chocolate kiss candy in center of each cookie. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool completely. 3 1/2dozen.

My notes:
You want to put the kiss on the cookie when it is warm so it melts a little and sticks to the cookie. I also like to put them in the freezer and eat them cold.

In other news and events I am heading off to Max and Jesse's Birthday Party and will report on that later. We also have less than two weeks until we find out what we are having. So far this pregnancy thing has been going by very nicely, time wise. I am not looking forward to the last four weeks though when I am off of work and just waiting for the kid to get here. Hey, did you know that most babies in the world are born happy and healthy? I guess working in a NICU gives me such a warped view point. I always have to remind myself that the population I see is very small in the whole scheme of live births. It is getting more and more exciting though, five months and this little one will be here.

I also ordered a diaper bag off of the internet without seeing it and regret it. I had to take it back to babies r us. is was about the size of the one you get from the hospital, which is useable and nice but I was hoping for something bigger, I had been looking at it and it was on sale so that is why I got it. So I had a 20% off coupon from babies r us that was only good that night so I had to find something to buy and I was a little rushed and couldn't find another diaper bag that I liked to I had to hunt for something else. We got the bumbo.


When Becca was here in June with the Family she brough that for Lily and she loved it and so did Ben. Ben decided that he would want theat for himself if then made it. So, after looking in the store for twenty minutes we finally stumbled on this and left. And yes we got it in Bright Green too.

I will be leaving you now but will leave with a LO. I have started getting back into scrapbooking again. I took a break during the frist trimester when it really didn't sound fun to do then. Talk to you all later.



Anna

Ben and stuff

Ben is my favorite husband. He always tells me that I am his favorite wife, even though there is no one else to compare to we just say it. Last night he left to go to Bishop, CA to go mountian biking and at the earliest he will be back on Saturday night at midnight. I am hoping that he comes home then. I like me time alone but, I love spending time with him too. We are quite the odd couple we can be on the phone forever hold entire conversations with other people and not talk to eachother and be just fine with that. I know that it drive Sarah nuts and probably alot of other people too, but that is just us.

Here is something that Ben has told me about the baby:
I will still be working about 1 day a week after the baby and he said when the baby gets old enough boy or girl they are going to be the "Get Along Gang" and when I get home they will both be covered head to toe in dirt and mud because they have been out digging holes in the back yard.

Beth is probably laughing and saying of course, what else would Ben do? play with dolls? no.

I am doing just fine. I am 14 weeks and really don't feel pregnant most of the time. And for this reason Becca has cursed me with a horrid labor and a 12 lb baby. Which we will just have to wait and see what happens.

I did find this from Janet Phillips that I want to get but I am waiting for the after Thanksgiving sales before I get it 30 bucks is a little much.




It is a whole book about the nine months of waiting for the baby. There are journaling prompts to get the thought process going.

Next I finished two of the Free Photo Books that Oprah was offering, one was Ben's email and the other was mine. All I did was plug in my finished pages and called it good, I'll show some pics when they get here. Hopefully by Christmas.

Lastly, for Christmas Last year I made a Calendar for my family and this year I am going to do that again. The best way to pay for it is to go to ebay and find coupon codes for sale. I did this last year and this year I was able to find the four I needed for 3.99 each instead of the retail 19.99. Major savings there. I just need to get them started. I am hoping to do that today and tomorrow while Ben is gone. It's just easier.

Sunday is Ben's Family Thanksgiving. We are bringing the Pumpkin Pie I haven't made this one before but it looks good.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie From Kraft Kitchen


1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Pecan Pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

POUR 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.

BEAT milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP. Spread into crust.

REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, caramel topping and pecans just before serving.

How easy does that look!?!? I think I can handle that.

Well, I am off to run some errands and pick up the pie ingredients. Here's a Lay out for the week.