Cookies!

This is my third time to make decorated sugar cookies and I really enjoy doing it!! I made these for a Halloween Party we are going to! I need practice but it is really fun for me!

Leftovers

Nothing exciting last night! We had leftovers! Yay for me! Loving this weather and looking forward to a busy but fun filled weekend!

Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These are super easy and quick!!!

1 jar Grape Jelly
1 jar Heinz Chili Sauce
1 bag frozen already cooked meatballs (I use HEB homestyle ones not the Italian ones)

Combine jelly and chili sauce in crockpot pour in the meatballs and stir to coat cook on low at least 4 hours.
I served them over brown rice and made steamed broccoli. Enjoy!!!

I also made Blessing mix bags to hand out to friends, here's the recipe:

Blessing Mix

This recipe will make about 16 blessing mix gift bags of about one-third cup each, I doubled the recipe and put more in the bags than 1/3 cup.

Use cellophane goodie bags to package this treat.



Ingredients:

2 cups Bugles brand corn snacks

2 cups small pretzels

1 cup candy corn

1 cup dried fruit bits or raisins

1 cup peanuts or sunflower seeds

1 cup M&Ms brand chocolate candy

16 Hershey's brand chocolate kisses

Directions:

In a large bowl, gently mix all ingredients except Hershey's Kisses.

Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup Blessing Mix in small cellophane treat bags.

Add one Hershey's Kiss to each bag.

Makes 16 Blessing Mix gift bags


Here's the link to print the explanation that goes with it.
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/printable/gift-tags/thanksgiving-blessing-mix

Meatloaf

Eeryone liked it!! I had to cook it longer than 1 hour but it could have been the shape of my loaf??!?!


Pioneer Womans Meatloaf


Ingredients:

1 cup milk

6 bread slices (I used whole grain)

2 pounds ground beef

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup minced parsley

4 eggs

8 to 12 thin bacon slices

Sauce...

1 1/2 cups ketchup

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

couple dashes of hot sauce



Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- Place the bread slices in a bowl and pour 1 cup milk over the top. Let it soak in for a few minutes.

-Put the ground beef, milky bread, cheese, salt, seasoned salt, pepper, parsley, and beat eggs into a large mixing bowl. Now combine everything together using your hands. You will find everything combines nicely.

-Next, form into into a "loaf" and place on a broiler pan. By using a broiler pan, the fat will just drip to the bottom pan. For easy clean up, put some tinfoil on the bottom pan. Then just wrap bacon around the loaf and tuck the ends under the loaf.

-Now it is time to make the sauce that will cover the top. In a small bowl add the ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, and a couple dashes of hot sauce. If you like it hotter you can add more hot sauce. Mix it all together well.

-Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the meatloaf.

-Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

-Take it out and pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top again. Put it back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until done.

Pioneer Womans Meatloaf

I love The Pioneer Womans Pot Roast recipe, so I decided to try her meatloaf recipe, it's in the oven now but I had to take a piture of it because I have NEVER wrapped anything in bacon.......it just looked wrong!! I edited the picture and turned it the right way, but can't get that one to load!! So just cock your head a little when you look at it!! :) I'll let ya know what the family thinks about it!

Pumpkin Bars

This is my moms recipe and they are so good! I remember her making them in the fall.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 C. oil
1 2/3 C sugar
1 - 16 oz. can pumpkin
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin till light & fluffy. stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mix. spread batter in ungreased 15 x 10 x 1" pan/350 for 25 - 30 ,min.

Cream cheese Icing
1- 3 oz. cream cheese
1/ 2 C butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. powdered sugar.

You can sprinkle the top with chopped nuts.
ENJOY...

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 chicken cutlets, about 1 pound
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups store-bought salsa verde
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (I used part skim)
4 large flour tortillas, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 cups baby spinach, about 1/4 pound (I didn't measure, just put an even layer of leaves to cover dish each time)
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese (I used plain Monterey jack)


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450°.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then shred the meat.
Whisk together the salsa verde and ricotta; season with salt and pepper.
In a greased 9-inch square baking dish layer one-third of the salsa mixture, tortillas, chicken, onion, spinach and pepper jack; repeat twice.
Bake until golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Other magazine suggestions:
Swap in 3 cups crushed tortilla chips for the flour tortillas for added crunch.
Try monterey jack instead of pepper jack cheese for a mild, less spicy dish. (I was definitely glad I used plain monterey jack!)
Use a 15-ounce can of your favorite beans in place of the chicken for vegetarians.

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Mango Salsa

This was YUMMY!!! Even my kids liked it!

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Mango Salsa


Ingredients for Salsa
1/2 pound frozen mango, thawed and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups) (I used 1 large fresh mango)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Salt and pepper
Combine above ingredients and set aside.
For the chicken:
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place the coconut in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the coconut. Press to coat.
In large, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 12 minutes. Serve the chicken with the mango salsa.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday

Sunday night Mike had a deacon testimony meeting..........I am so proud of him, he was nominated to be a deacon at Second Baptist. His 3 year service starts in January!!! Anyways he was off at the Woodway Campus so I made the kids sausage, mac and cheese and baked beans. Made spaghetti and meat sauce last night.....super easy!  Tonight we are having Breaded Ranch Chicken Tenders, these are really good! My kids love them! I am making roasted red potatoes and steamed broccoli to go with them.

Breaded Ranch Chicken Tenders

Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 packet ranch dressing mix
Pam

Mix bread crumbs, cheese and ranch in shallow dish. Rinse tenders in water, shake off excess then dip in bread crumb mixture. Put on pan sprayed with Pam. When you are done coating them spray them all with Pam and bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Where does the time go????

Really! Why am I so busy!?!?! Last weekend I went to Hyatt Lost Pines with 3 of my BESTEST girl friends.....we had so much fun!!! It was so relaxing hanging out by the lazy river. We laughed soooooo much.....it really is great having such awesome women to share my life with. We always have such a great time together, I really treasure it! 

This week really flew by! I promise I will be better about blogging my recipes this week!!