Pinterest Recipes I've Tried And Loved - Part 2

It's been a while since I've posted the original post and I love trying new Pinterest recipes every chance I get.  Problem is, sometimes they just don't turn out quite right.  Have you seen those posts for Pinterest Fails?  So funny.  So here is the second part of Pinterest Recipes I've Tried And Loved that taste amazing and I promise, will turn out great.

1. Creamy Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole -
This recipe is a go-to for us at dinner time.  Everyone loves it.  You just put everything together in an oven and let it cook.  You can prep it ahead of time so it's a easy weeknight meal.

2. The Best Focaccia Bread -
Again, I'm all about ease here.  It is slightly time consuming waiting for things to rise but otherwise it's an easy recipe with items you already have in your pantry and it always turns out perfect.  You just can't mess this up.

3. Better Chocolate Babka -
Probably one of my favorite desserts ever made. It's hard & time consuming.  In the end though, you'll be glad you made it.  If you love chocolate, this one's for you!

4. Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake -
Ok, if you don't want to work quite so hard for dessert, I've got another option.  This one is easy.  You're kids can help you mix the ingredients and put the strawberries on top.  It looks so pretty when it comes out of the over and it also tastes great. 

5. Hawaiian Slow Cooker Chicken -
If you can plan ahead of time a little and put the chicken in the crock pot, this is a great meal for a busy evening.  It's a slightly different take on chicken and even better; healthy.

6. The Easiest Ice Cream Shakes -
I'm a little biased because this is my own recipe, but for real guys, this is calling my name.  Especially with home made ice cream.  So easy and quick and perfect for a special treat sitting on the deck.

7. Oil Free Chocolate Coconut Granola -
I'm obsessed with this!  I make a quadruple batch about once a week. I eat it most mornings for breakfast and I add ground flax-seed to it to make it even more healthy. I also snack on it and I just can't get enough.   Add a couple of chocolate chips and this is dessert as well.  Go make it now.

8. Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Motzz and Spinach -
This is my most recent recipe I've tried.  It turned out so good.  I did make my own filling though with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, cooked onions and spinach. You really could add anything that you like.  It was an easy dinner and  served with a little brown rice on the side a perfect meal.

9. Cheesy Enchilada Rice Skillet -
Another go to weeknight meal.  One pan dishes are so great and so easy.

10. Cheesy Cauliflower Bake -
For me this is more of a side dish than a meal, although with the bacon on top... who knows.  Either way, it's healthy and a good substitute to cheesy potatoes. 

Halloween Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes

One of our projects this weekend was making some festive mini cheesecakes.  This recipe is the easiest thing ever and perfect for little hands to help.  They can basically do it by themselves with just a little supervision.  It's a variation on my regular Mini Cheesecakes but much more fun for Halloween. 

Ingredients:

Crust

5 chocolate graham crackers

3tbl brown sugar

3.5 tbl butter, melted

small pinch of salt

Cheesecake

8-oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 (heaping) cup sugar
1 large egg
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
chocolate chips

Festive Sprinkles

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat your over to 350 degrees. Crush the graham crackers to a powder.  I use a meat mallet but I gave Noah a sturdy plastic cup with a flat base and that worked just as good. 

2. Melt the butter and add to the crushed graham crackers.  Add brown sugar and salt. Mix well with a fork.  This step is perfect for little hands.  Make sure the bowl is big enough so they don't spill out the sides.  Once it's all mixed, evenly spread the crust onto the bottom of a muffin pan filled with liners.  With a small spoon press the mixture in the bottom.

3. In a separate bowl add softened cream cheese and the rest of the cheesecake ingredients, less the chocolate chips.  Mix well with a hand mixer until there are no lumps left.

4. Now we're ready to assemble the cheesecakes.  Add a couple of chocolate chips to the top of the crust.  Evenly spread the cheesecake mixture in all twelve muffin tins.  Top with some festive sprinkles.

5. Bake 23-25 minutes and be patient like Noah was. =) You'll know it's done when you can stick a knife in the middle and it comes out clean. (unless you hit the chocolate chips.... then you'll probably get that)  Let cool and eat them all because they will be that amazing.

Lemon Thyme Tilapia Fish Packets

I love burgers and chicken so much, I could eat then almost every day,  but once in a while I crave some fish.  Jeff isn't into fish at all and Noah wont eat it either so I'm usually stuck making it all for myself and have a ton of left overs.   This recipe is perfect because you can make as little or as much as you'd like and it's about the same effort. 

Tilapia is not super fishy, so if you're a fish beginner this is a great way to start.  It's also really healthy and flavorful so you wont be missing the burgers and chicken too much either, especially since you can make this on the grill and still get a little of the smoky taste.

Ingredients:
 6 Tilapia Fillets - thawed
2 Lemons
1 bunch of fresh thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil to drizzle
Parchment Paper

Directions:
1. Cut your parchment paper to size.  I pulled the roll out about six inches and got one 6x18in ish rectangle.
2. Put one piece of tilapia (or substitute with your choice of fish) on the paper on one of the two halfs of the rectangle so later you can fold the other side over.  Salt and pepper both sides.  Drizzle olive oil.  Add a couple of sprigs of thyme and a couple slices of lemon.  Squeeze some more lemon juice on top.
3. Fold over the other side of the paper and close the sides by making little folds around the paper sides to completely enclose the fish in the packet.
4. Assemble the remaining packets.
5. Heat Grill on high.
6. Cook packets on indirect heat for 10-15 minutes until fish is opaque and cooked through.

Serve and enjoy!  But be careful as they will be pretty hot!  Serve over some rice for a complete meal and at least for one day you can forget about the burgers... although I might have some for dinner tonight. ;-)

Breakfast Egg Muffins

Happy Tuesday!  I've been MIA for the last week or so hanging out with Noah and Jeff and getting ready for the awesome bachelorette party my sister in law and I hosted this weekend that I never made it in to say hi!  Our weekend was fun filled and I'm still trying to recover from attempting to party like I was in college. I'm finally back at work and I thought I would share a quick and easy breakfast recipe.  They took no effort to make and minimal dirty dishes which is always a win in my book. The best part and that you can put in whatever toppings your family likes in case anyone is a picky eater.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 Eggs
1/2 Cooked Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
1/2 Cup Mini Pepperoni
1 Handfull of Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions: 
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all your ingredients in a bowl.
3. Spray the bottom of your muffin pan and add your egg mix in being careful to make sure all the toppings make it into all the muffins.   Fill about two thirds full.
4. Bake 25 minutes until egg is cooked through.  You can tell when you poke a knife in the middle and it comes out clear.

If you have extras you can freeze them and save them until you need them again.  Defrost overnight when you're ready to eat and pop them in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

Sometimes you try and recipe and then decide you need to make it over and over 'cause you can't stop eating it (or your husband keeps asking for them).... yes, this is one of them.  You can roll the meatballs ahead of time and put them in the fridge of freezer.  Pull them out when you're ready to drop them in the pan and all you have to worry about is stirring the sauce.  It doesn't get much easier then that.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1lb ground turkey
1 large egg
1/2 C breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 medium onion (minced)
salt and pepper

Sauce:
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C water
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp corn starch

Directions:
1. Mix all meatball ingredients and roll into small meatballs. Bake in oven or in a pan.  I like the pan version personally.  (Until golden brown and cooked through)

2. Mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl until all the cornstarch is dissolved and there are no lumps.  Mix all other ingredients in a small pot and add cornstarch mixture.  Heat on high and stir often until sauce thickens.

3. Pour over cooked meatballs and serve over rice. or pasta . or eat alone before the rice is done cooking.
... and enjoy the amazingness of the meatballs.

Sweet and Spicy Beef & Veggies

My most favorite thing about cooking as opposed to baking is not having to use recipes.  Especially when you're looking to make something out of whatever you happen to have defrosted or available to you at that specific moment.  I try to plan things ahead during the week, but for the most part, I throw a couple of proteins from the freezer into the fridge to defrost at once and then pick them out throughout the week to make dinners.  Our go to with beef chunks are typically fajitas of some sort.  They are easy and fast but I was so not feeling fajitas so we had to come up with something else.  Something a little different, but similar to things our family loves to eat.   It's still super easy and fast so I call that a win.

Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs of beef chunks (for stew), chopped in half
1/4 cup flour
1/4 T ground red pepper
1/2 T paprika
salt + pepper to taste
 1 T minced garlic
dash of worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup peas
1 1/2 cup carrots, cooked, chopped

Directions:

1. Start a large pan on the stove on medium high.  Drizzle with olive oil.

2. In a gallon zip lock bag add beef chunks and flour, red pepper, and salt and pepper.  Shut be bag and toss well until all is covered.  When the oil is hot, dump the coated meat into the pan.  Add garlic, sugar and worcestershire sauce and mix well.  Cook until brown and medium rare inside. (You'll want to make sure the meat is not overcooked.  It will make it tough as it's not the fanciest piece of meat)  Add in the breadcrumbs as needed.  I like to soak up the juices and it gives the meat a nice crust and a different texture.

3. Add peas and carrots and cook until warm.  Serve over mashed potatoes and enjoy!

For a quick mash potato recipe I put four potatoes in the microwave and cook on high for about 6-8 minutes until they are fork tender.  I put them in a big bowl with about 1/2 cup of milk and a pat of butter and mash with a masher.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.  No need to go through the mess of boiling and waiting when the microwave can do it faster. I keep the skins on too for a more rustic feel... and you know, because it's easier and I don't have time for all that funny business when Noah's running around hitting things with his broom and constantly asking to get picked up.

Happy Cooking!

Greek Avocado Dip

My sister Laura came up for a visit last weekend and when she's here you better believe we're making lots of food for her tape worms to consume.  She's also always trying to get me to work out with her so I figured I would give her a little bit of my workout routine and slam her with some Jillian.  She's way more fit than me but I kept up right next to her... maybe taking a couple more breaks, but Laura was sweating at the end of it so a success it was.

We also made a new recipe I thought I would share because it was really that yummy.  I'm sure to make it again, especially since it was so easy.  Greek Avocado Dip and some sweet potato fries for dipping.  Ugh, I so want some right now.

Ingredients:
2 Avocados
1 Cup Low Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
1T Lime Juice
2T Parmesan Cheese
Salt + Pepper to taste

Directions:
- In a medium bowl mash the ripe avocados to a paste. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and enjoy!
Seriously, it's that easy.

To make the sweet potatoes, we peeled three potatoes, sliced them into potatoes wedges and seasoned them with salt + pepper.  Drizzled some olive oil and tossed it all together onto a sheet pan. Popped them in the oven for 20 mins at 425.

Inspiration taken from Bobby Deen but we added a yummy extra and made it even easier.

We worked out, got a great sweat on, and ended our afternoon with the most amazing appetizer before dinner. I'll be making these in the next week for sure.

Avocado White Bean Tacos

I haven't done a recipe in a long time and whipped this up the other night for a quick dinner and decided this was perfect to share.  I've really been on a cooking hiatus and nothing seems to ever sound good for dinner.  Especially when it takes more than twenty minutes to whip up and Noah is clinging to my legs as I try to decided what to make.  He's a great cooking buddy but really wants to be all up in it and honestly, I get a little worried he's going to touch something hot, so I try not to cook with him much right now.

Anyway, this is super quick and not a lot of cooking to be done.  Really just assemble and enjoy!

Difficulty: Super Easy
Prep Time: 5mins  Total Time: 8mins

Ingredients:
8 Corn Tortillas
1.5 C Frozen Corn (Microwaved)
1 Can of White Beans
1 Avocado Sliced
Feta Cheese
Mayonnaise
Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Prep your ingredients - slice avocado, drain beans, defrost and heat corn and have your mayo and feta cheese ready to go.
2. Heat up a little olive oil up to medium heat in a pan.  One at a time drop your tortillas in and brown. For about two minutes. Flip and repeat.
3. Assemble your tacos thru your taco station since you've already have that all nice and set.  Fold the taco and enjoy!

In my opinion the corn tortillas are what makes this dish so yummy, so throw out the flour ones for today and splurge a little!  Perfect for meatless Monday too! (I don't do that, but I hear that's a thing the cool kids do.)

Americas Most Wanted Recipes Book Review

This is a sponsored post brought to you by netadvisorygroup.com.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  Thanks for supporting the brands that support my little corner of the web.

I was lucky enough to have been contacted to do my first cookbook review.  As you guys know I'm all about not using recipes because I really feel people have their own way of cooking and we cook for our own tastes. We cater to our families and what they like and sometimes following recipes kind of boxes me into a corner.  However, I do love to use recipes as a reference.  I don't always know what ingredients mix well together and although I like to make things up as I go, recipes can be a great way to get started.

I received "America's Most Wanted Recipes; At The Grill" by Ron Douglas, and paged through to find recipes that looked yummy but also easy and found a couple of really great ones.  First up we tried Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad. Asian cuisine is not really up our alley, but like I said before, this was a great guideline for us to start.  We followed the recipe pretty much to the tee but switched out the cabbage for the lettuce.  Overall - great recipe, and I would try this one again.

We're a huge fan or Red Robins burgers and we had to try the Red Robins Bacon Cheese Burger.  The recipe was easy and super fast since all you have to do is grill the burger and top it with the appropriate toppings.  It was a good burger, but it did not taste like a Red Robin burger at all.  It just tasted like our normal burger.  Which is good let me say, but not as amazing as Red Robin.  I feel like they could have left this recipe out of the book.  It was just a plain bacon cheese burger and nothing about it was that special.

Finally, we ended our recipe adventure with Applebee's Broiled Salmon with Garlic Butter.  Again, although this recipe was good.  There was nothing really special about it.  It was just grilled salmon. We made some quinoa and veggies as sides and it made a great healthy weeknight meal.  Would I make this again? Sure, but I don't think you need a recipe for this.

So a couple thoughts on this book.  Is it worth buying? Yes, but there are a couple things though you want to keep in mind.  I'm all about simple, and I think a lot of you guys are too.  The simple recipes aren't all that amazing.  If you haven't made one of these recipes before then by all means try them because they are good, but they aren't all that special.  The best recipes in my opinion were the ones with a lot of ingredients.  And I mean A LOT!  Like twenty plus.  Those are the ones worth trying.  Those are the ones that are going to be amazing.

So, final thoughts?  Don't buy this book if you're looking for quick easy weeknight meals, but do buy it if you've got some extra time on your hand and specialty items in your pantry.

Do you want a copy of "America's Most Wanted Recipes; At The Grill"?  Check out this page and leave a comment telling me which other book from the Americas Most Wanted Recipes collection you would like to try and then enter the rafflecopter bellow to win one for you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Thanks guys! and Happy Cooking.

And if you're looking for some yummy and easy weeknight options for tonight stop by the recipe page and check some out!

Pinterest Recipes I've Tried and Loved Part 2

I know! Part two!  Looks like I've actually tried a lot more recipes than I thought!  But these are only the good ones so don't worry.  I won't bombard you with all the yucky ones, although maybe they should have their own post so you wont go near them. =)

 via

1. Home-Made Taco Seasoning - I guess this isn't much of a recipe, but I have to start with this because it's literally changed our lives.  First, we don't have to buy taco seasoning anymore, second, this is way healthier, and third, this tasted a million times better than the packages you buy at the store.  Make a whole bunch ahead of time and you'll have it ready any time you need it.

2. Baked Egg Boat -  Great for Saturday morning when you have a little extra time on your hands.  As usual, super easy.  I'm a savory bread lover and this one is a huge hit in my book.

3. Single Serve Desserts - This is a link to one specific dessert but you can find a ton of single serves.  I've tried pretty much every one and they have turned out great.  For whatever reason though I've doubled the recipes with no luck.  I've had to measure them separately to make more than one.  I promise I can do math! I don't know what the deal is!

4. English Muffin Bread - You will never need to buy English muffins ever again.  You will refuse because this is so amazing.  It makes four loaves so unless you have extra space in the freezer or a million kids I would half the recipe and call it a day.  It does take a little time and effort but it's super worth it in the end.

5. Cheddar Bacon Ranch Bread - I'm sure you've all seen this one all over Pinterest.  It was one of the first recipes I ever pinned and I can see why people love it.  It's easy to make and other than the bread loaf you should have all the ingredients in your kitchen. This is perfect as an appetizer and although not very travel friendly to bring somewhere else, if you're having people over this is sure to please everyone.

6. Pepperoni Pizza Bites - This one would be a great snack after school, or maybe for your just got home husband who can't wait for dinner.  =) The whole family can get in on this.

7. Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries -  Another one that's been floating around since the beginning of Pinterest.  Very tedious to make but it sure is amazing and people will love you for making this.  It's not really difficult but it does take time to assemble.

And finally I'll finish up with three of my personal recipes which I love and I know they're good because I made them! =)

8. Meatball Sandwich  9. Sunday Night Mac & Cheese  10. Wonton Chicken Burrito

Happy Cooking!

Pinterest Recipes I've Tried And Loved

You know how it goes, you spend mindless hours pinning food on Pinterest and maybe if you're feeling really good one day, you finally get around to trying one, but mostly they just sit on your lovely food board because well, what if they just don't turn out? or they look too hard and you don't have the time.  Are there too many ingredients? Maybe you can cut some out but you just don't have the time to play around with the recipe.

Well let me help you.  Here are some recipes I've tried from Pinterest that we loved as a family.  Maybe you can try them out too since I'll be giving you all the deets.

via

1. Basic Zucchini Bread -  This is great for dessert, or a little snack.  Super easy to make.  I didn't change the recipe much other than added an extra cup of zucchini.  It made two loaves.  I froze one and ate the other one.  Perfect amount. I think I'll add a cup of chocolate chips next time but also very good the way it is.

2. Black Bean and Guac Burritos - Ok, this idea is great and these ingredients are yummy, but this is a recipe that you can make a million ways with any ingredients you have around the house.  So, for me, I say, make a burrito with any left overs you have and then put it in the panini maker to make it crunchy which is really all that matters to make it amazing and you're good to go. Remember - Panini maker = Amazing

3. Cherry Pie Bars - I'm an all chocolate dessert type of woman, but once in a while I come across something that changes my mind, even for just one day.  This is one of them. Super simple and I like simple.

4. Guava & Cream Cheese Pastry - Ok, another fun fact, I'm also a pastry addict, mostly the Panera ones. Of course chocolate. But my mom gave me some guava paste after her trip to Hawaii and what's a girl to do with a whole jar of guava paste?  Exactly this.  If a chocolate pastry is a 11, this is a 9. 

5. Enchilada Veggie Quesadilla - Here we go again.  Mexican food rocks.  Mostly because you can add any Mexican ingredient together and they always taste good.  Case in point.  This.  I'm sure you have these items laying around the house. Go make one.

6. Savory Ham and Cheese Muffins - I've tried a couple of different ham and cheese muffins and this one is the best. These are flaky and very tasty.  They are perfect for an on the go breakfast with a cup of milk.  It makes a bunch so if there are only two or three of you I would cut the recipe in half.

7. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread - Another bread.  I must have a thing for bread.  This one though, super moist and great for those bananas that have been sitting around for a little bit too long. 

8. Brown Sugar Spiced Chicken - This girl is amazing.  Her food in general is amazing.  This is one of my favorites though.  You basically put all the ingredients together in a gallon bag, marinate, and toss in the oven.  And you're done.  Make a side of cauliflower mash, and you're all set!

9. Chocolate Chip Clouds - This is the way to go if you feel guilty about having dessert. It's actually not that bad for you. It's low calorie and it tastes great!

10.  Black Bean Burger - And finally, we'll end with another healthy one after all the desserts and Mexican food that I apparently enjoy.  Listen, just so you know, do not expect this to taste like real meat as my husband expected.  It is as the title says, black beans... but you can enjoy a burger even without mean.  It's a little more work that my usual recipe but worth it in the end for a healthy alternative and a great option for meatless Monday.


Geez, do I like dessert or what? Looks like I might have to branch out!

Pulled Pork Wonton Rolls

Occasionally, Jeff and I do get to go on dates, and when we do we love to try new things. Especially at the fancy restaurants.   A while back we tried something very similar to this recipe and Jeff LOVED it.  So when these ingredients were just sitting in the fridge, I figured, why not try it out?

These are super easy and we had them more as an appetizer. Just one of two is enough.  If you wanted to make this into a meal though, making a couple more takes like five more minutes.  Add a couple of dipping sauces and a side salad and it's a great full meal.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil - Or whatever cooking oil you use
Wonton Wrappers - big ones - they look like 4x4ish
Leftover Pulled Pork
Shredded Cheese
Water

Directions:
1. Assemble your wontons rolls. Start by laying the rolls out flat. Add about a quarter cup of pulled pork and some shredded cheese.  With your finger, dab some water on three sides of your wrapper.  This will help it stick to itself so it doesn't open and leak. Close the sides of your wrapper starting with the side without water, the two other sides, and rooolllll it up. Kind of like a burrito.

2. Once your oil is heated, drop your rolls in.

3. Turn over until all sides are golden brown.  Depending on how the roll settles you may cook it on three sides instead of two.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Just like the restaurant! Ooewey gooey and full of yumm.

Parmesan Purple Potato Mash

So finally, a non baby post!  I promise I do have a life outside my child. I mean... I do have to eat!  This week Jeff and I stopped by the farmers market downtown Grand Rapids, which if you haven't been there yet (they just opened) you should definitely get there. They have an outdoor market that I don't believe will be open all year, but also an indoor section full of shops like a bakery, meat and fish market, juice shop, florist, cheese and wine, dessert shop and a lot more that you can enjoy all year long.  

When we went this week we found some purple potatoes! They don't sell those at the grocery store surprisingly and we've been meaning to try them out so we picked some up. 

 And since Jeff loved them, I thought I would share the recipe. 

Ingredients:
8 Sm/Med Purple Potatoes
1/4 C Milk
1/4 C Parmesan Cheese
1/8 C Butter -I'm guessing since I eye-ball it
Fresh Chives
Fresh Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Wash and peel your potatoes. Cut them into bite size chunks and toss them into your boiling water. Cook until fork tender. Drain the potatoes leaving about a half a cup of the remaining water.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.

That's it! Like the easiest recipe ever.  As you see, there was no mashing needed.  These potatoes disintegrate much more than regular potatoes.  As you as you start mixing the ingredients they fall apart into pieces so it turns out to be like a chunky mash without mashing.  Less work for you. Even better.

Meatball Sub

At my house, it never seems like we're home for dinner since we both work second shift, and that means, no time to make yummy dinners.  We eat a ton of left overs and we make due with what's in the fridge from the nights we were home to make dinner.  Problem is, there is never enough and we end up having to make "dinner" during the day before we leave for work and it's usually rushed. So here is a fast dinner you can make at home.  Took me just over twenty minutes from start to finish!

Meatball Sub
Time: 20 mins
Diffc: Easy Peasy

Ingredients:
2.25 lbs ground beef 80/20 - Use how ever much you have, this does not have to be perfect to taste yummy.
1/4 C bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 C parmesan cheese
fresh grated parmesan cheese for topping
half a bottle of marinara sauce - use more or less depending on how much sauce you want
seasonings to taste: I used salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder & parsley

Directions:
1. Make sure you defrost your beef ahead of time to make this as quick as possible.  With your hands mix beef, bread crumbs, egg and seasonings to your taste. Make sure you mix just enough to get everything incorporated but don't overmix or you'll have tough meatballs.
2. Heat a large pan to med/high.  Roll your meatballs gently; slightly smaller than a golf ball. They will shrink a little and you want to make sure they fit on your bread.  Since I'm choosing a smaller piece of bread, I want mine smaller.  If you choose a bigger piece, like a hotdog bun, make slightly bigger ones.
3. Put your balls in the pan and cook with the top on to keep the moisture in.  Once they are slightly browned on one side 2-3 mins, flip and continue cooking.  Drain the extra juice/fat.
4. To the cooked meatballs add your parmesan cheese and marinara sauce.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for 5-6 mins.
5. Toast some bread and top with meatballs.  Add some grated parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

This made 37 small meatballs, I put three on each sammy and I would say for me,  

a good dinner would be two sandwiches and a small side to be satisfied.

Seriously though, this was delicious.  

I ate a couple of extra meatballs when I was putting the leftovers away.

Love Love Love

Happy Valentines Day!

Chalkboard Print. Strawberry Chocolate Poptarts.

Home-Made Garlic Parmesan Croutons

It's so normal to think that getting items at the grocery store is easy and convenient and most people never consider making the same thing at home because it's too difficult, there are too many ingredients, or it takes too much time. I tend to think that if you make it at home it'll be much healthier and you don't have to guess the millions of ingredients that were put inside to make it taste the way it does. 

Today, lets try making garlic Parmesan croutons at home!

Ingredients:
Stale bread - a loaf, you pick the size, no measuring for this recipe.
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Dried Parsley Flakes - or fresh if you have some in your herb garden
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
(the most super simple thing ever!)
1. Turn on the broiler to low
2. Cut the bread into cubes, about an inch, smaller maybe if you have kids...but I like the big ones. Drop your cubes onto a sheet pan and spread them out so they fit in one layer.
3. Drizzle well with olive oil and apply the seasonings on top.
4. With your hands toss around all the cubes so they are as evenly covered as possible. Spread the cubes on the sheet pan.

5. Pop the pan in the oven about 10-15 minutes until golden brown.When you take them out drizzle them with some Parmesan cheese and toss again. 

These are so good warm out of the over as a snack, half of them are usually gone before they have time to cool thanks to my husband..... go figure. Otherwise but them in a ziplock bag and store them in your pantry for up to a week and they will be perfect with your daily salad.  Yumm....

For a quick view at other great ideas from All The Pretty Things you can also check out my PINTEREST board!