Kristie's Famous Meatballs

That's what we call them here anyway.  Even though the recipe came from my mom.  So they should be "Sandy's Famous Meatballs", but it's my house and Mom hasn't made them in a bazillion years anyway.  

Anyway, they are delicious, worth the time, and great for cold weather.

What Ya Need:

1 lb ground beef

1 C. italian bread crumbs (or regular)

2 eggs

1/2 C. parmesan cheese (powdered kind)

2 cloves garlic

1/2 C. milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 T. dried parsley or fresh if you have it

What Ya Do:

Mix all ingredients.  Roll into 1.5 inch balls and line them up on a baking sheet.  At this point, you can just pop them in the oven at 350 for about 20 min until done.  I always brown them in a pan first just b/c I like the crispy crust that makes.  Then I put them in the oven for a bit.  Just test one of the biggest meatballs to see if they're done.

Serve with sauce & spaghetti noodles of course!  They freeze really well and are great for leftovers.  

I'll be working on two more posts to be up soon:  Thousand Island Chicken (Success!) and Balsamic Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs (FAIL!).  

Make these meatballs and stay warm today!

~Kristie

Best Bean Chili & Freezing Chili Tips

Very few foods say "Hello, Fall!" more than Chili.

This recipe I found online years ago. I have no idea where. I think it was 2002. It's the only chili recipe I've made in almost a decade. I don't know how it'd stack up in a Chili Cookoff but me & my husband like it and nobody's ever said they didn't like it when I've brought it somewhere.

It's a simple recipe- Brown ground beef, open cans, dump stuff in, add seasonings, simmer, eat.



Best Bean Chili

1 lb Ground Beef

Ingredients & my little helper.

1.5 C Chopped onion
1 C Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 t Minced Garlic

1 Can (15 oz) Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed

1 Can (15 oz) Pinto Beans, drained & rinsed

3 Cans (14.5oz) Diced Tomatoes w/Green Chilis

2 T Brown Sugar

1 T Chili Powder

1 t Ground Cumin

1. Brown Ground beef in large saucepan (5-8minutes.) Stir in onions, bell pepper, & garlic. Cook 5 min more.
2. Stir in kidney beans, pinto beans, and tomatoes. Season w/ Brown Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Chili Powder, & Cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover & simmer 20-30 minutes.
3. If it's too spicy you can add ketchup & brown sugar.

I decided to make a double batch so I could freeze some for another day. Freezing foods is super easy. See below for tips!

We made Italian Garlic Bread & Open-Face Cheese Sandwiches to go with it.



Chili! Add sour cream, crackers & cheese & you're good to go!

Thanks for reading!

 ~ Alison