Super Simple Swedish Meatballs

Mmm...Swedish Meatballs has to be one of my favorite comfort foods. For as long as I can remember, my "tried and true" recipe was on the back of a Swedish Meatball seasoning packet, and I liked it that way. After a recent lunch at IKEA with my daughter left her begging for more, I headed to the grocery store to pick up what we needed. And that's when it happened - the store was completely out of Swedish Meatball seasoning packets! None. Nada. Zip. Zero. After standing in disbelief and wondering how I was going to fulfill my dinner promises, I whipped out my phone and did a quick search, grabbed a few of the basics and tweaked them to my liking. The result was a creamy, flavorful dish loaded with serious amounts of yum. The best part is, this method is not any more time consuming nor labor intensive than my old method, and it's MUCH more authentic. I guess you could say I won't be needing those seasoning packets anymore ;)

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ¼ cup Italian Style Panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp. parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• ¼ tsp. ground allspice
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. seasoning salt (we use Meat Magic brand)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Gravy

• 5 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. seasoning salt
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl combine ground beef, panko, parsley, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic powder, seasoning salt, pepper, salt and egg. Mix until combined.
2. Roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter. Add the meatballs and cook turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked throughout. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
3. Add 4 Tablespoons butter and flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in beef broth and half and half. Add Worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.

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10 Delightful Saint Patrick's Day Treats to Make with your Kiddos

One of my favorite parts of being a mom is the time I spend with my daughter in the kitchen. Now that she's in high school (and an aspiring chef) she branches out on her own cooking and baking adventures more often, but I will always cherish our time together laughing, creating and making memories that will last a lifetime. I hope these recipes for Saint Patrick's Day bring much joy to you and your littles.

Clover Crispies

Green Velvet Cake

Rainbow Fruit Tart

Shamrock Macarons

Saint Patrick's Day Chex Mix

Peek-a-Boo Cake

S'mores Snack Mix

Jell-O Parfait

Shamrock Cookie Cups

Mini Grasshopper Pies

Mini Ham & Veggie Egg Cups

I made these Mini Ham & Veggie Egg Cups this past Saturday for a brunch I was hostessing and they were a total hit! Clean, simple and totally delicious, I plan on making up a few batches and freezing them for an easy breakfast on school days - just heat and eat! I was able to find a package of ham already diced small in the deli section at the grocery store, so that eliminated a step right away. These cuties are also super versatile, so I'm able to switch up which meats and veggies I use depending on what we're in the mood for (or more likely what I have on hand). The perfect healthy breakfast or snack!

Mini Ham & Veggie Egg Cups

Ingredients:

• ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh broccoli, finely chopped
• ½ cup yellow bell pepper, finely chopped 
• 2/3 cup ham, chopped (about 2 ounces)
• ⅓ cup extra-sharp shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 large eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with clean cooking spray or a drizzle of oil (such as organic coconut oil spray or a teaspoon or two of organic coconut oil) and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, broccoli and yellow pepper, and saute 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add ham and saute 3 minutes. Remove from heat.


3. Combine cheese, chives, thyme, pepper and eggs in a bowl and stir gently with a whisk. Add ham mixture, stirring with whisk. 


4. Spoon mixture into 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until set.

To freeze:

Make sure egg cups are completely cooled before storing. Wrap each egg cup individually in saran wrap and store in a ziplock bag until ready to use. 

To heat:

Remove desired number of cups and remove saran wrap. Wrap cups loosely in a paper towel and cook on 15 second spurts until heated through. Enjoy!

Love this recipe or want to see more like it? Let us know in the comments below!

Wild Mushroom & Herb Chicken & Rice

With Christmas this past week and my entire family recovering from the flu, it's been pretty hectic around here the past few days, and I'd be lying if I told you I'd been to the grocery store any time within the past two weeks. We're down to pretty slim pickings around here, and I've been surviving off of PB & J sandwiches for the past few days as I get the house cleaned up from the holiday tornado that came through it, disinfecting, and getting all of our stuff put away.

With dinner looming over my head tonight and little desire to hit the grocery store,  I knew I didn't have many options and needed to throw something together with the very few ingredients on hand. I grabbed a box of Near East Wild Mushroom & Herb Rice Pilaf from the back of the pantry and some chicken and this recipe was born. It was quick, easy, and really hit the spot. What I love about this recipe is how versatile it is - I look forward to throwing in some fresh mushrooms, some peas, and other goodies in the future to change it up a bit.

Add a bit of oil to your skillet and get it nice and hot (I use about a TBSP. of either Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Coconut Oil). Dice up the chicken, and brown it up nice and good until cooked through. I like to season mine with pepper, Trader Joes' Everyday Seasoning (it's my favorite, I put it on EVERYTHING) and a bit of Mrs. Dash Italian Seasoning Blend. Even though we're going to cook the chicken with the seasoning packet from the rice, I think seasoning the chicken itself gives it a nice depth of flavor you wouldn't get otherwise.

Now grab your second (and only other) ingredient (I love saying that - it's the simple things in life)

Toss in your water, seasoning packet, and rice...

Now bring that sucker up to a boil, stirring occasionally. 

This is my favorite part: pour yourself a nice glass of wine...

and turn the burner down to LOW, cover, and simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Meanwhile, have a seat and sip that lovely wine of yours - you deserve it.

Once all of the liquid is absorbed, fluff up your rice and chow down serve it up. 

See all that mushroomy, herby goodness? Mmmhmm. 

 

Wild Mushroom & Herb Chicken & Rice   

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 in. cubes
1 TBSP. Oil (Organic EVOO or Coconut is best)
1 box Near East brand Wild Mushroom & Herb Rice Pilaf
1 3/4 cups water
Seasonings to taste (for chicken)

Directions:

1) In a medium skillet, brown chicken and chosen seasonings until fully cooked through.
2) Add water, seasonings, and rice to the skillet
3) Bring contents to a boil. stirring occasionally.
4) Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer 18-20 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice is tender and fully cooked.
5) Fluff rice with fork before serving.

20 Hauntingly Healthy Halloween Treats

 Ah, Fall. The baking, the crafting, the treats - I look forward to it all year, but don't want to feed my kiddo a bunch of junk for months on end. So, I've put together a list of 20 Hauntingly Healthy Halloween Treats. Guilty pleasures are great and all, but it's all about balance. I hope you and your littles enjoy! 

                         

Apple Bites

                         

Apple Monster Face Snacks

Bat Snacks

Black Bean Cat Crudités 

Boo-nana Ghosts

Caramel Apple Monsters

Carrot Finger Food

Cheesy Finger Food

Edible Eyeballs

Eerie Eyeballs

Ghost Toasts

Goblin Grins

Melon Brain

Monster Mash Dip

Pizza Mummies

Pumpkin Honey Bread

Salty Bones

Snack-o-Lantern

Spider Deviled Eggs

The Pear Witch Project