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

10 Festive Fall Recipes

My favorite season by far is finally upon us, so I've rounded up 10 Festive Fall Recipes to share with you:

This Autumn Chowder is packed with hearty fall veggies and is the perfect way to warm up on a crisp, cool day. 

Munch on some homemade Cinnamon Apple Chips - the perfect healthy snack at home or on the go.

Soft, cinnamon-sugar coated Cider Donuts are a favorite of mine and were a fall staple while living in Vermont through my teen years. A trip to Cold Hollow Cider Mill still tops my list when we visit!

...and cider donuts without its sidekick of Fresh Apple Cider just wouldn't be the same.

Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup is the perfect comfort food for fall.

This festive Pumpkin Roll would be the perfect addition for a family gathering.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal at the end of the day.

This Crock Pot Pumpkin Spiced Latte is not only delicious, it's super simple, too!

...and for the littles in your life, have a go at this creamy and decadent Caramel Hot Chocolate. 

....and it would be a festive-enough Fall season without a Good Old Fashioned Apple Pie, with freshly picked apples  from your trip to the orchard, of course. (Try it warm with a slice of extra sharp cheddar cheese - you can thank me later.)

What's your favorite recipe for Fall?

Happy Fall Y'all! 

Create your Own Family Memory Jar - *FREE* Printable!

Our daughter is growing up before our very eyes. It feels like just yesterday I was getting excited about the milestones of my sweet baby walking and talking, and all of a sudden she's gabbing about boys for hours on the phone, going to her first school dance and taking frequent outings to the roller rink on Friday nights. It's so bittersweet, and lately I find myself really grasping at straws, trying to navigate a rapidly changing family dynamic with a daughter who is no longer a little girl, but a young woman.

In the blink of any eye the years fly by, the holidays come and go, and before we know it we're celebrating the coming of a new year while reminiscing about the good times and waving goodbye to the not so good ones.

This year, I have come up with an idea to help me hold on to our precious memories for a little longer - a family memory jar. It's simple, takes very little time and is a wonderful way to keep the memories you hold dear not only for the coming year, but forever.

Throughout the year, we will be writing down some of our favorite memories along the way and placing them in the jar for safe keeping until the coming New Year's Eve, when we will take a walk down memory lane by reading them all and reminiscing as we count down to the big ball drop.

Once we're done, I plan on using the slips of paper to create a keepsake of some kind - a scrapbook, a memory tree...I'm still thinking on that one, but I'd like to preserve them somehow.

Want to create your own family memory jar? Here's how:

Create your own Family Memory Jar

Supplies needed:

 Any size mason Jar
 White paper or heavy card stock (to print your graphic on)
 Paper of your choice (you could use plain white, colored, or even scrapbook paper)
 Pens, crayons, or colorful markers (for writing down your memories, of course!)
 Scissors
 Tape

Directions:

1) Print and cut out your chosen printable Family Memory Jar graphic (below) on white paper or heavy card stock.
2) Place horizontally around the jar, about halfway up, securing with tape in the back
3) Start making (and writing down) some memories!


Click here to print the above directions --->

Download your chosen graphic below:

Did you create your own Family Memory Jar? I'd love to see your finished project!

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!

Groundhog Day Fun plus *FREE* Printables!

Kenzie is staying the night with a friend tonight, so out of boredom I whipped up some super adorable printable coloring pages for Groundhog's Day. I thought it would be a cute way leading up to this sometimes forgotten holiday to chart your children's predictions (as well as this year's results) for Mr. Groundhog. Just a cute little activity for you and your littles to enjoy together and a sweet memento to add to the growing stash of your kids' artwork. ;)

Download and print the coloring pages below!








Did you and your kiddos enjoy this activity? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Clean & Healthy Chicken Tortilla Stew

Clean and healthy, this hearty stew recipe could fool even the harshest of health-food critics. and the best part is that you literally dump a few ingredients in the crockpot and walk away. Easy peasy and totally delish!

Clean & Healthy Chicken Tortilla Stew

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (12 oz-16 oz.) jar of your favorite clean/organic salsa 

1 (14 oz. ) can organic black beans, drained

1 pound frozen corn, thawed

1 pound frozen, mixed bell peppers 

3 organic, corn tortillas, ripped by hand

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. seasoning salt (I like Everyday Seasoning from Trader Joe's)

Sliced black olives and plain greek yogurt for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the chicken (either raw or still frozen) in the bottom of the crock pot. Pour seasonings and salsa over chicken. Add corn, bell peppers, and corn tortillas.
2. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
3. About 15 minutes before serving, add black beans and use a wooden spoon to break apart the chicken and mix everything up.
4. Serve garnished with some sliced, black olives and/or a dab of plain greek yogurt in place of sour cream - and your kiddos won't even notice! (wink wink)