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)

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.

10 Inspired Ideas for a Very Country Christmas

There's something about an old-fashioned country Christmas that just warms my heart. I grew up in south Texas and then moved to what feels like the arctic circle (aka Vermont) when I was thirteen. After six long winters years living in what can only be described as the North Pole of New England, I moved back to the south at nineteen and eventually settled down and married me a good ol' country boy here in North Carolina. Country is in my roots. It's nostalgia reminds me of my childhood yet seamlessly merges with my present. With Christmas officially just around the corner, I'm happy to share with you 10 Inspired Ideas for a Very Country Christmas.

Pine & Berry Wreath

Handmade Wooden Snowman

Rustic Star Ornament

Christmas "Joy" Burlap Garland

Country Christmas Countdown

Beveled Glass & Copper Star Tree Topper

Ruffled Burlap Tree Skirt

Hanging Star Candleholders

Rustic Chic Embroidered Burlap Stockings

Christmas Sleigh Picture Frame

What is your Christmas theme this time of year? Share your favorites in the comments!