Recipes

This past Sunday I made the best meatloaf. I barely ever make meatloaf, mainly because of the heaviness of it, and because I can't even use the restroom by myself you think I have time to prepare ahead to make a meatloaf. HA! However, it was the weekend, which also entails reinforcements. So as quickly as possible I threw together a recipe from a good friend of mine April Heath. It is the best, moistest meatloaf I ever!
Here is her recipe

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 lb. sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Original)
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 onion (chopped finely)
2-3 stalks celery (diced)
1 green pepper (diced)
1 pkg. Lipton Onion soup mix
3 Tbs. BBQ sauce
1 egg
pkg. Bacon
For our personal family taste we have made a couple of minor adjustments. We make sure our BBQ sauce is gates and I don't really measure, just pour some in. Plus sometimes I use Panco bread crumbs instead of the seasoned ones, whatever you have available works. Also we don't use celery, just green peppers. We LOVE green peppers. See.. 

Ok, so moving on. You are supposed to mix the sausage and meatloaf separate and then add the other stuff. I'm sorry, I don't have time for that. 

So we just throw it all in there and get our hands dirty once!

 Then stick it in a loaf size pan and put the bacon on top. The bacon shrinks so sometimes it's better to cut it in half and lay it the width instead of the length.

You bake at 350 for 70-75 minutes.


 As you can see I did not do that with the bacon and this is what happens. Missing space on the meatloaf with out bacon, we sha'll morn this travesty. 


The family did not seem to notice however. Yum Yum! Thanks April!

P.S. Please don't judge the plastic kids plates. Thing 2 still can't even use silverware correctly ;).
























 

So, I'm not exactly sure if I would consider this a recipe, but I thought I would share none the less for all of you Peppermint Mocha Mama's out there! Remember the beginning of the Christmas decorations?

Remember the poll to see how long it would last? Well little did you know, that I had bought boxes of candy canes (lets hear it for the dollar store). Why you might ask? For the same reason you knew there would be many casualties, the wounded soldier candy canes  that were a result of Thing 3, aka Daphne, aka Captain Destructo, would need to be replaced.
What to do with the 20 or so candy canes that were broken into pieces?

Should I give them to the kids? Throw them away as in previous years? Well, what a waste I thought. First of all, if I give them to the "Things" there will be a trail of sugary mess all over them and my house. I'm an all-in-a-lot-of-moderation mom when it comes to the sweets. Yet more importantly, there had to be something I could use them for.

Then it hit me like a 20 dollar bill in the face! In other words, the 4 peppermint mocha's I was drinking from Starbucks a week, OUCH!

I knew I had a handy dandy kitchen tool to do just the trick. Bring in the Food ProcessinMAMA! Love this thing!
So first I started by unwrapping all the wounded soldiers. This is the worst part. Seriously the darn packaging sticks to your fingers and does not come off!!

Please remember this part is also the most delicate because if the "Things" hear what you are doing, they will most likely come running into the kitchen to beg for the candy canes that you have rightfully decided will be used for your own greater good. So while the wrappings are OBNOXIOUS, try not to rant, rave, or jump around like a lunatic trying to get them off. This only causes more trouble, and I speak from experience.

After unwrapping we put them in the food processinmama and turn it on! By this time the THINGS will most definitely have come running, but alas they are too late... bwhahaha!

Keep it on until its a powder, this takes only about 30 seconds.
Finally poor the powder into some jars! You can use it for almost anything! Cookies, on a cake, or my favorite, take a T of Cocoa and a T of peppermint powder, put it in your coffee with a little sugar and milk and you have an instant peppermint mocha.


The husband makes me this every morning before he leaves for work. Yes, I know, I'm spoiled rotten! Make yourself some peppermint powder and get your husband on the coffee making train and you will be too!