Wine and Cheese Night

Friday night was Bradberg's First Annual Wine and Cheese night. Top is lefse, next it wine with teeth shaped ice, next is a giant birthday cupcake, followed by some olive oil bread. Simple to make, soak some herbs (rosemary, oregano, tyme, salt and pepper - the usual suspects) in enough water to get them wet, plenty of olive oil, and a squirt of lemon juice. Slice up some french bread or a baguette about a 1/4 inch thing, get your brush out and paint on the mixture and toast up in the oven.

Cars Gingerbread Kit

FYI, the one I made is on the left, the right is the box.

Crock Pot Meatballs

• 1 pound of 80/20 ground beef
• bread crumbs, about 2 slices of bread ran through the food processor
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon Lawery's salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• mozzerella

Combine all ingredents, except meat and cheese. Use hands to combine meat to mixture. Form into balls, make about 10 or so. Then put a chunk of the mozzerella cheese in the center of the ball. Prepare the sauce:

• 1 can crushed tomatoes (I think its around 28 ounces)
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Put the sauce into a crock pot on low. I mix the sauce right in the crock pot. Gentle arrange the meatballs in the sauce. Cover and cook for like 7 hours. Like half way through or so, I gentle stirred it up. When you start to cook up the pasta, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Super yummy, super easy, house smells like an Italian restaurant, and no worries of onions sneaking into the sauce. Probably could serve 4 adults.

Sweet Potatoe Cakes

Connor is on such a pancake kick right now. I needed to make them healthier.

My newest creation. I had some left over sweet potatoes, so I cut them into cubes, and steamed them for a half hour. Tossed them into the food processor, added a bit of the steaming water to make them puree up nicely, with a touch of vanilla.

• 1 cup sweet potatoes
• 1 and 1/2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of pancake mix
• tablespoon or so of milled flax seed

Whisk together, and cook up like normal pancakes on a griddle or fry pan, or however you wanna do it. I made a double batch, froze some for later.

Bonus, they are a beautiful pale orange color.

Dried Cranberry Shortbread

I know, it's been forever. I needed a cookie break. But I am back. I made this up, out of order, last week for a PTA meeting. It was super simple, quick to make, and yummy! You are suppose to cut it up in heart shaped, but squares worked just fine. Only two sticks of butter in it.... Check it out here.

Giant Cupcake

Hooray! I finally got the Wilton Giant Cupcake Mold! I have wanted one forever, and it's just so darn cute. I made this one up for my friend's birthday last night. So pretty, so wonderful.

Granola Bars

• 2 and 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts
• 3/4 cup dried fruit
  
• 2 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup corn syrup/honey
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large egg whites

Toast up the wheat germ. I put in under the broiler for a few minutes, keep a close eye on it! Microwave the oats for 5 minutes, one minute at a time. Stir those up inbetween minutes.

Mix together all the dry ingredients, then mix in the wet ones. Spray down a 9 x 13 jelly roll pan. Cover in foil, spray down the foil. Pack mix into the jelly roll. Bake at 325 for a half hour or so.

Allow to cool, then cut up. I tried using a pizza cutter, but found a big ol butcher's knife works best. Store in air tight container.

I made there, and they were gone. My friends, Bob and Eric ate them up on me while I was gone. When confronting them, this was the text responses I got:
"Not a chance u r blaming me, it was the bob. But they were very tasty" ~Eric
"Its not my fault you're better than betty crocker!" ~Bob