Quick & Easy Meatball Parmesan:

I knew when I first saw this recipe, that I would love it! And I was right!!
But I wasn't prepared for how easy it was, and for the fact that the rest of my family liked it too!
I love spaghetti, but this is like a another level of spaghetti!
It's so good...I hope you try it out!!

30 Frozen Meatballs (click HERE for my quick and easy recipe)

2 (24 oz.) jars of Spaghetti Sauce

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1 & 1/2 to 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

Pour one jar of sauce in a greased baking dish. Place the frozen meatballs over the sauce.

Add the other jar of sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until meatballs are hot through.

Sprinkle with cheeses.

Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly, and starting to brown.

Serve over hot cooked noodles!

Note:

-You're meatballs don't have to be frozen. You will just want to bake it for less time.

-Some people in my family don't love Parmesan Cheese, so I leave it off, and anyone who likes it, can sprinkle it on their individual servings. 

-2 full jars of sauce is a little too much for my family, so I usually only use 1 & 1/2 jars. It's totally up to you, though, and it depends on how many meatballs you want to use.

-Store bough meatballs are generally NOT gluten-free.

Peanut Butter Balls:

We are pretty serious about our peanut butter around here!! There's only one or two who don't really care for it, and by that, I mean they don't eat it on everything they can think of! They still eat it, though!!
It had been a few years since I had last made peanut butter balls. My grandma used to always make them for Christmas, so Kaitlyn decided she was going to make some this year.
They turned out really good and everyone enjoyed them!
Hope you give them a try!!

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 & 1/3 cups powder sugar

1 cup rice crispy cereal

1/2 cup cream peanut butter

1/2 ts. vanilla

1 & 1/2 cups chocolate chips

2 tablespoons shortening

Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, rice cereal, peanut butter and vanilla; mix until well combined. Using a cookie scoop, shape the dough into balls; place on wax paper lined baking sheets. Chill for 30 minutes. Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to heat in 15 second intervels, until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring well after each intervel. Place a ball onto a dinner fork, and dip into the chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip off, and then, using a toothpick, push the ball off of the fork onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining balls. Chill until set. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for fridge.

Note:

-Click HERE to watch the Pioneer Woman make truffles. We use the same dipping technique for these peanut butter balls as she does for her truffles. This way you can see what I'm talking about, since I'm not very good at explaining things!!

-White Chocolate Chips work good too!

Fruit and Nut Chicken Salad:

I love Chicken Salad! Pretty much any way it's fixed, but this is possibly my very favorite way!
Eat it with a fork, on a sandwich, with some crackers, tortilla chips...however you would like it!
A lot of people turn their nose up when they find out that there are grapes in the salad, but don't knock it 'till you've tried it, because I promise it's good!!!

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, diced or lightly ground in a food processor (about 4 cups cooked chicken)

1 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup red or green grapes, halved

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tblsp. honey

2 tblsp. mustard

dash or two of pepper

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, onion, grapes and nuts and mix until combined. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, honey, mustard and pepper. Add to chicken mixture and mix until everything is well combined. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve!

Note:

-I have made this with or without grapes and both ways are delicious.

-This is great way to use Rotisserie chicken, if you find it on sale (click HERE for a post on Rotisserie Chicken)

Roast Beef Sandwiches & Copycat Arby's Sauce:

Arby's and Chic-fil-A are definitely my favorite fast-food restaurants.

I just LOVE the waffles fries, grilled chicken, salads, and milk-shakes at Chic-fil-A.

At Arby's, my favorites are the Cheddar Road Beef sandwiches and the Jamocha milkshakes.

Thankfully, I don't live very close to a Chic-fil-A at all, and the nearest Arby's is still like 15 miles away. 

So when I saw this recipe for Arby's sauce, I just couldn't wait to try it!!

It's really, really good, and although I don't know if it tastes "just" like Arby's sauce, it's super close and makes a GREAT sandwich (as well as a nice dipping sauce for fries!!!)!

The sauce will stay in the fridge for a couple weeks, and the roast beef is made in the slow-cooker, so it's a really fun, impressive looking, super fast and easy main dish!!

Hope you try it out!!

2 lb. Beef Roast

1 cup water

2 tblsp. beef seasoning

Sliced American cheese

Arby's Sauce (recipe below)

Hamburger Buns, toasted, if desired

Place fresh or frozen roast in a slow-cooker. Add water, and sprinkle the beef seasoning over all.

Cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours, until it shreds easily with a fork.

(You can cook it longer as well. The more tender it is, the better.)

Serve on toasted buns with cheese and Arby's sauce!

Arby's Sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tblsp. apple cider vinegar

4 tblsp. water

4-5 drops hot sauce

2 tblsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring often, especially in the last 10 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Transfer to an airtight container. Lasts in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Note:

-If you don't like spicy food, don't be intimidated by the hot sauce. It really doesn't add any heat, just a really nice flavor. For someone who likes hot sauce, you wouldn't even be able to tell it's in here.

Peanut Butter Blossoms:

I have made homemade bread, pumpkin roll, angel food cake and a few other things that some people would consider "hard" recipes to make.
I've made lots of "easy" things too...rice crispy treats, no-bake cookies, etc.
But would you believe I had never made these Peanut Butter cookies?
I don't know why, but I just never have. I've always loved them, though!
For some unknown reason, we had an abundance of Hershey Kisses the other day, and I was SO excited to finally try these cookies out! I know, it's dumb, but I was excited!
So, I got out my grandma's recipe, had my mom interpret all the words I couldn't read, because of her small, cursive writing, and because the recipe card was a little faded, and got to work!
Less than 30 minutes later, I was done!
They are definitely easy, but they're also just one of those things that are down right fun to make! I had a ball! (cookie ball, that is!)
Thank you for listening to me get so thrilled about a simple, peanut butter cookie!
Now, I hope you'll go make some for yourself or others!!

1 & 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

2 tblsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Sugar for rolling

Hershey chocolate candy kisses

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, xanthan gum, soda and salt; set aside.

Cream together sugars, shortening and peanut butter in a mixing bowl.

Add egg, milk and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Roll doughs into balls, using a cookie scoop to keep them all the same size. Roll each ball in sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until just barley golden brown.

Remove from the oven. Place a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie, pressing down firmly so that the cookie cracks slightly around the edge. 

Let cool for 1-2 minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Note:

-These freeze really well.

-This makes approximately 35-40 cookies.