Ikea Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs are so good. But just good until you've had them done right. When you make these you will know you've reached the ultimate. The best are Ikea made meatballs. But really home cooked Ikea meatballs are really better. I promise. These are loved so much I made them for Christmas dinner. Really I did. I add a few spices to the recipe to make it a little special. Serve the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes and a side of lingonberry jam.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1c cream
2 1/2tbsp minced onions
1/4c rusk flour or bread crumbs
2 boiled mashed potatoes
5 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
1tsp Allspice

Cream Sauce
1c beef stock
1/2c cream
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp flour
salt and white pepper

Method
Heat onion in butter in pan until golden. Combine meats well by kneading. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine until well mixed. Roll into balls and fry in butter until browned. I finish the cooking process in the oven at 350°

Heat stock in pan add cream and thicken with flour rue. Whisk together add rest of ingredients. Season with salt pepper to taste and a pinch of allspice.

Toss meatballs with the sauce.

Jeanne's Cranberry Holiday Jell-o

Ingredients: 6 oz. pkg. cherry Jell-o 2 cups water 2 cups grated apple 1 can crushed pineapple 1 pkg. cranberries 1 to 2 cups sugar (this will vary depending on how tart your apples are and how sweet you like the Jell-o, I never used more then 1.5 cups) Directions: Put the Jell-o in the water and heat in the microwave. Cook 1 minute at a time stirring between times till dissolved. Put Jell-o in blender with sugar and cranberries blend. Pour into mixing bowl and add apples and pineapple. Stir together and put in bowl in the fridge. This Jell-o dose not set up for a mold. Number Of Servings:8-10

Lemon Chicken with Thyme

4 servings

3 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 lb. total)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup chicken broth
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Lemon wedges (optional)
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)

1. In a plastic or paper bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper and shake to mix.  Add the chicken and shake to coat lightly.  Remove the chicken and reserve the excess seasoned flour.
2. In a large skillet, warm 1 Tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.  Add the chicken and brown on one side, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil. turn the chicken and brown well on the second side, about 5 minutes longer.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Coarsely chop the onion.  Add the margarine to the skillet.  When the margarine melts, add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the reserved seasoned flour and cook, stirring, until the flour is completely incorporated, about 1 minute.
5. Add the broth, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the thyme and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet.  Cook untl the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.
7. Divide the chicken among 4 plates.  Stir the remaining 1 Tablespoon lemon juice into the sauce in the skillet and pour over the chicken.  Serve the chicken with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of parsley, if desired.

Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8 oz) pkg reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey, and vanilla.  Don’t worry about clumps of the brown sugar, those will dissolve as it sits while you prepare the remaining ingredients.  Then fold in the carrot, zucchini, and walnuts
2. In another bowl combine add the flour, baking powder, ginger, and baking soda.  Whisk to blend together.
3. Add to flour mixture to the wet mixture. Stir just until combined. Spread batter into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
5. Once the cake is cooled prepare the frosting.   In a medium mixing bowl, beat the fosting ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled bars.  Makes 36 bars.

http://realmomkitchen.com/7878/carrot-and-zucchini-bars-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting/

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 1/4 cups sugar 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 1/2 cups butter, softened 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/8 teaspoon butter extract 3 eggs 5.1 oz instant vanilla pudding 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoons salt 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 to 2 ( 12-oz.) pkg. milk chocolate chips Directions: Heat oven to 375*.   In large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy.   Add vanilla and eggs; blend well.   Add flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well.   Stir in chocolate chips.   Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.   Bake at 375* for 8 to 10 minute or ubtil light golden brown.

Raspberry Bread Pudding Recipe

Raspberry Bread Pudding Recipe

1 1/2 loaves aged or day old,  white bread (I like

to use a heavy type of bread, usually 1 lb. loaves

would be standard.)

1 qt. heavy cream

3 C. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

5 C. raspberries, fresh or frozen (hers were fresh)

1 C. sugar

1/2 C. apple juice

In a large bowl mix the cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. 

Cut bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes and add to cream mixture,

coating the bread well.  Let stand 30 minutes, stirring every

5 minutes to allow cream to absorb.

Mix the raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring

until sugar is dissolved.

Layer a 9x13 inch baking pan 3/4 full with the bread mix

and pour fruit filling over the bread mix, spreading evenly.

Top with the remaining bread.  Bake 40 minutes at 375.

Serve warm topped with vanilla cream sauce.

(If you want it to cut into nice squares you can chill

it and then cut it into squares, then microwave it

for 20-25 seconds per piece and top with sauce.)

Vanilla Cream Sauce

1 1/3 C. butter

5 T. flour

3 C. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp vanilla

2/3 C. sugar

Melt butter in medium saucepan and add flour.  Stir

10 minutes until it has a nutty aroma, do not brown.  Add

salt, cream and sugar until mix is thick.  Remove from heat

and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm over the pudding.

Kneaders Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3-⅓ cups unbleached all purpose Flour
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1-½ teaspoon Salt
• 2-⅔ cups Sugar
• ⅔ cups Softened Butter
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1 pound (or 1 30oz can or 2 15oz cans) Mashed Pumpkin
• ⅔ cups Water
• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I highly recommend Ghiradelli)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream sugar and butter until well incorporated. Add eggs one at a time and then add the mashed pumpkin. Alternate adding dry ingredients with water. Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour into three large greased bread pans and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
Makes 3 loaves

Orange Cup Cakes

1 white cake mix
1/3 to 1/2 orange Jell-O (3oz.)

 Bake according instructions on the box.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2T orange Jell-O
orange zest

Simple syrup
2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. orange juice

Poke holes in tops of cup cakes and brush on syrup.

Pig Picking Cake

Cake:
1 yellow cake mix
1 -11 oz can mandarin oranges W/ juice
½ cup oil
 4 eggs

Mix together and pour into two separate pans or one if you can cut the cake and layer it. Preheat oven to 325, and bake for 35 mins. Make sure cake is cooled off well.

 Frosting:
1-12 oz tub of Cool Whip
1 Large can of crushed pineapple W/ juice
1 small pkg. of instant vanilla pudding

After cake is cooled, you will want to layer it and put frosting in the middle, and then on top.

Strawberry Dream Dip

Whip:
1 pt cream
1/2 C granulated sugar
... 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Then mix in:
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp orange zest (grated peel 1 orange)

Spinach Smoothie

So, I have received quite a few requests lately for the yummy spinach smoothie recipes. So here you go for those of you wanting to eat a little more healthy this year.

Spinach Protein Smoothie

6 oz. water
1 scoop whey protein powder (EAS Vanilla Whey is best, purple container)
1/2 to 1 whole banana
2 T. peanut or almond butter
6 - 8 ice cubes
1 to 2 handfuls of raw spinach

Blend in blender until totally pureed. Enjoy your yummy healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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Fruity Spinach Smoothie

orange juice
banana
frozen strawberries
frozen pineapple
yogurt ( I use the Yoplait light or maybe greek for extra protein)
raw spinach

I just add as much of each of these as I need to for what I feel like, or depending on how many people are going to enjoy the smoothie goodness. I don't add ice because I usually use enough of the frozen fruit to make it good. Then blend till thoroughly pureed and ENJOY!!