MEATLOAF RECIPE

Here is my favorite way to make meatloaf.

First I gather and measure all the ingredients before I start mixing it up.  Seems to go faster that way for some reason.  I like using the potato flakes instead of bread crumbs or cracker crumbs.  It's easier and adds a good flavor.

Mix together:

2 lbs. ground beef

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

Finely chopped onion (to taste)

1/2 cup mashed potato flakes

1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix (mix with a little water and let it sit about 5 minutes)

Add all ingredients to a large bowl to mix.  You can add more milk and potato flakes if needed to get the right texture for a loaf.

Season top of meatloaf with salt and pepper to taste after placing in the pan.

Bake in 375 degree oven uncovered for 1 hour, then covered with foil for 45 minutes.  I then turn it over and leave in oven until the bottom side is nice and browned also.

Please excuse the red line on my photos.  We are not sure what is causing my camera to do that but we are working on fixing it.

Here is a recipe that looks soo good!  I haven't made it yet but sure will be trying it soon.

Julienne's graham cracker chewy bars

Crust

3 cups graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and flour until moist and well-blended. Press the mixture firmly and evenly over the bottom of a 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Topping and assembly

2 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 extra-large eggs

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 prepared crust
Powdered sugar, if desired

1. While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs to blend. Whisk in the graham cracker crumbs, vanilla, salt and baking powder until well-blended. Stir in the pecans.

2. Spread the mixture over the baked crust and return to the 350-degree oven until the filling is dark-golden on top and jiggles slightly when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely.

3. Sprinkle a light coating of sifted powdered sugar over the pan if desired, and cut into 24 bars. The bars can be made 1 day in advance. Wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature.

Each bar: 247 calories; 2 grams protein; 36 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber;11 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 50 mg. cholesterol; 184 mg. sodium.

Here is the website: 

Recipe: Julienne's graham cracker chewy bars - latimes.com

HAPPY FROGS

As you can see, I love to crochet.  It all started many years ago when I was wishing I had something to do to pass the time and mentioned that to my mom.  A short while later she showed up at my door with a skein of yarn and a crochet hook and taught me the first few simple stitches of crochet. I enjoyed it so much that in no time at all I was making afghans.  It became my favorite way to pass time, make gifts for people and even sell my creations at many craft sales back then.

As the years have gone by I have been into many other kinds of crafts too, but always have found the time to continue with my crocheting.  I hope this is an art that will continue to be around.  Sometimes I wonder if the day will come that nobody crochets anymore.  But since both my mother and grandmother enjoyed it I am hoping it will be a forever thing. Now there are so many instructions and patterns online that make it easier to learn it.

Below are some little frogs that I made a while back.  We really had fun with them.  My husband found all kinds of ways to get them into hilarious situations around the house.  I never knew where I would find them the next morning!

This is where you can get the pattern for these.  Enjoy!

mindnsoul: Happy Frog Free Pattern

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing everyone a fun and safe holiday.  Enjoy the goodies and fireworks and time with your family and friends.

I made the design below by combining two photographs taken by my husband.  One scenic picture of the sky and the other a picture of a flag.  Working with graphics is a love of mine and it helps to have a hubby who loves photography.

Please feel free to borrow this one if you would like.

THE DAY YOU WERE BORN

The Day You Were Born

This is a fun website.  You type in your date of birth and it will give you all kinds of information from that day.  Who was president, what prices of things were, on and on.  We have all probably had programs for this in the past but it's still fun to see again. It also gives you a nice printable page.

dMarie Time Capsule

KID'S GRANNY SQUARE BLANKIE

Here is another favorite pattern of mine.  It's just a large granny square pattern.  Perfect for kids and I have made two of them for my grandsons.  This pattern works up really fast and I like it because you don't have to be counting all the time as you work.  It makes a great gift!

Here is where to find the pattern: http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/granny-lg.html

CLASSIC ARAN AFGHAN

Hello all ! It's Saturday and it's 63 degrees here. I love these kind of summer temps.  I could handle this all summer. I know it won't last though. Soon it will be all hot and humid again.

Today I wanted to share one of my very favorite afghan patterns.  I love this design.  It is a little time consuming but the finished product is very worth it.  I have made three of these. One for a wedding gift and two for my granddaughters.  It is beautiful in any color you choose to make it in.  I have made a white one, green one and a lavender one.  The picture below is the lavender one although on the picture it looks more of a pink.

This pattern is on www.free-crochet.com.  I believe all you have to do is sign up with an email address and password to access their free patterns.  When you get there go to the afghan section and do a search for 'Classic Aran Afghan' and the pattern should come right up.  They have really nice patterns and I use their site often.

Happy crocheting !

PAUL BUNYAN DAY

I see on my calendar of fun holidays 2013 Funny Holiday Calendar Pages  that today is 'Paul Bunyan' day.  Bemidji, Minnesota has always been one of our favorite places to travel to.  Sometimes for a few days and sometimes just as a one day drive.  If you are close enough and have never been there check it out, and say hi to Paul and Babe!  It makes for a great family trip.

Bemidji Minnesota Family Vacation - Hotels - Motels - Resorts - VCB

TRICK UP MY SLEEVE

I started this blog partly to share fun and easy craft ideas.  Some will be my own and some will be great ones I have found on other websites.  I love crafts and I am alway looking for quick and easy ones that go fast enough that they don't end up just being put aside and not finished. (I have many unfinished ones from the past myself). I saw this one on Pinterest this morning and it is such a great idea.  I will picture the finished craft and then link you to the website where the instructions are.  I hope I am doing this right as I am very new to doing this blog stuff.  I hope you will all excuse me for any mistakes as I am learning!

These are little coin purses made from the cuff of a men's button down shirt. I have made little pouches like this from fabric before for my husband to store some of his photography equipment in but never gave a thought to doing it this way.  Something tells me he will soon have some new ones!  I love this idea!

For instructions go to: Trick Up My Sleeve” Coin Purse | Family Chic by Camilla Fabbri ©2009-2012. Al

DATE BARS

I think we all have memories of foods that stand out from our childhood.  Memories of our mothers making them at certain times of the year or for special occasions.  One that I remember is the date bars my mom used to make.  I can remember how we waited for them to get done.  I was not a big fan of dates as a kid but for some reason I got caught up in the excitement of waiting for them too and when I ate them they were delicious..  I found what looks exactly like the kind she made on Date Bars I Recipe - Allrecipes.com.

2 1/2 cups dates, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup water 

Crust:

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.

2. To make filling: In a small saucepan, combine dates, brown sugar, and water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. To make the crust: Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture becomes crumbly.

 4. Press half of crust evenly into baking pan.

 5. Spread date mixture over the top.

6. Crumble remaining crust mixture over the top of date mixture.

7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

8.  Let cool on wire racks before cutting into bars.

SLOW COOKER HAM DINNER

Here's a simple slow cooker recipe that I like to make. If you let it cook for a number of hours the ham will fall apart with your fork and that's how I like it!

Ham (size of your choice).
Chopped carrots.
Chopped celery.
Potato (cut into small pieces).
Sliced onion.

That's it. Put all of the above into your slow cooker.  I usually let it simmer for at least 4 hours.  No certain amount of each ingredient.  Just make to your own taste and it will be great.  This is my kind of simple cooking.  Tastes delicious and makes your kitchen smell fantastic while it is cooking!