Italian Meatloaf Sandwich *Lauren Perry*

Brian flipped over this! I am not quite sure on the measurements, since I just threw it all together, but this is basically the measurements

Ingredients
1 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup of milk
1 egg (lightly beat)
1/3 onion (leave in large chunks)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
about 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs
garlic salt
pepper
garlic bread
1 can of pizza sauce
provolone cheese slices


Directions
Heat oven to 350
in a large bowl- mix ground beef, Worcestershire, onions, spices, bread crumbs, egg and milk. Press into a bread pan or circle cake pan

Top with Pizza Sauce (i don't use the full can because its nice to have a little extra to drizzle over or use for a dip)

toast the garlic bread with provolone slices on it

with 10 minutes left to meatloaf, add slices of provolone cheese to melt on top

Slice the meatloaf and set on top of a slice of garlic bread

Pick up and eat or use a fork!

Oreo Truffles

2 packages Double Stuf Oreos
8 oz. cream cheese
Chocolate almond bark
White Chocolate almond bark

CRUSH cookies to fine crumbs in food processor or cookies can also be finely crushed in a Zip-lock bag using a rolling pin. Place in medium bowl or mixer. Add cream cheese, mix until well blended. Roll cookies into balls about 1-inch in diameter. (I use a small cookie scoop so that the bottoms are flat.) Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on wax paper covered baking sheet then drizzle with melted white chocolate using a Zip-lock bag with the corner cut off.

REFRIGERATE until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

How to easily dip truffles: Place truffle ball in chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off) before placing on wax paper.

Vanilla French Toast with Butter Syrup *Lauren Perry*

French Toast
Bread (white, wheat, sweet hawaiian ...which ever kind you want)
3 eggs
1/4 cup of sugar
1 TBS cinnamon
2 TSP vanilla extract
2 TBS Milk
(you could slice 1 vanilla bean and take out the insides too, but vanilla beans are pretty expensive)

mix in a bowl and dip bread in, cook on oven or on a skillet- cook until each side is golden brown

Butter Syrup
1 stick of butter
about 1/3- 1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of Karo Syrup
1-2 TBS of vanilla extract

melt all of the above in a microwave and stir it together until the sugar melts

extra- slice strawberries or fresh peaches and put on top of french toast, pour butter syrup over and enjoy!

Clam Linguine *Lauren Perry*

I LOVE clams! This doesn't have a very fishy taste-so you don't have to worry if you have a weak stomach :)

Ingredients
4 cans of clams (in juice)
2 TBS of lemon juice
a bunch of fresh parsley
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1 stick of butter
1 cup of shredded parmesan
2 cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of garlic salt and pepper
2 TBS olive oil

cook linguine

In a large sauce pan, saute onions and garlic in the butter and olive oil. Add parsley, cooking wine, lemon juice, the juice from the clams, garlic salt and pepper and cook until it boils for about 3 minutes, then cook on low for 5 minutes. Add the clam meat and parmesan and cook another 2 minutes. Pour over the cooked linguine and toss. The linguine will absorb a lot of the liquid and strong flavors, and it wont be overly powerful (if you taste the sauce in the pan- its very powerful with the lemon, garlic, salt, salt from clams...etc..)- the cooked linguine tones it down a ton.

Enjoy with a cesar salad and french bread!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos *Lauren Perry*

Easy and Yummy- my 2 favorite things when making food!

Ingredients
3-4 Chicken Breasts
1 packet of mild taco seasoning
1 cup of water
1 can of petite diced tomatoes (I used the one with mild green chili's)
1/2 jar of green verde salsa (I like mild)
2 TBS of ranch dressing
dash of salt and pepper

-throw all of the above in a crock pot and cook all day! I threw the ranch in the last 30 minutes

stuff in and top with
taco shells or small tortillas for soft tacos
shredded cheese
avocado
sour cream

*I bought a bag Mexican rice that you microwave, a can of pinto beans that I cooked on the stove and mashed up with some lime juice and garlic salt, and had homemade salsa and chips as well :) The chicken meat is so yummy, it also goes great on nachos!

Yummy cookie and MIA *Lauren Perry*

Sorry I have been missing in action! I had a baby on December 11th and I have been too busy for words!

My mom just came up to visit and spend time with my boys. She brought this cookie recipe that she has been dying to try out. It is probably the easiest cookie recipe on earth (next to good old slice and bake cookies) and it is truly divine!

Ingredients
1 box of Devils Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 bag of Andes Mints

Directions-
oven set at 350'
Combine cake mix, eggs and oil in a mixer
roll into cookie dough balls, about a TBS/ball
bake for 10 minutes
remove from oven and drop baking sheet on counter to 'flatten' the cookie
remove 1 Andes Mint and place 1 mint/cookie and smooth out as it melts with a spoon
let the melted mint cool off for about 10 minutes and then eat the whole batch! This makes about 28-36 cookies.

ps- here is a cute pic of my boys!

Caramel Popcorn

Take 16-18 cups of popcorn, divide in half. Put half in brown paper bag.

In a medium bowl, put 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup corn syrup--do not stir! Microwave for 2 minutes, then stir.

Microwave for 3 minutes, then stir and add 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Pour half the caramel over popcorn in the paper bag. Add the other half of the popcorn, and remaining caramel.

Microwave for one minute, then shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

Microwave for 45 seconds, then shake for 30 seconds.

Microwave for 20 seconds.

Pour onto waxed paper, separate to cool.