Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup Italian or plain breadcrumbs or 2 slices white bread, soaked and squeezed
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Olive or Canola oil

Sauce:

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard
3 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup hot water

or:

Dave's Sweet and Zesty BBQ Sauce, same amount of  water. Mix well.

Mix all the ingredients. Make balls the size of a walnut.

Brown the meatballs in the oil just to brown outside not cook inside. Place them on a paper towel to remove the excess of fat. Place the meatballs on a big skillet uncovered.

Mix the sauce ingredients and pour over the meatballs or the BBQ sauce mixture.

Cook at low-medium temperature for about 10-12 minutes basting the meatballs with the sauce and turning them over once.

Serves 6-8

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Kraft Magazine
www.kraft.com

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup cold butter or margarine
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 pkg. 8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 can 15 oz pumpkin
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line 13x9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil (Mold foil over bottom of pan leaving 3 inches extending over the short sides. Pop pre-formed molded foil into pan and crunch extended sides of foil to form handles. Use handles to lift baked item out of pan. (I used 3 sheets of aluminum foil one over the other one to make it sturdy).

Mix flour, brown sugar and ¼ cup of the granulated sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and pecans. Reserve 1 cup of the oat mixture; press remaining mixture onto bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, remaining ½ cup sugar, eggs, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 25 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 24 bars.

Note:

Can't find pumpkin pie spice? Mix 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
I add some 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger as well.

Ecuadorian Chicken Spaghetti

1 lb chicken thighs, cut-up into small pieces or chicken breasts, cut into serving-size pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 small green pepper
1 big garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 celery stick or 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup tomato sauce
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 extra cups water
Salt
Pepper to taste
1/4 pound spaghetti, cooked
Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Blend garlic, onion, green pepper and celery with 1 1/2 cups water. Pour this mixture in a medium saucepan, add cumin and let it boil at medium heat until it dries completely and becomes like a thick paste.
Add the chicken cook slowly at very low heat stirring frequently for about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, tomato paste, tomato sauce and ketchup. Cover and let it simmer at low temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Finally, add oregano, sweet basil, cilantro, more salt if necessary, black pepper and simmer until the spaghetti sauce has a desired consistency. Pour the hot sauce over the cooked spaghetti and mix thoroughly.

Serve very hot.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves 4

Fudge Crinkles

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist chocolate cake (Triple fudge chocolate) or Devil's Food Cake Mix 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar.

Heat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix cake mix, oil, eggs and vanilla with spoon until dough forms.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. On ungreased cookie sheet, lace balls about 2 inches apart.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Store tightly covered.

High Altitude: No change

Coconut Macaroons

www.pillsbury.com

2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon almond or coconut extract

Mix the egg whites and sugar. Add the flour, dash of salt and blend well. Stir in 2 cups flaked coconut and extract and combine well.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased and floured cookie sheet or use parchment paper.

Bake at 325F for 13 to 17 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Immediately, remove from cookie sheet.
12 cookies.

Variations: Add semi-sweet mini chocolate chips if desired. You can also dip the regular coconut macaroons in melted chocolate and let it set.
High altitude: Above 3500 Feet: No change.

Secret Sunflower Banana Bread (Light)

The Joy of Snacks, Nancy Cooper, RD.



3 medium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork
1/4 cup butter, melted (I use Canola oil)
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon unsweetened orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts

Stir in butter, orange juice concentrate, honey and bananas.

In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Add to banana mixture.

Add the vanilla and sunflower seeds. Mix well.

Pour into an oiled 9x5-inch loaf pan or 2 mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 F for 55-60 minutes or 35-40 for mini loaves. Or make 12-14 muffins at 350 F 20 minutes.

Remove from pan. Cool before slicing.

Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices)

Serving slice: 1 slice 139 calories.

Or make regular muffins filling the paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Yellow Jello Salad

2 cups boiling water
1 big box orange jello
1 can (15 1/2 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cans (11 oz) mandarin oranges drained
1 small box instant lemon pudding and pie filling
1 1/2 cups cold milk

Dissolve the jello in the boiling water. Add the crushed pineapple, undrained and mandarin oranges, well drained.

Pour this mixture in a 13x9x2 glass pan. Let it set in the fridge.

Prepare the pudding with the cold milk and let it rest in the refrigerator until thick. Spread the pudding on top of the set jello.