Corn Fritters

Hayley's class made these during colonial day, and they were so good they were gobbled up faster than they could make them! They probably aren't the healthiest thing out there, but it does have corn, so it can't be all that bad, right? The recipe has numbered steps, so it's easy for kids to follow.

Ingredients:

1 (20 oz) can of whole kernel corn

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

vegetable oil for frying

powdered sugar, syrup, butter (optional)

1. Drain the corn.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together corn, eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

3. Heat oil in a large frying pan.

4. Drop one tablespoon of batter in the frying pan.

5. Cook three minutes on each side or until light brown.

6. Drain fritters on a paper towel.

7. Serve with syrup, butter, or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 25 to 30 fritters.

Best Meatloaf Ever

Meatloaf - you either love it or hate it. I'm in the love it camp, and the kids are too. Chris wasn't a fan, until I found a great recipe he actually liked! It's the kids favorite dish, and there are rarely leftovers. So give it a try - it may convince you that not all meatloafs are the same!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (be sure to 15% or less)

1/2 cup crushed Ritz or Keebler Townhouse crackers

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 package dry onion soup mix

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbsp. steak sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the ground beef, cheese, crackers and onion soup mix until combined. Whisk the eggs, ketshup and steak sauce in a separate bowl until smooth. Mix the egg mixture into the meat. If it seems too dry, add a little water. Press into a loaf pan. Bake until center is no longer pink, about 45-60 minutes.

Crock Pot Stroganoff with Noodles

This is one of our family's favorite dishes! My picky kids love it. There are all sorts of variations on this recipe, but this one is our favorite.

Ingredients:

3-4 lb. chuck roast
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 cup water (you can eyeball this)
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
ground black pepper
1 package wide egg noodles

Put roast in large crock pot, and add dry soup mix and water. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Add sour cream, and black pepper to taste. Roast should fall apart and shred easily.

Cook egg noodles as directed. Serve with roast and gravy. YUM!

Super Yummy Party Meatballs

This appetizer is always a huge hit at get-togethers, and I get a lot of requests for the recipe. The ingredients are a little unconventional, but they are super yummy, and even the kids love them! They're also really simple to make. This recipe is for a large batch. Because I use the entire bag of meatballs, I have to cook these in my large electric roasting pan or large pot.

Ingredients:

1 large bag of frozen meatballs (I prefer the brand sold at Costco).
1 large jar of Welch's grape jelly
1 12 oz. jar of Heinz chili sauce

In a large saucepan or crock pot, heat the chili sauce and jelly until it melts together. Add the meatballs (you may have to transfer to a larger pot, then add the meatballs). Simmer for about 2 hours, then keep warm in a roaster or crock pot.

Variations:

Add 2-3 tbps. dijon mustard for extra tang
Substitute grape jelly with cranberry or apricot preserves
Add pineapple juice/chunks
Add more/less jelly, more/less chili sauce