Recipe 1 - Super-sized Meatballs!

Today marks the beginning of my "one meal post a day" (it'll have its labels as "OMPD" to keep them grouped together): I will be posting recipes for one meal (all lunch/dinner meals I believe) every day!

** Update- I obviously did not stick to the one meal per day thing lol **

Today's is Super-sized Meatballs and Spaghetti:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 & 1/2 lbs ground beef/pork/turkey
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves of minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1 - 1 & 1/2 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 tsp minced oregano or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground oregano
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 3 & 1/2 cups marinara sauce or your favorite spaghetti sauce
• Cooked spaghetti
• Shredded mozzarella or grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk.
2. In a large bowl, mix the ground meat with the soaked bread crumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, salt, and pepper and form into 4 balls.
3. In a deep non-stick skillet, heat the oil and add the meatballs cook over medium-high heat until brown all over (about 7ish minutes). Add the marinara/spaghetti sauce to the skillet and lower heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked thoroughly. 
4. Serve over spaghetti and garnish with cheese; serve with a salad to make a full meal of it :)

Additional hints/ideas:

Got leftover meatballs? Slice 'em up and serve on a hoagie/sub bun with marinara and cheese for lunch the next day!

Let me know what you think!

'Til next time,

- Julie :)

Easy DIY Ice Cream!

Have you ever really wanted ice cream and come to find out, you have none? And you know for a fact you're way to lazy too go out and get some from the store, either that or there's no store open that isn't a gas station (which only ever has the bars anyway). Well this post rescued me when I had one of those moments!

All you need is milk (that's what I used even though it calls for half-and-half), vanilla, sugar, ice, salt, and two zip bags (one gallon sized and one sandwich sized).

Put your ice in the bigger bag and pour some salt over it and set aside. Pour 1/2 cup milk (or half/half), 1 tsp of vanilla, and 1 tbsp of sugar into the little bag and squish it up to mix. Place your little bag in the big one and shake for 5 minutes. That's it!

It's a bit runnier/mushier than store bought but tastes just as good (if not better!). My husband didn't approve, said it wasn't bad, but wasn't sweet enough.

I think this would be a fun thing to do with kids, I may have to recruit my cousin (who's 6) to see if she'd like it!

Next time I might double it or add a little more sugar. I wonder if you could put some cocoa powder in it to get chocolate? If I try it, I'll let you know!

Try it and let me know what you think!

'Til next time,

- Julie :)

Oil-Cleansing - Part 2 AND DIY Yarn Pom-Poms!

This post is a bit delayed and I apologize! I also realized I spelled complexion as complection in last post, brain fart, oh well!

I tried the cleansing for 4 days total and my husband said he did notice a different in the acne looking a little better the first two mornings but after the 3rd, I noticed it getting worse. After the 4th, it was still bad and I got fed up and was tired from work so I skipped and day and thought I'd catch up the next day and forgot; I made up my mind to start again this past Tuesday night and forgot again. So, I may be starting tonight again, just to see if it helps.

A few days after I quit doing the cleansing, (TMI warning, it's relevant so I had to mention it, sorry!)I began my lady problems which had caused me to break out so I am blaming the worsening of my acne those two days on that.

Comment or email me your results if you've done the cleansing!

For a mini-post/addition so you have something new, I found a cool way to make yarn pom-poms! It's not really a new way because everyone on pinterest does it this way, but it definitely works!

Here's the link for the pics I attached and a good tutorial on how to do it. Downside? it's in Spanish. I don't have a good camara right now but hopefully will get it together soon and will be able to do my own.

First, you take your yarn and place the tip of your ball/skein between your first two fingers and wrap the yarn around and around, I did it about 45 times the first time but for thicker poms (which in my opinion are cuter) wrap more; experiment for the best way for you! 

Next, you cut the yarn and take a few inches long piece and thread it through the middle and tie off in the middle of the piece. Take the excess and tie it around the middle of the part left the double-tying I feel just secures it more. For larger or smaller poms, just use one or three+ fingers instead of two. Once tying it off, cut all the loops, trim it up, and fluff it! 

5 - after it is wrapped and tied off
6 - cutting the loops
7 - after the loops are cut, before it's trimmed
8 - finished product!

Also, what I did with the first one, turn it into a cute pom-pom bookmark by leaving an excess of the string you tied it off with!

'Til next time (which will definitely be sooner than two weeks, sorry for the gap!)

- Julie :)