Meat Loaf Cupcakes with Mashed Potatoes

Meat Loaf Cupcakes with Mashed Potatoes

1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup tomato pasta sauce
1/2 cup water
2 Eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 (3/4-ounce) slices Land O Lakes® Deli 4 Cheese Italian Blend cheese
Potato Topping
1 1/4 cups water
6 (3/4-ounce) slices Land O Lakes 4 Cheese Italian Blend, cut into quarters
2 cups mashed potatoes whipped with butter and milk
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 12 cup muffin pan with no-stick cooking spray. Place muffin pan onto 9 x 13 inch baking pan; set aside.

Combine all meatloaf ingredients except cheese slices in large bowl; mix well. Stack 6 cheese slices. Cut into 4 even strips; then cut across into thirds to create 12 small square stacks of cheese.

Shape about 1/3 cupfuls meatloaf mixture into 12 (2 1/2-inch) balls. Press 1 stack cheese into center of each ball, covering evenly with meat mixture so cheese is in center. Place stuffed meatloaf mixture into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature is at least 165°F and meat is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, combine left over mashed potatoes and 6 cheese quarters and cook over medium-high heat until cheese is melted. Top each cupcake with about 3 tablespoons potato mixture over each meatloaf; sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Serve immediately.


http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/3646/italian-meatloaf-cupcakes

Just A Dog

Just A Dog

From time to time I hear this phrase. "It's just a dog." or I hear, "Why do you worry so much, she's just a dog."

To all those people out there who may have said this to me over the years, I want you to know that some of my... proudest moments have come about with what you refer to as "just a dog."

Many hours have passed happily when my only company was with what you refer to as "just a dog." When people have let me down and I've felt so alone, it was what you refer to as, "just a dog" that reminded me of her unconditional love and everlasting friendship.

In those days of darkness, it was the gentle touch of what you refer to as "just a dog" that gave me comfort and support to overcome the hardest days. And what you refer to as "just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.

You see, for me, she's not just a dog, but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past and the pure joy of the moment. This dog brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the very thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being, "Just a person."

From my book, "Forever Friends" ~Marty
Photo shown is of my little dog Katie, my best friend and canine soul mate.

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator door,
and it made me want to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray dog,
and it made me want to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake,
and I realized it was the little
things that made others feel special.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I heard you say a prayer,
and it made me believe there's a God
I can always talk to.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I felt you kiss me good night,
and it made me feel that I was loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw tears come from your eyes,
and it made me realize that when things hurt,
it's alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw how proud you were of me,
and I wanted to be everything I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I was....and I just want to thank you for
all the things I saw... when you thought I
wasn't looking.

~Author Unknown~

Your First Love

Your First Love
Your mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street. She's the smell of certain foods you remember, the flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself.

She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well. She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow.

She is Christmas morning. You mother lives inside your laughter. She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take.

She's was your first breath, your first love, your first friend, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time. Not space...not even death.

~Marty

YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND

You Are One Of A Kind

God made you just the way he wanted for his very own.

You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the earth by the Master Craftsman.

He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning and he gives you the moon at night. He thinks you are wonderful and beautiful and he made no one else in this world like you. 

Remember that the next time you feel you are not good enough...thin enough...pretty enough.... You are enough.  You are one of a kind.

Dog's Greatest Fear

The greatest fear dogs know...is the fear that you will not come back after you go out the door without them.

~Stanley Cohen

LIFE'S LESSONS: MY BOOK

Life's Lessons: What God Would Have Wanted Me To Learn By Now

As I get older each year, I find myself reflecting on past moments of my life that I can't get back. I often wonder if I've truly learned lessons from the experiences in my life. I decided to ask God what are some of life's lessons that he would have wanted me to learn by now. This book gives me the chance to share these lessons with you.

My book is now available in soft cover, hard back, PDF for your computers and lap tops and also in ebook format for your readers, IPads, Tablets and cell phones.

You can preview my book by clicking on this link:

http://www.blurb.com/b/3030543-life-s-lessons

SLINKY BIRD FEEDER

One of my favorite things to do in the mornings is to sit at my kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee and watch the bird activity just outside my window. I have hung different bird feeders from the old tree in the backyard, but nothing gets as much activity as this simple little idea I found not too long ago. This my friends is a Slinky....the old fashioned toy we played with years ago....filled with peanuts! I simply formed a circle with thick wire, leaving ends straight. Insert one end of wire into slinky. Secure ends of slinky with wire, leaving a gap for access. Fill it with whole unshelled peanuts and watch the birds work to get them out of the shell! You'll get Blue Jays, Titmice, woodpeckers, and tons of other birds who love nuts.

I WISH YOU ENOUGH

I WISH YOU ENOUGH.

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter saying their goodbyes in their last moments together at the airport. The daughter's flight departure was announced and they hugged.

The mother said: "I love you and I wish you enough."
The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom." They kissed and the daughter left.

The mother walked over to the window where I sat. Standing there, I could see she was about to cry. She looked at me and asked, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

"Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?"

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead. The reality is that her next trip home will be for my funeral," she said.

When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"

She began to smile. "That's a saying that has been handed down in my family for generations. My parents used to say it to all of us when we were growing up. When we say it, we are saying, "I wish you a life filled with just enough good things to sustain you."

Then turning toward me, with tears in her eyes, she recited this from memory....

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you just enough pain so that the smallest joys in life will be so much bigger."

"I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you have.
I wish you enough hellos in life to get you through the
final good-bye."

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person. An hour to appreciate them. A day to love them. And an entire life to forget them.

I will never forget her for the rest of my life.

Baked Parmesan Coated Pork Chops

Baked Parmesan Coated Pork Chops

I like to buy pork tenderloin rather than pork chops, but sometimes because they are such a great deal that I can't pass them up. So I buy them and slice them into pork cutlets myself and save a ton of money over buying those that are already pre-cut and pre-packaged at the grocery store.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Cutlets

2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread without crust
1 cup freshly grated Kraft Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 large eggs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 boneless pork loin chops, each about 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, sage and lemon peel in pie dish. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Place flour on plate; season generously with salt and pepper. Coat pork chops on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Dip chops into eggs, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet with pork to oven. Bake until pork chops are crisp on the outside and meat thermometer inserted into pork registers 150°F, about 20 minutes

www.kraftrecipes.com

FOREVER FRIENDS, MY BOOK

How many dog lovers out there? Last year I wrote and published two books which clearly show my love for dogs. Both books are free to read online by clicking on the Title of the book below. Be sure and click on the full screen so they are easier to read.

I didn't write these print and ebooks to sell them for profit. I purposely wrote them to raise money for something that I believe in. Every single penny from those sales went to support No Kill shelters across the United States.

"Forever Friends" is a compilation of inspiring and thought-provoking quotes,sayings and poems about dogs. Many of these are meant to inspire, some are meant to bring a smile and others are simply thoughts to ponder. If you enjoy photographs of dogs with both funny and uplifting words, then this book is for you!

All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the NO KILL Advocacy Center. A No Kill nation is within our reach….“If every animal shelter in the United States embraced the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services that make it possible, we would save nearly four million dogs and cats that are scheduled to die in shelters this year. It is not an impossible dream.”   Click on the link below for your free preview....

http://www.blurb.com/books/3490783-forever-friends

Easy Garlic Chicken

Easy Garlic Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
additional herbs and spices, as desired

Preheat oven to 450°F Line a baking dish or cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil.

In small pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add additional herbs and spices as desired. Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake uncovered at 450 degrees for 15-30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken.

photo credit: Food.com
Garlic & Brown Sugar Chicken via food.com 

http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-garlic-chicken-5478

"At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have receive, how much money we have or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by how many souls would say "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you gave me shelter."

 ~Mother Teresa

CITRUS POTPOURRI

Citrus Potpourri

I love to mix different things to make my own potpourri and simmer it in my slow cooker or on the stove all day. There is nothing that smells more fresh and clean. I make winter potpourris from apples and maybe coves and cinnamon sticks. But in the Spring and summer months, I love citrus.

2 whole oranges, cut into pieces
4 sticks of cinnamon, broken into 3 pieces each
1 tablespoon whole cloves
water to cover

Add orange, cinnamon, and cloves to pot to simmer on top of the stove or in your slow cooker. Then add water until pot is almost full. Monitor water level frequently, adding more water as needed. Store in the refrigerator each night and it will last you for about a week.

You can add other things to the brew as well. Sometimes, I throw in a couple of slices of lemon. You could also add cranberries, nutmeg, pine needles, or whatever you like. Experiment with it and let me know what you try!

http://do512family.com/2011/11/christmas-time-is-upon-us-like-it-or-not/

Bacon Cheddar Puffs

Bacon Cheddar Puffs

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup (4 oz.) Sargento® Fine Cut Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
1/2 tsp. onion salt or powder
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine milk and butter in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture is simmering. Add flour all at once; continue to cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat.

Beat in 1 egg until mixture is smooth. Repeat with remaining eggs, adding just 1 egg at a time, beating until thoroughly combined. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop heaping teaspoons of mixture onto greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

http://www.sargento.com/recipes/1289/bacon-cheddar-puffs/

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Chicken:
4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup milk
3 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Sauce:

1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
2 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoon butter

Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks. In a small food processor grind up the Ritz crackers.

Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.

Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Some of it will fall off when you add it to the cracker crumbs, don’t worry about it.

Press the cheesy chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in. By the time you are coating the last piece of chicken, the dish you are using for the crumbs will be full of cheese. Don't let it get you down. Once the cheese melts in the oven it will adhere nicely to the crumbs and the crackers.

Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.

Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken. Enjoy!  

www.jamiecooksitup.net

 My Prayer

"Oh, God, when I have food
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work, help me
to remember the jobless;

While I am in my warm home,
help me to remember the cold and the homeless;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer.

And in remembering,
please help me to destroy my complacency;
please stir my compassion,
so that I am concerned enough to help;

By word and by deed,
those who cry out for the very things I might
take for granted.

Amen.

A Dove's Feathers

Have you ever noticed the heart on a dove's back when she stretches her tail feathers? It's one of those things that takes my breath away for a few seconds. I have memories of my Mom when she saw something in nature that was so beautiful. She would close her eyes and look up to the heavens and whisper, "Be still and know that I am God."

♥ Chocolate-Frosted Mint Bars

Chocolate-Frosted Mint Bars
 
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon mint extract
4 drops green food color
1 cup butter or margarine
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into pieces
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

Chocolate Frosting 

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 13 x 9-inch pan with shortening; lightly flour. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar with spoon until smooth. Stir in 1 egg, the mint extract and food color until well mixed; set aside.

In 3-quart saucepan, melt 1 cup butter and 4 oz chocolate over very low heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly cooled.

Stir 2 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla into chocolate mixture. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Stir in flour. Spread in pan. Carefully spoon cream cheese mixture over brownie mixture. Lightly swirl cream cheese mixture into brownie mixture with knife for marbled design. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter, the corn syrup and water to rolling boil, stirring frequently; remove from heat. Stir in 2 oz chocolate until melted. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and the powdered sugar. Beat with spoon until smooth. Frost chilled bars with Chocolate Frosting.

For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-frosted-mint-bars/c3517498-5649-428f-8401-4f4136d3f38f

THANKS

Thanks to all those who hated me in my life because you have made me a much stronger person. Thanks to all of you who left my life because you showed me that nothing lasts forever.

Thanks to all of you who supported me and allowed me to lean on you in the dark times of my life, because you have made me strong enough now for you to lean on.

Thanks to all of you who loved me in my life because you made my heart grow stronger. Thanks to all of you who cared about me in my life because you have made me feel valued and important.

But most of all, thanks to all of you who stayed in my life, no matter if my days were dark or sunny. It was you that taught me the true meaning of friendship. And because of you, I am a better friend to all.

~Marty