Mounds of Meatballs

This recipe is origanally from a cookbook for kids by Emeril, I believe. But since I call my sister-in-law Kristi each time I find I have lost this recipe, I call these Kristi's Meatballs. Because they are baked and not fried, they gain points for health and easiness. Cook the spaghetti while the meatballs bake and warm up a jar of sauce (unless you're an overachiever and feel compelled to make both the sauce and the meatballs from scratch on the same night). A bagged salad rounds out the meal.

Krisit's Meatballs

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb mild or hot italian sausage (what you prefer)
2 eggs
1/2 c. bread crumbs
2 T chopped parsley (flat-leaf/Italian, not the curly stuff)
1 T chopped onion (dry onion flakes is an easy option here)
1/2 c. good quality Parmesan (no Kraft in the green bottle that is 5 years old please)
1 clove chopped garlic
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (grating your own nutmeg yet? It's worth it!)
1/2 T salt

Mush everything together in a big bowl. Your clean hands are the best tool for the job. Form into balls about 1 - 1 1/2" in diameter and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or until golden.

Yum.

Chicken Pot Pie Like Never Before

Okay, so this recipe for Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pies with Cream Cheese Crust will never appear in "Cooking Light" but man is it good! The cream cheese in the crust makes is an easy dough to work with and roll out and transfer to the pie. Save yourself the trouble of roasting the chicken if you want and just buy a rotisserie chicken (from Costco, the best bird by far!).

Also - no need to put it into indivdual dishes unless you already have cute dishes like this and want too.