Kelly's Easy Meatballs

I have this recipe for meatballs that is Deee-LISH!

My secret ingredient? FRESH bread crumbs. Take 2 slices of bread and toss them in your blender or processor (I have a processor attachment for by blender that is aWeSoMe! Very handy.) I use the bread ends for this. So do that. No need to toast them. The freshness makes the meatballs nice and moist. Trust me. Once, out of laziness, I used store-bought, dried out bread crumbs. Gross. 

And because I wouldn't be me without 21 adaptations to every recipe I use, and because I have a larger family, I often "stretch" the recipe by adding in ground turkey. The kind from Aldi that comes frozen in a tube. It's about $1.69 for a roll. Price of hamburger these days is like, what? $3.99 / lb some days? On a super sale $2.50? So yeah. Turkey. BUT!!! Don't use more than 2 to 1 (one lb hamburger, 1/2 lb turkey, unless you use the better quality ground turkey maybe) cuz then the texture gets... weird. Another bonus: the turkey makes them healthier. Oh, and I use 85/15 burger. I would not do 93/7. Too dry. Too flavorless. Blech.

Ok. Enough blabbering.

Easy Meatballs

1 lb hamburger

1 Tbsp parsley flakes (you could use fresh too for some serious flavor)

1 Tbsp Parmesan

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder, or fresh, if you're feelin' jazzy

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

Mix burger and spices, plus egg. Add bread crumbs in last after all other ingredients are mixed. Roll into balls 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Cook in med to large pan over med heat. Turn and cover. You could also bake in oven at 400 for 20-25 minutes, or 350 for 30. 

These are so delicious they don't need sauce. My kids often eat them with Parmesan buttered spaghetti, cuz certain picky kids don't like sauce. 

Oh, and if you add turkey, make sure you up the rest of the ingredients too, including egg. 

Special Person

Winter Dance Recital - Feb 2013

In the Kindergarten classes here in our town, each child has a week when they are the Special Person, or, Star of the Week. It's a great chance for the kids to share just a little extra about themselves, show off some special things, and also hear what the other students think makes them special.

This week it was Miss Cheeks' turn.

A few days old - January 2007

A few months old - June 2007 

We filled out her questionnaire, gathered some pictures, and a few other things for her to take to school. Some time during the week, that child gets a special time to talk about the things they brought. At the end of the week, in the Kindergarten News newsletter, a summary of that child's "stuff" is given. I love reading these. Five year olds are fascinating, hilarious, and certainly imaginative. What will they come up with?

August 2010

Here is Cheeks' summary: (and yes, I've been waiting all week to read it!)

Miss Cheeks was the special person this week in Mrs. TheBestKinderTeacher's classroom. Cheeks has 3 brothers, George, Boots and Huggyface, and 2 sisters, Koko and Schweetheart. They live in OurTown. Cheeks and her family vacationed at Wild Mountain. She especially liked the water slide. Cheeks likes to visit her Grandma and Grandpa's house where they have tea parties. She showed us her pretty dance class outfit and all the patches that she has earned in Girl Scouts. We were very impressed that she can do the splits. At home she helps out by cleaning her room (really?), doing dishes (hm... must be secret dishes), and shoveling snow (well,... ok, kinda). Taya likes the secret handshake that they have. Wes thinks that she is a good runner, and Elle says that they play school outside. When she grows up, Cheeks would like to be a cake decorator, ride horse for a hobby (never mind that she's never been close to a horse), and live in the country. (I have no idea what her reasoning is for this. But it's interesting. And I agree. :-D )

January 2011

Most often the answers from classmates are things like, play at recess, good at math. So secret handshake? Love it. I'll have to ask her about that. Runner? I laugh. Because she's a total klutz  often tripping over her own feet or even running into walls. (which also makes me laugh. Is that bad?) The careers question is interesting too, though there are many who answer farmer or some such occupation that a family member probably has. No one EVER picks to live someplace exotic like New York, or Africa. They're all pretty much wanting to live right where they live now.

The other kid? Wants to be an election judge (now that's a unique one), swim for a hobby, and live in the same house he lives in now. (See?)

*pics are some she chose to bring to school. And she was very specific about not wanting ones where she was naked. I wonder why? ;)

Easter - March 2013

Well, Miss Cheeks, you are definitely special, 
and you're certainly a star in my world. 

Your sweet spirit and bubbly personality shine very brightly!