Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork
• ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs no crust (I used whole wheat)
• 1/8 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh, flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup warm water
• Vegetable Oil
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Noodles

Directions:

1. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a mixing bowl using a fork. Then form into balls.

2. Heat the oil in a pan (I use about 1/2 cup of oil) and brown all sides of the meatballs. Cook in batches, don't overcrowd the pan! I cook about 6 at a time (usually takes 10 minutes). 

3. Heat spaghetti sauce in a separate pan. Sometimes I will saute some sliced mushrooms on the side and add that to the sauce. Add in the meatballs once they have been browned so that the insides can continue to cook.

4. Boil your noodles then drain. 

                          

5. Serve desired amount of noodles with sauce and meatballs!

(you can also freeze extra meatballs to use later).  

Tips for Online Shopping!

              I love to shop online. You don’t have to go to the store or look through millions of clothing items crowded together too tightly on a rack. Instead you can browse through items at your leisure, sort them by size, color, price point, etc… The only downside of online shopping is not being able to try on or see items in person, so these are some tips that I use when shopping online so that I don’t regret my purchase.

              Buy from online stores that have an actual storefront nearby. This often allows for easier returns and exchanges in case something doesn’t work out.

              Create a wishlist. Lots of stores now give you the option of adding items you like to a wishlist. I’ll add all the items that I like to my list, that way when there’s a sale I can go through it and easily see what I’ve thought about getting (and see if the price has been reduced), instead of scouring the entire site.

              Do an online search for coupons/promo codes. Some stores have codes out that give you a percentage off, or free shipping, but won’t have the deal listed on their site. Sites like Retailmenot.com and dealsplus.com often have multiple codes that will sometimes save you extra money.

              Always shop through Ebates. When you go through Ebates to shop you get a percentage back in a check every 3 months. You can earn cashback through stores like Macys, Nordstrom, Target, Sephora, Smashbox, TooFaced, etc. One time Smashbox had 12% cashback, so I got a lot back on my purchase. Sign up for Ebates here.

              Read Reviews. I like to use sites where customers can write reviews. Sites such as Urban Outfitters, BooHoo, Amazon, Overstock, Wayfair, etc... This way I can see if people really liked the particular item. It’s even better when customers post their own picture of the product. Sometimes the pictures used on store’s website are misleading, so it’s nice when a site has actual consumer reviews.

              Check the model’s stats/size. Each clothing store’s sizes vary so drastically. An extra small in one store might be equivalent to a medium in another. Some sites list the model’s measurements as well as the clothing item size that they’re wearing. This helps by allowing you to compare your body with the models and determine if you need a size smaller, larger, etc.

              Read shipping/return policies. I rarely order online unless there’s free shipping. A lot of stores will offer free shipping if you spend over a certain amount, sign up for their emails, or during a promotion.

              I also make sure to check the return policy. Some sites will only let you return certain items. I like to order from sites with free return shipping or from sites that allow for free returns to a store. If a site is based out of another country, or doesn’t have a store front near me, I make sure to read reviews and do my research before ordering. Be aware that some stores might offer free return shipping but only give store credit back.  

Those are all the rules that I follow when shopping online! Hopefully it’s helpful to you too!

Sausage Soup

Prep Time: About 15 minutes  Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage (1/2 mild, ½ spicy) (if unground remove the sausage from the outer skin).

• 1 chopped onion

• 5 cups beef broth

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (or one 16oz can drained diced tomatoes)

• 1 8oz can tomato sauce

• 2 zucchinis chopped

• 2 large carrots chopped

• ½ cup dry red wine

• 1 Tablespoon dried Basil

• 1 Tablespoon dried Oregano

Directions:

1. Bring the broth to a boil, add in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red wine, Basil, and Oregano and lower heat.  

2. Add the chopped carrots and zucchinis to the broth.

3. In a separate pan, sauté the sausage over medium-high heat. Transfer the cooked sausage to the soup.

4. Keep about 1 tablespoon of sausage drippings in the pan and saute the onion in it until transparent. Add the onion to the soup.

5. Simmer until vegetables are tender then serve! (about 40 minutes from when you put veggies in).

Broiled Asparagus

Ingredients:

•     Asparagus (I used 8)
•     ½ teaspoon Salt
•     ½ teaspoon finely ground Peppercorn
•     ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
•     ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  

2. Wash the asparagus and remove about an inch from the bottom of each.

3. Coat all sides of the asparagus in olive oil and place them on a nonstick baking sheet.

4. Sprinkle the sides of the asparagus with the salt, peppercorn, and garlic powder.

5. Broil the asparagus for 12-15 minutes, turning them over about 6 minutes in.

6. Serve hot!