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This Issue:

A Personal Note
Meatball Soup
Valentine's Recipe Series

 

A Personal Note

It is a somber day in Chicagoland… We’re not really football fans, so we’re not mourning too bad, but I know many are. My sincere condolences. We had a fun Superbowl afternoon with a couple other families. The kids had a blast playing and the adults had a nice time chatting and watching the game. This morning our normal “child alarm clocks” did not wake us up though! We rarely set an alarm anymore because our kids always wake us up by 7:30 – usually earlier. Well, today I woke up at 8:30 and realized that Ryan was suppose to be to school by 8:15. OOPS. We made it there at about 8:40. I guess they were tired after yesterday. Perhaps I’ll have to start setting a regular alarm again “just in case”. Oh well, that was our first tardy all year.

We are still freezing here this week. Currently (at 1:15 p.m.) it is a balmy 9 degrees out (with a zero degree wind chill). I guess winter has officially arrived. It is nice and sunny though! Tomorrow we are supposed to get 3-5 inches of snow. If so, that will be our biggest snowstorm yet this winter. Unfortunately, it will probably be too cold to let the kids go outside to play in it.  

I was tucking Ryan (our six year old) into bed the other night and he was using his big three foot teddy bear as a pillow. I said “hey, your poor teddy is starting to look kinda flat from you sleeping on him.” (which he was) and Ryan says, “maybe you should come up here and be my pillow and then you wouldn’t have to try to eat healthy all the time - you’d be flat.” LOL I about died laughing. If only it was that simple - I’d take him up on that offer!

Have a great week!

Christine

“The Menu Mom”

www.themenumom.com
 

Meatball Soup
Makes 6 servings

      1 pound ground beef
      1/2 cup crackers crumbs
      1/2 cup onions minced
      1 egg large, beaten
      2 tablespoons milk
      1 teaspoon Italian seasoning dried
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      1/4 teaspoon black pepper
      2 tablespoons vegetable oil
      2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
      1 14 1/2-ounce can stewed tomatoes
      1 cup water
      2 to 3 teaspoons sugar or to taste
      2 teaspoons beef bouillon
      1 onion medium, quartered and thinly sliced
      1 cup carrots sliced
      1 cup celery sliced
      1 cup zucchini sliced
      1/4 cup parsley minced fresh

1. Combine beef, cracker crumbs, onion, egg, milk, 1/2 teaspoon of the herb seasoning, salt, and pepper. Form into about twenty 1-inch meatballs.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown meatballs in oil. Drain; set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, place tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes with juice, water, sugar, and bouillon granules. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

4. Add onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, parsley, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon herb seasoning. Return to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with Tossed Green Salad and French Bread