Delish!

I've had a rather busy summer.

It all started with a P.E.O. convention in June, followed just a few days later with a family reunion in Virginia. (What's P.E.O.? Check it out at peointernational.org) The convention was very interesting - the family reunion was tons of fun.

About 2 weeks later one of my very best friends came to visit for 2 whole weeks! We've never had such a long visit with one another, and it was amazing! We had a wonderful time! Hi, Julie! :-)

I had another 2 weeks without out-of-town guests in which to catch my breath, get some laundry done, and rest up a little - and then my sister Lisa and her family arrived on their bi-annual trip from Amman, Jordan. Just one of our fun activities? A week in the mountains with the whole family. Yes, the whole family - stepbrother and sister + her husband and 2 kids (including my newest niece Aubree who is only 2 months old!), Dad's wife Janice, both my sisters and their husbands and kids, and my hubby. Not everyone stayed for the whole week, but it was the first time we've all been together since Dad died 2 years ago. So much fun I can't even tell you! :-D


Needless to say, I've been knocked completely out of my usual routines and am having a hard time keeping up with "real" life - laundry, my garden, dishes, cooking for my hubby, and generally participating in my usual activities.

And just in case I didn't have enough going on, I decided to throw a congratulatory party for the 3 newly graduated seniors in high school who attend our church (plus one who graduated last May). With all of our summer plans, including 2 trips to France, there was only 1 possible day for the party - the day after I returned from the mountains. Tim and I did whirlwind housecleaning (my favorite thing - NOT!), cooked a little food and bought ingredients for make-your-own pizzas. We had a great time, and it was wonderful to be able to throw a little party for these guys. Hope they all know how proud I am of them.

One of our new graduates is a vegetarian, and she is allergic to all nuts except for almonds, so whenever I'm cooking for her I enjoy finding new recipes that fit her dietary needs. Some are hits; some not so much. I made these faux meatballs that were recommended by a co-worker at the library, and thought these little guys were downright tasty! I got the recipe off allrecipes.com, but modified it just a little bit. Try them yourself and see if you miss the meat. Tim did, but ... he's Tim! ;-)

Sweet and Sour Faux Meat Balls

In a medium bowl, combine
1/4 c oil
1/4 c cider vinegar
1 c apricot jam
3/4 c ketchup
1/4 cocktail sauce (or skip the cocktail sauce and use all ketchup)
1/4 c minced onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
2 dashes Tabasco sauce

Whisk together until well-combined. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl, combine
5 eggs, beaten
1 c shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 c cottage cheese
1/2 c finely diced onion
1 c chopped almonds (recipe called for pecans)
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 1/2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs, added 1/2 c at a time - might need more or less

Mix well and form into 1" balls. Place them in a 9x13" baking dish and pour the sweet and sour sauce over them. Bake for 35-40 minutes. If needed, turn the meatballs halfway through cooking time. 

Yum! Thanks Janet Potts on allrecipes.com!