Pesto Meatballs

Italian food on Sunday is a weekly tradition around here. Meatballs. Theres nothing better. What makes these awesome is the beef I get from my neighbor. Such great flavor, and always so lean. Support your local farmers and get to know where your foods coming from!

-1 lb raw ground beef

-1 large egg

-1/3 cup pesto  

-1 Cup quick cooking or rolled oats

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp black pepper

-1 Tbs garlic powder

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1 onion finely diced

-1 green pepper finely diced

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Roll into 16 meatballs. These equal 1 ounce per meatball. Brown in olive oil on all sides in batches. Once browned plop them right into your spaghetti sauce. Let cook for 30-60 minutes on medium low. This finishes the cooking and melds all the flavors. 

Banana Pancakes

Today was a longgggg Monday. My energy is shot, sooo that means breakfast for dinner. These banana pancakes are so easy, and my husband says they taste like doughnuts. Pretty hilarious because these healthified pancakes are a far cry from doughnuts! Serve with maple syrup, a dollop of natural PB, and some plain yogurt! 

-2 large bananas

-1 large egg

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp baking powder

-1 cup Irish Oats (really ground down oatmeal, or just pulse regular oats in a blender until a powder)

-1/2 cup buttermilk ( low fat or regular, or make you own by adding 1 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk)

Mix all ingredients together and scoop onto prepared pan by the 1/4 cup full. Serve on a fancy platter to make this look like a legit dinner:)

Roasted Chicken

Simple roasted chicken. Nothing better after a long day. This recipe is simple, doesn't take long to prepare, and requires minimal ingredients. Some of my favorite meat providers in the area,        Keener Farms, Palara Farm, and Morning Sun. 

-One raw chicken, giblets removed from the inner cavity, 4-5 lb

-2 Tbs butter

-1 Tbs olive oil

-1 lemon zested

-1 head garlic cut in half

-1 medium onion cut in quarters

 -1 tsp salt and 2 tsp pepper

-1 tsp garlic powder

Combine lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper with butter and olive oil. Rub mixture underneath the breast skin of the chicken.  Sprinkle cavity with salt and pepper if desired and stuff with the halved lemon, halved garlic and onion. Place in a dry roasting pan. I left the legs untrussed but to keep it super pretty use kitchen twine to tie together. Bake at 375 for 1 hour covered. Finish coking for a final 30 minutes uncovered. Juices should run clear, and internal temp will be at least 165 degrees.