Meatball Subs

A couple weeks ago, I was trying to think of new things to cook, since we are eating so many more meals than usual at home and getting tired of the same ol' same ol'.  I asked Jeremy to get hoagie buns, meatballs, and mozzarella, and I looked up a couple recipes for meatball subs.  They were such a hit with the teenagers; I've made them 4 times in the last month!  I've done them in the oven and in the air fryer, and in combination with the microwave.  I wouldn't really call it a recipe, because we use whatever brands are on hand, but here's what's worked for me:

Ingredients:

Hoagie Buns
Frozen (precooked) Italian Meatballs (4 per sub)
Spaghetti Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese (Slices are less messy than shredded!)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Italian Herbs

First, cook the meatballs per directions--4 per sub for the small hoagie buns. (Sometimes I'll cook the meatballs in the oven if I'm not in a hurry, or I'll microwave them per the directions.)

While the meatballs are cooking, mix several tbsp of EVOO with your favorite Italian Herbs and garlic powder.  (I use a traditional Italian Herbs mix and add anise and marjoram and other favorites as I have them.)  Using a pastry brush, brush the herb/EVOO mixture on the outside of each hoagie bun and place on a baking sheet or in air fryer.  If using the oven, bake 3-4 minutes on each side at 375. In the air fryer, give 3 buns at a time 3-4 minutes.

When the buns are getting a little browned and toasted, put 4 meatballs in each.  Spoon a couple tablespoons of sauce over the meatballs, and load up with mozzarella.  Return to oven or air fryer for 4-8 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Use tongs to serve.

Spinach Orzo Soup for Mono

I took Annah to the doctor yesterday, and got the results this morning: She officially has mono.  It is really hitting her hard--everything is swollen and achy, and she just feels so exhausted.  She will be taking some half days off school to try to get extra rest.  Today she came home at noon, and I made her some healthy soup.  I just made it up as I went, so there's no recipe.  But, Annah really liked it and told me to write it down.  I don't measure anything when I'm cooking; I just dump stuff in until it looks like how much I want in there!

Spinach Orzo Soup

yellow onion
celery
carrot
minced garlic
*spiced ground meat
broth/buoillion
orzo
fresh baby spinach
anise, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, paprika, Italian herbs, Mrs. Dash

Make a mirepoix with your favorite cooking oil/fat. This time I used yellow onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in butter.  (Most times I use olive oil or coconut oil.)
Add spiced ground meat. Cook until vegetables are almost tender.
Add broth and orzo and simmer until orzo and vegetables are cooked to desired consistency.
Add several bunches of fresh baby spinach, and continue simmering until it's just wilted. Slurp it up!

*I often buy several pounds of ground beef and several pounds of ground turkey and cook it all up together with chopped onions and minced garlic and freeze in 1-pound bags so I have it ready for quick cooking.  That's what I used for this, only I wanted it to taste spicy like sausage, so I added a bunch of anise, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, paprika, Italian herbs, and Mrs. Dash to give it some kick!

All day at Krampa's and Gram's

We hung out at Krampa and Gram's all day today and relaxed!

Yesterday at JoAnn's the girls bought cardboard letters and glitter. Today they had craft time decorating them in the sun!

There was swimming, of course!

I worked on Mom's shawl while watching the kids swim, then had to take out a few rows later because I'd been concentrating more on the kids than the crochet. 

These guys were WIPED OUT after all that swimming!!!

Annah and Mom made a rhubarb crisp for supper.  It went over pretty well, so I grabbed the recipe!

Annah got TOO MUCH sun today!!!

Mom and Sylvia got started on the dresses.

Caeden and Sylvia went for a night swim.

Wonderful Wednesday

It was a "Wonderful Wednesday" in Lopshireland today.

Sylvia made this No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake with a toasted coconut crust this morning.  It's incredibly yummy, but it didn't set up.  I'm thinking her can of condensed milk may have been larger than usual.  The recipe just said "one can," so next time we try it we will use less and see what happens.

The girls and I are doing piano lessons this summer.  I love it.

In June, my Mom was in a car accident that totaled her Murano.  We are incredibly grateful that God saved her life with airbags and her seatbelt!!!!  Jeremy helped find another Murano for her in Peoria, and today met Mom and Dad in Lafayette to deliver it to them.  We had a great meal at Olive Garden and enjoyed seeing them, even for just a short time.

Checking out the new ride...

See-you-soon hugs...

Ready to go!

Another beautiful day full of blessings.  Thank you, Lord.

Saturday Stuff

Jeremy is working today (tax season), and the rest of us are home.  I paused for a minute in the middle of the morning and took a picture of each kid just doing what they were doing.

Sylvia is reading the last book in the Kingdom Keepers series.

Annah was practicing a fun band piece.

Caeden was playing a game on his Kindle--in a very interesting position.

I used some more of the Christmas ham today in a recipe I hadn't made in a while.  It's actually supposed to be Hot Turkey Salad, but I used ham and it was just as good.  The girls loved it, especially Sylvia, and Caeden gave it a diagonal thumb--not thumbs up or down, or even sideways, but diagonally up.  ;)

Apple Time

The kids came in from playing outside this morning and asked for hot chocolate.  Tessa got the best hot chocolate beard and mustache!  :)

I brought 3 bags of Michigan baking apples (Cortland and McIntosh) with me, so we made apple treats today.  

Mom and I made Apple Crisp, and she and Sylvia made 2 French Apple Pies.

And Sylvia made little "mini-pies," and I made applesauce.

And they are all delicious!  

PoC's 2nd anniversary

We had a fabulous celebration today, giving God all the glory for what He has done and is doing and will continue to do!  

I put together this video of a few of the blessings and memories of the past year...

Our wonderful friend Jean had made some amazing treats for Lorrie's celebration a few weeks ago, and she brought the recipe today to stop our begging for it.  

We had a great worship set today.  This is music on my stand.  (I was singing today.)

I didn't get to take many pictures today, but had a team that got some great shots. 

Caeden and friends in PoC Kidz

Both Annah and Sylvia helped with toddlers/preschoolers today.

13 children were dedicated to the Lord by their parents today!  It was a beautiful moment with these children standing all through the aisles surrounded by their families.  Each staff member had the privilege of praying over a family and presenting them with a paper doll chain to represent all the lives the child being dedicated will touch for Jesus.  Such a beautiful ceremony!

12 people were baptized today!  I was so excited and blessed to be allowed the honor of helping baptize our friends Kelsey and Caleb!   

(Obligatory selfie while waiting our turn in line  :)

Kelsey and Caleb are siblings, the children of our dear friends Todd and Jennifer.  We were part of two Life Groups with their family, over a period of about 5 years or so.  In fact, we were connected even before church... We remember well praying for extremely premature baby Kelsey shortly after we moved here.  Then, we only knew her as the granddaughter of one of Jeremy's coworker/friends, but we joined the family in pleading for her life, and God answered our prayers in such a beautiful way!  It has been an incredible joy to watch her grow into a lovely, gentle young woman of God, a blessing to everyone who knows her!  

We also prayed with Todd and Jennifer for their son Caleb before he was even officially part of their family.  While we were in Life Group together, they were in the incredibly emotional and seemingly endless process of adopting Caleb from Haiti.  We will never forget praying through the frustrations and joys of bringing Caleb to his forever home and family.  For a while, Caleb and Kelsey even attended the same school as our kids, and we have loved them all through several moves as well.  How awesome it was to get to be part of Caleb's declaration of living for Jesus today!

I don't even know how to express how amazing it was to get to be part of baptisms in this way!  It is probably one of the most awesome things I've been part of in my life!  Glory to God!!!

We had a yummy free lunch with our church family after the baptisms.

I enjoyed the meal with my buddy Bob B.

It was a gorgeous day--much warmer than predicted--and we were so grateful!  The kids had a good time playing outside after lunch.

Jeremy spent the day working hard, as always...setting up, greeting, tearing down.

Annah and her youth group friends found time for some silly selfies, of course...

What a blessed day!  

Here's a video review of the day I was asked to do...