Yummy Summer Recipes

I love to have easy summer things done and ready to eat. Here are a couple of our favorites. I try to post things that all the kids like, so in case you have picky eaters, these might be things they might like as well. Charlie is our only really picky one--he would probably gladly have a peanut butter (hold the jelly, please, Mom!) sandwich every single night. But here you go. And enjoy!

BBQ Meatballs (Kind of a weird recipe, makes a BIG batch...my advice is to make 2- 9x13 pans of them and freeze one, then you are ready to go for another night! Freeze without the sauce, then just make a new batch of sauce when you pull the 2nd pan out of the freezer).

13 oz. can of evaporated milk
3 lbs hamburger
2 cups oatmeal (quick cook kind)
2 eggs
good sprinkle of dry minced onion (about 3-4 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper (to taste--I don't use this much)
2 tsp. chili powder

Mix all together--I just mash with my hands (will be sticky!)--and shape into balls (so that about 12 balls fit into a 9 x 13 pan). Should make enough to make about 24 meatballs.

Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. dry minced onion (optional)
The recipe also calls for 2 Tbsp liquid smoke but I have never ventured to try that--I don't know if the kiddos would go for it, but if yours would, have at it! :)

Mix sauce ingredients together until sugar dissolves and spread over meatballs. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. If you are only making 1 pan of meatballs at a time then halve the sauce recipe. YUM!

Another easy refreshing summer snack is an Orange Smoothie. My kids love helping with these! I have also used frozen lemonade concentrate before, and it was just as good.

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2-2 cups ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Drink on a hot summer day!

Thank you for all your kind words and thoughts and prayers for Elaine. I will keep you posted, and I know how much her family appreciates the prayers of people that they have never even met. Blessings to each of you!