Wednesday, September 18, 2013

WHADDA WE EATIN' WEDNESDAY - Easy Crock Pot Meatball Subs!

Hi All!!!

So sorry I haven't posted a recipe in a while...yes, I've been a nice combo of busy and lazy! 

Today I have a super simple recipe for you for today's WHADDA WE EATIN' WEDNESDAY! 

EASY CROCKPOT MEATBALL SUBS!  

We had this for a recent casual family dinner and they were awesome!!!

I found this recipe on the Crockin' Girls website....who I just LOVE!  

The ingredients are easy!

1 package of meatballs  (I used regular meatballs - 28 count)
1 28 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 package of sliced provolone cheese (I ended up using shredded Mozzerella since I forgot to buy this)
1 package hoagie rolls or French bread.

The prep is also easy!

Put the package of meatballs and your jar of sauce into the crock pot.  Cook on low for 2-3 hours.  


Cut your hoagie rolls or French bread and lay on a baking sheet cut side up.  Scoop out some meatballs and sauce for each roll and top with cheese.  Then put in a 350 oven for 15 minutes.  The bread gets crunchy and yummy and the cheese gets all bubbly!

These were such a nice treat!  And, they were so easy to make...they make a great weeknight meal for the family or a Saturday or Sunday afternoon lunch! 

Our kids liked them a lot and so did the hubby and me!  Score for mama, since my kids are pretty picky!  =)

Hope you enjoyed this WHADDA WE EATIN' WEDNESDAY!   Have a great day and I hope to see you again soon! 

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

TABLESCAPE TUESDAY - Transition to Fall Floral Tablescape!

Hi all!

Me again, with another TABLESCAPE TUESDAY!!!

Today I'm going to share the table I put together for our most recent SUNDAY FAMILY DINNER!

I'm calling this my "Transition to Fall Floral Tablescape"
 

 
 
I'm getting pretty antsy for Fall, but it's officially not here until the 21st.  I'm so excited!  Fall is my favorite time of the year!

I wanted to add just a few of the fall colors while still keeping some summer colors as well.  I had purchased this tablecloth a while back at Ross and have not had the chance to use it yet, so I decided to take the opportunity!  

I used my tan tablecloth with my Ross tablecloth folded in half and draped across the table like a runner.

For the plate breakdown, I used white ruffle charger plates from Old Time Pottery, Coral colored melamine dinner plates from Target, Green salad plates from Goodwill, white dessert plates from Goodwill, and Beige small Pier 1 petal bowls from our local thrift store.
 

 
 

For the centerpiece I just put my white flower vase out, along with a silver/beige box pedestal.  To each side was a tall glass candle holder and a dessert plate holding 4 tealights.

Not my fanciest table, but I've been going more simple lately.  

Thanks again for joining me for another TABLESCAPE TUESDAY!   Hope to see you again soon!

This post is being added to:
Tablescape Thursday 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

TABLESCAPE TUESDAY - "Pink Flamingo Party!" Tablescape

Hi all!

I hope your week is going great so far!  

Welcome to another TABLESCAPE TUESDAY!

Last week I mentioned that I had made a kids' table in our breakfast area to go along with the adults' table in the dining room, since we had some good friends and their family with us (the Black, White and Red all over Tablescape is shown here.)   So, this week, that is the table I'm going to feature!

I'm calling it the "Pink Flamingo Party" Tablescape!

My talented 10 year old son helped me with this table.  

The inspiration for this table came from a trip to the Dollar Store.  These plates were just the cutest, so I thought it would be fun to make a table with them.   This kids' table was the perfect occasion, too!

 

 

Now, my son, was a little skeptical of PINK FLAMINGOS considering his feelings that pink is more of a "girly color", and considering his best friend was one of the kids coming over to eat with him....however, I tried to re-assure him that this would be a more "tropical" table, than a "girly" table.  I showed him the plates and told him we'd need to just add more of the blues and greens to make up for the pinks!   He was soon on board.

The centerpiece is a pink tray with a flower pot with floral foam.  This is actually part of a flower arrangement that we usually have in the dining room, but I took the flowers out and put this cute flamingo in the foam instead.  My son suggested we put this green curly ribbon in to look like grass...I was impressed with his imagination!  =)

 
Next to the flamingo on the tray are some green and blue large ornaments and a couple of dollar-store pink-flamingo lanterns.  Then my son had the idea to add the flowers in the pink little "gift bag votive holders!

For each place setting, I kept it simple and used the paper plates over a hot-pink melamine plate for sturdiness.   My son wrote everyone's names on the napkins and we used the white silverware and colorful tumbler cups in blues, pinks and greens!


I like how this table turned out.  It was very colorful and fun for the kids and I think everyone really liked it.   My son was happy to have helped as well, and bragged to his friend how he helped put it together!

Well, that's it for another TABLESCAPE TUESDAY!  Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon!! 

This post is being added to...
Centerpiece Wednesday

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

TABLESCAPE TUESDAY - BLACK, WHITE AND RED ALL OVER Tablescape

Hi everyone!

Welcome to yet another TABLESCAPE TUESDAY!  

I hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend!   Ours was good, but not very eventful...which I don't mind at all!  lol   Sometimes, I need those kinds of weekends!   Yesterday, my husband and son went out for a boys vacation...so my daughter and I have been having some fun, just the girls!   We have gone out to eat, gotten our nails done...watched some girlie movies, and had lots of fun!

For today's TABLESCAPE TUESDAY, I would like to share with you on of the tables from a recent Sunday Family dinner.  This was a special one because we ended up having some very close friends over with their kids, and we made two tables...one for the grown ups, and one just for the kids!   This week, I'm going to post the grown-ups table, and next week I'll feature the kids' table. 

Because this table was going to be all grown-ups, I wanted to go for a bit of extra sophistication.   I had also just bought these neat red and white dessert plates and was eager to try them out.   I had originally decided on just a red and white tablescape, but as I was putting it together it just looked too Christmas-y.   The simple addition of black really made a difference!

I named this tablescape the "Black, White and Red All Over" Tablescape. 

I used my white tablecloth and adorned it with red and black streamers in a kind of plaid pattern.   I also used some red glass pieces to add a little more interest. 
In the center, I put down two black frames I found on super clearance at Old Time Pottery, because the glass was out.  In the frames I put my trusty white pillar candleholders from IKEA with red candles.
For the very center, I used a glass cylinder filled with red ornaments and some red beads.   On either side are just water glasses, turned upside down with some candles on top.  A very inexpensive way to add some height to the candles.
Now for the plate Breakdown.   I started with a square plate I got at Wal-Mart...from the Better Homes and Gardens collection.  They were a little pricier than I wanted, but I looked all over and could not find this kind of plate in a set of 4 any cheaper.  I think I will use them often, so hopefully it will be worth the investment.
Next up, I used a nice square red plate that I got at Ross.
And then, topping that off, I added these cute red and white damask plates that I think I got at Marshalls.   I also alternated black and white napkins with red bling napkin rings, and used my red flatware.
I really like how this table turned out.  I am a huge fan of black and white with red, or really just about any color!  It looks very striking to me.  =)


Thanks so much for joining me for another TABLESCAPE TUESDAY!!!   Have a great day, and I hope to see you again soon!  =)

This post is being added to:
Between Naps on the Porch