Easy Pumpkin Maple Meatballs -2 Ingredients

I don't think these Pumpkin Maple Meatballs could get any easier folks. Your favorite frozen meatballs, a jar of pumpkin maple spread from Aldi (or any store that has something similar), and a slow cooker. I used my Little Dipper Crock Pot and about half a jar of the jam. Only two ingredients Lynn? Ok, if you'd like to add a little something else... How about some pumpkin pie spice. Or dare I say... Maybe a few shakes of hot sauce? But honestly, my crew says it was perfect as is. And I mean the whole crew this time! This is a nice sweet seasonal treat perfect to snack on after leaf raking, a trip apple picking, or pumpkin hunting at the garden center. 

And of course it's great for... 

Football parties:@)

How to make a Barbie Crock Pot here.

Let's change up our hosting routine and try something new while the pumpkin flavors are available! Maybe even tuck a jar away for Thanksgiving... Just a thought.

The Aldi jam I used:

As a point of reference I used 14 bite size meatballs and half of a 12.5 oz jar in my Little Dipper Crock Pot. There was room for a few more meatballs.

Pumpkin Maple Meatballs

1. 1 lb+ frozen cooked meatballs
2. 12 oz jar Pumpkin Maple Spread
3. Place meatballs in slow cooker, cover and cook on high for an hour.
4. Pour jam over meatballs reserving a few tablespoons to stir in before serving. 
5. Turn temp to low, place paper towel under lid, and cook for about two more hours or until heated through. (My Little Dipper is only one temp, I use at least 2 1/2 hours).
6. Stir in reserved jam. 
7. Stir and serve with fun food picks. 

🍁🏈Enjoy a snack and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Fall & Football Tiered Tray

It's football season folks! Popping in with my Fall and Philadelphia Eagles Football Tiered Tray. I picked up a new white rectangular tray from Aldi. It has lots of room for decorations and I love it on my table! Topped it with cute items gathered at various stores over the years, a crafted thing here and there...

And yep, a sign that says "Eagles Fans Only"-ha. 

Here's hoping it's a great season:@)

***GO BIRDS***

Have a Happy Day🏈🏈🏈

Football!!! Eagles Bracelets, Welcome Sign, Serving Platter & Nuts...

We're always excited about football season here at Pig In Mud and this year is no different:@) I started wearing my bracelets to work for what I've declared Fandom Fridays... So naturally, even though baseball season is still in swing, I had to make an Eagles bracelet too. Dollar Tree had the black, gray, and white beads, they work well with my team colors.

📌My Football Fun Pinterest Board here.

I'm looking for a fun Eagles logo to make something for the O in my welcome home sign. In the interim, I fished this old football out of my stash, added a magnet to the back and... Well, this will certainly do for now!

What goes with football? Snacks of course! Wanted to mention I've found several different flavors of Planter's Peanuts at Dollar Tree in the 6oz cans. Regular, Vinegar, Chipotle, and the latest, Salted Caramel. The nuts are perfect for everything from tailgating to couchgating to charcuterie boards. I like this size can too, it's not too big.

And finally, I stopped at Aldi and was pleased to find a couple of these football field platters still on the shelf. They are a nice medium size, about 16" long, not too big, not too small. Oh yes folks, we are ready for some football in Philly:@)

🏈Grab it when you see it, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

GO BIRDS!!!

Piggy Poppers, Garden Trellis Cushion, & Barbie Hair Saver

Back when I was a kid... We would slice a hotdog in half long ways, butterfly it open, and top it with cheese. It would then go into the oven until the cheese melted. Good stuff folks:@) I thought I'd try that concept with these Piggy Poppers. It's another version of my Stuffed Jalapenos, and a tasty alternative if you're trying to save a few calories on the bun. 

Aldi has the regular size hotdogs and the 8 pack bigger size, I used the bigger ones and cut the dog in half, then into quarters. Just make them fit into your jalapenos...

I mentioned the idea of using a pool noodle at the top of a trellis to help the plant gently bend over the top instead of the vine possibly bending/kinking here. Someone tossed a green one out on trash day... Yep, I like the way green looks in the garden:@)

And finally, if there's a Barbie in your life you know the hair can quickly become a hot mess unruly... I love the idea of recycling garlic bags as hair savers, it works especially well with straight hair dolls and is really great at keeping bangs in place! This is a simple no-sew project that only requires a pair of scissors. It works well with either long or short hair, just cut the mesh to the length you need and slip it over the doll's head.

This is the type of garlic bag I use:

Piggy Poppers

Jalapenos, cut in half and cleaned of seeds and membrane

Large hotdogs, cut in half and quartered

Cheese of choice, slices to cover hotdog

1. Place hotdog slice in each jalapeno.
2. Bake at 357 degrees for about 12 minutes.
3. Remove from oven, carefully add cheese to jalapeno and cover hotdog with cheese.
4. Return to oven for about a minute or until cheese has melted.
5. Serve with mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc, if desired.

Have a Happy Day:@)

Early Season Gardening... Raised Bed is Planted!

Let the games begin... The raised bed is planted and I'm looking forward to seeing how everything grows this year:@) New: My rosemary was struggling so I removed it from the anchor bed and planted way too many coleus, and at the last minute decided I liked the look of the strawberry pot. So yea... Chives are blooming, and while it's hard to see, the last addition to the little herb box is a pink lavender to the left of the thyme. I can't wait to see that bloom! It's written up as a tidy 12"-ish plant...

Tomatoes and cucumbers finish up the row. After living with the raised bed kits for a few years now, my best tip: While your garden will be shorter, I highly recommend using all of the center slats between -all- of the boxes. It will help keep the boxes square and from bowing, and look neater. I really wish I understood that before I got started.

The short end: My peppers get the prime spot, with (what we believe is) the jalapeno in the first box. We had a little labeling incident... Has that ever happened to you??? Strawberry patch in the background.

Purple lavender looks great, even after I had to move it last year. The sign from Aldi just makes me chuckle:@) And the huge cement planter in the background was a trash day rescue. It will bake in the sun so I loaded it up with portulaca, can't wait for that riot of color! And if the strawberry runners happen to hop in there, well, I won't be upset with that either...

The second raised bed I added at end of season: This has zucchini in the far two boxes. The plan... The one on the end can sprawl into the yard. This year's experiment: I'm going to try training the middle one to grow vertically with a pole support. We'll see how that plays out:@) The closest box is loaded with zinnia seeds of all sizes, they have already sprouted.

And Barbie pops in to remind everyone that no matter the size of your garden... Always add a little whimsy to make you smile:@)

My inspiration:

Two little 1" mushrooms grew in the raised bed:@)

Remember the almost 10" mushroom that grew in the yard? HERE

I'll leave you with the long view:

Have a great weekend🌞

Cheddar and Jalapeno Popcorn (serving suggestion) -Aldi Alert!

Calling all jalapeno lovers... Aldi has a new seasonal flavor out called Cheddar and Jalapeno Popcorn, and it's a spicy one! I love me some heat, and on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd put this at about a 6, maybe 7.  But I have a suggestion to tone it down just a tad if interested... The gold colored popcorn is Aldi's, the white popcorn is my homemade kettle corn. Yep, the addition of a little sweetness was just enough to mellow the 'peno and allow me to enjoy a bigger bowl. I'm all about the bigger bowl:@) Don't hesitate to grab a bag if you see it, good stuff folks.

The popcorn:

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Lighter Homemade Kettle Corn-One/Two servings:
1/4 C popcorn 
1 Tblsp vegetable oil 
1 Tblsp sugar 
Salt to taste

1. Add oil, sugar, and 3 kernels to 2-3 quart pan with lid, heat over medium heat. **Be very careful, melting sugar is very hot**
2. Once the corn begins to pop add the rest, add lid, and give pan a good shake.
3. Shake vigorously until popping slows down. Be careful to remove popcorn from pan before it burns.
4. Pour into bowl, add salt.
5. Carefully mix the two types of popcorn and allow to cool for a couple minutes.
6. Once it has completely cooled down, leftovers can be added back to the bag, or a Lock-N-Lock, for storage.

Enjoy a snack and Have a Happy Day:@)

Zucchini Puffs or Zucchini Mini Muffins -Side Dish (or Football Snack?)

If you're like me and grew the ~little zucchini plant that could~ this year... You might want to try these Zucchini Puffs. They are a nice bread substitute for dinner, or could be a game day (or any day) treat. May I suggest adding a marinara type dipping sauce if trying to serve zucchini as a football party snack though... Just sayin' :@) They are another variation of the Pepperoni Pizza Puffs I made way back in 2013. The recipe calls for 1 C of shredded zucchini which makes approximately 20-24 mini muffins. So adjust accordingly for your crowd, or zucchini surplus...

Yep, August 31st and I'm still getting zucchini!!!

Although I will say, everyone else isn't as excited about that as I am:@)

Two more excellent variations:

Buffalo Chicken Mini Muffins and Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Zucchini Puffs or Zucchini Mini Snack Muffins

3/4 C A/P flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder

hearty pinch of salt, or seasoned salt -I used Lawry's Seasoned Salt
3/4 C milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

1 C shredded zucchini, wrung out in dish towel to remove excess water
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
Optional: Grated Parmesan for sprinkling on top

Optional: Marinara or Spaghetti Sauce for dipping

1. Grease a 24 cup mini-muffin pan-I used Aldi's Baker's Joy.
2. Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl.
3. Mix milk and egg, add to dry ingredients, mix.
4. Stir in the zucchini and cheese.
5. Let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
7. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of batter if using.
8. Bake at 375 degrees until puffed and golden, 20-25 minutes.
9. Serve with sauce for dipping if desired, but it's really not necessary.
10. Makes approximately 20-24.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Raised Bed Garden: 2022 Mid Season Thoughts & Observations

Please allow me start off by saying, zucchini be cra-cra... And they don't play well with others. Those plants are huge! And I honestly don't know if I'll plant more than one next year. Or perhaps, extend the garden with one long row and stick them waaaay out on their own. Nasturtium in the lower left corner under the zukes.

But on the flip side, they are producing and I always wanted to be ~that~ neighbor... You know, the one that has so much squash she's trying to give it away to everyone... Yes, that would be fun:@)

If each 'box' is approximately 22" square, next year I should plant one zuke and one large tomato plant per box. Tomatoes can go slightly towards the back with basil between them in front. I'll try to corral the zucchini with tomato cages, or something similar.

Cucumbers do require one box and my new Lowes trellis is working out great! I saw a pic on Pinterest adding a pool noodle to the top of the trellis. The idea is, it gives the plant something to gently flop over, instead of the vine bending and potentially kinking and splitting, or getting harmed. Cut to size, cut slit lengthwise, then little cross slits so it can be pushed down between the wire. So far so good, we'll see how it plays out. 

Crookneck squash on right... 

Um, just blew up on Friday, it tripled in size!!!

Yep, squash kinda needs it's own bed...

And lots of space:@)

Each happy summer squash plant can easily fill a 5' circle of space, 

with each leaf up to 18" across.

Pepper plants are ~just~ starting to grow, and I do have several little peppers on each plant. I predict an abundance in July and August:@) If they don't get totally shaded by the squash...

Quick 6/18/22 update:

A penalty flag was thrown on the squash for encroachment...

Had to bring out an old metal trellis to help give the peppers some sun.

Still undecided about the strawberries... For now I'm just tucking the babies into the tower to see how they grow, and over-winter. And true to me, I stopped pinching off all of the blooms, I'm letting some berries grow, just had to:@) As of yesterday I've removed the portulaca and added runners to those spots too.

String beans: I don't think I need to use precious garden space for them, they grow just fine in planters. And since I have the planters, that's probably what I'll do next year. Then as I begin to pull spent plants out, I can add the seeds directly to the raised bed. 

I did pick up a mini greenhouse from Aldi, 34x22x32", mostly as a new toy to play with... My intention is to try to get one last batch of green beans in October or November. We'll see. Also to use it for early spring sowing of squash seeds directly in the garden. ~Also~ to have for critter protection if needed. Even if the cover eventually gets worn out, I should always have the metal frame, making it well worth the $20:@)

And an odd note from a vegetable gardener: I've grown up with marigolds, G-Mom-B always started them in little peat pods on the windowsills. I found a variety called Super Hero this year and have to say, I-LOVE-THEM! What a nice plant, it gets full ~early~ in the season, constantly blooms (I've been ruthlessly deadheading), grows to a nice 10-12" tall quickly, and makes 2" flowers! I could not ask for more from a marigold, and this is the only variety I will look for going forward. Actually, I'm going to save some seeds just in case... 

So there you have it folks,

that's what's happening in my garden 6/18/22.

I hope yours is growing well too!

Have a happy weekend:@)

Onion Soup Mix Meatloaf using Vegetable Crackers

I'm still on a bit of a retro kick and decided to make an Onion Soup Mix Meatloaf for Sunday dinner. What makes this different than the other two meatloaves on my blog? One has a ketchup topping, one a BBQ sauce topping, and this one is intended to be served with brown gravy. Something else I thought I'd try, using vegetable crackers instead of breadcrumbs or oatmeal. They added an extra bit of flavor, ~and bonus~ were in the cabinet and needed to be put to good use:@) My recipe is a combination/modification of many I read. The boys were pleased with the consistency of this meatloaf, and we all agreed it's very flavorful!

The original Lipton recipe calls for 2 lbs ground beef per envelope of soup.

I used 1 1/4 lb, this makes a robustly flavored meatloaf.

I will say, this is not a recipe for folks on a salt restricted diet though.

Two other meatloaf choices:

Paula Deen's Meatloaf and BBQ Turkey (or Beef) Meatloaf

Onion Soup Mix Meatloaf

1 1/4 lb ground beef-I used 85% lean

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 egg

1/4 C + 2 Tblsp crushed vegetable cracker crumbs

1/4 C milk or water-I used Half and Half

2 Tblsp ketchup

Gravy of choice-I'm fond of Aldi's envelopes of brown gravy mix

1. Mix everything except gravy.
2. Form into log and place in loaf pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
4. Let sit 10 minutes, slice and serve with gravy on the side.

Enjoy some comfort food and have a happy day:@)

Acorn Squash with Apple Pie Filling

I kept seeing cans of apple pie filling at Dollar Tree and knew I wanted to make something with it... This Acorn Squash with Apple Pie Filling was a fun side dish. And if you get lucky and find the squash at your local garden center for $1, well, happy fall! (Actually, Aldi had it for $1.15, that's not bad either:@) This would be perfect with some pan fried ham or kielbasa, add a slice of buttered bread and dinner is served. I've seen baked squash stuffed with apples, I like the idea of serving the apples on the side so folks can help themselves, making this a four serving side dish.

I added my pumpkin label because (well, it's squash:@), 

and I added pumpkin spice to both the apples and squash.

Another addition that sounds good, a handful of raisins.

Acorn Squash with Apple Pie Filling

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds.
2. Place cut side down in baking dish (can place on parchment paper for easier clean-up if desired).
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
4. Carefully flip squash cut side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dust with pumpkin spice.
5. Return to oven for 20-25 minutes, check for doneness. It's ready to eat when flesh is tender.
6. Stir 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice into 21 oz can of apple pie filling. (Want to up the flavor and add more spice? You know your crowd:@) Heat apples on stove or in microwave. 
7. Cut squash into quarters, serve with apples at table.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Lime Margarita Oyster Crackers, No Bake, Less Oily -Sugar Free Lime Jello

While these Margarita Oyster Crackers are alcohol free, they are sweet and the flavor does really pop with lime and salt. I used sugar free Jello for the big burst of lime, and added some lemon pepper seasoning for a little flavor boost and black pepper kick too. This is a fun snack for summer noshing or while binge watching shark week with a nice cold drink. My son said a bowl on the bar would be dangerous if he was out for beers with the guys-a good enough endorsement for me:@) My only question, I don't know why it didn't turn green???

One four serving size sugar free Jello = approximately 1 Tblsp.

Tip: Do take the time to fish the crackers out of the bag instead of just dumping them into the bowl. 

This is best without the small broken pieces and crumbs.

My favorite lemon pepper seasoning:

I do suggest buying a fresh one each spring:@)

My Pig In Mud Jello Pinterest Board can be found HERE.

Margarita Oyster Crackers

7 oz oyster crackers -this is the Dollar Tree size

2 Tblsp light flavored oil-I used vegetable oil

2 tsp sugar free lime Jello

1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

(Alternately: 10 oz oyster crackers -Aldi size, 2 1/2 Tblsp oil, a whole pack of Jello, 1 1/4 tsp seasoning)

1. Add oil to medium size bowl, stir in Jello and lemon pepper seasoning. Mix well.
2. Add crackers, gently mix. Cover and stir occasionally for an hour. I like Lock-N-Lock bowls, and just give it a shake and turn it upside down every once in a while.
3. Store in air tight container.

Snack boldly and have a happy day:@)

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BLT Macaroni Salad & Pasta for Shark Week

I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that this BLT Macaroni Salad was the hit of our Sunday dinner:@) I've seen plenty of recipes out there, what makes mine a tad different is, start with your favorite macaroni salad, and the rest is simply plating and presentation. I mixed some bacon into the salad, scooped the salad onto a generous bed of shredded lettuce and placed sliced tomatoes around the edge. This helped keep the lettuce crisp and the tomatoes didn't make the pasta salad watery. And of course a little crumbled bacon for garnish is always nice. 

And Shark Week starts July 11th this year folks, you really can't tell from the picture but, I used shark shaped pasta and some small shells for the salad above. Just a little something to help make things fun for the kids... Walmart had this Baby Shark Mac and Cheese, I used the pasta for this salad. I've seen big boxes of ocean shapes in the past at Walmart, Home Goods etc, and Aldi. My best tip: If using small shapes like this or small shells, set your timer for 8 minutes and immediately run under cold water to cool off so they don't over cook and get mushy. 

Cute!

Eat well, celebrate the little things, and have a happy day:@)

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Marinated Almond Stuffed Olives -Appetizer or Snack

We've been on a bit of an olive binge here at Pig In Mud. I blame Aldi, it started with their jalapeno stuffed olives (which I sincerely hope they never stop carrying!!!). Now I'm searching out new flavors and appetizer recipes... I have to say these Marinated Almond Stuffed Olives were a very pleasant surprise! Herby, puckery, a meaty bite, and robustly flavored, we all thought they were great:@) The recipe calls for red wine, I didn't have any and used grape juice. So that's a nice substitution if you need it or don't want to add the alcohol. Whether it's for holiday parties, foodie gifts or a football munchie... Don't hesitate to give this one a try folks!

I also switched to red wine vinegar and scaled the recipe down to 1/3, 

which is one can of black olives and one small jar of pimento stuffed olives.

You may be tempted to use olive oil, it does get thick and clumpy in the refrigerator... Not pretty.

You can click the link for the full original recipe.

Another fun recipe, Marinated Mozzarella and Olives HERE.

Marinated Almond Stuffed Olives-adapted from Taste of Home

Whole almonds, cut in half-I used the small pack you get near the baking items at Dollar Tree

1 can black olives pitted, 6 oz, drained

1 small jar green pimento stuffed olives, 7 oz, use the juice too

3 Tblsp red wine vinegar-original recipe uses balsamic vinegar

3 Tblsp red wine or grape juice, either purple or white

3 Tblsp canola oil

1 small clove garlic, slivered or minced-or more... You know your crowd:@)

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp dried dill weed

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried parsley

1/3 tsp dried oregano

1/3 tsp ground black pepper

1. Add everything to a jar or bowl that seals well (I used Lock-N-Lock). Gently flip upside down a few times.
2. Store in refrigerator for at least 8 hours to marinate. Flipping a few times to stir ingredients.
3. Serve with fun food picks.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Cranberry and Pecan Pound Cake with Orange Glaze

This Cranberry and Pecan Pound Cake with Orange Glaze has a lot of seasonal flavor and was a very pretty little cake! I like making a loaf pan size so I'm not tempted by a large bundt size cake for days:@) This recipe has orange extract in both the cake and icing, if I had a fresh orange on hand would have added some zest too. If you're looking for a tasty cake to have with a nice strong cuppa, you can't go wrong with this one folks!

Perfect for Thanksgiving right through Christmas:@)

Cranberry and Pecan Sour Cream Pound Cake with Orange Glaze-Loaf Pan Size Recipe
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1/2 C sour cream
1 1/2 C A/P flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp orange extract
1/3 C dried cranberries
1/3 C pecans, chopped and toasted
extra finely chopped pecans for garnishment if desired

Glaze-optional:
1/2 C powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp orange extract
a little milk or half and half or cream

1. Grease and flour loaf size 9x5 pan (or use Baker's Joy-I like the Aldi brand), set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the sour cream. 
3. Sift the baking soda and flour together. Add the sifted flour to the creamed mixture alternating with eggs, beating in each egg one at a time. 
4. Mix in the vanilla and orange extract.
5. Gently fold in the cranberries and pecans, and pour mixture into prepared pan. 
6. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes (for loaf pan) or until toothpick comes out clean. 
7. Let cool 10 minutes on rack, then invert and release from pan.
8. If you'd like to add the glaze, make while cake is cooling in pan. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to small bowl, slowly, a little at a time, add milk until desired consistency. I wanted mine to be a little thicker and stay white on the cake.
9. If using garnishing pecans, immediately sprinkle onto wet icing.

Remember, holiday calories don't count and...

Have a happy day:@)

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