Slow Cooker Cheese Stuffed Meatballs by Paula Deen

1# ground beef
1# ground pork
4T parmesan cheese
1 to 1 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
1T basil
1/4 c parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
4 oz mozzarella, divided into 12 pieces
3T olive oil
2 jars of spaghetti sauce

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, parsley and oregano. Add bread crumbs 1/2 cup at a time until mixture is not too wet and can be formed into balls easily. Form mixture into 12 balls using your thumb to press a hole in the center. Insert a piece of the mozzarella in the hole and close the hole by pushing the meatball mixture around it. Cook meatballs in oil until just browned. Transfer meatballs to slow cooker and pour spaghetti sauce over meatballs. Cook on low for approximately 5 hours. Serve with sauce over spaghetti noodles.

**This was the best meatball recipe I have tried. I think the ground pork made the difference because the meatballs were much more moist. I tried using mozzarella string cheese inside the meatballs but I would recommend buying fresh mozzarella instead as it is softer. This makes a large meal.

Best Ever Meatloaf from allrecipes.com

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup tomato juice
3/4 cup oats
1 egg
1/4 cup onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients and combine in loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until no longer pink. Drain. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**I love meatloaf but most of the recipes I have tried usually end up too dry. This one was very moist, even on the second day. Maybe the difference was the tomato juice? Also, I got one of those double meatloaf pans from Target for a Christmas gift from my sister. The grease all drains into the bottom pan and it is wonderful.

BBQ Chicken Cheddar Pita Pizzas

6 pita rounds
1# or more finely chopped cooked chicken, approx. 3 cups
1 cup shredded cheddar
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup sliced green onion

Preheat oven to 400F. Thin BBQ sauce with water for drizzling consistency. Divide toppings evenly over pitas in this order: chicken, bacon, BBQ sauce, cheese and onion. Bake 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

***Joy and I loved these. Super easy and quick. You could probably use the pitas to make any kind of pizza you like. I used real bacon I had cooked and crumbed instead of the bacon bits and I also sprinkled a little mozzarella as well.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza from "Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer"

1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream (I use half and half)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 pizza crust
10 large fresh spinach leaves
6 green onions, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated Swiss

Melt butter in saucepan. Add cream and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Turn off heat under pan. Spread alfredo sauce evenly over pizza crust. Top with spinach, onions, chicken and bacon. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

**My absolute favorite homemade pizza. I leave out the onions and have used frozen spinach before. Also good with mushrooms, olives, whatever you like. I never buy the Swiss cheese; I just use 2 cups of mozzarella instead. Delicious!

Fruit Slush

40 oz. fruit cocktail, in syrup
10 oz. sliced, sweetened, frozen strawberries
12 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
20 oz. crushed pineapple, in juice
3 bananas, diced

Partially thaw strawberries so they can be separated. Mix all the ingredients together including all the juices from the canned and frozen fruits. Pour into suitable containers for your family. Label and freeze. To serve, thaw 10-15 minutes before needed - it should be slushy.

**Fresh fruits may be added to your liking. Small styrofoam cups work well. I made these for the camping trip and they were a big hit! Great for a hot summer day!

Strawberry Cake by Ona Batson

1 box white cake mix
1 box strawberry jello mix
1/2 cup water
4 eggs (beat in one at a time)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1/2 cup oil

Mix dry jello and cake mix before adding other ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 350-40 minutes.

Frosting:
1 box powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup strawberries

Cream together butter and powdered sugar; fold in strawberries.

**This is an old recipe from my grandmother. I made these for the camping trip in little muffins and omitted the frosting. Yummy and easy.

Mexican Lasagna for Mother's Day

2# ground beef
16 oz. refried beans
4 oz. chopped green chiles
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 T hot salsa
4 c shredded colby-monterey jack cheese
12 oz uncooked lasagna noodles
16 oz. mild salsa
2 c water
2 c sour cream
1 small can sliced olives, drained (optional)
green onion and tomato, chopped (optional)

Brown beef and drain. Stir in beans, chiles, taco seasoning and hot salsa. In greased 13x9 dish, layer noodles and meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat.

Combine mild salsa and water; pour over top. Cover and bake @ 350F for 1 hour. Top with sour cream, olives, tomatoes, onions and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 15 minutes. Wait 15 minutes before serving.

**This was EXCELLENT. Makes 12 servings. I prepared it 2 days in advance for mother's day and finished it off with the sour cream layer just before eating. No need to cook the noodles - love it!