Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound ground beef, lean

1 pound Sweet Basil Italian Sausage, casings removed and crumbled

2 cups grated carrot

1 medium onion, finely chopped

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp. Parsley

1 Tbsp. dried Oregano

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Olive Oil

salt & pepper

Garlic powder

2 28 ounce cans concentrated crushed tomatoes

1 23 ounce can tomato sauce

Cook hamburger with some garlic powder. Drain and set aside . Cook Italian sausage until almost done and add grated carrot. Cook the rest of the way. Transfer both meats to crock pot. In saucepan, saute onion in a little olive oil. Add garlic, parsley, oregano, salt & pepper until onions are soft. Transfer to crock pot. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and brown sugar and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

***This feeds a lot of people or gives lots of left over sauce to freeze. For picky eaters or young children I put some sauce in a food processor and puree. To make it a little thicker (if you like thick sauce) puree half and add back to sauce.

Grosgrain: Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Boojiboo Flirty Apron Guest Giveaway

Seriously - Who wouldn't want this? So Cute!

For a chance to win. Click here to go to Shabby Apple dresses and accessories.

New Recipes I have tried

I recently made this Apple Cider Cake from Brandy at I'm Not Your Average Soccer Mom. So easy and so so delicious.

Also, I made this cake from Paula Deen's Best Desserts Magazine out this month for a little tea party the girls and I had (it was a huge hit) :

Double Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Makes 1 (10inch) fluted cake

1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 (5.9 ounce) box instant chocolate-flavored pudding mix

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

1 (12 - ounce) bag mini chocolate morsels

Garnish: confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 to 15 cup fluted pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, and sugar. Add water, oil and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sour cream and chocolate morsels. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with confectioners' sugar.

So yummy!

Visiting Tucson?

This is a must stop for breakfast! Really I am serious.  Really good food.  Homemade bread, crepes of all kinds.  My personal favorite: Homemade Apricot Jam.  Oh it is so yummy! Like my Grandma's ( I wish I had that recipe ).

The Hubs and my girls took me here for Mother's Day.  Yay! I hadn't been in a year or so. It is a bit of a drive for us but we made a weekend trip out of it because my man knows how much I love this place. 

Yummy Chocolate Cake (Dairy and Egg Free)

My youngest has food allergies and when it comes time for birthdays I feel so bad for her. Well I did until we found this recipe which I have had for awhile but got it just right enough to share.  All the girls have approved as well as the hubs.

3 Cups flour ( I use 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour)

1 1/2 Cups brown sugar

1 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons salt

2 Cups water

1/4 cup oil

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients then add the wet and mix until smooth.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes in a Large Muffin  or 18 for a small muffin pan if making cupcakes and if you are making a cake be sure to check it around 20 minutes.  The key is to not over bake them otherwise they are too dry and these should be very moist. 

I received this recipe from a friend and tweaked it just a little and now my little one can enjoy cake too.  

For dairy free frosting: I use a couple of Tablespoons of Smart Balance Light ( the light doesn't have whey but the other one does ) and powdered sugar.  I don't measure but it was probably like a 1/2 of cup or so of sugar.

I Think I Am In Love

I was just smitten but now I am in love:
I hate cooking rice on the stove top - it never comes out right.  Not done or too done, even with a heat deflector.  So I bought this and rice is perfect - every time.  I was smitten when I did white rice but I fell in love when I cooked brown rice.  So easy, and easy to clean with no spill over or mess on the counter.  Fantastic find. Want to check it out, go here.