Cooking 101....

Easy Breezy Porcupine Balls


1 lb. uncooked ground beef

1 cup uncooked Minute Rice

1 large can tomato juice

salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning


~Mix uncooked ground beef, uncooked rice and 1/2 cup tomato juice.

~Season with salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning.

~Form into small balls and place in a baking dish

~Pour remainder of tomato juice on meatballs


Cover dish with foil, and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pineapple Casserole

1 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp. self-rising flour

1 cup grated cheese

1/4 cup melted margarine

1/2 cup ritz cracker crumbs

Drain pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons of juice. Combine flour and sugar in a bowl , then stir in juice.

Fold in pineapple and cheese.

Put in a buttered dish. Combine melted butter and cracker crumbs. Sprinkle over pineapple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Yield: Serves about 4, double for larger group.

**I used a medium sized corning ware dish, it wasn't enough for a 9x13 dish.

(Not the best pictures...i had to take them quick, because Lem was in the middle of making his plate. )

There is just something about Fall and Winter that brings out the home-body in me. More so than usual anyway. I get full swing in the cooking mode, and love baking during the holidays. My kitchen gets the most use for the next 3 months than it will see the whole year!

My goal this winter is to become a better cook, and to learn some new recipes. I have already started on my quest, and it has been quite fun. Lem has certainly enjoyed coming home to a warm meal on the table these last few weeks. Unlike the Summer time when he is lucky to have milk for his cereal.

To help me obtain this lofty goal of "becoming a better cook", I have challenged myself to try one new recipe a week. This being week one. My recipe tonight was White Bean Chicken Chili. Big hit with the husband, and the son...not so much with the daughter. I will post this recipe tomorrow, I want to post a picture with it...and the picture is still in my camera. Too lazy to download it tonight.

However, I will post an old staple of a recipe around the Hill homestead. We had it last night for dinner. Porcupine Balls. Sounds appetizing, right?? Well, it is! Try them and let me know what you think. My kids (both of them!) even enjoyed them. Joseph says during dinner, "Mommy, you should really think about trying out for "So, you think you can cook!". Ahhhh, melt my heart.

Poor thing, his taste buds are highly distorted from the likes of my cooking. I still appreciated the compliment and his sweet sincerity, though. My little charmer.

I am thinking that Wednesdays will be my recipe post days here on the old blog. So, tune in on those days...and let's get cookin'! Most importantly share, share, share your recipes. Give a girl a hand on this cooking challenge.

dusting off my apron,

Jill