Meatballs with Sour Cream Gravy

2 cups unseasoned bread crumbs*

1.5 cup half n half

2 lbs ground beef

1 lb ground pork**

3 eggs

1 package onion soup mix

2 cans beef broth

Pepper***

1/2 cup sour cream

4T Wondra

Put breadrumbs in a large bowl, add half and half then soak for 10 minutes. Then add beef, pork, eggs and onion soup mix. Mix well. Shape meat mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place them on a broiler pan and broil at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Put the meatballs into the crock pot, add a can of broth and a few shakes of black pepper. Cook on low about 8 hours or so.

Combine sour cream, 1 can of broth and wondra, mix well. pour it into the crockpot and stir. Turn up crock pot to high for about 45 minutes to thicken grave.

That gives you lots of time to make some noodles and veggies.

* make your own breadcrumbs by grating some bread.

** ground veal, chicken or turkey can be used instead of pork. I like the taste and texture of pork best

*** I like to use freshly ground mixed peppercorns.

Wondra is granulated flour - I have been using it for over 30 years to make gravy and sauces with no lumps.

Idiot Proof Beef Stew

4 or 5 medium red potatoes - scrubbed and quartered

1/3 cup flour

salt and pepper to taste

1.5 lbs. beef stew meat

14 oz. can diced tomatoes (dont drain)

1 cup water

14 oz can beef broth

1 package onion soup mix

3 bay leaves

1 cup frozen baby carrots

1 cup frozen green beans (italian cut is best)

1 cup frozen brussels sprouts

(If you prefer different veggies use them --- just as long as it's 3 cups it doesnt matter)

I use a 4 quart crock pot

Put spuds in the bottom of the pot. Mix flour, salt and pepper - coat the meat. Add (meat) to crockpot. Add tomatoes, broth, water, onion soup mix and bay leaves. Stir.

Cover the pot and cook on low for 8 or so hours. Add frozen veggies and let it cook another 45 min to an hour. (til the veggies are tender)

I like to add 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon of hot hungarian paprika to this to "kick it up".

Fried Feesh

1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon OLD BAY® Seasoning
1 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1 pound catfish fillets (cod, pollock, rainbow trout or striped bass)

1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Franks Hot Sauce®

3 tablespoons oil (peanut, canola, corn or vegetable)

DIRECTIONS

In a shallow dish, mix cornmeal, OLD BAY, parsley and garlic salt.

Beat eggs, add Frank's hot sauce. Dip fish fillets, one at a time, in beaten egg. Allow excess egg to drip off. Coat with cornmeal mixture.

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium. Pan-fry fillets 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with fork. Drain on paper towels.

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You might also like to try this with nuggets or strips of fish. Some of the farm raised catfish are so thick that they need to be "trimimed down"