Sausage Balls and Mussels Fra Diavolo

Sausage Meatballs:
1 lbs Mild Italian Sausage
1 cup chopped day old bread (soaked in milk, then squeezed out)
1 small egg, beaten
2 Tbs chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbs basil, fresh, chopped
2 Tbs parsley, fresh, chopped
3 Tbs grated cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
Remove casings from Chicken Sausage, put aside.  In large bowl mix all other ingredients together.  Add meat, folding.  Roll into balls and place in baking dish.  Bake 350 until crispy.  Can be fried also.
Remove from oven and cool on plate.  Reserve grease in baking dish for use in sauce.

Fra Diavolo Sauce:
1/2 lb mussels
Olive oil
2 tsp garlic
1 can crushed tomatoes
salt and (red crushed pepper, optional)
In large pot, heat oil and saute garlic.  Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open.  Add can tomatoes, salt and pepper flakes, stir and simmer for 15 -20 mins.  Add meatballs to sauce with reserved grease, toss gently and serve with favorite pasta.  Garnish with fresh Basil and/or Parsley.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Strawberry/Banana Smoothie:

1 blender filled half with ice
9 Frozen Strawberries
1 Ripe Banana
2 Tbs powder milk
8 ozs Tropical juice ( I like Tropical Mango)
or any fruit juice


Coconut Smoothie:

Blender filled half way with ice
9 Frozen Strawberries
1 Ripe Banana
1/2 cup Coconut Soy Milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend in blender until completely smooth.  Pour into large glass with straw and enjoy.

Chocolate "Chocolate Chip" Cookies

12 ounces Milk Chocolate Chips

1 2/3 cup  all purpose flour

1/3 cup (35 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup salted sweet butter, room temperature

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup  white granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, cocoa, soda and salt in mixing bowl.  In separate bowl, with electric mixer whip together butters and sugars until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla mixing until blended.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, slowly folding with large spoon.  Add chips and nuts, fold.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet gently pressing center of each cookie.  Bake for 15-17 mins or until center of cookie is completely done.  Cool on wire rack.  Let cookies sit until cool before removing from sheet.