Creamy Sausage & Spinach Pasta

My sweet newborn baby is apparently not a newborn any more...he's a whopping 8 month old.  If you think the first baby grows up fast...well, the second is just a blur!  He's crawling, pulling up, cruising, eating grown-up food; and most importantly, he is sleeping through the night.  However, back 8 months ago, none of us were getting much sleep, and my husband and I were zombies.  When you have just one child, you can theoretically sleep when the baby sleeps.  But when you have two kids?  Well, that clearly just doesn't work. 

Hot Corn Dip

Memorial Day is coming up in a few weeks.  Like many Americans, my family tree is full of brave people who served our country.  My dad was both Air Force and Army, and both my grandfathers were Navy.  My paternal grandfather, George K. Larsen II, gave his life for our country in World War II.  He volunteered for a last minute mission, and was shot down in the South Pacific.  His body was never found, so he's listed as both MIA and KIA.  As a child, I would fantasize that he had parachuted out of the burning plane, and had swam safely to an island, where he now lived out his days in paradise on the beach.  Now that I'm all grown up, I sadly know that isn't possible, but I take heart in knowing that his sacrifice (along with many, many others) helped protect our country. 

Spinach Artichoke Egg Casserole

12 Eggs, beaten
2 Cups Whole Milk Cottage Cheese
8 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dried Basil
A few pinches of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
14 oz can (or jar) Quartered Artichoke Hearts, drained
6 oz Fresh Spinach Leaves, chopped

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

2.  In a large bowl, stir together the beaten eggs, cottage cheese, and shredded mozzarella.  Next slowly add in the flour, baking powder, and seasonings.  Finally, mix in the artichoke hearts and spinach leaves.  Pour mixture into the greased dish.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until eggs are set.  Makes 10-12 servings.

Mama's Sloppy Joes

In every family, there is a mom-signature dish...the dish that is famous among all your friends.  For example, my best friend Lauren's mom made the BEST hamburgers and the BEST sweet tea.  My mom?  Well, it was her Sloppy Joes.  No one could come close to her sloppy joes. My dear friend Clint once challenged her to a Sloppy Joe cook-off, but he became daunted during the task, and somehow ended up serving up chili to us "judges" without even realizing it. 

Now that I have a family to feed of my own, I obviously begged my mother for the recipe.  I am happy to report that this Sloppy Joe recipe became the first meal that I served to my entire family of four--6 month old baby included--that we all ate and loved.  This is just one of those meals that you eat with a smile!  Thanks, Mama!

Ham & Asparagus Egg Casserole

12 Eggs, beaten
2 Cups Whole Milk Cottage Cheese
8 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
.75 lbs Ham, chopped
12 oz Frozen Asparagus Spears, thawed & chopped

1.  Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients in the order listed.  Pour mixture into the greased baking dish.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until eggs are set.  Makes 12 Servings.

Mix-Free Homemade Spinach Dip

Recently, I found myself in as situation where I needed to whip up an appetizer for a party, but didn't have the time (or motivation) to run to the grocery store.  I looked at all the ingredients I had on hand, and I realized that I had everything to make a homemade spinach dip.  Everyone loves spinach dip, but have you ever had it made without the store-bought mix?  It is even better!  Honestly, there is no reason for me to ever use a mix again...making it from scratch was just as easy, and it is so much healthier and tastier!

Broccoli & Egg Casserole

Now that we have two children, our mornings are quite chaotic.  My husband usually gets the toddler ready, and I'm in charge of the baby, which doesn't leave much time for ourselves.  To make things easier, I make a big batch of breakfast for the whole week on Sunday night.  During the Winter, we ate Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal, but now that it is officially Spring, I wanted to find a more season-appropriate meal to start our day.  I've also started to work on losing the baby weight, so I wanted a meal that was nutritious and full of protein.  I came up with a Broccoli & Egg Bake, and it is so delicious!  I use just broccoli in my egg casserole, but you could easily add in ham, or swap out broccoli for asparagus or whatever vegetable you prefer.  It is easily adaptable to your tastes!  After I finish baking it, I wait for it to cool, cut it into 10 servings, and stick it in the fridge.  On weekday mornings, I take out individual servings and microwave it.  It reheats beautifully!  I love that I have such a healthy and easy breakfast at my disposal on hectic mornings.