Friday Letters & Baked Ziti with Sausage & Spinach

Dear weekend, It's going to be a busy, but fun one.  I have a get together tonight, Max has a birthday party tomorrow, we're going out to celebrate our anniversary Saturday night and it's our volunteer night at church Sunday.  Dear House, I think you got the point by our busy schedule that you should just clean yourself.  Thanks, much appreciated.  Dear 4th of July, yay for Family coming into town Wednesday night.  We are excited to see Chris, Marla, James, Shell, Maddie and Hadley!  We are also excited Michelle and Hadley are staying for almost 2 weeks! Dear Max, I am glad you are finally feeling like your self this week. You are just such a doll.  You really are understanding everything we say to you. You've even been plugging your nose when you are about to go poo poo in your diaper.  Gigi always says "pooopy stinky" when she changes your dirty diaper, so now you associate it with your poopy and you tell us right before (sometimes after) that you've gone.

I wanted to post this recipe for Baked Ziti with Sausage and Spinach because it is SO YUMMY.  I love most everything that has pasta in it, especially when you mix a little red (tomatoes) and green (spinach/kale). It feels healthy and just tastes so good! This recipe comes from Recipe Shoebox.

The ingredients:
3 cups uncooked ziti or penne pasta (about 10-oz) We used whole grain.
2 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 lb. spicy Italian sausage, sliced (we used chicken sausage)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5-oz each) diced tomatos
1/4 cup pesto   
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 cups fresh spinach, chopped (about 8-oz)
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on package.  Drain and set aside.  Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Saute onion and garlic just until soft  (about 5 minutes).  Add sausage slices and cook until browned (about 5 minutes).  Add tomatoes with juices to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Stir in pesto.  Add salt and pepper.  Lightly oil 9x13-inch baking dish.  Combine cooked pasta, chopped spinach, mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour into baking dish.

 Pour pasta sauce over top and stir together.  Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over the top.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
 

Friday Letters & Food Friday-Pesto Tortellini Salad

Dear Friday, I always seem to start out with Friday on these letters. It's a great day, because the weekend is almost here! We have a lot planned (as usual-I'm a planner), but it's nice to have a to-do list or I would seriously do nothing. On the list for the weekend: set up David's Moms' new Ipad they got her for mother's day, cars oil changed, get and put down pine straw, finish my embroidery projects, sort papers/old mail in the office, meal planning/grocery shopping, graduation party, pool party, drawing out plans for fence for HOA and of course playing with buddy. Dear David, Yay! Glad you are back in town, you were gone too long this week. Can't wait to see you.  Dear Max and Mom, I am jealous of your day you have planned. Kinsley is hanging with family today so Mom and Max are heading to play in the fountains, maybe the mall and lunch. Dear Blurb Blog Book, I am still working on you for my pregnancy book. It seems easy enough, but when they take 1 post and make it 10 pages, that isn't cool so now I have to go through and spend 30 mins per post and that is not fun, but it's necessary. I have got to get on this.

I had a lot of requests for me to put up this recipe after people saw it on instagram (follow me at Jens871). This recipe is a great main meal dish or would be great for a pot luck side.  They said to eat it cold, but who has time for that so we ate it warm and it was great. This recipe comes from Katies Cucina.

Ingredients
    1 package of refrigerated whole wheat tortellini (I used 2 and doubled recipe for leftovers for lunch)
    ½ bag of spinach (I used kale pieces)
    ¼ cup pesto from sauce aisle
    ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
    ¼ cup artichoke hearts, drained and cut (get the non marinated kind)
    3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
    ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
    In a large pot boil water and cook tortellini according to directions. During the last 30 seconds of cooking add the spinach and wilt. Drain the pasta and spinach and place in a large bowl.
    In a small saute pan toast the pine nuts until they are golden brown then set to the side. This step is a must, I know it's easier if you don't do it, but it doesn't take long and really does make a difference taste wise.
    In the large bowl with the tortellini and spinach add the pesto, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, toasted pine nuts, and grated parmesan cheese. Mix well until incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and serve cold. Remember, if you are pressed for time, this is really a simple weeknight meal that can be eaten warm and was delicious! One thing that is also great about this, it's meatless and filling!

Friday Letters & Food Friday-Broccoli Ravioli Bake

Dear Friday, Yay! You are here. And with you here means that my sister, Hadley, James and Maddie are visiting!! They got in early this morning (1am) and I got to hold and love on little Miss. Hadley for a few minutes.  My cousin Christie and her husband Adam are also coming to visit this weekend so I'm excited. Hurry up day.  Dear Weather, Blah- Rain all weekend. Not cool. Dear Person Who Stole My Debit Card Number, not cool either. They used it at a Federal Express in Memphis or so it says. Good thing I'm a freakin bank stalker and caught it within hours.  Dear Self, April is almost over (crazy right) and you didn't finish most of your April goals... Better step it up next month.

This Food Friday recipe comes to you from Mix and Match Mama (Sean from the bachelors' sister). I modified it a little bit. This is SO simple to make and takes less than 5 minutes to put together. The rest of the time is just baking.  This makes the perfect week night meal that everyone will LOVE.

Ingredients-

1 package of frozen ravioli thawed in refrigerator (any flavor) or you can use refrigerated ravioli but those are more expensive and you need more of them.

1 box frozen chopped broccoli

1 (16 oz) jar alfredo sauce (I liked the Newmans Own she recommends)

1 cup milk (I used almond milk)

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Layer in a 9x13 baking dish, ravioli, broccoli, Alfredo sauce and milk. 

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together in a small bowl your Panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning.  After the 30 minutes is up, remove the foil and spread your breadcrumb mixture over the top.  Pop the casserole back in the oven uncovered and bake another 15 minutes or until slightly brown and bubbly.

All done! How simple was that.  It was a hit in our family so I wanted to make sure I archived it on the blog.

Food Friday & Friday Letters: M & M Cake Mix Cookie Bars

Dear week, I am super busy all the time at work so the days go by fast, which is a good thing. I am glad the weekend is already here. Dear Max, your doing so well with responding to what we ask you. If we tell you to close the door behind your daddy (who never closes doors) you run over and shut it.  You can also ask for a cracker now by saying "ca  GA"  It is adorable.  Dear horrible news stories, I hate that there are so many tragedies going on right now. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Boston and West, TX.  Dear bank account, I wish you would grow faster so we can start some renovations. Our list keeps growing with what we want to do to the house (inside and outside). Dear pinterest party, I am excited for a girls night and hopefully to get some things accomplished. If only I had time to plan out my project and supplies. Guess that's what tonight is for.

My sister told me I had to make these cookie bars and she was right. They were SO easy to make (as in less than 5 minutes) and they taste amazing! I found this recipe via Parent Pretty.

Ingredients:

1 Box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)

1 Small box instant vanilla pudding
1/4 Cup water
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
2 Eggs
1 Cup chocolate chips. I used 1 cup full size m & m's. Mini ones would work too.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, vegetable oil, eggs, and M&M's in large bowl.

Pour the batter (it'll be thick) into a greased 10x13 baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray.

Bake your bars for 20-30 mins (I think I did 25). It may look sort of raw in the middle but if the edges are just golden and starting to get crispy, it's probably done. 

I made these for Davids birthday and they were gone very quickly!

I'm going to make them for my pinterest party since that's where we originally found them! Thanks to my sister for sharing.

Food Friday & Friday Letters

Dear New Job, I am really enjoying you so far. I have had to adopt the learn as I go method as inevitably something comes up that I do not know how to do, but it's turned out OK.  It's fun to hear people talk about houses all day every day.  Dear Weather, Thank you for cooperating for another beautiful weekend ahead. 70's. It can't get any better than that.  Dear Ribapalooza, I have self titled this weekends event.  We are having ribs (as we usually do) for David and his Dad's birthday celebration.  I can't wait.  It's been too long. Dear May 3rd, We're excited that we've booked a trip up to NY to see family and attend Jen's baby shower.  We are just hoping that the kids behave themselves as it's just the girls and the babes!

Food Friday:
I have tried a lot of new recipes the past few months, but I have yet to post any here. I like to have them on the blog because it's so easy for me to look things up when planing my grocery shopping.  I have a bunch of recipes on pinterest, but it's SO hard to find after I pin them (they need to have a search box within your boards).  I swear I have posted this recipe before, but I can not find it anywhere so maybe I didn't.

No Bake Energy Bites, adapted from Smashed Peas and Carrots
Makes 18-20
Ingredients-
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup crushed cheerios (she used coconut flakes instead)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything in a mixing bowl

I used crushed cheerios as to help the bonding together of the ingredients as I don't love coconut flakes.

Refrigerate for about an half hour until the batter is workable. Roll them into balls and you can store them for about a week in the refrigerator.

She lists great variations that you can do if you don't like something or want to spruce things up a bit. So check them out. I love these and they don't take much effort at all.

Friday Letters: Max Thinks He's a Doggie

Dear Weekend, These are the things that MUST be done this weekend: Taxes, pedicures, learn how to use our new embroidery machine, cleaning, David's emissions, grocery shopping, church stuff and of course playing with our Buddy. Good thing it's not warm this weekend because most of my activities are indoor. Dear Max, I'm so glad you're rash is just about gone.  Dear Work, Only 3 more working days left at this job! Wohoo. I am ready for the next chapter.  Dear Next Wednesday, Let's get here soon so we can go visit my sister and family for a long weekend! We have a fun trip to a well known fabric warehouse planned so we are excited for that, too! Dear Bloglovin, I have been resisting using you, but my google reader button is gone so I was forced.  It took me a minute to figure out how, but I have to say I am converted. The app is also fantastic for reading on the phone. Make sure you import your blogs from google reader, it's very simple.

Have I mentioned that Max really thinks he's a dog.  He watches us put the collar and leash on Molly so he found this piece of ribbon and brings it to us until we wrap it around him and "take him for a walk." He then proceeds to go to the back door so we can "let him out" like we do for the dog. It really is quite hilarious.

Friday Letters: St. Patrick's Day Weekend

Dear Weather, Please warm up fast! Having my car parked outside the garage this morning made for a very chilly start (yes, I realize I live in Atlanta and things could be much worse).  I can not WAIT for 60-70 degree weekend weather!! Dear Husband, You are so kind without even thinking about it. Check out what I posted on my Brother's blog FB page.  While you're there, like his page! Dear Michelle, I am excited about our purchase I might make today. We are going in on an embroidery machine together. We are tired of our kids not having the cute seasonal outfits and I can't wait to get started.  I'll be sure to post back if we get one.  Dear Mom, Thanks for watching Max Saturday for a bit while David and I head to the Suwanee Beer Fest with friends.  I am not a beer drinker so I volunteered to be the DD.  I hear they have food so I'm there and the weather should be beautiful! Dear Max, you got up once the past 2 nights, but you are so darn cute that I don't mind. Love you buddy.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! This pic is from 3 years ago I think.  

Friday Letters- TGIF!

This is the first time I've done Friday letters, but I enjoy reading them all so I thought I'd give it a try. I am linking up with The Sweet Season.

 

Dear Friday, Thanks for finally getting here, it's seemed like a long week to me!  Dear Spring?, Are you here to stay? I really hope so because I could get used to temperatures in the upper 60's this weekend!  Dear Husband, Please be careful this weekend with your rented cherry picker.  I know you want to clean the trim, decks, exterior of the house, and take down a tree? which we appreciate, but we'd like you to still be alive after it's completed. Dear phone, Thanks for ringing with great news yesterday. Dear Max, Thanks for sleeping in till 6:30AM this morning. I am hoping with the time change this weekend that you sleep even longer or at least in to the 6AM hour on a regular basis. You are such a sweet boy. You have learned how to high-five and want to do it all the time now. We can't wait to play outside with you this weekend.  Dear Mom, Thanks for taking such good care of my buddy (and Kinsley) during the day. Dear taxes, I hope to finish you this weekend and I'd love for that refund to go up a bit, our basement fund savings account would really like that. Dear Weekend, Go by really slow.