Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

This really fast, easy and slightly lower fat version of spinach artichoke has become a staple in my household. With only 6 ingredients, and addictive taste, you're sure to be making this on any old weeknight just for yourself.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

- I can artichoke hearts (chopped finely)
- 1 8 oz. package of frozen spinach thawed and drained through sieve.
- 3/4 cups light mayo
- 3/4 cups parmesan
- 3/4 cups mozzarella
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl
And spread evenly into a 9 inch pie plate. Top with addition mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes. So fast and easy!

Moms famous chili

Today I woke up to freezing hardwood floors, whistling wind and dappled sunshine, in other words an ideal fall day. I am currently 20 1/2 weeks pregnant and craving red meat, this is after all around the time my iron depletion in my system occurs. This chili makes me so happy and it's so yummy! With only 8 ingredients, it's very quick and simple to whip up. I use my crockpot to keep it hot all afternoon and evening long.

For just my husband and I, I cut my mom's recipe in half...double this is you want more.

- 1 LB very lean ground sirloin
- 1 28 oz can stewed tomatoes (lightly blended or food processed)
- 1 small can seasoned tomato paste
- 1 can dark red kidney beans
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 1 medium green pepper
- 1 Packet of chili seasoning

Brown meat in a skillet, drain and add chili seasoning. In the crockpot, combine all the above ingredients and then add a can of your preferred beer. Set to low and let heat for about 2 hours before starting to enjoy. In my family we top with with cheddar and sour cream and eat with potato chips! MMMM! 

Swedish meatballs and lingonberries

This is my first real meal post morning sickness. There has been a huge gap in recipes postings, and that is the reason why. I couldn't look at food, think about food, talk about food or eat food since late June. It was a hard time, only towards the end of the first trimester did I throw up, but only twice. I preferred the vomit to the dry heaving days where I couldn't. But tonight I was so happy and it was the first home cooked meal that I truly craved and devoured. Recipe is pretty easy because after all I have to start slow, still weary of meats, raw meats will be later this week if I'm brave.
Turkey meatballs (I used trader joes) baked them in the oven. Wide egg noodles. Gravy can be made several ways, using beef broth, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, salt, pepper, boil and thicken with flour and then turn down heat. Add heavy cream last to your preferred taste. Lingonberry jam can be found at Ike's or whole foods. Ikeas is 2.99 and whole foods option is 6.99, so I suggest you stock up when out at an Ikea. I served green beans with it for a veggie. The berries make it. One of my favorite easy meals!

Hasselback Potatoes

Zucchini pancakes

Since Zucchini has been in season, I have been wanting to make something creative with them. When I came across this recipe in one of my cookbooks, it looked so simple and tasty I had to try it. Most of the ingredients will already be in your fridge or pantry. These came out great crisp and brown on the outside and moist and flavorful on the inside, even my dog was begging for them.

 

Fettuccine Alfredo

This recipe is a keeper, and it's foolproof. I've never made this dish before, but knew I could make a better version than the stuff I've tried at restaurants with a little research. I searched a variety of recipes, read reviews and watched videos. What I came up with was delicious. I started off simple and gradually added ingredients to make the perfect taste.

Strawberry pie

This recipe when described sounds weird, in fact when someone described this pie to me and then had me try it, I assumed I wasn't going to like it, but I was surprised and lived it.