Hashbrown Egg Bake

No baby news to report today so I thought I'd share my FAVORITE and much loved egg bake recipe. I used to make a different one, but found this one by Paula Dean and changed it a little. I have gotten so many raving reviews from it, I can't believe I have never shared it before. Plus I was telling Bonny about it last night and we might make it while I'm down here. Everyone likes a good "breakfast casserole" as Miss Paula Dean would say. Us Minnesotans prefer "egg-bake". I suppose we could call it a "breakfast hotdish"-just a thought.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cups frozen shredded hash browns
1 pound sausage or ham (if you buy the already cubed ham at the grocery store it is SUPER EASY)
2 1/4 cups whole milk
8 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 cups cubed bread (I use plain cheap white bread and leave the crusts on-you can remove them too if you prefer)
2 cups (1/2 pound) grated Cheddar
2 cups (1/2 pound) grated Parmesan, Mozzarella or other Favorite Cheese (I like Pepper Jack)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a deep 13 by 9-inch casserole dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the hash browns and break apart. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

In a second frying pan, saute the sausage, breaking apart large clumps. When the sausage is cooked through, remove it from pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard, briskly to blend.

To assemble, spread the onions and hash browns evenly at the bottom of the greased dish. Place the bread cubes evenly on top of hash browns. With a slotted spoon distribute sausage as the third layer. Pour the milk and egg mixture over these layers. Add Parmesan as the next layer, while then adding the Cheddar.

*Cook's Note: Save a few tablespoons of Cheddar for the last 10 minutes of baking, where you can add a fresh topping of melted Cheddar.

Bake the casserole, uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

ENJOY!!!! This is a PERFECT dish to make when you have overnight guests or family functions. I make mine the night before then pop it in the oven in the morning while I enjoy my morning coffee! mmmmmm....mmmmm..mmmmm

6 Month Photos

So...Bonny has still not gone into labor but I have used the free time to take Tanner's 6 month photos. He's a doll as usual. Again I am very impressed with my photography skills and LOVE my camera!! I also took some maternity pictures for Bonny you can see those if you visit her blog.

Jacksonville update

Tanner and I are in JAX until Sept 30th for those of you who have been living under a rock and didn't know that by now. We miss Daddy but he is busy working in the fields harvesting. (well not so much now that they got a bunch of rain over the last couple days but there is plenty of machinery and harvest equipment to fix when they can't get in the fields).

Tanner has been a really good boy (as usual). On the flight down he was PERFECT. Not even one sound that could be interpreted as fussy was heard from him. He has also been steeping up the baby food intake. He loves rice cereal with fruit and yesterday for lunch we tried carrots for the first time and I could not shovel them in fast enough for him. He is getting so big! He'll be 6 months old next week!!

Bonny and I are keeping ourselves busy while we wait for her to go into labor. So far we've gone to the beach, gone outlet mall shopping, gotten pedicures, went out to lunch, and have been working on our tans. The Florida weather is BEAUTIFUL!!! The first couple day here were SWELTERING but now has cooled a little bit and is a nice 87 and sunny! It is perfect weather and is really helping me cope with the end of summer. I hear MN is chilly and damp this week so the sunny weather here is more than welcomed by me!!

Also while I am here I plan to meet up with an old friend who goes to grad school in Gainsville (about an hour from Jax) so I am excited for that. She was my roommate in while I studied in Mexico so we have share some good times together. I can't wait to see her and catch up.

Well, that's it from Jacksonville. Send down all your good baby vibes so Bonny can have this baby girl SOON!!! I'll make sure to keep posting updates and LOTS of pictures of our fall adventure in Florida.

Life's a Beach

~Monday we went to Jacksonville Beach~

~It was FABULOUS~

~STILL NO BABY~

~But Tanner sure did have fun!~

~My little beach bum~

Best Friend Award

As many people already know, Tanner and I are making a 3 week trip to Jacksonville Florida today.  It will be the first time for Tanner on a plane and the first time I will be away from my farmer husband for more than a week, but it is for a very good reason.  From what I have heard from multiple people, it qualifies me for a best friend ever award.

My best friend from high school is due with her 2nd baby any day now.  She has a 3 year old son AND her husband is deployed and overseas until Dec. (he will be coming through Jacksonville for training and a visit in a few weeks but will miss the birth)  Needles to say, Bonny was very relieved when I suggested that I come down for the birth to help take care of her 3 year old Tommy and offer overall support.  She was even more relieve when she called a couple weeks ago panicking about going into labor early and I suggested I bump my flight up and come down early.  I can’t imagine having a baby with out my favorite Farmer present, so I definitely give Bonny props for going thru her last few months of pregnancy, working full time and taking care of Tommy all by herself.  Talk about a SUPER WOMAN! 

Many people have told me what a kind and thoughtful thing I am doing for Bonny and I guess I hadn’t even really thought of it.  My friend needed me and I just naturally wanted to be there to help.  I am happy to be helpful and spend some quality time with a good friend and happy that my lifestyle allows for me to make this trip.  PLUS, I like to fill my “karma bank” up lots of good and positive energy and deeds.  As Bonny says, I’ve got to keep my “positive hippie vibes”.  I also feel VERY lucky to have a friendship like the one I share with Bonny.  I know not everyone has a friendship where they could do something like this and I know both Bonny and I feel grateful that our friendship has endured and strengthened over time.  We talk on the phone constantly comparing mommy notes, venting about life, laughing at funny/stupid things we have seen lately and over all just being friends…true friends. 

I believe Bonny and I had a drunken conversation in my Mom’s kitchen while we were home from college that I still remember us saying “Man, we sure feel bad for people who don’t have a best friend like us.”  What silly girls we were, but I think the sentiment still rings true.  We are pretty lucky!!!

Put a smile on your face!

  

End of Summer Fun

This past weekend Tanner and I made our annual trip to Osage, MN to my Aunt and Uncle’s house on Straight Lake.  Paul had to work in the fields all weekend and was bummed he could not come up but I guess someone has to bring home the bacon.  Everyone asked (multiple times) about Paul but then I would just distract them with the cuteness of Tanner.  It was the first time Tanner got to meet some family on my side including my Aunt Kim, Uncle Bob, and cousins Aaron, Allie and Adam.  Kim, Allie and Bob were definitely the most excited while my two macho, motor head cousins, Aaron and Adam didn’t really get too pumped to meet a baby.  Until a kids is able to ride something motorized, they really don’t see the fun in it all.  To their own credit though, each did hold Tanner briefly and commented on how “sturdy” he was.  Way to be “Sturdy” Tanner!!!  Tanner did really well and was “the easiest baby that anyone had ever seen!”  Can you tell I am a proud mama??  He really is such a good baby and I feel VERY lucky to have him as my first.

Our annual trip to Osage marks the end of our summer fun.  This year we even had the very CHILLY weather to make that even more apparent.  The die hards still did some water sports but Tanner and I chose to watch from the sunny shores.  65 degrees is NOT warm enough weather to get this Mama into the water.  This summer was fun and full of adventures and has left us feeling exhausted (as always) but I already can’t wait for next year of summer fun!!

Summer Cold and State Fair

To start things off let me just state for the record that I am a fairly good sick person (I don't get too whiny and kinda just roll with the punches until I start feeling better). That, however, does not in any way shape or form translate into me liking being sick. It started on Monday, that feeling that something just isn't quite right. It progressed as I was at the MN state fair on Tues and has developed into a full fledged coughing til you gag summer sickness....YUCK!! Summer cold you are welcome to disappear as quickly as you came out of no where. Thanks :)

I have too much stuff planned to be sick. Like I said above, Tanner made his debut trip to the MN State Fair. We stayed in a hotel on Monday night so we could get to the fairgrounds early and am I sure glad we did. I forget how fun the fair is since I only seem to make it 1 out of every 4-5 years. I of course forgot my camera (my memory left after having a baby and is still showing no signs of making a triumphant return)-BUT my mom was there to take some pics and posted some on her blog. Tanner was a perfect little boy and only started getting crabby (and hot) just in time for us to leave. He slept the entire 2 hour drive home which made for a pleasant ride for me. I LOVE that he is such a good baby.

Wednesday also marked the start of my FAVORITE time of year out here in farm country....Sugar Beet Harvest. OK, OK..I may have a touch of sarcasm in there. Harvest time requires Paul to be working in the fields... A LOT! (Like come home only to shower and sleep a few hours) Paul and his father grow sugar beets, corn, and soy beans. Sugar beets have the most intensive harvest since you can only bring them to the plant under certain weather conditions, temperatures etc. But farming DOES make the world go 'round because nearly EVERYTHING you eat, wear, use made it's start on a farm somewhere around the world. (Mountain Dew and Pepsi Throwback are sweetened with the fine sugar grown and processed right here in MN for you soda fans)

So maybe this summer cold/sickness is just a sign that summer is winding down and it's time for the autumn to come in with both arms swinging. It seems like forever away right now but if I have started realizing one thing as I age, it is that time really does fly. I'm sure it will seem like a blink of an eye before State Fair and Harvest time are upon us once again.....

Sweet Potato Boy

 

Here he is trying to get the spoon in his mouth….

 

oops too far over

getting closer…

 

and closer…

almost in…

IN!!!!  SWEET POTATO SUCCESS!!!

Old friends

This weekend, Super Dad Paul and Tanner had some quality Daddy/son time while I got to go have some MUCH needed and MUCH appreciated girl time with some old and dear friends.

Saturday I went to a bachelorette party for an old pageant friend, Brooke, who is getting married in just 2 short weeks. It was actually her second for all the people who couldn't make her first bachelorette party (long story and ONLY Brooke could pull off 2 fabulous parties) It was such a fun night and had a collection of women who didn't really know each other that well but all had ties with Brooke. It was fun to go eat FABULOUS food, chit chat and go out with all these fabulous women. One of those nights where basically all of started as strangers but ended up friends and having a GREAT time!! And it was AWESOME to see Brooke again. Our usual is meeting up once a year even though we ALWAYS say it should be more often. Either way, the time we do hang out is always a blast and full of fun.

On Sunday I also got to catch up with a good friend who is getting married, my old roomie, Kristin. We went to our old favorite hang out, Legend's in Minneapolis for Bloody Marys and some greasy but delicious food. It was nice catching up and chatting about anything and everything. It is funny because her and I used to go out in our "single days" and and have so much fun. Things are definitely different now but we are still just as fabulous!

Having these experiences this weekend with some old friends who I do not see very often makes me feel very fortunate to have such relationships in my life. Things are always changing- weddings, kids, moving from here to there, etc. , but having friends that you have not seen in ages and being able to pick up exactly where you left off is one of the little but important things. It makes this crazy unpredictable ride of life we are all on just THAT much more enjoyable.

I know not everyone spends the time and energy to be a good friend, I mean a TRUE good friend who doesn't judge, who makes time, who is REAL, who listens, who understands, who supports, who doesn't compete with you, who laughs with you and accepts you and your mistakes/shortfalls. I am feel VERY lucky to have women in my life who do all these things. Also, I strive to be a good friend to the important ladies in my life. Even when things get crazy and/or busy I still try and make time for the wonderful women in my life. Even if it just a quick card in the mail or meeting for Sunday brunch whenever we can find the time.

So cheers to ladies out there who have true and awesome girlfriends that enrich our lives!!

What a life

Tanner was playing with his Tigger toy this morning and right in the middle of wrestling him down, decided a nap was in order. Oh the life of a baby.....

Hey Mom-Look what I can do

A couple weeks ago, Tanner learned how to screech and squeal. He now continues to screech at toys, people, himself in the mirror and just about anything and everything. It consumes a majority of his awake/playtime. (The only time he gets REAL quiet is usually when I bust out the camera) Today I caught him in action (barely). This is a little taste of my screaming/giggling baby. He thinks he's pretty darn cool. I just think he's pretty darn cute and funny!

5 Months old

Tanner is 5 months old today!  Time is flying but he is learning more and more each day. I  thought I’d make a list of some of the things he can do so far and his favorite 5 month old activities:

Rolling over (stomach to back)

Grabbing toys (or anything for that matter) and chewing on it

Switching toys from hand to hand

Giggling @ silly faces

Blowing bubbles and spitting with his tongue

Taking showers with Daddy (and giggling when he gets under the shower spout)

Holds his bottle

Getting the hang of eating off a spoon (applesauce and rice cereal)

LOVES his jumperoo

Loves dancing and trying to sing with Mommy when she is singing

Smiling

Turning to look at faces and people when they are talking

Squealing (high pitched, continuous and hilarious)

Turning and smiling when he hears his name

Have laugh attack fits when he gets tickled, bounced, or roughed up a little

Sleeping through the night (Thankfully this has been the case from about 3 months)

Sitting up (just for a little bit with out toppling over)

Opening his mouth to give mommy kisses when she puckers up and smacks her lips

AND MOST OF ALL BEING THE CUTEST LITTLE BOY A MOMMY AND DADDY could ask for!!!

 

I can’t wait to keep watching all the changes and things he continues to learn and feel ABSOLUTLEY soooooooo grateful that I get to spend my days at home taking care of him!!!

mmmm...

Cute Baby....Messy face...'nough said!!

2 down…rest of our lives to go

I know I have been missing from the blogging world lately...it seems that the busy summer has gotten the best of me :) (And taken the cleanliness of my house with too)

BUT- Today all that does NOT matter because I am celebrating 2 -count em- TWO years of marriage to my WONDERFUL husband Paul!! I doesn't seem like a super long time but looking back on all the changes and things we have done in those 2 years it seems like we have been through a lot together and still love each other more than we did when we said "I do"!! (I even got those butterflies in my stomach the other day when he kissed me...Just like I got before our first kiss when we were dating)

Now before I make anyone puke with my lovey dovey crap... Let me just say I do NOT claim to have a perfect marriage by any means because frankly - it does NOT exist. (Sorry for any of you hopeless romantics out there who still have fairy tale images of what a married couple is "supposed" to be)

It is not perfect but seems to be perfect for us.
Paul and I are REAL- we laugh at each other, we fart in front of each other, we eat frozen pizzas when neither one of us feel like cooking, we like to veg out and watch TV together, we argue about who does more around the house, we like to compete (jokingly) to be the better parent (I always win this one of course), we are constantly on the run and usually running late, we forget to call people back, we pass the baby off on the other when one of us is feeling tired/lazy, we use separate blankets in bed because I am a blanket hog and Paul is too skinny and gets cold with out covers, we don't like to do dishes, we use paper/rock/scissors to settle disagreements, we make bets over stupid stuff (like what are the EXACT dates of the county fair is), we NEVER make our bed (only when guests are coming over that might want a "tour" of our house), we watch the Chelsea Lately and the Colbert Report almost every night, we LOVE coffee and used to love cigarettes too but had to drop one bad habit so tossed out the Marlboros  (right after we got married), we buy cheap beer and boxed wine and think that is "fancy" enough for us, MOST of all we love each other and try to not go a day without letting the other person know that. Even if that day we love each other for one of the stupid reasons I listed above.

Paul helps me be the BEST version of myself and I think that is the true secret to a "perfect" marriage. I know I help him too and together we are building a life and a family that makes our relationship even more complete (flaws and all). I wouldn't have it any other way and wouldn't want to be on this crazy wild ride with anyone else!!

Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.

~Antoine de Saint-Exupery