Anyone use the TimeHop app?  It shows you what you were doing the same day in years past.  Every morning I love to check it.  It's funny because usually I'm doing the same thing--the last 4 years we've been sick on the same days and I find I even serve the same meals on the same days!

Today's TimeHop showed pictures of this recipe from 5 years ago--it's my favorite go-to flatbread.  You can make your own crust or buy one from the store.  I love Aldi's thin pizza crust or flatbread from the grocery store.  They are usually pretty inexpensive!

Pizza Friday is a new tradition we've started since the twins started school.  We like to spend Friday nights unwinding and just spending quality time together.  During pizza night, we like to pick out  a new movie from the library or play some new games.  Usually the girls are super tired from the week and end up crashing by 8:00, so Ricky and I have a date night at home, too!  Win-win!

While it's easy to order pizza delivery for convenience, if you keep a few pizza staples in your pantry, you can make one at home much faster!  We get thin crust 2-packs at Aldi (around $3!) and keep our favorite toppings on hand.  Usually, the girls want pepperoni + sausage or Hawaiian and then we like to experiment for ours.  (Somehow the three girls polish off a pizza of their own! Where they put this food is beyond me!)

I usually make a pizza that's heavy on veggies with a sprinkle of meat, while Ricky puts ONLY meat on his.  It's fun to come up with crazy combinations or use up leftovers!  A few weeks ago I used fajita veggies and pulled pork.  Ricky made a chorizo and pesto one with an egg on top.

This spinach + artichoke pizza is my go-to.  I like that there's no greasy meat and it's super simple to throw together. If you're hosting a party, this slices up well for an appetizer, too!  You can add grilled chicken for extra protein, too!  This recipe originated from Rachael Ray Magazine, but I've changed it a bit over the years to make it my own.  

Spinach + Artichoke Flatbread

Here's what you need:

• Favorite pizza crust or flatbread
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half if large
• 1 small jar of artichokes, drained and sliced
• 3 handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1 drizzle of EVOO (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon favorite Italian seasoning
• 2-3 tablespoons pesto sauce (we love the Kirkland one at Costco)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (Separated)
• 2 cups Italian blend cheese 

1. Preheat oven to 425. 
2. In a small bowl, combine spinach, artichokes and tomatoes.  Add drizzle of EVOO and Italian seasoning.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Set aside.
3. On the flatbread or pizza crust, spread Pesto sauce.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. 
4. Evenly spread the spinach mixture on top of the crust and top with cheese.  I usually use less than 2 cups of cheese.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Are you ready to join the #PizzaFriday Challenge?  

I would love to see what pizza creations you come up with on Instagram or Facebook!

Using the Garden Veggies: Spinach

I'm so excited to be part of a fun new series: Using the Garden Veggies!  Every week, there will be new recipes featuring a different garden vegetable.  Time to fill up your Pinterest with some tasty new ideas! Here's the group board: Using the Garden Veggies.

This year, my garden is growing SO well.  I'm hoping that it actually produces some veggies!  I cannot wait for some fresh tomatoes, peppers and zucchini.  Tonight for dinner I was able to go out on the patio to grab some thyme for our chowder. 

Today's recipe is from Laura at A Frugal Chick, sharing an amazing spinach salad with bacon and mushrooms.  YUM!  I've never grown my own spinach, but I always grab it at the farmers market. 

I love spinach in my morning smoothie with PB2 and almond milk....even Ricky is loving my green smoothies now!

Here are some more ideas for spinach:

• Lasagna Shells
• Spinach + Feta Dip (My go-to summer BBQ dip!)
• Super Green Smoothie

What's your favorite spinach recipe?  How's your garden growing this year?

Cook Once, Eat Twice: Lasagna Shells

Some weeks are busier than others.  I like having a stocked freezer to fall back on when there isn't much time to think about preparing dinner. 

This veggie filled, meat sauce is a perfect freezer food.  By adding the veggies, you can make a huge pot of sauce with only 1 pound of lean ground beef.  Money saver!  This sauce is also perfect with ground turkey.

You can make two large batches of these lasagna shells and freeze one, or just freeze the sauce alone.  We tend to eat pasta once a week, so I used the rest of our sauce the other day. 

Stuffed in these shells is a spinach-cheese sauce and it's topped with the meat sauce, just like a lasagna.  I only use 1 cup of shredded cheese on top to save some calories.  After this rough winter, I need to get back on track!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 box of large shells, cooked 4-5 minutes until very firm al dente (only cook half of the box if you plan to freeze the other half of the sauce)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  

For the sauce:

• 2 cups of chopped veggies. I used 1/2 cup each, chopped: carrots, green pepper, mushroom and zucchini.
• 1 pound lean ground beef (93/7)
• Optional: 2 Italian sausage links
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jar pasta sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and Pepper to taste

For the filling:

• 1 box frozen spinach, defrosted and drained well
• 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon pesto
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg

1. In a large sauce pot, brown and drain meat over medium heat.  Set aside.
2. Circle the pan with olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) and add veggies, onion and garlic.  Cook 3-4 minutes at medium high.  Return meat to pan.
3. Add tomato paste and Italian Seasoning.  Heat for 1 minute.  Add jar of sauce, saving 1/4 cup for bottom of shells pan.   Allow to bubble on low heat while making shells.
4. Preheat oven at 375.
5. In a medium bowl, mix spinach filling ingredients.  Set aside.  
6. Pour reserved 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Set up a shell filling station: shells, spinach bowl, sauce then pan.  Makes it easier!
7. Put 1 teaspoon spinach mixture in bottom of a shell, top with 1 teaspoon of meat sauce.  Place in pan.  Repeat until pan is full.  Top with more sauce and mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake covered for 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.

I like to serve this with a simple Italian salad and garlic bread for dipping.  For the salad, use your favorite greens with veggies, peperoni and Caesar croutons.  So simple, yet the flavors are bold!

My girls love any pasta dish, but this got a huge thumbs up with Gabby.  I don't make special salads for the kids, I just give them what we're having.  If they don't like the olives or something, I let them put them to the side once they've actually tried the food.

What's your favorite easy freezer meal?