Lots of Babies!

I have a lot of friends who are having babies right now. Most of them are having their second baby. When I had Grace, my Mom made up a bunch of different meals for us & put them in our freezer. All I had to do was thaw the meal & stick it in the oven. Poof!! Dinner was made! This was such a big help! It was also so easy, so I have kept doing this for my family (with my Mom's help). I wanted to do the same for my girlfriends. Since this has been the second child, I wanted to make something kid friendly. Everyone loves spaghetti right?

So here is what I dropped off (All frozen):

Baked Spaghetti
**I got this recipe from my Mom. She got this recipe from an old neighbor of ours in Huntersville, NC**
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
8 oz uncooked spaghetti
28 oz jar commercial spaghetti sauce
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c milk (not evaporated)
4 oz can mushrooms (optional)

1. Cook spaghetti by package directions & drain.
2. Saute meat, breaking it up into small pieces & cooking until brown; Drain.
3. Mix meat into spaghetti sauce. Combine with spaghetti.
4. Add milk, cheeses & mushrooms. Mix well & put in a greased 9x13 baking pan.
**Note: I will put this recipe in two smaller baking pans & freeze. This will easily feed a family of four with two of the family being small children. You will get two meals out of it!**
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly & beginning to brown around edges.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
**I found this recipe in the Family Circle magazine last year.**
3 1/2 c All-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 T vanilla extract
1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 c sugar
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray; dust with flour & shake out excess. Set aside.
2. Stir together flour & salt; set aside. In small bowl, stir together eggs, egg yolks and vanilla; set aside.
3. Mix butter & sugar together on medium-high speed for 6 minutes or until very light & fluffy. Reduce speed to medium & gradually pour in egg mixture. Increase speed to medium-high & beat 3 minutes or until light & fluffy. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture beat until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans & smooth tops. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, 12 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on rack.

Banana Bread
**This recipe came from the Bigfork & Effie Lutheran Churches Cookbook. My Mom has made this bread for years & it has always been a favorite breakfast bread!**
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter
2 T sweet or sour milk
1/2 c cold water
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 c sifted flour

Mash bananas & mix with beaten eggs. Add this to the creamed sugar & shortening. Dissolve baking soda in milk & add with water. Add sifted dry ingredients; bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. This recipe makes 1 large loaf.