Popeye Pasta

Brynna and I just made this dish and I wanted to share! This recipe was a favorite of my niece Sydney's as a toddler and now Brynna loves it too! I'd be lying if I said Mommy didn't enjoy it on crackers as well! I thought it was a great recipe to share because many of us have toddlers running around the house these days! It's quick and easy to make and a good source of iron, dairy, and fiber. I am also going to experiment with adding some veggie purees to it in the future. Pretty sure you could replace the milk with cauliflower puree without anyone noticing. :)

Ingredients
(1) package frozen Spinach
8 ounces pasta (calls for small pasta, I usually cook noodles and chop them finely)
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk
4 ounces grated cheese - I've used mozzerella and sharp cheddar

Directions
Cook spinach via directions on package, drain.
Cook pasta.
Saute spinach in butter.
Combine pasta, spinach, milk, cheeses and mix well.
Serve as is or delicious on crackers as well!

Mixing it up!

Taste testing her creation!

Pasta Salad

This is a perfect summer meal without a lot of preparing. Perfect for potlucks as it feeds a lot or if you have a lot of garbage disposals like me. You can always cut this recipe in half for a small family.

Ingredients
1 lb of pasta
1 big head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 container of grape tomatoes, halved
2 cans of sliced black olives
1 red pepper chopped
1 cup of Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Boil pasta according to instructions. Steam broccoli until bright green with a bit of crunch left to it.
Place all other ingredients into a large bowl.  Add cooled pasta and broccoli. Stir well.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.