Rich, creamy Kielbasa Pasta with broccoli has been one of the highlights at our dinner table lately. With such a simple list of ingredients and incredible flavors that come together in no time at all, it’s sure to make multiple appearances at your table, too.

I love to fill out our pasta dishes with plenty of vegetables (see our one-pot jambalaya pasta as an example), so there is almost as much broccoli on display here as there is pasta. Add some hearty sausage and sharp, crumbly cheese on top, and you’ve got a weeknight meal with something for everyone.

Kielbasa Pasta

Many years ago, we had a dinner tradition called “not-eat foods”. Each of my boys was allowed to choose one food which they could skip tasting, if it was part of dinner that night. For several years, my eldest son chose broccoli as his not-eat food.

So when this pasta was a huge hit with ALL of my family, I knew I’d found a new dinner staple. My eldest went back for seconds, and even thirds! It makes me grin to watch my son who normally dislikes broccoli eat every single saucy broccoli bite.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The Pasta –

If you haven’t tried Baked Oatmeal yet, you are missing out. Mildly sweet and lightly spiced with cinnamon, this leaves the average bowl of oatmeal in the dust.

When I say this is one of our family’s most beloved breakfasts, there’s no exaggeration. Baked oatmeal is tied with our slow-cooker oatmeal for our family’s all-time favorite oatmeal recipe, and we’ve made it so many times over the years that I’ve lost count.

Baked Oatmeal

A friend introduced our family to Baked Oatmeal via an Amish cookbook over 20 years ago and it’s been a staple in our family’s meal plan ever since.

There’s something about this sweet, chewy Baked Oatmeal that is just guaranteed to make me smile. Whether right out of the oven, or warmed up in the microwave the following day, this oatmeal is always a treat. We love preparing it for breakfast, but we’ve also been known to heat it up for a midday (or midnight!) snack.

To make this recipe even better, it can also be made in advance then portioned into individual bags or containers for one portion meals. This breakfast is a lifesaver on busy mornings.

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This roundup includes all the best Labor Day recipes from juicy burgers and smoked brisket to classic BBQ sides, fresh summer salads, and desserts that make the most of late-season fruit. Mix and match your favorites to create the perfect Labor Day menu everyone will remember.

Fire Up the Grill (or Smoker)

Nothing says Labor Day like cooking outside. These backyard favorites are made for feeding a crowd and soaking up the last unofficial weekend of summer.

Blending Oreos with cream and milk makes for a rich, smooth Oreo Ice Cream that tastes exactly like our favorite store-bought cookies. This is most definitely not your everyday cookies and cream ice cream.

After making my longtime favorite cookies and cream ice cream a while back, I had an idea for an Oreo ice cream and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I picked up more Oreos at the store and as soon as I got home I dumped a dozen of them into the blender and went to work. (It’s a hard life, but someone has to live it.)

Oreo Ice Cream

Oreos are a weakness of mine and I have to admit that they are very rarely allowed into my house, because I have to exercise so much self-control when they are near me. And, while I really love making things from scratch, I also know that there are some things that you just can’t recreate at home.

For me, Oreos are one of those things. So, for the sake of having the best chocolate cookies, swirled together into this Oreo ice cream, keeping them in the pantry is a hardship that I’m willing to bear.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Fresh greens, nutty edamame, sweet cranberries, plenty of cheese, wonton crisps, and a handful of fresh mushrooms tossed in a tangy sweet honey mustard dressing add up to this unforgettable Crunchy Spinach Salad. Inspired by one of my favorite restaurant salads, this salad never fails to remind me of road trips with family.

As you already know, I grew up in New Mexico and I have loved Dion’s Pizza for as long as I can remember. There’s no such thing as a trip back home that doesn’t include a stop there for at least one meal. Even my green chile ranch was inspired by our love for their dressing, since we couldn’t get it after moving out of state. So, I’m thrilled to share another Dion’s copycat salad today.

Dion’s Crunchy Spinach Salad

I fell for the crunchy spinach salad the very first time I tried it. I was visiting my sister Jenny in NM and she ordered this salad along with our pizza. I had always ordered their chef salad, so when this one showed up, I wasn’t sure what to think about it.

It’s hard to believe that was almost ten years ago. I can not believe it took me until this summer’s road trip to Arizona to finally try my hand at this recipe. But, I am proud of myself for remembering to put the ingredients on my shopping list while I was still eating it. How’s that for thinking ahead?

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