Ringing in 2013 with Family (and Dogs!)

Happy 2013! My family rang in the New Year at our home this year and it was a good one. Certainly it started the right way – with my #9 ranked University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s basketball team beating Michigan State. Bring on the Big Ten basketball season!

But I digress.

We enjoyed a huge appetizer spread all afternoon (including these yummy deviled eggs), along with some pizza later in the evening. And plenty of bubbly – a necessity.

Best of all, it was family time – with lots of laughs and dogs. Did I mention dogs? Try 5 of them in the house!

Louie the English Bulldog

Murray the Pug

Vincent (aka Vinny) the French Bulldog

Avery the German Shorthair

And Earl (aka Old Man Earl) the Pug – the Dog Patriarch of the family!

While some of my family had to travel back to the farm before midnight, my sister and brother-in-law stayed the night and helped us ring in the New Year. Good times – I’m blessed to have such a terrific family!

Don’t you love these crazy glasses? That’s my niece Miss A. in the background – we love to goof off!

Miss A., my sister Jodi, big Joe and myself – more goofing!

Can you tell we’re sisters?! Ringing in the New Year with a little bubbly!

This morning, I whipped up a very quick and easy (seriously – it’s almost embarrassingly easy!) egg breakfast casserole with turkey sausage (recipe below!) and enjoyed our pretty view of the sunrise out the back of our porch. What did you do for New Year’s?

Brrr – It was -5 degrees outside when I took this photo!

Egg & Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Makes: 12-18 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 – 1 pound turkey sausage (I used Jennie-O Turkey Store brand)
• 1 package crescent rolls
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 Tsp oregano or rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place a skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Break up the sausage as it cooks, letting it brown completely.
3. Unroll the crescent rolls and spread them out in the bottom of a 9×13 pan, pressing the seams together to make one large sheet of dough.
4. Spread the sausage over the dough.
5. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the sausage.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, oregano or rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the top of the casserole.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden and the eggs are set.

Recipe adapted from www.branappetit.com