Brekkie Casserole. And more whining.

If you are bothered by pregnancy-related, borderline "TMI" language, stop reading now and just scroll down for the recipe.  You have been warned.  (Insert maniacal laugh.)

No, I am still not enjoying pregnancy.  Thank you for asking.

Our due date is rapidly approaching and I cannot help but beg God to let Hulk come a little bit early (not too early...healthy early) for a variety of reasons.  Of course, many of these reasons are selfish, but the main one is that my doctor is going to be out of town on our due date AND the subsequent five days!  This means that if our little booger decides to show up on time or just a few days late (a significant possibility given that this is our first kid), a stranger will be delivering my baby.

Dammit.

Any pregnant woman is well aware that being "with child" (I have elected to use this term today only because it is Christmastime and Mary was not "knocked up.") basically gives license to almost total strangers to "investigate" her body in the most invasive of ways.  I have clinically spread my legs and flashed the twins to a list of people who have never once offered to buy me dinner, so I'm completely jaded to the idea of playing "catch the placenta" with a stranger.  However, when my Darling Little Parasite is involved, I'm a little less than thrilled about the idea of "seeing other people" and am feeling rather clinically monogamous.

I'm sure that any one of my doctor's partners are more than capable of delivering a baby.  Of course, I know that I will be no one's "first," but answer me this:  Why the hell do people feel compelled to go out of town with their beloved families during the holidays when they could spend Christmas with the bitchiest Ummi-to-be on earth?!?!?!?!?!

Anyway, enough about that.  Awkward transitional statement:  I will just have to dump a whole heap of cayenne pepper in the recipe below to help induce labor.  Hooray for spicy foods?

BREKKIE CASSEROLE

Serves:  12 mortals (or 1 pregnant mama)

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized russet potatoes, diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup bell pepper strips (These can be fresh or frozen.  I like the frozen packages because it makes for less work with cutting, and it adds lots of lovely colors to the finished product.)
• 1/2 small onion, diced (White or yellow...or even red, I suppose!)
• 2 tsp minced garlic (Or 3-4 cloves fresh garlic)
• Generous portions of your favorite spices.  I would recommend chili powder, cumin and turmeric for this dish.
• 9+ large eggs
• 3+ Tbsp of pickled peppers, plus some of the juices  (Any kind of peppers work.  I like the spicy ones to add a bit of a kick!)
• Approximately 2 1/2 - 3 oz sharp cheddar cheese (I used reduced fat, made with 2% milk.)
• Approximately 1 1/2 cups of spinach
• Parmesan cheese (Optional - I used about 5-6 Tbsp.)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat and saute bell peppers, onion and garlic until tender.  
• Add ground beef and spices and reduce heat.  Cover and cook on low until hamburger is done, stirring occasionally.  (This method allows you to focus on chopping/prepping the other veggies without allowing your meat to overcook.)
• Grease a cake pan with PAM (or other non-stick cooking spray) and spread the diced potatoes in the bottom.
• Once the beef mixture is done, distribute it evenly over the potatoes in the cake pan.
• Beat the eggs with pickled peppers and juice.  Pour over the ingredients in the cake pan.
• Combine the spinach and cheese in a food processor to shred.  Distribute evenly in the cake pan.
• Top with Parmesan cheese (optional).
• Bake 25-30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories:  191
• Carbohydrates:  11
• Fiber:  1
• Protein:  15
• Sodium:  159 (Depending on how much pickled pepper juice you use, this may vary somewhat.)
• Calcium:  9

On the agenda this weekend:  spicy foods, pineapple, bumpy car rides and running stairs.  Wish us luck in the spurring of labor!