Lasagna

When my first son was born, I was given eight lasagnas by friends and neighbors. Eight, y’all! I mean, let’s be clear: I appreciated every single one of those lasagna casseroles and hope my sleep-deprived thank you note made that clear. But that is a lot of lasagna, even for this Italian food lover.

As I surveyed my freezer, I thought, “How the heck am I going to eat all this?” But guess what? Somewhere in between baby-feeding, middle-of-the night wakings, general new-mom freak-outs, and visiting friends and relatives, those lasagnas all disappeared. All eight of them! My husband could pop one in the oven and get dinner on the table while I was busy snuggling our son. My relatives could easily help with meals while comparing baby pictures. Sweet and tangy meat sauce and pasta, held together by cottage cheese, mozzarella, and parm – nothing better. It was nourishing, warm, familiar and exactly what we needed… even eight times over.