Mary Carlson is a senior administrative associate who works primarily with personal trusts. She also is a huge sports fan and makes a fabulous Christmas Eve Lasagna.

Below she shares a few things about herself—and her recipe!

Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, but moved to Fargo when I was 4 years old and have been a “north sider” ever since. I have two daughters: Jenna, who is 26, and Liz, who just turned 20. I am a member of First Lutheran Church, Fargo, where I most recently served as secretary/treasurer of its foundation.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy sports of all kinds and love attending any local games played by the Fargo North Spartans, the Bison, and the Fargo Force. I also like to cheer on our closest professional teams, the Minnesota Wild, Vikings, and Timberwolves! Even though my average is not very good, I enjoy bowling and am on a league. I also enjoy scrapbooking, reading, being at the lake, and spending time with family and friends.

How long have you been at Heartland Trust Company?
I began working at Heartland Trust Company in April of 2012. Prior to joining HTC, I was employed with Wells Fargo Bank for 30 years, where I held positions in the trust department, ag/business banking, and administration. In my position at HTC, I work primarily with the administration of personal trust, agency and IRA accounts, along with foundation accounts, some conservatorships, and estates.

What is your favorite part about working for Heartland Trust Company?

I am thankful to be part of a company that truly cares about doing the right thing for its clients and helps them reach their goals. We have a great team of employees who work hard but still have fun, which makes it a great place to work.

CHRISTMAS EVE LASAGNA
Brown 1 pound ground beef and one finely chopped onion (or minced onion equivalent).
Add:
14-½ ounce can stewed tomatoes
6 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon basil

Seasoned Cottage Cheese Filling:
2-2/3 cup cottage cheese
4 ounces parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon oregano

8 ounces lasagna noodles (uncooked)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese

Grease or add nonstick spray to a 9×13 pan. Layer ingredients as follows: ½ sauce and meat mixture, ½ of the noodles, all of the cottage cheese filling, remaining noodles, remaining sauce and meat mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake covered at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove covering and bake for 15 minutes longer.