#27

Fresh flowers...this time from Trader Joe's. This bunch is called "Cup of Joe". It cost $6.99 and I think is beautiful. I am not the best arranger..but it works :)

This lily was closed when I bought it and when I came home the next day..it was in full bloom and BEAUTIFUL!

Top view :)

#59

I made a 12 pound LASAGNA!!! Yes 12 pounds! When I lived in Boise, I remember my Aunt Pam making a delicious lasagna, so I facebooked her for the recipe! The next day I ventured out and bought all the ingredients and came home that afternoon and spent some time (a little over an hour maybe...) making this dish!

Here is a pic of the meat cooking...I used 1 lb. ground deer meat and 1 lb. mild italian sausage & 1 medium chopped onion & some garlic.

Some of the ingredients. Obviously these are the ones that are not still in the refrigerator. I only used 1 can of sauce, but if/when I make this again, I will most likely use 2.

While the meat was cooking, I let the sauce simmer (1 26oz. can pasta sauce, 1 can stewed tomatoes (I used the italian style) garlic cloves and a mixture of different italian seasonings) I also cooked the noodles (I used a little over 1/2 the box) and also mixed 1 small tub cottage cheese, 3 eggs, and about 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese & 1/2 cup italian cheese blend together with some basil ( I didn't have parsley...whoops) and also boiled 4 eggs (cracked and chopped).

When all of that was done, it was time to put the lasagna together! On the bottom of a 9x13 pan, put a layer of simmered sauce (this helps with the noodles not sticking to pan...which it really works) then layer noodles (3-4) then put another layer of sauce. Spread a layer of meat mixture on the top, sprinkle some of the chopped boiled egg, layer about 24 pepperoni slices, then a layer of cottage cheese mixture, sprinkle with cheese, next layer 3-4 noodles and repeat the layers...on the top I did not put the cottage cheese mixture. I did 2 layers of all the ingredients and then on the top just put some sauce, ground meat and covered with shredded cheese.

Getting ready to layer the lasagna ingredients.

All layered up and time to put in the preheated oven (375 for about 1 hour...I put mine in at 370 (my oven cooks hot) for about 40 minutes though and it was done.)

Now for the mess it made...I never claimed to be a neat chef, however, why do yummy dinners always take SOOO many dishes??

Now it's time to take it out and let it cool for about 10 minutes...

(my favorite part about this pic is Brynn's chocolate face in the background...she was licking the beaters and bowl from the chocolate mousse I made...out of a box...not from scratch)

Now time to dish it up...I should have let it cool longer because it kind of falls over when plated...but oh well. The 2nd day (when it was cold) it held together just like a picture perfect lasagna.

And that's it...my lasagna is made! The last few times I have eaten lasagna it has been the frozen kind and by the end of my dinner I feel blah and I figured it was just because it was a frozen variety (usually costco) however, as I ate this I felt the same way. I just wasn't a fan of the noodles and all the other combinations...my sister said it was good (she came over to help eat the 12 pounds) Jerret said it was good, Brynn liked it, and both my parents said it was good (I brought them some to work the next day). I have decided...I am just not a fan of Lasagna...

However, I would recommend this recipe. :)

#47

Picnic at the beach!!

Yesterday, July 23rd, we took an impromptu trip to the beach with Kelly & Shawn. We went for the day and didn't want it to cost a fortune. So instead of eating 2 meals out at the beach, I decided to bring stuff to make sandwiches while there. When we arrived in Lincoln City, we were all starving and were eager to get down on the beach...so we decided to carry the cooler and bag of food to the beach! This was a bad idea...it was super windy and while Kelly and I were trying to make sandwiches sand was flying all over (from the blankets and Brynn's hands). Kelly couldn't even finish her sandwich because she couldn't get past the sand grits. The 2nd bad of this idea was the Shawn feeding the 1 seagull 1 chip. This turned into 50 seagulls and about 15 chips, string cheese and turkey sandwich. They were flying so close and hovering over us. I was so afraid we were going to get pooped on while eating...which would have been real lovely. But luckily this didn't happen. Overall it was nice to be at the beach and fill our bellies, but next time we need to eat up were it isn't so sandy (unless it is not windy)

Jerret enjoying his sandwich behind the "wind blocker"

Shawn enjoying his chips before feeding the seagulls

Kelly creeped out from the seagulls

Brynn enjoying a few bites of her sandy sandwich

1 of the many seagulls hovering...

Some of the seagulls

Brynn and mommy

Just me!

#58

Today we went to Wilsonville's Memorial Park to have a play date with 2 girls I was in the Ed. program with at Western. Kari (one of the girls) facebooked me last night and asked if I wanted to meet her (with her 1 year old little boy, Kade) and JulieAnne (with her 2 year old little girl, Maddie)....both of these girls are also 8 1/2 months pregnant with their seconds..I of course said sure, since this is the first day of summer and it is BEAUTIFUL out!!! My shoulders got a little burnt...WHOOPS!! It was a lot of fun for Brynn to run around and play with other kids. I will def. take her back there this summer!!! Next time I will bring her a toy to play with in the water because baby got a little wet today :)

When we were walking back to the car.

Playing in the water

She LOVED it

#89 Take 2

Grilled Chicken-and-Bacon-(and Broccoli)

Mac 'n' Cheese

YUM YUM! New Recipe:

Grilled Chicken-and-Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese (Serves 4-6)

courtesy of Every Day with Rachael Ray

~6 slices good-quality smoky bacon

~salt and pepper

~1 pound whole wheat short-cut pasta

~2 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast, lightly pounded

~Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for drizzling

~1/2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika

~4 tbsp. butter

~1 large onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

~2 rounded tbsp. flour

~1/2 cup chicken stock OR cloudy apple cider

~2 cups whole milk

~2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

~Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

~1 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp white cheddar cheese

~1 cup shredded gruyere cheese

~Chopped flat parsley for celery greens for garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange the bacon on a slotted broiler pan or on a rack placed over a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Chose and reserve. Switch on the broiler and position the rack in the center of the oven.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the past and cooke 1 minute less than the instructions indicate, or until just shy of al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta is working, heat a grill pan or cast-iron griddle over med-high heat. Drizzle the chicken with EVOO to coat lightly, then season lightly with paprika, salt, and pepper. Grill the chicken for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a cutting board and halve the chicken pieces lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

While the chicken cooks, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden brown and very soft, 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in the stock or cider then the milk. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking, until the sauce covers the back of a spoon, 3-4 minutes. Add the thyme and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the cheeses until melted.

Add the chicken, bacon and sauce to the pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Broil until bubbling and browned, 5 minutes. Garnish.

As always, I followed the recipe but not to a "T". The first thing I did "wrong" was double the sauce recipe. I wasn't exactly sure how much weight in pasta I was cooking, so I wanted to make sure it was creamy enough...extra creamy being OKAY too :) When I went to the store to buy the ingredients, I was not in the mood to search for Gruyere cheese, so I just used an extra italian blend with the white cheddar instead. I also thought I had penne in the cupboard (so of course I didn't buy any) and when I got home...did not have any noodles but linguine..so they had to do!! My sister was over helping me make it and instead of mixing everything together...she suggested just layering in the pan...so we did. (oh we added broccoli too) It turned out SUPER yummy and SUPER creamy! DELICIOUS!! I would def. make this one again!!

The finished product...since I used linguine, I had to cut it like lasagna :)

Just stirring the chicken...oh I cut the chicken before I cooked it too...I hate handling HOT chicken!

My sis taking her turn stirring the cream sauce

#33

It's funny I wrote this one..."Go to a UofO football game" this is obviously written BEFORE I grew to HATE UofO football...ha ha! Last football season erked me beyond belief and now I do not have any desire to see them. Kinda sad, but it's the truth! So if this does not get done...I will not stress over it!

#27

I finally bought a bouquet of fresh flowers for the table. I saw a really beautiful bouquet @ Saturday Market on Saturday when we were walking along the water front after the Rose Parade, however, I didn't have any cash on me...so I had to settle for the bouquet @ Grocery Outlet the next day :) ha ha! I think these were Costco 2nd's...but I got them for about 1/2 the price I would have paid there. It cost 5.99. There was a 7.99 bouquet too which was a bit bigger but I decided on this...