I managed to find Uno and Checkers, and Battleship and most of the pieces of Candyland. Which I figure, we can mix together to create a fabulous new game, Candyship Battleland. War never tasted so good!

With our apartment contract coming to an end in October, we have been on the mad search to find a new place to live.  Yes, we could just renew our contract, but we are tired of living in an apartment.  We have decided that we want to become homeowners... HOMEOWNERS!  We have been scouting everywhere to try to find the best place in our price range.  We found a really nice town home, which we put a deposit down on and were going to buy, but the HOA was being ridiculous.  We decided if we are already having problems with the HOA and we haven't even moved in yet, that it can only get worse.  We pulled out of that purchase quickly.  We finally actually found us a home.  It is an actual house.  Not a town home, not a twin home, not a condo... a real-live house! We are ecstatic! We move in mid October.  I am so excited to finally be able to make our living quarters actually ours.  We can paint the walls; heck, we could tear down walls if we wanted to. Don't you worry, I will post projects as I do them throughout the house.  As for today though, I am going to share with you a golden recipe.  This is a recipe a friend of mine gave me.  She lived in Italy for almost 2 years, and it is a recipe she picked up there.  It is legit and delicious.  It can be a little time consuming though, so  I will also include my quick version that I make more frequently than the full-blown recipe.

Bre's Italian Lasagna

(I apologize for the pictures.  I'm working on my food pics.)

First, you need to start making the marinara sauce.  This is the part the takes the longest.  The longer you let it simmer, the better it tastes.  Here are some of the essential ingredients:

First you will want to grate the onion, zucchini, and carrot.  Drizzle with olive oil and saute for a few minutes until the onion is clear and the carrot and zucchini are soft.

Add the ground beef.  Brown the beef with the veggies.

Once the ground beef is browned add in the rest of the ingredients for the marinara sauce.  Allow to simmer for at least 1 hour.  Longer is better though.  One Sunday I let it simmer for 4 hours and it tasted divine! This sauce can be quite messy, so if you have a splatter guard I would use it.  I don't, so I will usually just put the lid on half way so the steam can still exit, but it helps save my stove and wall from being covered with red sauce.

Start making the white sauce when you are ready to assemble the lasagna.  First, start by melting the butter in a saucepan.  Add in the flour and stir to combined with the butter. Slowly add in the milk.  Continuously whisk to keep the white sauce from burning.  Once it starts to boil, turn it down to a simmer and stir for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Once the white sauce is ready, you can start assembling your lasagna.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and pull out a 9x13 glass pan.  Start with a thin layer of marinara sauce at the bottom of the pan.  Lay a layer of lasagna noodles on top.  Keep the noodles all going the same way.  I like to use the oven ready noodles so I don't have to boil them, but any type of lasagna noodle will work.  Break or cut noodles to fit in the pan.

Spread another layer of marinara sauce on top of the noodles.  Then drizzle a layer of white sauce on top of the red sauce.

Sprinkle some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top of that, then prepare for your next layer.  Lay your noodles facing the other way, then continue with your sauce layering (red, white, mozzarella, Parmesan).

Once you run out of space, or sauce make sure that your final layer is the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Bake it in the oven for 40-45 minutes or so until the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is melted.  Serve with a fresh green salad, and breadsticks.  Enjoy!

Bre's Italian Lasagna Recipe

Marinara Sauce

1 carrot

1 zucchini

1 med. onion

1 lb. ground beef

2-28 oz. cans tomato sauce

1 tsp basil

1 tsp bay leaves

1 tsp salt

Grate the veggies into a large pot.  Saute until onion is clear and  zucchini and carrot are tender.  Add ground beef and brown.  Once beef is browned, add tomato sauce, basil, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for at least one hour.

White sauce

5 T butter

1/2 cup flour

3 1/2 cups milk

dash of salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add in the flour and stir to combined with the butter. Slowly add in the milk. Salt to taste. Continuously whisk to keep the white sauce from burning.  Once it starts to boil, turn it down to a simmer and stir for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Lasagna Assembly

Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles

Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Marinara Sauce

White Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a thin layer of marinara sauce at the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan.  Lay a layer of lasagna noodles on top.  Keep the noodles all going the same way.  I like to use the oven ready noodles so I don't have to boil them, but any type of lasagna noodle will work.  Break or cut noodles to fit in the pan. Spread another layer of marinara sauce on top of the noodles.  Then drizzle a layer of white sauce on top of the red sauce. Sprinkle some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top of that, then prepare for your next layer.  Lay your noodles facing the other way, then continue with your sauce layering (red, white, mozzarella, Parmesan-- keep alternating directions with lasagna noodles). Once you run out of space, or sauce make sure that your final layer is the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake it in the oven for 40-45 minutes or so until the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is melted.  Serve with a fresh green salad, and breadsticks.  Enjoy!

Simplified Version:
To simplify this recipe I just use bottled spaghetti sauce instead of making the marinara sauce.  I still make the white sauce (it makes or breaks this recipe).  I do everything else the same in the recipe, but sometimes I leave out the ground beef and it still tastes amazing. Since our family is quite small (just me and my main man) I usually bake it in a 8x8 pan.  I use one bottle of spaghetti sauce and I half the white sauce recipe.  This recipe reheats great!

When you start a forest fire unintentionally, it's still your fault

I feel as though today was a pretty successful day.  I ran a bunch of errands, including a trip to Hobby Lobby where I got a bunch of stuff to make cards.  I decided why buy cards when I can make them.  Here's what I've created so far:

I showed them to Jeremy when he got home. He couldn't stop laughing at the "Hello, how's it going" and the "Happy B-Dizzle" card. His direct quote was, "We're never buying cards again.  I also made a delicious dinner tonight.  I found a blog with a bunch of healthy recipes on it.  Normally I'm weary of healthy recipes because they have a lot of things I don't like in them or they are very time intensive, but this blog has great recipes that are really easy to make.  I made her 3 Cheese Lasagna Roll-ups last night, and I made her Chicken Enchiladas tonight.   Both were delightful.  The website is: www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/  Here's the recipe for the chicken enchiladas:

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

For the sauce:

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can diced green chilis

1-1/2 cups tomato sauce

1 tsp. southwest chipotle seasoning (Mrs. Dash)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

Salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken:

1 tsp. vegetable oil

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup diced onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. southwest chipotle seasoning (Mrs. Dash)

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato sauce

8 (6-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas

1 cup shredded low-fat Mexican cheese

Nonstick cooking spray

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and saute garlic.  Add green chilis, chipotle seasoning, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chipotle seasoning, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray.  Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.  Place in baking dish seam side down.  Top with sauce and cheese.  Cover with foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes.  Top with scallions if desired and enjoy!

**Note: I'm not a huge fan of shredded chicken in enchiladas, burritos, etc. so I diced my chicken.  I also sauted my chicken with the spices and oil to get the flavor in it while it cooked instead of putting it in precooked like the recipe calls for.

It's disturbing to me on several levels, including the fact that I can’t remember the last time I cleaned the floor of the bathroom!

Jeremy and I love the weekends, especially Saturdays.  We love being able to do what ever we want.  Our typical Saturday usually consists of us laying around in our pajamas until late afternoon.  Today was no exception.  Tonight for dinner I wanted to make something super easy.  Why would I want to ruin this perfectly lazy Saturday by cooking up some big meal?  I decided to make one of our favorite dinner meals, which just happens to be one of the easiest meals ever.  It was definitely a win-win situation.  I made stir fry! The best thing about stir fry is you can basically throw in whatever you want and it works.  Here is the recipe I usually use when I make this delightful meal:

Nicole's Stir Fry

(4 servings)

2 chicken breasts
1/2 box of thin spaghetti noodles
1/2 bottle of teriyaki stir fry sauce
some sesame oil
some Sriracha (spicy chili sauce)
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 bag of frozen veggies
1 can of water chestnuts

In a large pot cook noodles.  While noodles are cooking saute chicken in sesame oil, a bit of stir fry sauce, a bit of Sriracha, and garlic.  Once chicken is cooked add veggies and water chestnuts with some more stir fry sauce, Sriracha, and lemon juice.  Cook until veggies are tender.  Add noodles when they are cooked.  Add the rest of the stir fry sauce, and some Sriracha to taste.  Once everything is warm it is ready to eat.

There are a lot of other things you could add to stir fry.  You could use different meat.  You could also add, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, ginger, cumin, etc.  You could also use rice instead of noodle.  Just cook the stir fry, and the rice separately.  When it's time to eat dish up some rice in the bottom of your bowl then throw some stir fry on top!

We could order some pizza, or Chinese food, or perhaps one of those hoagies that you cut into a million pieces

I have a confession.  I love pizza.  When I say "love" I really  mean it.  I think my love totem pole goes like this: Jeremy, sunshine, pizza.  I'm dead serious.  I could eat pizza any day of the week, and all day long.  I feel bad getting take out all the time though, so I have started to make homemade pizza.  Bless Pinterest because I have been able to find the best concoction of a pizza.   I decided to share the recipe with you.

Yeah, I made that pizza. ^

Homemade Pizza Crust (found at http://elizabethbryant.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-best-pizza.html)

3/4 T dry-active yeast
3/4 T Salt
1 1/2 cup warm water
3 1/4 cup flour

Mix ingredients in order in a bowl.  Dough will be sticky.  Do NOT add more flour.  Cover bowl with towel, and let rise for 2 hours.  Lightly dust pizza pan with flour. Spread dough on pizza pan (dusting with flour when needed to make it easier to spread out), top with sauce, toppings, and mozzarella cheese, and cook in a preheat oven at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Let sit for 5 minutes before you cut and serve it.

Marinara Sauce (found at http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2011/01/easy-pizza-sauce-simple-recipe.html)

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
2 t oregano
2 t basil
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t onion powder
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Mix together in a bowl, and spread on pizza dough.

Alfredo Sauce (found at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-alfredo-sauce-i/)

1 pint whipping cream
1/2 c butter
1 1/2 cups fresh Parmesan cheese (I just use the shredded kind in a bag)
2 t Italian seasoning

Melt butter in a small saucepan.  Whisk in whipping cream.  When whipping cream and butter are well combined, add Parmesan cheese and seasoning.  Stir until cheese has melted and blended with sauce.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken.  Spread on pizza dough.

When I make a Chicken Alfredo Pizza I grill 2 chicken breasts on my George Foreman with some salt and pepper. Then I slice them, and put them on the pizza.  I also have Mozzarella cheese always on hand in my freezer.  Did you know that you can freeze shredded cheese?  I do it all the time, and it works perfectly in any recipe I need it in.  Enjoy a pizza night on me!

Olive Garden's Lasagna Rollata Al Forno

I just found this recipe online, and you better bet that I'm making it tonight!

Ingredients:

Five Cheese Marinara Sauce

• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 2 cups alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup italian blend shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup red wine (I'm going to use beef stock and some basalmic vinegar instead)

Filling

• 1 egg
• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup romano cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning, blend
• salt and pepper, to taste

Noodles

• 1 lb lasagna noodle
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Blend first two marinara ingredients together in a large saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and heat on medium, stirring frequently. The cheese will melt and the sauce will become creamy. Keep warm.
2. Set aside 1/4 of mozzarella cheese. Beat egg into a large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients, blending well. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to use.
3. Cook lasagna exactly according to package directions. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water so they are cool enough to handle.
4. When ready to make, spread about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce in a large 9x13 baking dish. Based upon the number of noodles in your 1 lb of noodles, divide the filling accordingly. Lay one lasagna noodle in baking dish and spread with filling along noodle. Loosely roll the noodle up, jelly-roll style. Decide if this looks about right to you. If so, keep rolling the rest of the noodles. Otherwise use more filling per noodle and discard the extra noodles.
5. Continue with each lasagna noodle until all noodles are rolled and arranged in baking dish. Cover each roll with remaining sauce, the remaining mozzarella cheese and top with Italian breadcrumbs.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degree for about 35 minutes.

Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo

This Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo is one of the easiest meals you could make, and it's super delicious.  This is a family and roommate favorite.  I found it on Pinterest.  You should try it one of these days.  You won't be disappointed.

Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo

1 (16-ounce) package penne or elbow macaroni
2 (10-ounce) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 garlic clove, minced
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.  Stir together all ingredients except mozzarella cheese.  Spread mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

So I found this recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu on Pinterest, and it was DELIGHTFUL!  I thought I'd share it with you.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu 
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

For the Cordon Bleu:
3 large, thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to make two thinner chicken breast cutlets; you will have 6 total thin chicken breasts)
12 slices good quality deli ham
1 cup bread crumbs (preferably fresh)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 pound (8 ounces) thinly sliced Swiss cheese

For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

*Note: Mel saves the heels of her bread and stores them in the freezer until she needs them then grinds them up quickly in a blender or food processor.

Instructions:
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.

Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with slices of Swiss cheese, layering across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken. 

Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.

When the chicken is almost done, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly. Cook the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk mixture constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. 

Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. If your sauce is too thick, whisk in some more milk. If it's too thin, simmer longer.

Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce. Makes 6 servings.