The Moon and Me: September 2014

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

35 Minute Skillet Lasagna

Think you don't have time to make a great dinner?

Think again!

In 35 minutes or less you can make this

awesomely delicious one pan Skillet Lasagna!
No kidding.

Let's put 35 minutes on the clock, shall we?

In a LARGE skillet, this one is 14"...

brown and crumble your meat...in this case,

ground turkey and bulk Italian sausage.

At this time also add the garlic, onion, and salt to taste.

While the meat is cooking, assemble your cheese ingredients.

25 minutes: When the meat is done, stir in spaghetti sauce and water.

Add the extra spices now if you are going to.

Dump in your noodles, stir and make sure they're all covered with sauce.

Cook according to noodle box instructions.

Meanwhile...stir together your ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses.

Then mix in the fresh ground pepper, parsley, and salt to taste.

Don't forget to stir the noodles occasionally.

15 minutes: Drop the cheese mixture in small clumps all

over your noodle/sauce/meat concoction.

Sprinkle with extra mozzarella if so desired.

10 minutes: Set heat on lowest setting, or turn off...

cover and let sit 10 minutes until all the cheese has melted.

0 minutes: Remove the lid and dig in!

Skillet Lasagna
click here for a printable version (print page link at bottom of page)

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb bulk ground Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced, pressed, smushed (or 2 tsp jar or dried for faster service)
1 tbsp dried, minced onions.
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use Classico roasted tomato and garlic. NO added sugar...tastes YUMMY!)
3 cups water
8-10 oz. broken lasagna noodles OR mini bowtie pasta...it works perfectly!!!
1 1/2 tsp each dried basil, oregano, and thyme, optional
1 cup whole ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried parsley
salt to taste

In a LARGE skillet,brown and crumble your meat. At this time also add the garlic, onion, and salt to taste. While the meat is cooking, assemble your cheese ingredients.
When the meat is done, stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Add the extra spices now if you are going to. Dump in your noodles, stir and make sure they're all covered with sauce. Cook according to noodle box instructions...about 9-10 minutes.
Meanwhile...stir together your ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. Then mix in the fresh ground pepper, parsley, and salt to taste. Don't forget to stir the noodles occasionally.
When the noodle timer goes off, drop the cheese mixture in small clumps all over your noodle/sauce/meat concoction. Sprinkle with extra mozzarella if so desired. Set heat on lowest setting, or turn off...cover with the lid...and let sit 10 minutes so the cheese can melt.
Remove the lid and dig in!

This recipe makes a BUNCH!
But it's good for leftovers, too.
A tasty homemade dinner in less than 35 minutes.

I told you it could be done...but I bet you didn't believe me.

Sorry, I can't help with the clean up.

Dishing it out here:

Just a Girl and Her Blog

A Simple Pantry

Ivy and Elephants

The Newlywed Pilgrimage

From My Front Porch to Yours

Love of Family and Home

Love Bakes Good Cakes

Friday, September 19, 2014

Or: I Was a DIYer Before It Was Cool...

Maybe that was a bit dramatic.

I've always been "crafty" and I don't mean sly.
At least as far as you know.

For many years I would make one of the
Christmas gifts I gave out to everyone each year.
Then something strange happened and I don't
seem to have time for that anymore.

When I was in high school I found this awesome lantern at a garage sale.
It was baby blue, poor thing.
I sanded it, sprayed it a muted metallic gold...
and started my love affair with spray paint.

It's all downhill from there...

So...here are a few things I did before there was an everlasting record on the interwebs:

Our dining room table...

We bought in the height of the "everything must be Hunter Green" years.

It had green legs and a stained top.

Armless Windsor chairs that matched.

About 8 or 9 years ago I got sick and tired of that green paint.

I took it all out onto the front porch...took it apart and started painting.

I sanded the top of the table, which may or may not

have had a large burn area from a candle mishap.

(You know, the kind you cover up with a placemat and large hurricane)

I used a stain/poly combo which I wasn't thrilled about but it was okay.

It could use a light sanding and new coat now.

It was an amazing difference and we've loved it ever since.

The table is great and sturdy, the chairs have since been

replaced because they were not so much so.

For a long time, in our old house, I used this old

steamer trunk for a coffee table in the living room.

Now everyone thinks it's a fresh, new idea or something. :)

It now sits at the end of my bed and serves as a bench of sorts.

Jon and I built this rustic baker's rack from cedar fence planks about 10 years ago.

(so, sorry, no build plans, we just winged it)

It has a Z back like a barn door and is super sturdy.

We've been talking about building a new one...a little more refined...

and converting this one into a potting bench complete

with an enamel bowl "sink" for my mom.

In other kitchen news...although I don't have a picture...

in our old house...we used an antique ladder over the island as a pot rack.

It.Was.Awesome!!!!!

My kitchen now has a ridiculously tall ceiling..so that won't work now.

Boo hoo.

Don't ask me why there's a rainbow sock monkey in the kitchen.

I'm not really sure myself.

I'm about to make you jealous.

See my antique wire locker baskets?

I've had them for a long while. Before they were all the rage.

They're awesome for cookbooks and cloth napkins.

I paid about $30 for all 3 including shipping.

Please don't hate me.

This chalkboard I made before the chalkboard craze.

Nowadays you can't turn around without seeing some chalkboard

in some fashion somewhere...even in print ads.

I know, right?

Yes, it might be time for the grapes to go...I told you it was a while ago.

Not long after we moved in to this house,

we did a little update to the master closet.

It's an odd shape, and when you opened the door {inward, no less}

you couldn't get to anything behind the door.

You would have to go in, back against the wall, and close the door.

We just took the stinkin' door off...

hung a small rod on the inside of the closet and hung spa-like curtains...

which is perfect since it is off the master bath.

I know some of you don't like those wire shelves you see here, but believe me...

they work very well for us. We redesigned the inner space so there are

2 levels of hanging on the left, one on the right for longer things...

and shelves along the back wall and up top.

I'd give you a closer look, but it's usually a disaster anyway. :)

Here's a copycat project I did when we when we moved in.

I love the pet food tins from Ballard, but really...

who is going to pay $45 for a tin can to put cat food in?

Well, not me.

I got a big popcorn tin from a candy store...pretty cheap...

Spray paint and vinyl lettering...

Mine was about half of theirs...and it matches the food bowls.

And, it's bigger...probably the $54 size!

Essie likes to sit up here when she thinks I'm neglecting my
feeding duties and remind me, loudly, that she can see
the fishie in the bottom of her bowl.

She doesn't quite get the fact that with her fuzzy butt
on top of the can, I can't get to the food anyway.
:)

This fold down front secretary desk has been mine since high school.

It was white with gold detailing...French Provincial that matched my canopy bed.

Yes, I did. And you're wishing you had one, too.

I painted it...omg...

so long ago I can't quite remember...maybe 17 or 18 years.

I even used a crackle medium and antiquing glaze.

Yup.

It might be time for another change.

I changed all the hardware...filling screw holes

and re-drilling for the new handles.

I was so proud.

This is certainly not a comprehensive list...
some things I just don't have pictures of.
Like: 1. When we moved in to our OLD house...
which was a rental with a flexible agreement I won't get into...
we had to gut half the bathroom and install a new shower surround and sub floor.
Not to mention paint over some cow stencils with angry red udders. :)

2. I used to use a real tree branch as a curtain rod in our "nature" bathroom.

3. We laid a herringbone brick patio there from some leftover building bricks.

And all the other little things that are always
going on but not always worthy of documenting.
You know, like the fact that I am currently attempting
to organize our kitchen cabinets.
That seemed like a better option than trying to steam the
wallpaper border off the walls in Sara's bathroom so I can paint. :)

Wish me luck!