I've Moved......

....my blog, that is.  I'm hosting the blog on my own server and have transferred it to a CMS (Content Management Software). It looks pretty much the same as it does on Blogger except for a new horizontal menu.

Unfortunately, although my posts did make the transfer, it looks like my comments may not.  I am, however, continuing to use the Disquis commenting system at the new location as well.

I hope you will stop by my new site and continue to follow me over there.

New Porch

One of the home improvement projects on our list was expanding our porch.  This porch sits in front of what we call the "breezeway" which is a room that used to be open and connected the house to the garage, but at some point, a previous owner enclosed it and took out a wall in the kitchen to open the two rooms up to each other.

After consulting with several contractors, it was determined that the best course would be to rip up the old porch and put in a newer, bigger one.   Today was the day work was to begin...and be completed.
 

Here's the old porch

....and the newer, larger porch

Concrete guys said we could walk on it tomorrow but that we should wait a few days before putting the chairs and my organic veggie garden boxes on it just to give it more time to cure and harden.

Now we have room for our dogs to be lay down and be outside with us.  Right now there is an aluminum awning but I think we will take that down and get a fabric awning that can be opened and closed as needed.

You can't tell from the other picture, but the left side has a bit of a drop to it so we will be getting some railing to put around the patio as well not only for safety but also for a place for some flower  boxes. 

Spinach Lasagna

When I was growing up, spinach was one of those veggies that made me gag, along with mixed veggies, green beans and peas. Even as an adult, my gag reflex kicked in whenever I saw spinach or thought of eating it. Maybe if Popeye had been a girl, I might have been more inclined to eat it. Naw, probably not.

Anyway, my son, who is here visiting me (happy happy joy joy), had asked me for years to make some spinach lasagna instead of our regular artery-clogging, meat-filled one. Nope, never, not gonna happen was my response.

Well, imagine his surprise when I suggested we make some this week. Eyes bugging out, shaking his head in disbelief, he said "YOU eat spinach lasagna now???" Yep. I do.

Why the change of heart?  I don't remember exactly why or when I first made spinach lasagna.  Probably a few years after my son moved out and we started trying to eat "healthier."  But really, whatever/whenever, I no longer have the gag-me-with-some-spinach reflex.  I put it in lasagna, soup, and even with a salad.  Shocking to those who know me.  There, I confessed it and I feel better!!

Anywho, we purchased our ingredients and today I set out to make some delicious Spinach Lasagna, from a recipe I found at cooks.com.  

Per usual, I made some substitutions.  *did I just say per?  Who says that anymore?  LOL*   

I used fresh, organic baby spinach instead of canned.  I forgot fresh parsley, so I just used about 1 1/2 tsp. of dried.  I used fat-free ricotta cheese as well.

Here's the finished product.  It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself.  Oh, my son did as well. :o)

To go along with this, I made some Italian Herb Bread in my bread maker.  Delicious!!

A nice hot slice with a little butter was a nice accompaniment to the lasagna. 

When it was just the two of us (I raised my son alone until he was 15 yrs old) I didn't cook that often.  He was a very picky eater, so cooking for one was not that much fun.  When he got into his teens, his taste in food had expanded but he was on the go all the time, so was rarely home for meals.  Now that he is here, I want to give him some of his favorites.   So, off to make him the fudge he didn't get this Christmas and probably some mint chocolate chip ice cream.  Yummmy!!

Chicken Penne Casserole

After the success of my Tortilla Lasagna from the Taste of Home recipe magazine my step-MIL gave to me when she was visiting, I decided to make Chicken-Penne-Casserole tonight.

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Tortilla Lasagna

While my husband's step-mom was here last week, she bought me a Taste Of Home recipe book.  Lots of delicious looking dishes in there.  I need more hours in the day and more people to feed to try them all out!!  I should get a job at a diner or something.

Anyway, tonight I decided to make the Tortilla Lasagna.  The recipe is pretty simple, really, like you are making a taco salad but instead of using taco chips or a baked tortilla shell, you use flour tortillas and line a pan with them, then layer salsa, meet, onions, sour cream and cheese, and bake for 45 minutes. 

I made a few revisions to the original recipe.  I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, my homemade salsa instead of store bought, fat-free sour cream instead of regular, and multi-grain tortillas instead of plain. 

Oh, the delicious smell as this was cooking.  We had a late lunch and weren't even very hungry but after smelling this cooking, my husband and I decided to have a serving.  Well, it was so very good.....that we each had a 2nd helping!!  I wish the tortillas were a bit crispier all over instead of just the edges.  Other than that, a very delicious and satisfying meal.

The Invasion of The Grandmothers

We are blessed to have both my mother-in-law and my step-mother-in-law visiting from Seattle this week.  We have been enjoying some cool, but pretty weather, and visiting some local attractions that we have not even been to living here nine years.  Last night, my husband and I were so worn out that all of we were in bed by 8:50pm!! 
Day 4 of the Invasion is going to be getting underway soon. Not sure what the plans are for today, but I hope it involves some resting time on the beach at some point! :o)

Busy Busy Busy

We are in the process of doing some home renovations...some will be DIY and some we are hiring out.

My husband and I started a kitchen renovation. We are trying to open up our kitchen to the living room and to the breezeway which is a room that was once a porch between the house and the garage but at some point was enclosed. We use it as a dining room/sewing room/storage room.

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