Valentines Day

I'm not a big fan of Valentines Day.

I think you should show your love everyday, not just one day a year.

But with all that said, Chad and I used V-Day as an excuse to cook a fabulous dinner!

Steak with caramelized onion blue cheese sauce

Twice bakes potatoes

Chocolate dipped strawberries

I've blogged about the blue cheese sauce before here and if you haven't tried it then SHAME ON YOU.

Twice Baked Potatoes

• Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees
• Coat two large baking potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, flipping occasionally
• Let the potatoes cool enough to handle, cut in half, and hollow out potatoes with a spoon. Be careful not to break or tear the skin.
• In a bowl add the potato, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup of milk, and whatever else you like...cooked bacon, cheese, onions, garlic, cooked veggies. Really you can't mess up.
• Spoon mixture into the potato skins and bake for 15-20 minutes on 425
  

The Knot

The pieces are slowly beginning to come together.

We finally picked a ceremony and reception site.

Now all the little details are waiting.

Please visit our wedding website for updates.

I like this centerpiece but minus the limes. Maybe some green ribbon wrapped around the vase instead. Thoughts?

Ciao!

...thats what I will be saying in less than 9 months. We are going to Italy on our honeymoon!!! So excited. I've already starting researching and planning. First on the agenda will be gelato. I've found a shop close to the hotel that has 70 different flavors.

Here are some pictures of the town we are staying in.

Now if you will excuse me I have to learn how to order wine in Italian. :)

Lasagna

I did something on Sunday night that I've never done before...make lasagna from scratch. I tried to pretend like I was snowed in last weekend but by Sunday I had developed a bad case of cabin fever. Chad and I decided to venture out and gathered the ingredients for lasagna. I followed a recipe by Pioneer Woman as she never lets me down.

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 pounds of hamburger meat (I used 85/15 mix)

- 1 pound of hot breakfast sausage

- 1 pound of mozzarella cheese

- 2 14.5oz cans of whole tomatoes

- 2 6oz cans of tomato paste

- Around 10 fresh basil leaves

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

- Lasagna noodles

- 3 cups of low-fat cottage cheese

- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

- 2 eggs

Okay lets get started. - In a large pan brown the hamburger and sausage over medium-high. Drain off the excess fat. - Add the whole tomatoes (juice and all) and the tomato paste. Season with salt, pepper, garlic (powder or minced or fresh...whatever floats your boat). I also added a few shakes of red pepper flakes because I like it hot! - Let that mixture simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. - Pre-heat the oven to 350 and start boiling some water to cook the lasagna noodles.

- Chopped up the fresh basil and parsley. Add half the herbs to the meat mixture and set aside the remaining herbs.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and the rest of the herbs.
- Cook the lasagna noodles as directed on the package. Place them on a baking sheet covered with aluminium foil untill we are ready to use them.
- Now its time to start layering! In a rectangular baking dish begin my placing 4 noodles in the bottom. (The noddles will overlap).
- Next add 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture, sprinkle with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, then add a little less than half of the meat mixture.
-Repeat. You should end up with the meat mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes. Allow the lasagna to set for 10 minutes before cutting.


It was delicious! Don't be afraid. Make it this weekend. You will thank yourself.

Where's My Dinner?

Bad news....Marley has mastered jumping up on the bar stools. After he jumps up he usually just sits there like he is waiting on his food.
Poor guy, look at that face. I promise we feed him...a lot actually.

I think he may be part monkey. Those stools easily slide yet some how he lands on top every time.