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Saturday, May 22, 2010

Artichoke Lasagna

ARTICHOKE LASAGNA
Chop canned artichokes and purple onion.  Place in hot skillet with olive oil and brown.
Sprinkle a small amount of red pepper flakes, just for a little flavor, salt and pepper to taste.
After veggies have browned, add fresh spinach leaves (from our garden) to the pan and cook until wilted.  Set aside.
Brown 1lb ground beef in same skillet.  Limit those dirty dishes.
(Put a pot of water on to boil for the lasagna noodles, now.)
Drain fat from ground beef.  This is a very exciting step.
I have no cute comment.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, then drain.
I cook them a couple minutes less than the directions,
so they are easier to handle and they are going to cook in oven anyway.
Pour about 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in bottom of pan.
Just use your favorite sauce.
Layer cooked lasagna noodles over sauce.
Sprinkle with ground beef.
Mix ricotta, sauted veggies in mixing bowl. (I did not get a picture of mixture, sorry, what was I doing?)
Spread over ground beef, then top with cheese.
I found mozarella and parmesan cheese mixed in same package, handy.
Repeat layers ending with sauce then more cheese.
(More cheese!)
While you are at it, make another pan for your neighbor who just had a baby 3 weeks ago.
She needs a break!
Her husband needs to eat.
I really like parmesan. So, I grated more on top to fill in the holes.
(Have you ever tried to take a pic of yourself grating cheese?  Give it a try.  Tell me how you do.)
Sprinkle chopped green onions over the top to make it pretty.
Cover with foil and bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 more minutes to melt all the yummy cheese.  Have I mentioned I love cheese?  I do.

This really turned out great.  Lasagna is not rocket science, but there are a hundred different ways and ingredients that you can use.  I took all my favorites and came up with this one.  It was a hit!

Artichoke Lasagna
1 can artichokes, drained and quartered
1/2 purple onion, chunked
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 box lasagna noodles, cooked according to pkg directions
2 packages of shredded mozarella or Italian blend cheeses
1 12 oz ricotta cheese
1 large jar of spaghetti sauce

FUN NUGGET:

National Donut Day
June 4th
at
Krispy Kreme!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Fat Hungry Dog

Just thought I would give you an update on Rhubarb's diet/exercise program.
She has slimmed down some.  She also got a hair cut today, so I'm sure that helped also.
Apparently, in her hungry dieting state she has added fresh chicken to her choice of diet food.
She looks sweet doesn't she?
She's my baby.
She tried to eat Chuckles!
You know, my other baby.  And one of the first babies, so she is extra special.

So, 2Groovydude and the 2hipchick let the baby chicks out to roam in the yard. 
Daddio thinks they are in the pen.
Rhubarb makes a nuisance of herself and barks incessantly at the back door.
She feels like some chicken.
Daddio gets annoyed and lets her out.
Now, we have a large yard....2Groovydude and 2hip could see her coming.
We start scrambling.
Rhubarb's paws never touch the ground...she flies to us.
2Groovydude being young and quick grabs Cluck and begins screaming bloody murder, really.
Neighbors begin to look over fence.
2hip proceeds to...not know what to do.
Grab Chuckles...grab dog?
Okay, Chuckles...who runs headlong through the fence.  She could still fit then.
Oh yeah, safety!
Oh, no! Gate open...Rhubarb and 2hip see it at the same time.
The race is on.
Rhubarb gets Chuckles in her mouth.
2hip body slams Rhubarb and grabs her by the back of the collar.
Chuckles helps by wing flogging Rhubarb's snout.
Chuckles somehow flies away...probably the chokehold 2hip has on Rhubarb.
2Groovydude still screaming.
2hipchick gets up...wrestles dog out of pen...looks down at hand and sees blood...oh, no, not Chuckles.
Chuckles looks fine.
2hipchick sees her own blood and mud and scrapes all over her body.
Rhubarb and Chuckles...unscathed.
Whew!

FUN NUGGET:



I am not and was never these people...

Clothes, shoes, accessories.
Check it out:

The Gang's All Here!

The chicks are all in the coop.  All the babies are outside in the chicken hut now. 
 My babies! They are so big. 
Cluck is the boss...she's the smallest and the meanest.  She makes sure everyone is where they are supposed to be and if not, peck on the head.
Chuckles follows Cluck. 
(Be sure and read about Chuckles close call with Rhubarb teeth in next blog.)
Miss Sylvia.   Look how she has changed now that her feathers are in...very silvery.
Brownie...2Groovydude says..."Brownie turned orange." 
She is definitely not so brown anymore...maybe caramel brownie? 
I'm hungry.
Biscuit...she's photogenic.
Ginger...on the move...can never get a clear shot.
Cola?  Pepper?  Don't know, they are hard to tell apart now. 
Only 2Groovydude knows.  2Groovydude says, "Pepper."
Some of the rest of the gang...one leghorn and one Buffy.
They are professionals now.
I have not been around chickens in a long time.  The first night in the coop, Daddio had to put the newbies inside...the next night all but four not-so-bright chicks made their way in at dusk. 
The next night everybody's all in. 
Takes some chicks longer than others to catch on.
So much for instinctual actions...good thing they have Daddio.

FUN NUGGETS:


http://www.anthropologie.com/
look in:
at home section
the summer house

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Chicks New Digs and a Random Moth

I went out to the the chicken coop to take pics of the new additions and got totally sidetracked with this moth.
It was lying in the grass right below the nesting box.
Check out how many colors.  It is mostly beige, but when you get close up there is pink, purple, some cool blues and grays.  I could decorate a room with this stuff.  Maybe I will.  Oh, and the yellow spots peeking out like eyes.  How cool!
Little moth you are pretty.

Okay, so back to my original purpose for the trip. 
New chicks in the henhouse!
We moved the three white ones, (we don't know what they are, probably leghorns?) and two Buffies outside a couple of days ago.

So here they are...they are roosting. 
It's what chickens do.

I cut it off in this pic, but look at the crazy combs (above) these girls are already growing.
I just think chickens are funny.  They make me happy.
My family is concerned.
 Hey, don't knock it...we all have our little quirks.




FUN NUGGET:





 Cute, aye?  Luggage locks or whatever else you want to lock. 
The code is a word instead of numbers, easier to remember.
Handy!
http://www.wordlock.com/
Love the colors!
Check it out.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Taaa Daaa! Strawberries

Oooh! Strawberries!
This was our pickens for yesterday. 
We were getting one handful the first couple days, now a couple of handfuls.

Perfect little strawberry. 
Got this photo before it was gobbled up.
Strawberry patch.

Remember those puny little plants from just a few weeks ago? 
Well, they are going crazy now and this is in cloudy cool weather.  A few days of sunshine and we are going to have piles of berries.

You know I just like the leaves, they don't get much credit,
but they are really a great green back ground for the red berries.

Multi-colored carrots coming up. 
Can't wait to see how these are going to turn out.
I'll let you know.
 

Okay, can you guess what this is?
I would have never guessed.
It is a potato bloom.
Looks like something you would plant just for the beatiful flower.
Who knew?
 

Green beans coming around.
 
 Fuzzy tomato bloom photo.  Yeah, tomatoes!  I can't wait for your juicy goodness.
Bacon sandwiches, yes!
Just a little garden update.
How is your garden growing?

FUN NUGGET:


Fun site to browse...haven't tried any products, but these look cool.
Love my soaps.

And you know I love my bags.  These are called Flip & Tumble Eco-bags...check 'em out.