Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Recipe: Hearty and Easy Lasagna

March 22, 2011 · Narrative

Money ShotI love a good splatter on a casserole dish. It’s when you know that good comfort food awaits.

Sometimes I feel like I’m not a very good Italian.  I need to represent my heritage a little better, because truth be told, I don’t cook a lot of Italian food.  Sure, nearly every holiday starts with our traditional Antipasto, and we have pasta a couple times a month, but platters of ziti, stuffed shells and lasagna are not always simmering from my stove-top.  Nor is cook-all-day sauce.  I should work on that.  So many dishes, so little time.

Last Friday night, Nick and I had some one on one time, and a friend was kind enough to stay at the house to watch Madeline.  In exchange, I offered to make them whatever she wanted for dinner, and lasagna was requested first.  And then stuffed shells.  And then my friend couldn’t decide.  I said I would surprise her and ended up going with lasagna.  I can’t remember the last time I made it, or even had it.  Nick went through a phase a few years ago when he wanted it every time I turned around.  And then he wanted nothing more to do with it.

In the grand scheme of things, lasagna has always seemed like one of those things that you don’t really need a recipe for.  Layer noodles, sauce, meat, cheese, repeat.  The recipe below is how I usually make our lasagna, but think of it as a guideline.  Sometimes I add sausage to the meat portion of it.  Sometimes I add different kinds of cheese.  But the recipe remains the constant framework for how the dish comes together.  I always add the spinach in with the cheese.  The kids can see it (I am SO not a fan of disguising vegetables) and will eat it just fine.  I get a little more green vegetables in their little bellies and it’s such a small dose of it, they don’t complain.  Winner, winner, lasagna dinner.

Creamy and Delicious

Now to catch up on a few programming notes.  If you’re looking for more recipes, do pop on over to Betty Crocker’s web site and check out my newest additions over there:

  • Banana Walnut Pancakes, one of Nick’s favorites.  Gosh, I do love that photo.  Nothing like a little dripping maple syrup to start your day off right.
  • Three-Cheese Vegetable Quiche.  I lived on this for a week – best lunch ever.  I wanted to make something quiche-like, but more vegetables and less egg.  This was the result.
  • Carmelized Shallot Sausage Con Queso.  You think the picture looks good?  Wait ’till you taste the queso.  Melted cheese is a weakness for me, and after a few bites of this queso, I had to give the rest of it away.  Pronto.  The temptation was far too great.
  • Double Cheese Chicken Fingers.  Baked.  Not fried.  Love that.

And lastly, a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be a co-host for a Virtual Cooking Class sponsored by The Motherhood and Con Agra.  If you missed the class, you might want to check out the transcript from it.  The one hour went by crazyfast, but it was packed with all sorts of excellent ideas for desserts, sinful and otherwise.

Project 365
March 22, 2011, Photo #79

Pink Lemonade NecklaceThree compliments today on the maiden voyage of this new necklace I bought recently. From an online store. Owned and run by a 15-year-old. Totally feeling like an underachiever now, but still loving the necklace.

Hearty and Easy Lasagna
Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef (I use 93% lean)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1-1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 ounces ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles (you will need 9 noodles)
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onion until it is translucent.  Remove onion from pan and set aside.  Cook beef in the same pan until brown. Drain. Add onion back to pan with beef, and add in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, about five minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.

While sauce is simmering, in a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, Parmesan and egg until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350.  Spread 1-1/2 cup of the tomato/beef sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish, using more or less, but enough to make sure the bottom of the dish is covered.   Cover the sauce with three lasagna noodles, laying them side by side.

Cover with one cup of sauce.  Top the sauce with half of the mozzarella.  Add another set of noodles, sauce and then top with the ricotta mixture.  Top with another three noodles and the remaining sauce.  Bake for thirty minutes.  Remove from oven and add remaining mozzarella and bake another 15 minutes, until bubbly.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Betty Crocker, Chicken Fingers, Con Agra, lasagna, Queso, quiche, The Motherhood, Vegetable Tart

Comments

  1. cathy says

    March 22, 2011 at 8:01 pm

    I checked out the quiche recipe – how much gorgonzola? it’s not in the ingredient list…

    Reply
  2. Cate says

    March 22, 2011 at 8:49 pm

    Good catch. Just dropped my editors a note to include the omission. It should be have included 1-2 Tablespoons Gorgonzola, crumbled.

    Reply
  3. Casey says

    March 22, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Love that necklace! Super cute.

    Lasagna looks good. I need some “bulk” food recipes for many visitors coming in the next couple of months. 4 families this week alone!

    Reply
  4. Joanne says

    March 23, 2011 at 6:17 am

    My parents are always on the verge of disowning me when I tell them my favorite food is curry and not pasta. I do love pasta. I just love curry more. So yeah, sometimes I feel like a bad Italian also. :P

    Lasagna is absolutely one of my favorite dishes! I love how once you make it a few times, it becomes muscle memory. So good.

    Reply
  5. Kris #40 says

    March 23, 2011 at 9:56 am

    Great recipes!

    Cute necklace! We should have crafting night to duplicate it – have the instructions for it.

    Check out this necklace –
    http://littlemissmomma.blogspot.com/2010/12/pom-pom-bib-necklace-tutorial-lmm.html

    Was never able to duplicate that ribbon bracelet – can’t figure out how to fold the ribbon – I keep trying every so often because the ribbon is on my counter. I needed to see it in person.

    Reply
  6. Ramona says

    March 23, 2011 at 10:22 am

    Lasagna is a favorite of mine. Hubby won’t touch it.

    I like the necklace. Glad you and Nick got some one on one time.

    Reply
  7. Meg says

    March 24, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    Ooh, I could definitely tuck into some lasagna right now! Great comfort food. Your recipe sounds great!

    And I love that necklace — so unique! Turquoise is rapidly becoming an obsession of mine.

    Reply

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Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!

Pinterest

Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.

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