What's For Dinner: Lasagna!

What I used:

2lbs hamburger meat*
6 lasagna noodles
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 egg
about 10oz oz diced tomatoes*
About 3 cups ricotta cheese*
8oz shredded mozzarella
(2) 8oz can tomato sauce*
6oz tomato paste
Garlic Powder
Parsley Flakes
Oregano
Basil
S&P

This pic doesn't include everything... lol.


*The original recipe lists 1.5lbs meat, (1) 8oz sauce, 7.5oz dice tomatoes, and 2 cups of ricotta. I just amped them up a bit.

------------------------

- Preheat oven to 375.

1. Boil noodles, strain. I laid them out on a plate afterward to help keep them from sticking.


2. Cook hamburger meat & 1 tsp garlic powder** on med-high.


3. Add tomatoes, paste, and sauce to meat. Add 1 tsp of oregano and basil, and 1/2 tsp of s&p. After it starts to boil, reduce heat to med-low and cook 15 min.


4. Mix ricotta cheese, egg, 1 tsp of parsley (not shown), and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese in medium bowl.


5. I think this was a 9x13 dish... Spray with Pam or any cooking spray. Layer 3 noodles, half ricotta/parmesan mix, half meat, half mozzarella. Repeat. Sprinkle a little parmesan on top.




6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes!
Sorry, no picture for this... I'm refrigerating mine for a couple of hours and baking it later (so it's hot when we're ready to eat!)

I'm fixing salad and rolls to go with it. :)

I have read that you can also do this ahead of time and freeze it. Just thaw & bake when you're ready for it. I'm going to do that -- it'd help me manage my long days of school & work!

Excluding the noodles, seasonings and egg... remaining lasagna ingredients, rolls, as well as things for a salad (carrots, cucumbers, tomato & lettuce) cost about $26. Not too bad if you ask me, considering the amount of food it yields! We need a lot of food... haha. I also made a chocolate cheesecake, but didn't get photos. :( That'll be my next food post! :)

Enjoy!

New Years Resolutions?

Yes, I have some. Quite a few, actually!

No particular order.
1. Read my Bible every day. I have trouble keeping it consistent.
2. Get back to working out 3x/week - no excuses. I love the way it makes me feel and it keeps me healthy, and well, I like being fit.
3. Drink water more often. I try to drink at least 3 glasses a day, but I fail at drinking 8.
4. Figure out what major I want/what career I want. God help me.
5. Get back into guitar playing.
6. Learn new recipes. I know I can do this. :P
7. Incorporate 80s/rock inspired pieces into my style. Eh, seems like something fun to go for... lol.
8. Clearer skin, please.
9. Watch more comedy movies. I've seen a few lately, but there's a whole list of movies I haven't...
10. Try my hand at photography. Like, a professional style, kinda.
11. At least attempt modeling, whether or not it actually happens. I'm hoping to help some photography students at school if the opportunity arises... I read a few "want ads" for that, but it was way past when they were actually written. That'd be pretty awesome and fun!
12. Buy a pair of black heels. Cause I don't have any and I want some.
13. Save even more money. ;)
14. Feel like my age. You know, continue to have more fun, all of that. Sometimes I feel like I should be in my mid- or late twenties for some reason. Guess cause of all that I've been through.

15. Have the best birthday party ever. ;]
16. Find a new church.
17. Get my ears pierced. This probably won't happen... lol. But it's a good goal, I guess!

18. Spend more time with my dad. I do a lot already, but more won't hurt.
19. Don't underestimate myself.
20. Read more. Gotta find some good books.
21. Take more pictures with friends. I'm lacking photos!

I guess that's all for now. I have some of these written down and posted in my room. :]

Kalikimaka

Mmm, great Christmas! Had a great time this weekend. (: Toooo much awesome food! Got some Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses... THEY ROCK! I love how no one can see me through the lens, haha. >:D My dad got me a gps so I'll quit stealing his... lol.

I just got home a few hours ago. I've been cleaning up and stuff since I've been here, and I have a complete list of stuff I need to do here tomorrow - take decorations down, lots of laundry, aklshgagkadg a LOT.

That's... all.

Rant.

Sorry, I just have a lot of things on my mind at the moment that I need to get out.

Someone in my family called and left a message last week and I still haven't called them back. I think I'll do that tomorrow, but I don't know what to say.

I wish my mom was still here.

I really love Christmas time, but I think the one thing that irks me the most is when people think they have to spend tons of money to get "impressive" gifts. It's possible to get perfectly awesome presents and save money at the same time. I should know. :) Gifts are great, and I love getting something new just like everyone else, but it doesn't have to be expensive. I feel terrible when my dad spends a lot of money on stuff for me. Speaking of dad, that reminds me: I don't quite understand the concept of a parent giving their kid money to buy the PARENT'S gift(s), if they don't at least work for it. (I don't mean an actual job, cause I myself don't have one.) My dad always says "I'll give you some money so you can pick me out some stuff." *sigh* [[At least do chores/help out/do stuff to earn it!]] The money I've spent for Christmas came from me saving here and there from couponing, and selling stuff on eBay. I'm also big on getting discounts, so next time you go shopping, google "storexxxx printable coupons." ;)   

I have no respect for people who lie. Period. Especially when even confronted and found out, they STILL won't admit it. And then I'M to blame?!?!

akjdsdhaklhgsbihgnskdg.

I ordered a pair of weight lifting gloves for my dad via Amazon... since I have the free Amazon Prime (for college students), I got free 2-day shipping as usual. They're supposed to be here tomorrow... I just hope they're here in the morning or early afternoon before we leave for Christmas stuff. >.< Oh, I think they're the same brand as a pair he had before [for like 10 years o.o]. He doesn't remember the brand, but Dick's Sporting Goods didn't have the brand name on their site, so that helped me narrow it down a bit... they better at least be good quality.

I went to Bed Bath & Beyond today. I had moments of future planning - for my own house. It's gonna rock. >:D

I wish I could teleport. I'd go somewhere in the Caribbean to get a few hours of sun, and be right back for Christmas.

I love Christmas crowds, but OMG, it brings out some of the most horrible drivers.

There's a lot more, but I'm too tired to think of it. Maka'i po.

Step inside, walk this way.

Not much goin on here. It's 1:53am as I type, and I guess I'll go to bed in a minute. I'm thinking... Wednesday is gonna be a shopping day. Thrift stores and mall? VS start's their semi-annual sale today (technically it is Tuesday already) and I think Bath and Body Works does too. Usually, if you don't go the first couple of days, you won't get what you want. I always go towards the end, too, cause there is usually a good discount available to use with it.

I really need to list some things on eBay, and get it out of my house. I put everything on pause when school started, and got about halfway done with listing [some] things. Not only is it good money, but I need more space!

Well,
yeah.

Oh, and I'm wondering when FB is gonna decide to import this. It's now 2am, 4/15/10.

An Interesting Read

I just started reading This Present Darkness again. I'm on chapter 19. :] 

I also found an article today, and I thought it was pretty interesting. There is one thing I'd like to add, though. The "Good Man" is a Christian, too. Anyway, here it is:

Hear me out in this one.

Whenever I think of both the women who complain about the nice guy, and the ones who talk about them, I wonder if the girls are aware they might be using the wrong terms for what they want. To me, I think that the man that they are really looking for is a good man, not a nice guy.

What I keep noticing sometimes is that when you are single and looking for a guy who sweeps you off your feet, some people constantly asks for the nice guy, when you really mean the good man. The nice guys are shy, and aims never to piss off to offend the woman in anyway, therefore getting no significant rises to make yourself interesting. The good man is a fair balance who knows his role as a man and as a lover. He's assertive, logical and fair with his love. He doesn't mind hurting or even crying for the love he has, but he also has the strength to stand back on his own two feet afterwards.

When he is in love, you can bet that his heart is yours and vice versa for keeps. He understands that when you want love, you don't want the guy who goes ridiculously overboard and smothering with his love. Just enough to assure you that the love is real. If by chance the love doesn't seem to go right, then he will do what he can to talk about it with his girl, assuming she wants to talk about there being an ending.

If you want to be treated like a queen, the good man doesn't mind doing that, as long as you both don't expect it or take him for a doormat. 


Basically, the good man has a backbone, knows what he wants out of life, is both nice and naughty, and is capable of treating you with the respect you deserve. Not all of them are exactly romantic or like the Stepford husband, but a good man does his part in love and in life to keep you satisfied. Basically, the good man is a little more well-adjusted.

Haaaayyyyy

I have like 3 and a half days til my birthday! And the BEACH! Can't wait. <3

I love my haircut! :DDDDD It's soooo lightweight, lol, which is what I wanted. It may be hard to tell in pictures, but the ends have been thinned out (but I still have length!) and the rest got chopped/layered/razored. I got fringe bangs, too. I'm not quite sure if I'll always wear them that way but at least I can if I want... I like them. <3

I recorded The Apprentice last night... I already heard that Bret Michaels won, but I'm about to watch it anyway! I'm so glad he won, he's gotta be the coolest person I've ever seen on that show.  :D

By the way, I'm so sad that The Vampire Diaries won't be on for a while. :(