The Best Lasagna Ever

Have you heard of the Pioneer Woman? I am sure you have, but if not, you can find her blog HERE. She makes a lot of down home things and sometimes even healthy things.  I have made a few of her recipes and they always turn out great. One of my favorites is the “Best Lasagna Ever”. 

The Best Lasagna Ever (**modified by me a tad)

Layer 1

10 oz lasagna noodles

Layer 2

3 cups cottage cheese

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup parmesan (**I used shredded, she calls for grated)

2 tlsp Italian seasoning**

Salt

Layer 3

1.5 lb ground beef

1 lb hot breakfast sausage

2 cloves garlic

2 cans (12 oz) whole tomatoes

2 cans (6 oz) tomato paste

Salt

Italian seasoning**

**2 cups chopped zucchini, celery, bell pepper or other veggies

Layer 4

1 lb mozzarella**

Brown the hamburger and sausage with the garlic. Once it’s done, drain off half the fat and add the rest of layer three to the pot. Let that simmer for about 45 minutes. While it’s cooking, mix together layer two and cook the lasagna noodles. Once everything is done, layer (in a 9x13 pan or similar) in order: 3 or 4 noodles, cottage cheese, meat, then add mozzarella. I usually make two pans at a time and can get two layers out of each. Instead of mozzarella on the very top layer, put parmesan on top (after the meat layer). Cook for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

I usually make two pans at a time and cook one right away and put the other in the freezer, where it will keep for a long time and you can make it whenever you want! If you are cooking from frozen, I found it best to leave it out all day and then cook it for about an hour and a half, but it depends on your oven strength (mine is weak).  You can also make it and then keep it in the fridge for a couple days before baking.

**Modifications:  I did use actual shredded parmesan, even though she says you can use Kraft. I also used real buffalo mozzarella, even though her photo shows the harder kind of mozzarella (like string cheese).  I also added veggies, which is not in her recipe, but I like to sneak them in when I can. For Italian seasoning, she uses separate ingredients of basil, parsley etc. But I found it easier to just use Italian Seasoning!

 If you are interested in calories, if you make this into 12 servings, it’s approximately 450-500 calories per serving. So it’s not necessarily low fat, but it sure is good! I use two pans and can get about 9-12 servings per pan, so that cuts it down a little. Except for the fact that I just eat TWO servings instead!

What is your favorite Lasagna recipe? Have you tried any of the Pioneer Woman’s recipes? Do you modify recipes or stick to the schedule?

A Bit of Snow and A Book

This week has been pretty mellow. With the weather like it is, it isn't conducive to really do much else than stay inside and read! I am still going through my stuff, both computer-wise and physically, and am finding (and throwing away) some interesting things! I may have to do a post next week about "weird things I have found on my computer". But until then, grab a hot cocoa (inspired by Kim) and check out what this week entailed!

I ate a lot of these. They are the Costco International chocolates from Belgium and other chocolatey countries. I really only like the two dark ones, and I am eating them nice and slowly, but my parents have made a pretty good dent in the other flavors! 

 I picked out my first book FROM MY BOOKSHELF to read! I have a whole box of "books I haven't read" so as I've said before, I am TRYING to read them instead of buying new ones! #1 The Handmaid's Tale. Have you read it?

It snowed. And then rained. Which became this. But it did not stop me from running 5 miles in the rain and slush! I was SOAKING wet when I got done! I would rather run in plain old snow than in this wet mess! 

But the little bit of snow WAS pretty! 

Then it rained and rained and rained HARD, and we had to drive at night with rocks on the road! SLIPPERY WHEN WET!

For Christmas I got the Macro Extension Tubes that I wanted.  Except I haven't quite figured out how to use them. Does anyone have any pointers? I feel like I am holding the camera SO close to the object!

How was your week? Did it snow in your neck of the woods? Do you go running if the weather is bad? Have you read The Handmaid's Tale?

12 in 2012 (2): January

A while back, I joined up with Jill for the 12 in 2012 running challenge. You can read more about it on her site HERE. It entails running 12 half marathons in 2012, which sounded like a great idea to me! I thought it a great way to keep myself motivated and to possibly get to run a few races in places I have never been.

I will admit, I have had a hard time deciding how to schedule these races. I should have known that it would not be easy, since I travel a lot for work and don't really have a "home base" so to speak. And even when I do have a semi-home-base, I don't know how long I will be there, since my work is on a contractual, as needed basis and can arise at the drop of a hat.

So, I wondered, how the HECK was I going to plan 12 races this year!? Well, I started off by assuming I would be home, in California. I used Running in the USA to figure out where the upcoming half marathons near me were. Of course, I am hoping I will not be home, but at least this gives me a little bit of a plan, even though it IS tentative! There are some REALLY fun looking races in my area and there are also races year round, which is more than I expected! Luckily within 100 miles of me, there is pretty good winter weather conditions!

Next up was my training schedule. This has been hard, I have to be honest. First there was Christmas and family and then New Years and travel (with hiking and pilates though!) and the next week it was roofing and sorting! There just seems like a lot to do and I am so tired! But I am trying to run at least 15-25 miles a week, even though it has been a chore (and I haven't quite made my mark each week). Thank goodness for the HBBC or else I may have been a real lazy person during the holidays. Training has not been as good as I wanted, but it has not gone away entirely!

Dec 19 - 25: 28 mi run
Dec 26 - Jan 1: 20 mi run (+ 4 mi walk)
Jan 2 - Jan 8: 10 mi run ( +19 mile hike / 9 mi walk)
Jan 9 - Jan 15: 8 mi run (+24 hr roofing)

As you can see, I am going steadily downhill, which was not the plan at all! But, this week I have 11 miles so far, and plan to run 6 today and a 10 mile run this weekend, giving me roughly 27 miles.

The weekend after, I have my first of twelve half marathons for the year! It is the Coyote Hills Half in Fremont, CA. Since most of my running lately has been trail running, I decided to sign up for a semi-trail run. I am very excited to try something new, and kind of relieved to not have to attempt a PR, since trail running is already a little slower anyway! I plan to have fun and hopefully get some of my drive back!

Has anyone else run their first race of the year yet? Is anyone else running THIS race?

Where I've Lived (2) : New Orleans

New Orleans. It's a great place to live. Even though I was there right after Katrina, it still had heart. The people still had joy and food! And music! If you ever get a chance to go, do it. Go eat all the delicious food and go to a small hole in the wall bar and watch a live show. It's totally worth it.

I not only lived in NOLA for several years, but I also started my 365 Project in NOLA and so I have a lot of photos of everyday life, which is what a 365 project is all about! I am glad that I tried it while I was there, because there are so many fun and interesting things to take photos of! You can see other photos of New Orleans HERE. 

It's almost time for Mardi Gras again! Soon people will be partying in the streets! I know the King Cakes are already being eaten. And the babies are being discovered!

9th Ward : 2009

King Cake Babies

French Quarter Doors

St Bernard Parish

St Louis Cemetery

Mardi Gras Beads (Lower Garden District)

City Park

For my previous Where I've Lived: New Orleans, go HERE. Don't worry; there are other places on the way!

Have you ever been somewhere where they celebrate Carnival / Mardi Gras (or another big event)? Did you like it or would you rather visit a place when it is less crowded?

Eleven * 3

Thanks to Lucy, I have something to talk about today. Otherwise, the brain is functioning very slowly these days!

11 things about me

1. Right now I am in a sorting mode. You probably already read about my sorting through my storage and throwing things away? Well I am also trying to sort through my computer and name all my photos and organize them and print some out etc. I need to do it more often, but traveling around a lot often causes me to just put them in a folder by month and date and then forget about them for a while. 

2. I signed up for my first 12 in 2012. But you will have to wait to hear more about it. I am excited! Finally got the ball rolling! 

3. I have a chapstick everywhere. One in my purse; one in my toiletry bag; one in my pocket; one in my running bag. I have to have it everywhere I go. I need some right now actually!

4. I don't like dogs. Sorry dog lovers. They smell and are hairy and slobbery and they pee and poop and you have to feed them and walk them and stuff. Just not my cup of tea. 

5. I love playing games. Cards. Board games. Wii. Word games. Quizzes. Whatever! Bring it on! I challenge you to a game of charades!

6. I have only read one book this year. See #1 above. Due to this, I have NOT been reading. At all. Also, I have 3 magazine subscriptions that I am way behind on, like 3 months. So I have several books and about a 8 magazines that I need to read. AFTER I sort all my photos. 

7. I barely ever wear socks except when I go running. When I lived in San Francisco (or Florida, or NOLA) I wore flip flops 90% of the time. Except when I was working. But then I often wore open toed shoes or flats, with no socks. And sometimes even at work, I wore "nice" flip flops, even though I am not sure I was allowed. Nobody said anything. :)

8. I have one brother. He makes wine. And beer. He is a very nice brother. VERY NICE.

9. I rarely wear makeup. When I need to, I put on mascara. And chapstick!

10. I haven't gotten my hair cut in about 8 months. The time before that was when I chopped it all off in Thailand. I need a haircut but I am TRYING to grow it out. Also, the last time I went to the local hairdresser, and she took about 7 minutes and didn't cut it any better than my Dad could have! What a waste of money!

11. I am dreaming of lying on the beach in Mexico. Anybody want to join me?

11 questions for me

1. If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be? 

I guess Abe Lincoln would be an interesting fellow to have a little chat with over coffee. 

2. What's your favorite smell? 

Cinnamon, the first smell of rain, a nice clean soapy man smell

3. If you had to choose 3 bands to listen to for the rest of your life, who would they be? 

Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Kings of Leon

4. Chocolate Frosty or Vanilla Frosty? 

Neither

5. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A Vet

6. Ice or no ice in your drink? 

Depends on the drink, but probably ICE. 

7. If they were to make a movie of your life, who would play you? 

Gweneth Paltrow

8. Guilty pleasure food? 

Cheeze-itz

9. If you had to choose between having perfect health for the rest of your life or having an unlimited supply of money, which would you choose?

Health BY FAR! 

10. How would you describe yourself in 3 words. 

Reliable

Organized

Stubborn 

11. Most important accomplishment you have done thus far in life. 

Wow, this is a hard one. I guess graduating from college was a very proud moment. Also traveling the world, but that is more fun than responsible! 

11 Questions for You: 

1. What kind of toothpaste do you use?

2. Name your dream vacation.

3. How many siblings do you have?

4. What blog do you read (almost) every day?

5. What would you do if you won 1 million dollars?

6. Do you like animals?

7. What's your favorite book?

8. What's better: having a housekeeper or having a chef?

9. What's worse: snakes or spiders?

10. Where is the farthest you have been from home?

11. Who is the most inspirational person in your life?

I tag

You

The Rules

1. Post the rules.

2. Post 11 things about you.

3. Answer the questions the tagger asked you.

4. Write 11 new questions for those you tag.

You can do this on your own blog or answer some of the questions in the comments!

A-List Monday: Roofing vs Exercise

For the last week, I have been helping to re-roof a neighbor's house. It has not been easy! Not only is standing at an angle very uncomfortable, but it also uses muscles you did not even know you had! However, this may be better than a workout! Everyone who has made a New Year's resolution to work out more should just start doing construction instead.

FYI, the roof we put on was metal, which entails metal panels about 3 feet wide and  8-10 feet long. The roof was pretty steep on most of it, which makes it hard to keep the panels from sliding. I have illustrated these concepts below with my "excellent" art skills (which are at about preschool level).

3 ways Roofing is like exercise: 

{1} Roofing is like Yoga. You are constantly stretching, kneeling, crouching to reach a stapler without having to move too far while holding a panel, doing the childs pose in order to screw in the panel you are holding down with your body, or doing a downward dog in order to hold down a panel without it slipping.

{2} Roofing is like aerobics. You are walking up and down the roof, hopping over things, running across the panels and best of all, crouching and standing, crouching and standing. I once took a salsa aerobics class in college. Let me tell you, roofing makes you twice as sore the next day!

{3} As shown above, roofing IS weight lifting! I must have screwed in several hundred screws over the past few days. This is no easy feat, since the metal panels are difficult to screw. You have to put some muscle into it. Well, when you don't have any arm muscles to speak of, this is HARD! My arm is like jello today! Just the right one though. Also, the panels don't (unfortunately) walk themselves from the ground to the roof. They have to be carried! This means military presses for everyone!

According to LoseIt, you burn 300 calories an hour by roofing x 8 hours = 2400 calories per day. It's like running a marathon!  So, for all you January resolution makers, instead of joining a gym, go join Habitat For Humanity! It's cheaper AND it's a better workout.

Have you ever done any home improvement work? Did you like it? Were you sore the next day?

Look What I Found This Week

This week, since the weather has been so un-winterlike, I decided to do a little "spring" cleaning. Since I travel so much, all my stuff (except for my one suitcase that I travel with) is in storage. This week, I went through that storage, to see what I could get rid of. Of course, if you are like me, you know that sometimes going through your storage to "get rid of it" results in a walk down memory lane. So, grab a beer (inspired by Kim) and look what I found this week! In addition, I did do a few other things. They are also included below.

Before I went crazy and started doing a major sorting movement, I had my extended family's Christmas party (in January)! It was great to see all the cousins! 

My Dad (yup, that's a kilt) and cousin

Some of my younger cousins -- pretty in pink

I went running. Only twice! I have been slacking due to the fact that I have had so many other things to do this week! I need to get back on track, so to speak! 

I found a new trail! A little overgrown but FUN!

Instead of running, I have been helping re-roof a house! It is a lot of work! 

I also went to an auction -- not to buy anything, but to see how it worked, in case I want to sell anything. BUT...you can get some darn good deals on things! I saw one 46 piece dish set, a nice one too, go for about 5 dollars! 

Okay, so you have gone through old stuff, right?
I wonder if you keep as strange of things as I do. 

{1} My diary from when I was about 8. Complete with fool proof locking device!

 

 {2} My first medal from my FIRST running race! 1986.

{3} My first digital camera!

 

{4} My "best friends" necklace from Jr. High! Remember those!?

{5} SO MANY books. It is really hard to get rid of them though! 

*in case you can't read, they are "travel/memoir/reference" and "Not Read Yet" *

*These are the "not read yet" books! 

A whole box. I am SO embarrassed! I need to get a move on with my book reading goal!*

But...and you should be very proud, I got rid of FOUR bankers boxes of books! FOUR! I am sad, but happy!! 

And, last but not least, we had a bonfire. To burn the old files I threw away (tell me, WHY did I keep some of them?) as well as....the Christmas tree! How sad. Except I don't know if you can see or not, but my parents were VERY excited about it. 

Okay now, you need to help me. Am I normal? Or do you keep things too? What item is it hardest for you to get rid of? What do you do with your Christmas tree once you take it down?

One Step at a Time

I have run on and off for a long time. From May 2010 to May 2011, I did not run at all. I traveled; I did some hiking; I did some lifting of the 40 pound backpack from time to time, but otherwise was not that active. I did not want to worry about when I would run or the safety of running (very often a concern in some of the places we went). I wanted to have fun and see the sights. So that is what I did. I also gained about 10 pounds. When I got home from my travels, I felt blah. I knew I had been eating badly and not exercising. I decided to put an end to it.

I did not start running again to lose weight. I did it for many reasons. I had just moved to a new place and started a new job. I needed to have a goal. I needed a way to keep myself busy in an otherwise unknown place. I needed to get rid of that heavy feeling.  I also changed my eating habits. Before, I had been eating out a lot. I ate everything on my plate because I did not know when we would eat again. Even when I did not eat out, food often consisted of whatever I could get my hands on and even better, what was easy to travel with or get while traveling. There were a lot of sandwiches, cup of noodles, tuna, crackers, jerky and other non-perishable items.

Six months later, I feel 100% better. I have lost weight, but more importantly, I lost that heavy feeling that I had. Running has played a big part in this feeling. I have something to look forward to and it is not only good for my health but it is good for my mental stability. My suggestion to you, if you are trying to achieve the same is:

Make a Schedule: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Even if your plan consists of “run 1 mile, 1x per week”, make it and try your best to stick to it. Achieving goals, no matter how small, makes you feel productive, which in turn makes you feel good about yourself, which in turn keeps you going strong and making new goals (next month maybe you will run TWO miles, 2x per week!)

Sign Up For a Race: If you feel brave, signing up for a race, a 5k maybe, is the best thing to do. It gives you something to look forward to/strive for. Also for me, it seems harder to back out once I am signed up. And I am not going to go at it half-way. Once I sign up and pay, I have made that commitment to myself to do as well as I can. It makes you more accountable. Besides, the most fun part about running is the races. If you don’t experience a race, you may never know the true joy of the sport. If you are not ready to run, join one and walk! It's fun to be surrounded by such energy!

Baby Steps: Everyone starts somewhere. I ran a lot in the past, but having time off brought me right back to the beginning. When I first tried to run 2 miles, I had trouble. Don’t worry about it. A good strategy is to run until you can’t run anymore (100 feet? That’s okay!), then walk for a little while, then run again until you can’t, then walk. Alternate this pattern for a certain amount of time. You can also use time as your guide. A run one minute, walk two (or three or four) minutes schedule is a good idea. Then you gradually increase your running segment and decrease your walking segment little by little and eventually you will get rid of your walking segment altogether.

Change in eating habits were also a huge part of my increase in energy. But this post is long enough. Stay tuned for information on how I changed my food intake in order to feel more energetic, healthier, faster and slimmer. 

Dont' forget to go check out Jill's Fitness Friday link up! 

Have you ever taken a long break from running? What advice would you have for someone just starting out (or getting back into it after a break?)

A Hiking We Will Go

Mr. Lovely hails from the Northeast and has never been to Yosemite! So we decided that although it is winter, we would go and see what adventures awaited us. I was expecting snowshoeing and hot chocolate by the fire to be honest, but it couldn't have worked out better. Since we haven't had a lot of snow this season, the high passes were still open and we made good use of the late arrival of winter!

I know that you have seen enough cliched photos of Yosemite and I know that I will never be able to compete with Ansel, so I will give you a few alternatives. We decided to hike up the Four Mile Trail  to Glacier Point, which was a 4.8 mile one way hike, with a 3200 foot elevation gain. It was a nice path actually; it wasn't too steep and it was smooth and even paved for part of it. I know...paved! The views were fantastic! I am not really sure why it's called the Four Mile Trail.

View from four mile trail

Once we got to the top, we had a snack and decided to brave a longer hike around, instead of going back down the way we came. We took the Panorama trail, which ends up going over near Half Dome and then back down near Vernal Falls. From Glacier Point around and back down was about 8.5 miles.

View from Glacier Point

Illilouette Fall

So, total mileage was about 13.3 miles. Afterwards, we went and each had a hamburger, an order of chicken wings AND a bowl of chili! We were starving!

We also went to the Tunnel View for the sunset view of the valley. It was gorgeous! Except why is it that when you ask a person to take a photo for you, you either get a blurry one, or one with your feet (or head) chopped off, or something of the sort?

First, I took a photo of Mr. L. Isn't the view nice?

Then he took one of me. El Capitan! Half Dome! Oh My!

Then we asked a Random to take one of both of us. 

Seriously? 

We actually asked ANOTHER Random to take a photo and he took one of us standing (RIGHT) in front of (ie BLOCKING) Half Dome. AND he had a huge Canon, so I thought he knew what he was doing!  Sheesh!

PS. Our calves were SO SORE the next day! 

What is the longest hike you have ever done? Have you been to Yosemite?

Bookmark Break Challenge 2012

Last year I participated in AubrieAnne's Bookmark Break Challenge. She challenged everyone to get their dusty old books off the shelves and finish them! She said that if we read more books than she did in 2011, she would give us prizes! Well, I read more books than she did! In 2011, I read 66 books. Here is what I got for my efforts!





I also got free ad space on her blog for one year! This year, I plan on taking part in her challenge again.





My personal goal is to read at least 52 books this year, or one a week. I also think I already mentioned this, but I would like to try to read at least one book a month that I already have laying around. I am going to try not to buy any books this year (except for the ones I buy with my B&N or Amazon gift cards!) This means I will be downloading a lot of free classics from Amazon as well as reading a lot of free reviewer books from Dorrance and LibraryThing. I also plan on reading a lot of library books. At least that's the goal!

Last year I not only took part in AubrieAnne's challenge, but I also joined an online book club at The Many Thoughts of a Reader. We are currently reading State of Wonder by Anne Patchett. One of my other book goals for 2011 was to read more classics. I did read A Christmas Carol as well as several of the Anne of Green Gables series, but I need to get more on the ball this year for that.

You can find out more about what I am reading, reviewing, planning on reading and hoping to read on my BOOKSHELF page. Also, if you haven't already, come see what I am reading on Goodreads!

What are your book related goals for this year? Are you involved in any book clubs?