Meet my new friend: Sisko

I got a kitten last week. His name is Sisko, he's about 10 weeks old. He's a real little monster but also very snuggly and gets into everything (See the glitter disaster above?). He was abandoned in Miami and I am so happy to give him a home. 

White Lasagna Recipe

• 1 jar of your favorite Alfredo Sauce (or make your own, it's quite easy. new recipe post?)
• Uncooked lasagne noodles
• 1 16 ounce tub of ricotta
• mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, grated for topping
• dried basil and oregano
• garlic powder

1. Cook lasagne pasta until al dente (firm to the bite, basically almost done).
2. Layer noodles, ricotta, Alfredo sauce in a casserole or Pyrex dish.
3. Top with a generous amount of mozzarella and parmesan, then sprinkle on garlic powder, and crushed dried spices.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F, only until the lasagna is hot and cheese is melted, 10-20 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Note: Katie and I were quite puzzled that the noodles are called lasagne with an E but once the dish is put together we call it lasagna with an A. Does this bother anyone else? No... oh okay never mind. It doesn't bother us either :)

Brain candy.

I just finished this book, Firefly Lane, by Kristin Hannah. If you delight in a story line of best friends that wanders on and on throughout their entire lives, this is a winner. I loved the book actually, which begins with Tully and Kate, two best friends in the 1970's. The writer describes the characters' very different personalities in an incredible way. My only criticism about the book is that the end is not necessarily what you'd call happy. But overall, it's an entertaining and enjoyable story about lifelong friends. 

My life is so busy right now. Tonight I'm making white lasagna for dinner...recipe to follow!

-Taylor

In the studio

We've got a hodge-podge of all kinds of crafts going on in the studio right now. It's the perfect time to craft, being stuck inside because of Tropical Storm Isaac. I'm so excited about some cute autumn-y things Katie and I have been making. I've been making lists of Christmas crafts, autumn crafts, etc. Life is pretty nice right now. 

Basically, things are beautiful. You just have to look for it.

A toss-in kind of recipe..the best Taco Soup ever.

Sometimes, when it's raining and there is a hurricane blowing in, all you need is your mom's soup. I love my mother's cooking (who doesn't?) and we joke around with her about the fact that she never makes her dishes the same way twice. Her taco soup however, is an awesome exception. It tastes just perfectly spicy and tex-mex every time. She also doesn't measure; everything just gets tossed in. Here's the recipe-and my suggestion is to add a few toss-ins of your own too. 

1 lb of ground turkey meat
1 packet of your favorite taco seasoning
a handful of red potatoes
white or brown rice
1 lb bag of pinto beans

1. Place your rinsed pinto beans in the crockpot, covering them with water and cook on low overnight. 

2. 2-4 hours before serving, wash and chop potatoes into small chunks, toss into beans.

3. Brown turkey, add taco seasoning, then add this into the beans and potatoes.

4. Cook 1-2 bags of instant rice, or 2 cups of regular rice, and add to soup. 

4. Serve hot and spicy!

Notes: My mom also always makes cornbread to go with her soup. I love it just the way it is, but she likes to add in chopped tomatoes, corn, and onions too before serving. I also like to top mine with grated cheese of any kind. This soup freezes really well too, it makes great leftovers. 

I need Coasters. Cute Ones.

So I'm realizing there is moisture e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e in Florida. Hence the need for coasters. I stumbled upon this cute list of DIY coasters on the M&J Trimming diy blog. The color blocked ones are my favorite and the citrus coasters are adorable!

What kind of coasters do you have? It is time for a diy restyle?

-Taylor

Scrumptious 3-ingredient PB Cookies

If you've had the perfect peanut butter cookie, you're living a wonderful life. If you are searching for one, keep reading. Most importantly, if you want a peanut butter cookie that is perfect for a rainy day and an empty pantry, you've found it. (In case no one noticed...this is the perfect "just-moved-into-my-apartment" cookie).

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

2 cups of Sugar, granulated

2 Cups of Peanut Butter, creamy

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix together eggs and sugar, then add in all of the peanut butter until completely combined.

3. Drop onto greased cookie sheet, criss-cross with a sugar coasted fork if you like and bake for 12 minutes or so.





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