Mom's Lasagna Recipe & How I Thought I'd Killed My Father-in-Law

 Lasagna. Oh, how I love you. With garlic bread on a cold night. But only my momma's recipe will do.

Hubby has always loved it and it was the very first meal I cooked for my in-laws when Hubby and I had them over for dinner just after we married. Everything was perfect.

I just didn't account for the glass shards.

I really wasn't trying to kill my father-in-law. OK, 'killed' might be a little dramatic, but you'll get the picture...

I had just started cooking and could only make three recipes. My kitchen was the smallest, ugliest kitchen you could ever have but I loved it because it was all mine. I had scrubbed the white metal cabinets (all 3 of them) until they shined and vacuumed the old brown carpet in the dining room/breakfast room/family room (ok, there was only one room). The only table we had was set. The TV (which sat on a 2 x 4 board balanced on two paint cans hidden by a piece of fabric) sat across from our white couches that we were able to buy when we sold one of our cars. (No one said that the baby that would arrive a few years later would not be so kind to white couches). We had no curtains, no pictures on the bland vanilla walls, not much of anything in that little two bedroom apartment, actually, but we didn't care.

To outside eyes, the place was probably pitiful, but to me, it was our first home and I was so happy to have it.

In the rush to make everything 'perfect' for our dinner, I turned too quickly and an empty glass bowl slipped out of my hands. It broke into a gazillion pieces. Shew, good thing I had a spare to put the salad in! I quickly cleaned up the mess just as my in-laws arrived.  Everything was going fabulous and the lasagna was divine.

Until.

New father-in-law had a major 'crunch' going on in his lasagna.

Lasagna should never be crunchy.

His eyes got a wide as he spit out a piece of glass.

Oh dear. My eyes got wide too.

It seems that when that bowl shattered in that tiny kitchen, a few pieces of it flew into the lasagna.

And ended up in my father-in-law's mouth.

You really can't play off a piece of glass in someone's lasagna. I mean, I had no kids to blame it on yet, no pets.

It's really not like an 'oopsie, sorry that I about lacerated your esophagus' kind of moment.

Thankfully everyone laughed it off since there were no injuries (as they slowly backed away from the remaining lasagna). I mean, really, if you think about it, that could've ended up REALLY BAD. Needless to say, it happened over 20 years ago and I still get kidded about it two or three times a year.

So, if you are brave enough, here is the recipe that has been talked about for decades...just omit the glass please. :) Without it, it truly is delish and is what I usually make for birthday and Christmas Eve dinners. I think the secret ingredient is the sour cream...

INGREDIENTS:

LASAGNA NOODLES (Mom's directions say 1/3 package...you'll need 9 noodles layered in a 9 x 13 pan, I always have some noodles that fall apart so I cook extra just in case)

SOUR CREAM  - 1/2 PINT (I never know how much a pint is, just buy a small container)

MOZZARELLA CHEESE - (I BUY 3 PACKS OF THE 6 OZ. SLICES) ENOUGH TO COVER 3 LAYERS OF NOODLES

PARMESAN CHEESE

SAUCE:

1 LB HOT SAUSAGE

1 ONION (you can buy the frozen version already chopped!)

1 CAN DICED TOMATOES (14 oz) - I love Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

1 CAN TOMATO SAUCE (14 oz)

1 TBSP SUGAR

1/2 TSP. SALT

1 TSP. BASIL

DASH OF GARLIC

***IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY AND DON'T WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN SAUCE, I SOMETIMES CHEAT AND USE 1 JAR OF BERTOLLI'S OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC SPAGHETTI SAUCE AND I ADD A CAN OF TOMATOES AND THE COOKED SAUSAGE TO IT.  INSTANT SAUCE! 

DIRECTIONS:

Brown the sausage and onion; Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, sugar, salt, basil and garlic; Cover and simmer. Give it time, it's more yummy that way.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions.

Make three layers in a 9 x 13 glass pan: Start with 3 noodles (or however many you need to cover the bottom of the pan), smooth 1/3 of the sour cream onto the noodles as if you are generously buttering bread; Layer mozzarella cheese slices over the noodles and sour cream. Add 1/3 of the tomato mixture on top of the cheese, then sprinkle sauce with parmesan cheese.  Repeat three times.

Cook @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered.

I usually serve with garlic bread and a caesar salad. So good.

I hope you have time to try it.

Love, 

Elizabeth

P.S. - I hope to get a system in the future where if you comment and I answer you, you will get an email letting you know. Right now, unfortunately, you just have to check back to the post you commented on if you want to see my response. I tried emailing everyone my answers, and it soon got so time consuming that I couldn't consistently do that. Sorry for the trouble, I hope down the road it will be more efficient. Have a great day!

I always watch Elizabeth dish out my food, you know, just in case.

What's on my bedside table...A Book List and Review

Happy New Year! I've missed you! My Christmas decor is still up, Bear is snowed out of school and I haven't tried out the new exercise equipment I got for Christmas. Not once. I just hate for the newness to wear off or anything...Starting off with a bang!

Are you guys all snuggled in for the winter? With cold weather and snow here, for me that means more time at home curled up by the fire with a good book. If you are looking for something to read, here's what I've been reading and what I plan to read...Over the last month I've gone a little crazy and have been a reading fiend. I'm really leaning toward biographies and other nonfiction lately so there's only one fiction book listed, however, my friend has recommended a few fiction books she liked that I have on my 'Going to Read' List that is included at the end. 

Here we go:

FICTION:

1) Orphan Train by Christina Baker Cline. I admit I listened to this as an audio book on audible.com instead of reading, (so great to listen while I do the dishes!) but I think that counts. I really enjoyed this one about an unexpected friendship between an aging out foster child and an elderly Irish immigrant who years ago was orphaned in New York City.

NONFICTION:

2) Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs...I am in the middle of this one, it drags a bit but I would love to finish it because I truly believe it has such an important message on strengthening your marriage from a 'what men need vs. what women need' scenario.  You can order a workbook to accompany it and I would love to participate or even lead a Bible study on it since it is biblically based. 

3) Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.  Interesting memoir, especially if you are from the hills of Kentucky/Ohio. It kept me reading and comparing my Kentucky upbringing to his. Description reads - "From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, a powerful account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America's white working class."

4) Call Me Tuesday by Leigh Byrne...another audiobook listened to on audible.com. Heart wrenching story about childhood abuse. Why do I do this to myself?? Reminds me a little of 'A Child Called It', if you are familiar with that one.

5) The Magnolia Story by Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines with Mark Dagostino.   Y'all know I love Chip and Joanna Gaines from the HGTV show Fixer Upper, and this book did not disappoint. Great to read about their faith, how they met and how their business began. 

6) Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint Hill.  I loved it. It's an account written from the point of view of the secret service agent who was assigned to Jackie Kennedy during the presidency of JFK. I do think the agent was in love with Jackie O. Wasn't everyone in love with Jackie O?

7) Still Points North by Leigh Newman. I had never heard of this, it was just a new one sitting in the library so I gave it a try. Not the most profound story in the world, but not terrible, I'm still reading but almost done. A true account of a child growing up in Alaska and the difficulties of her parent's divorce. One I wouldn't pay for, but a free read from the library is doable.

8) The Gospel of Mark -  Lisa Harper. This is a Bible study I'm participating in. I can't tell you how much I fell in love with the author of this study (there's an accompanying video available also if you like to do it in a group setting). She's so relatable, so funny (and she LOVES chocolate, hello?) She's one of those people who teaches with such ease that you forget you are learning. Adore her and getting deeper into the book of Mark. If you like Beth Moore, you will love Lisa.

Edited to add: 

9) I somehow left off a book written by one of my favorite persons on earth, Edie Wadsworth. Her memoir, All The Pretty Things, describes how she faced the hardest moments in her life, from growing up in poverty with an alcoholic father to facing her own demons and finding her faith.

RECOMMENDED FICTION (on my list to read soon):

9) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  (Reviews say it's better to read than to listen to on audiobook). A French blind girl and a German orphan cross paths during WWII. 

10) Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. Description reads - A baby is washed ashore in a boat on an island where a childless couple lives. Against the husband's judgement, the couple claims the child as their own. When she is two, they return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

11) Cross the Line by James Patterson - The Alex Cross series- action/mystery. (I haven't read this series in a long time, but I usually love all James Patterson books, as long as he is the only author. Not always crazy about the ones with a co-author.)

A FEW OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE READS:

Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer.

By the way, there's always a book or two out there that's really popular that I just don't get...this one is a few years old, but I tried it and couldn't finish: The Shack by William P. Young.

Don't hate me if you loved it, but anyone else out there not like it, or was it just me?

Please let me know your favorite book list in the comments! I would love to add to my 'Going to Read' list for this year. I also would like to post on favorite Netflix shows and podcasts, if you'd like to comment below or email your favorites to elizabeth@ellieandelizabeth.com, I'd love to hear them also!

Love,

Elizabeth

Elizabeth got exercise equipment. for. Christmas. As a gift.

I can't stop giggling.

What to Put in a Dough Bowl at Christmas

I was at an antique store killing time when I saw it. It was the largest dough bowl I had ever laid my eyes on. I brought it home and my husband asked if it was a sled for the boys.

*Eye Roll* No, it's NOT a sled for the boys! Hello? It's a dough bowl, of course!

I didn't tell him that I wouldn't have known what it was either if I hadn't seen it on Pinterest, but that's our secret.

There's always a joke about it when you see it for the first time cuz it just commands attention sitting there all huge on the kitchen island. It's a fun conversation piece to have but then there's that teeny problem that comes with it.

OHMYGOODNESS, you have to fill it up with something. 

What to put in a dough bowl at Christmas??? All I could think about was that would look cute overflowing with one million ornaments, but who wants to buy one million ornaments? Then my sister-in-law (I have the greatest sisters-in-law) taught me how to make a flower arrangement and BAM, I knew I could make a fresh arrangement in a dough bowl.

I had cut quite a bit of greenery when I got the clippings for the magnolia and fir garlands - here if you missed it - and so I thought I'd use the remainder inside the house. Since it's not going to last as long inside without water, here was the plan:

I lined the bottom of dough bowl with garbage bags. I'm sure there's a more glamorous option you could use if you have it, but you need something to protect the wood. I then filled my sink with water and floated in a few floral foam bricks (be sure to get the ones that say 'wet' on them, I got mine at JoAnn's Fabric - and I snuck Ellie in too). I let them sink into the water on their own because supposedly the bricks will be saturated all the way through that way. Once they are submerged and filled with water, I cut them into sizes that would fit into wide mouth, shallow bowls. I spaced out the bowls in the dough bowl. In this arrangement I also put in two poinsettias in between the bowls, but you could just have greenery if you'd like.

I used a foam brick under one poinsettia to make the plants the same height.

Then the fun begins. I start with the longest fir branches (any evergreen will work) and stick them into the floral foam at each long end of the dough bowl. I like these to overhang the bowl about six inches or so. Then I take shorter pieces and put them down each side. All you've done so far is the first base layer around the lip of the bowl, so it will be uneven and not totally covering everything yet and that's okay. Next, just start filling in with shorter fir branches or whatever you have. I used magnolia, holly, and some branches that had pinecones. Keep sticking your branches into the foam so they will stay fresh longer.

TIP: once you push them in, don't move the stem. If you have to, just completely re-stick it, because the tip needs to be firmly into the brick to be hydrated and movement may cause air pockets..

Once you have full coverage of the base of the bowl, or close to it, trim the sides so the branches are more even. I cut quite a bit off of mine. It's better to start with longer branches so they can reach the foam bricks and then trim them back as you go. 

This is when you can add pinecones, ornaments, poinsettia blooms, whatever you want to give it a little Christmas boost but also cover up any gaps you may have. I used pinecones, magnolia leaves and holly branches.

I water the foam bricks every few days and I leave out the arrangement about a month. I'm sure my watering method misses the brick areas occasionally, so if you are like me, be aware that the inside of your dough bowl could end up wet, even with the garbage bag liners. I've had no problems with this (this is my second arrangement) but I just want you aware that this is not sealed tight and there is a risk of water damage to your bowl. Mine is very primitive so it's not really an issue, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Okay, now for the complete confession: Sometimes there are critters in the greenery.

I know! Horrifying.

Like the time I was having about 12 or so people over and literally right before they arrived for dinner, there were tiny specks appearing all over my island countertop...right where the food was going to go. On closer inspection, I saw they were...spiders. That dough bowl had been on the island for two weeks with nothing and bam, spiders everywhere. As my guests arrived, I was chucking the bowl out onto the back porch, trying to act as if I always tossed my centerpieces out the door when guests came over. Good times.

So be sure to hose your greenery off, or buy it from someone who does, lol!

I'm not sure how much I'll post between here and January since the kiddos are home and out of school, (read - I get nothing done with the kiddos home and out of school), but I want to say you all have made 2016 very special for me. Taking the time the read and comment on the blog is a big deal in blogland and I appreciate each and every one of you. I pray your Christmas and New Year is wonderful and full of joy.

Hugs,

Elizabeth

Look who got all in the Christmas spirit and is sharing his reindeer blanket...

P.S. If Bear gets the potbellied pig like he asked for, I'm headed to Grandma's.

How to Make a Magnolia Garland

Y'all, I saw a magnolia garland last year and it was so gorgeous. It was about a foot thick and over the top beautiful. I knew no matter how many trips I visited Hubby's grandfather's magnolia tree, I didn't see myself getting enough leaves to make a 12 inch thick garland...so here's the simple version which I think turned out pretty darn cute. (And a big thank you to my sis-in-law for figuring out how to do it!)

First, gather your leaves. Find a cutie patootie niece like the one below to help you. She helped my sis-in-law and I gather as many as we could stuff in her car since we were going to use them for three or four houses. (Hey, when the word gets out that you can decorate with free magnolia, people notice and you become an instant magnolia magnet). I'm totally estimating here but I'd say that the garland took about 200 leaves to make.

I'm not saying anything about the greenery sticking out of the bottom of the magnolia. I'm just saying that if you see it out and about in a field where it is growing in the wild, it may end up in this car. The niece is an innocent bystander.

Second, take three leaves of similar size and staple them near the stems into the shape of a fan.

Take a small rope the length of the garland you would like (I used what I had on hand, which was 18 ft of piping, and that worked out perfectly for around the front door) and starting at one end, wrap the stems around the rope with thin floral wire.

Keep repeating this process by layering the next set of leaves to hide the wire from the previous set until the entire rope is covered. Watch The Crown on Netflix while wiring, it makes it more fun.

My magnolia garland is hanging on top of a 'background garland' to give it fuller look. A faux garland here will work perfectly, I admit I couldn't find mine that I usually use, (imagine me being unorganized! Shocker!) so I made one using fir limbs.

I took limbs that were about two feet or so and wired them together every few feet toward the cut end of each branch, making the lengths that would hang down each side of the door first. Then I created what would hang over the arch by hanging a limb over the top of the door and wiring branches to it to fill in the gaps from there. (Lowe's and other places that sell live Christmas trees will have bundles of extra pieces for sale if you don't have any evergreen trees to trim). 

Both garlands are hung by wrapping wire from the greenery onto 8 screws that Hubby put into the brick above the door's arch. (He used a 1/4 masonry drill bit).  I put lights on the fir garland, then layered the magnolia garland on top. When you hang your magnolia garland, note the direction it's going. I ended up hanging mine up the left side of the door and then over the door's arch.  I cut the rope at that point and hung the remaining piece of garland down the right side so that the leaves were pointing downward. I wired the two garlands together once on each side about midpoint, just to keep the magnolia garland from flipping backwards in the wind. Once that was hung, I wired in a few of the extra greenery pieces to the top at the center to give it a little more depth and then added a wired bow.

As most of you know, I like my projects to be quick and simple. This one took a little time but wasn't too difficult, and I love how it turned out! Last year I decorated with magnolia and fir and it lasted outside close to a month without withering. The magnolia doesn't always last as long as the fir, but even if it turns a little, it's still looks a pretty, velvety color.

Please comment if you have any questions or if I wasn't clear on any detail.  And I'd love to post your pics if you make your own garland!

So glad you came by! Next up is how to make an arrangement in a dough bowl (or any bowl!) with real greenery. See you then!

Love,

Elizabeth

I have to admit that I do look cute in my new Christmas sweater.

PS- we found out if you put fake poinsettias outside and it rains, it turns your staircase red. Just sayin'.

Christmas in the Master Bedroom!

Sooooo, the halls are decked with holly and I'm looking for some mistletoe to hang, but other than that, the Master Bedroom is finished.....

It's cozy and sparingly decorated because for Hubby and I, this is our retreat. No kid's stuff allowed. No clutter. It's the one room in the house that I can depend on to wake up and go to bed in peace. 

Speaking of Hubby..while I show you the bedroom, I've GOT to tell you what he did. You remember that movie, Pretty Woman?  I used to just swoon watching Julia Roberts being romanced by Richard Gere....this was my favorite movie for years until I grew up a little and realized my favorite movie was about a prostitute. Oopsie. So not me.

Anyhoo, so there's Hubby. 

Y'all, Richard Gere can't hold a candle to him.

I know, how is this possible?

Let me tell you!

So we left church Sunday night driving separately (I was too lazy to come early for choir practice) and I had announced I was stopping in at Kroger before going home. Bear was with me...the Kroger employees know Bear and look forward to him stopping in because he's sooo wild and entertaining there. I've often said if I ever have a stroke, it'll be because I had Bear at Kroger.

Needless to say, as I parked I was dreading going in with my big list and dreading even more opening my car door out into the rain with no umbrella, no coat, no nothing. 

I open the car door with a sigh....as I waited for my hair to turn into a huge frizz ball, out of nowhere a large umbrella is held over me as I get out. 

There, in the rain, stands my Hubby, holding the large umbrella above my head instead of over himself. 

Swoon! My knight didn't want me out in the rain...or having a stroke in Kroger, so he stopped in to save me.

Y'all, it was the stuff out of movies. I felt like I should be wearing a gorgeous medieval dress as I pranced across that parking lot under my knight's protection.

And then, he got the majority of the groceries and pushed the cart! 

I know, it's a dream come true. Sounds like no biggie, but I have a bad back, so it IS a big deal. I felt a little teary. Had he come home and completed the night with vacuuming, I don't think I could've handled it.

We got home, put Bear to bed and retreated to our bedroom, our little sanctuary.

Hubby's closet is on the left, mine is on the right..leading to the master bath

It's where private conversations take place, it's where Hubby whispers sweet nothings in my ear and listens to my deepest fears and greatest victories. 

Most of all it's the place for resolution and rest. We try our best to follow Ephesias 4:26 - Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry.

We are pretty good at this, especially after a night like that... I mean, how could I ever be angry with my knight with the umbrella who pushes the cart? Well, there is this one thing...

A couple of weeks ago, Knight 'accidentally' cancelled HGTV.

Oh, no he didn't! 

Oh, YES HE DID! And Fixer Upper just started the new season.

He's claiming he had no idea it was in the group of channels he cancelled. Good thing I adore that guy, seeing how he's my hero and all. 

He gets several free passes after the umbrella move. That was classic. I still get a little misty about it, so all is forgiven. Now, if I could just figure out the girl version of that move so he'd forget about the Christmas shopping budget. 

Let me know your ideas... :) 

Now go snuggle with your knight.

Or your Ellie.

Or, make me jealous, snuggle and watch your HGTV. 

Love,

Elizabeth

Mr. Kroger Bandit asked his mom for a pot belly pig for Christmas...I must draw the line at this point.  He's also just pretending to be asleep.

Cozy at Christmas Holiday Blog Tour!

Welcome! I'm thrilled you are here to see the Cozy at Christmas Holiday Blog Tour today!! I'm so excited! A great big thank you to Katie of Let's Add Sprinkles for inviting me to participate this year. I can't wait to peep into all the bloggers homes and be inspired by their beautiful Christmas decor! Today, tomorrow and Wednesday will feature several bloggers listed below who will show you how they've decorated for the Christmas season. 

Cozy At Christmas Blog Tour

MONDAY: Let's Add Sprinkles/ Hyacinths for the Soul/ Southern DayDreams/ White Spray Paint/ Garden Up Green/ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson/ Ellie and Elizabeth  

TUESDAY: Brookhollow Lane/ At Home With Jemma/ My Heart Lives Here/ The B Farm/ Botanic Bleu/ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen/ Art and Sand/ Ash Tree Cottage

WEDNESDAY: Sweet Nothings/ At Rivercrest Cottage/ Opulent Cottage/ Decor to Adore/ Fern Creek Cottage/ The Dedicated House/ Bluesky Kitchen

So bring on Christmas!! If you are new here, I'm Elizabeth and the sweet, sassy dog you'll see throughout the tour is Ellie. Hands down, Christmas is our family's favorite time of year. Michael Buble, hello? We decorate all over the house, play Christmas music and snuggle by the fireplace. I've included a couple of areas that have never been seen before on the blog. 

My obsession with Joanna Gaines and shiplap shows here in the garage hallway  :)

Bear, 10, requested a real tree, Christmas sheets and has claimed the reindeer blanket as his own. 

I wanted the reindeer blanket.

Ellie is so full of joy to be wearing that ribbon <insert sarcasm>.   :)

This is the family room, which is open to the kitchen. I still need artwork and a rug, but Christmas decor sure does make it homey. (Yes, I believe that could be the longest couch in America, lol).

Tutorial for this wooden tree is coming soon...Cost less than $1 to make!

How to Make the Magnolia Garland is coming next week!

On Thursday, I will finally show the master bedroom, all Christmas-ed up! I got a little behind so I apologize that it was supposed to be on here sooner, but I promise, it's a-coming! And all the 'how to' posts including the garland above, the dough bowl arrangement and the tree table centerpiece will follow shortly. I'm usually just a post once or twice a week girl, but shew, it's hard to get it all in before Christmas!  

It is getting crazy around here, but amidst the flurry of wrapping paper and Christmas lights, let us not forget the birth of our Savior.

Let us not forget to slow down and show love to one another, to forgive, to share, to comfort those in need. Let us be able to lay our heads down every night and say, It is well with my soul.

Love y'all. May your Christmas season be filled with joy and peace.

Elizabeth

Ellie: And may I never have to wear this sweater dress again.

**I hope you'll head over to Katie's Christmas tour at Let's Add Sprinkles and the other wonderful homes listed for today at the top of the post! Be sure to check back tomorrow and Wednesday so you can follow the links to those homes too!**   ***Most will post by 6 am Mountain Time