Dinner Time!

I have been cooking a LOT lately--well, actually since I got married--but more than I have ever cooked in my life! I'm trying all new recipes, so when Cory comes home, I'll have a whole lot of winners.  Tonight, Jaden and I had dinner, and I have been craving spinach, so needless to say we had a meal with spinach!  Jaden loves vegetables and pasta, so I made Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups. I loved eating this, and so did Jaden!  So, I'm going to share, because who doesn't like a new, yummy recipe?!  I didn't take these pictures with my amazing camera, so they aren't magnificent, but they will do :).

It's a pretty dish too...here it is before being put in the oven:

Here it is before we're going to eat it :)

Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups
1 lb lasagna noodles
15oz ricotta cheese
1 C shredded mozerella
1/4 C shredded parmesan
1 egg
8oz frozen spinach (I used fresh spinach, and it was amazing...so either one will do)
2.5 C marinara sauce (Use marinara sauce, not Ragu or anything. The flavor of the marinara sauce is SO much better and SO much more than in regular pasta sauce)
Salt and pepper to taste

Get a large pot of water boiling with a dash of salt. When it comes to a full boil, add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente (soft but not soggy... about 12-15 minutes). When they are finished cooking, drain in a colander.
While the noodles are boiling, prepare the filling. Thaw the package of frozen spinach in the microwave and then squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Combine the spinach in a bowl with the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, freshly grated pepper and about 1/4 tsp of salt. Mix until well combined.

When the noodles and filling are ready to go, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a glass casserole dish by spraying with non-stick spray.

On a clean surface, lay out a few noodles at a time. Place a few tablespoons of filling on each noodle and spread to cover from edge to edge. The filling does not need to be thick because once the noodle is rolled up, it will be compounded. Make sure to spread it all the way to the edges of the noodles.

Roll the noodles up and place in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat until all of your filling is gone (there may be some noodles left over, these are "back ups" in case any of the others rip during assembly). Pour the marinara sauce over the rolled noodles making sure to cover all surfaces. The sauce will keep the noodles hydrated and soft while baking.
Cover the dish in foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or divide into individual portions and refrigerate.

I got this recipe from budgetbytes.blogspot.com.  It's a great blog with cheap and delicious recipes.

Now on to dessert.  This is my second time making these and I just really can't stop.  They look like your typical Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, but they aren't.  These are special.  They have cinnamon and molasses in them, and the flavor is addictive.  I encourage every one to make them.

Oatmeal Chip Cookies
1/2 C shortening
1 C sugar
1 T molasses
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract (I used 2 t...I love vanilla)
1 C flour
1 C quick-cooking oats
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 salt
3/4 C chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar.  Beat in molasses, egg, and vanilla.  Add in flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon evenly onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350* for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes on pan before removing from pan to wire rack.

I got this recipe from a mini Taste of Home cookbook that I have called Dinner on a Dime.  Apparently, I was all about a cheap meal tonight ;)

Happy Cooking!

Basketball, Birthday, and Snowy Afghanistan

I signed Jaden up for basketball with the YMCA, and I was so excited because he is becoming old enough to play sports!!! It all starts now :). He loves it, and he especially loves the fact that he gets a "uniform"--while only a team shirt--it's still very cool. Here are a few pictures from his 3rd game. They started out wearing maroon shirts where he was #2, but then switched them to red where he is now #5.  This will help explain the pictures.  Oh and we got a new camera, so expect clear, crisp, amazing quality pictures! (didn't I say we needed one in a past post?  I sure do have a wonderful husband!)

Here is my little Popeye, and our pre-Birthday dinner!  Don't you love my flowers? :)

My birthday right before Church.  I love this new camera and am taking pictures every chance I get!  I was practicing with the timer on the camera, and it worked! I'm so excited.  Now Cory can get pictures of both me and Jaden, without half of my arm being in the picture and a closer-than-necessary close-up of our faces.

 

It was Jaden's idea to do a "funny face", so we did! When he saw that I was updating the blog, he asked where the funny picture was, so I HAD to put it on here.  He's a goof :)

"I see you lookin' at me.."

His favorite thing at the park are the swings...although that's probably every child's favorite thing at the park :)

"I'm Buzz Lightyear!"

The park that we go to is right across the street from Pope Airfield.  Planes are flying in and out of here all the time.  We see a good 5 airplanes each time we are at the park. It's funny, because Jaden is so used to it now that he doesn't notice it anymore...talk about a true Military Brat!

I found a fun recipe online, and here's what it is!  All you do is stick dry spaghetti noodles through chunks of hot dog and boil it!  Jaden LOVED it!  He was able to actually help and he thought it was fun to eat too, although at first, he wasn't so sure about it.  We just covered it in pasta sauce and away he went!  Jaden ate nearly 2 hot dogs worth of this! (*A hint for parents...it's not THAT good to eat, but the kids like it...so don't plan a whole meal around it.  Make this for the kids and eat something else :)

Snow in Afghanistan.  Who woulda thunk it??  I'm jealous and miss my snow from Colorado.  I haven't had to wear a jacket once here, yet!  And there it is, snowing a storm in Afghanistan.  Pretty cool huh? (Get it?..."cool" ha, ha, ha)

He loves me :)

My darling, handsome husband :).  We love and miss you!  Only 3 1/2 more months until R&R!!!