Monthly Archives: December 2015

Dec 20 2015

Wine Cork Wreath

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Wine Corks Wreath

How pretty and simple is this wreath made of wine corks and little red jingle bells all strung together? Producing this DIY beauty for the upcoming Christmas holiday may be unrealistic at this juncture, but it’s never too late to start collecting the corks for a future snowy day project.

I found this gem online as an eco-friendly Christmas wreath idea, courtesy of Good Houskeeping. Materials required and instructions enclosed in link above.

As families gather together this season, and drink lots of wine (to both honor the holiday and tune out the drama), what a great time for gathering up corks and looking forward to creating and sharing this classic display for future celebrations.

Merry Christmas!

World’s Best Lasagna

World's Best Lasagna

World's Best Lasagna
Print Recipe
A classic, hearty lasagna for a Sunday dinner, entertaining or taking to a friend or neighbor.
Servings Prep Time
12 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 1/2 hours
Servings Prep Time
12 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 1/2 hours
World's Best Lasagna
Print Recipe
A classic, hearty lasagna for a Sunday dinner, entertaining or taking to a friend or neighbor.
Servings Prep Time
12 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 1/2 hours
Servings Prep Time
12 30 minutes
Cook Time
2 1/2 hours
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 Tablespoon salt, pepper and 2 Tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  5. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil doesn't touch the cheese.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes

Courtesy of:
All Recipes

*Several reviewers and I recommend scaling back a bit on the salt content, adding extra cheese and using fresh basil. And, a larger baking dish!

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Dec 5 2015

L.L. Bean Boots

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LL Bean Women's Boots

They’re baaaack! And, on back order. L.L. Bean’s signature two-toned; half-rubber, half-leather “duck” boots have been in production for over 100 years and are currently sold out with more than 50,000 people on the wait list. Handmade in Brunswick, Maine, the company could outsource for speeding up production, but refuses to do so in order to keep their authentic kicks up to functionality and standard. Choosing “quack, quack” quality over “cheap, cheap” quantity.

Originally created for outdoorsy types, the protective footwear have become an “it” shoe with college students and fashion-forward city dwellers. Women like to wear their “Beans” over leggings and skinny jeans, sometimes accompanied with a cuffed over, festive sock. Guys will simply tuck their pants into the boots, loosening the laces for a “lumberjack chic” look. Rugged, durable, retro and styling.

To boot, L.L. Bean offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee where you can return their shoes at anytime for whatever reason. But don’t expect to give or get these as a gift this holiday season. In fact, best to place an order now for Christmas 2016. Ugg.