Addie, Mandy, and Cali

Dear California,

I hate you.

But maybe it's just because I'm jealous of your perfection.

Adam and I had the lovely opportunity to take a little summer vacation a few weeks ago. And frankly, between never seeing each other, how crazy both of our schedules can be, and how crazy they're about to get it, was something that we both really needed.

First stop was in the fabulous Las Vegas.

Adam had never experienced sin city so I felt that it was a mandatory stop.

We stayed in an amazing suite at the Paris and enjoyed a fun night out together.

Next stop was in Temecula known for a beautiful wine country. Where we stayed with Adam's awesome Aunt and Uncle and their family (They grow grapes in their backyard and I ate them and they were delicious, that makes these relatives extra super awesome).

They took us to Old town where I saw this:

Shut up, I know right?

And Ate here:

Where Adam ate his 4th Chile Relleno in two days.

(Ok maybe only his 2nd but over the course of 5 days I'm pretty sure he ate one a day.)

After our fun day with the Anderson Clan we met up with my family in Corona, where we stayed with my mom's cousin Ryan and his wife Julie and their adorable dogs.

See here:

(ADAM HINT HINT)

We had a crazy day at Venice Beach.

Where Jessie turned into a teddy, Ally ate a Snow Cone the size of Mars, and where we found our inner Gilligans Island.

Then we had a jumping contest:

Why wouldn't we?

On our last day of vacation we visited the most wonderful, happiest place on earth.

Yay.

Oh he loved it!

I don't understand it but they all love Bugs life.

This is us at 9am

This is us at 3pm (I'm getting too old for it)

Last, we stopped here:

Penny's diner, where you're always referred to as sweetie and the french toast is always hot.

A favorite for truckers and fifties fanatics alike.

(who happen to be in the middle of a desert.)

Oh and their walls are a white board.

Go team.

It was a great trip but instead of motivating me to jump in to a new semester of school with energy and excitement, it only left me with a lingering desire to pack my bags head back to CA for a more permanent stay.

Bridal Images

Look for us on the Utah bride blog on 8/17/2010

Italian Lasagna

I realized after weeks of not blogging the reason why I hadn't been keeping the neighborhood updated about love, life and food was because of this post. If the undertaking of homemade lasagna wasn't enough, I had to blog about it too...ugh. Don't get me wrong I love sharing my recipes and photos BUT this particular one was so complex and long and there were so many great photos. Here's a wonderful, yummy, lasagna to make. Paired with home made garlic bread and a Cesar salad. It's Suuuuper delicious.

Traditional Italian Lasagna

Ingredients:

Meat Sauce:

1 Lb Italian Sausage

1 Lb Ground Beef

1/2 c. Minced Onion

2 cloves Garlic Crushed

2 (28oz) can Crushed Tomatoes

2 (60z) cans Tomato Paste

2 (6.5) cans Tomato Sauce

1/2 c. Water

2 tbsp Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Basil Leaves (dry)

1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/4 Black Pepper

Salt according to taste

4 tbsp Fresh Parsley

Ricotta Cheese Filling:

32oz Ricotta Cheese

2 Eggs

1tsp tsp Salt

2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley

1 c. Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 lb Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced  

14 Lasagna Noodles (I learned a great way of cooking noodles for lasagna, its pure genius really. About twenty minuets before the noodles will be used fill a shallow baking dish [I used a 9x13 cake pan] with hot water place all of your noodles in the water to soak. After about ten minuets they will be pliable but not as flimsy as if they had been boiled. They will finish cooking in the oven and will be able to stand up to your meaty lasagna. Trust me it works!!)

2 c. Parmesan cheese
 

Sauce:

In a large pot cook on medium high the onion, garlic, sausage and beef till fragrent and the meat is brown. Then, stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed tomato and water. In a small bowl mix up the spices (Basil, fennel, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, and sugar) and combine with the sauce and stir in 4 tbsp (more or less) parsley. Give the pot a big stir and turn the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 2 hours or more if you can stand it, the longer the better.

Ricotta Mixture:

In a mixing bowl combine ricotta, cheese, egg, salt, and 2 tbsp parsley. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375.

When your sauce, cheese mixture and noodles are finished set up your lasagna layering station. Place a 9x13 baking dish in directly in front with all of the lasagna parts surrounding it in order from left to right starting with meat sauce, parmesan, noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella.

To Assemble:

1 1/2 c. Meat Sauce

A generous sprinkle of shredded paremesan cheese
7 Noodles

1/2 Ricotta mixture

1/2 Mozzarella Cheese

REPETE

1 1/2 c. Meat Sauce

A generous sprinkle of shredded paremesan cheese

7 Noodles

1/2 Ricotta cheese

1/2 Mozzarella Cheese

Top it with another big scoop of meat sauce and a few more sprinkles of Parmesan.

That's it! Stick it in the oven for 25 minuets covered with tinfoil and 25 more minuets uncovered. After the full 50 minuets of baking remove from oven and let it stand for 10 minuets before cutting.

* The recipe for meat sauce makes A TON extra, which is awesome because it's a great thing to have on hand for a quick spaghetti dinner later in the week or for the next time you make lasagna. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.

"Cuz I love ya..."

Do you want to know why I married Adam?

You do?

Alright then

Sometimes I when haven't done laundry in 2 weeks,

I come home from a long day at work and I see this

(With my clothes clean, hung, and folded in my closet)

Sometimes when I beg Adam to do a puzzle with me,

he does

and he doesn't complain when it takes 5 hours and 35 minuets

and he loves me when I make this face

Sometimes he lets me take his picture when he really doesn't want me to

Sometimes when he tells me to check the mail I see this

because he really, really loves me

YES THIS

BECAUSE HE REALLY REALLY LOVES ME

(somehow I do not own a copy of this)

And sometimes when I ask him to watch it with me

he agrees, and even pretends to like it

Sometimes when I give myself a facial, I make him have one too

Sometimes he loves it

(but mostly not)

I married him because he loves me.

Dinner Day Wednesday

This week for dinner the thought of cooking anything made me want to pull my eyelashes out, luckily Adam and I discovered the most wonderful new grocery store. It's called Winco, it's a bit of a drive for us but the prices are so worth it. It's like shopping at Costco without the membership cost.

We like it.

We also like their pizza, which is what saved my eyelashes today. I talked Adam into the vegetarian, it was good the sauce and toppings are predictable but there is something different in the crust. It's soft and crunchy, and yummy. Thanks Winco, for being so cool.

Pizza face

Worker Girl

I am officially a corporate working girl

see:

Yep you heard it right I finally have a job.

Hallelujah.

Seriously.

I am professional

I have to wear panty hose.

And if thats not professional I'm not sure what is.

I work as a receptionist, answering phones, picking up lunch for clients, working on receptionist type projects.

Its the best.

Want to know what else is the best?

My husband.

He made me this for breakfast on my first day

Rice Crispies and Strawberries

And this was waiting for me when I came home

Pretty hot pink roses

and some yummy treats

Yay for a job, but mostly yay for my Adam.