My new challenge!

It is challenge time! I have decided it is not worth losing all the weight I have lost (currently up to 161 lbs lost) if I don't challenege myself every once in awhile. So the other day my instructor in my early morning aerobics class asked for people to join her team to raise money for the American Lung Association. I immediately started listening (which is difficult for me at 5:15am) and once she said what the event was I knew I had to do it........ and this is the challenege:

Master the Met! http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/home.jsp?id=2141

Basically it is a vertical race up 42 flights of stairs.....YEAH!! Hopefully I don't die of a heart attack half way up. I started training a few weeks ago and so far so good. It is a fund raiser so if you'd like to donate that would be great!! Just click under sponser a climber and type in my name:Nicole Salvi

If I make it I'll post pics and a description of the day. If I don't....my husband will post what funeral home to send flowers to.

Dogs and Rainbows

I've had quite a bit of time off lately, so I've had some time with the dogs and gotten to snap some cute photos of them and the wonderful rainbow we had a few weeks ago.

Vinny looking into the house:The boys playing in the backyard:

Nap time for Connor

Vinny chilling on his fave spot

And the rainbow

Christmas Dinner

So my family never has a traditional Christmas Dinner ...we always have something different. This year everyone wanted lasagna, and since I have no go to recipe I had to do some searching, and I came across this recipe on allrecipes.com.
The World's Best Lasagna
SUBMITTED BY: John Chandler
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt -i only used 1/4 of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley -i used about 6 tablespoons
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
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.


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. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
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 does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Was very good, hubby had two helpings so it must have been decent....if he only has one serving it is not that great. It is probably one of the best lasagna recipes I've tried.

We also had a Pasta House salad which my husband loves...and I hate making because of the onion that have to be cut.
PASTA HOUSE SALAD

1 head red lettuce

1 jar pimentos

1/2 jar artichoke hearts, or more if desired

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

However much Pasta House salad dressing you'd like (I bought the fat free Pasta House salad dressing)

Few slices red onion
Clean lettuce and tear apart as for regular salad. Drain pimentos and artichoke hearts, chop up. Add onion slices. Add dressing and cheese a small amount at a time, tossing well. Can be made ahead and chilled but tends to wilt down. This does not affect flavor though. Tastes just like the Pasta House Restaurant Salad.

Catching up

Well I haven't posted anything in awhile. Things got kind of busy around here. I started my master's program and we had some house stuff to work on. But I'm going to try to be better. I even had some really good things that I made but didn't take any pictures or take notes about changes. But I will try to be better and update more often.