Sunday, October 30, 2011

Great Manicotti Receipt

Manicotti


Ingredients:


  • 1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese (Ricotta is very bland so keep that in mind when you add your spices)


  • 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (whatever you like)


  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


  • 2 eggs


  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley


  • salt and pepper to taste


  • 1/2 teaspoon cilantro and oregano (more or less if you'd like)


  • minced garlic to taste


  • 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (I used homemade sauce)


  • 5 1/2 ounces manicotti pasta


  •  Directions:
    1. Cook manicotti in boiling water as package directs, then drain and rinse with cold water.
    2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    3. In a large bowl mix ricotta, mozzarella, and  1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix well!

    4. Pour enough spaghetti sauce into an 11x17 baking dish to coat the bottom and then set the rest aside.  Fill each manicotti shell with the cheese mixture. You can use a spoon but I found that it was a lot easier to use my hands.  Place stuffed manicotti in your baking dish then pour the remaining sauce over it.  Top with Parmesan and mozzarella . Note: I would cover the manicotti as much as i could with the sauce so it wont dry out in the oven.

    5. Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

    Monday, October 17, 2011

    The Button Tree

    I saw the button tree pinned on Pinterest from someone's blog.  I just knew it would be the Perfect wedding gift for one of my friends since buttons and trees are their theme!  It was an easy DIY project and she loved it!!

    Saturday, October 15, 2011

    soap dish

    I got the idea for this off Pinterest.com.  They took an old cake holder and used it to put their dish washing soap and sponges on. I didn't have an old cake holder so I used a small bird bath my mom gave me.  I had it sand blasted to get the rust spots off it and then painted it yellow and put a clear, glossy sealer on it for extra protection.  Simple and fast project but super cute!

    Sunday, October 9, 2011

    DIY Burlap curtains

    I was shopping with a friend and saw some amazing burlap curtains for sale...the only problem was they were asking $135 a panel!  So I decided I would make my own.  I went to Hobby Lobby and picked out my burlap and then headed over to my mother-in-law's house to get her help.  First we pleated the fabric like you would if you were going to smock it.  We measured about 8" from the top and pleated about a foot or more starting from there, then we stitched for the curtain rod above the pleated area which created the "ruffles" on the top and himmed the bottom to make the curtains the length I needed for my window.  I think I'm going to put a simple linen curtain behind it but I haven't decided if I want it to be white or a color.  The project was easy if you or someone you knows how to sew and pleat to point you in the right direction and instead of paying over $260 for my new curtains I payed about $40.

    Wednesday, July 6, 2011

    there is a first for everything

    My husband and I have been married for 2 years and bought our first house last May.  I have been a regular at the local furniture stores trying to find good quality furniture for a good price but all I find is over priced furniture or crap.  Out of frustration I had given up on finding anything but then I went to a friend's house for lunch and saw a piece of furniture I liked.  It was unique and very functional.  When I asked where she got it she told me she had built it with her dad and gave it to her husband as his father's day gift.  She e-mailed me the plans for it and within a week I had it built, painted and in my house.  I loved building it so much I have decided to build other things for our house.  I will soon start on our bedroom furniture starting with 2 night stands.  I now go to home depot to tool shop not just to plant shop.  My husband thinks it's weird that I ask for power tools for my birthday and Christmas.  I am just waiting for the day we fight over a tool for the first time!