My Birthday 2014

So I had a pretty little dinner party for my Birthday this year. Turning 32 is totally not a big deal, but I like my birthday goddamnit, and I wanted a party! So I invited my best-est friends and we had a nice time.

Everything was pink, even the champagne ...

Christmas 2013

So Christmas was strange this year. Laura and her family went to Rome the week before Christmas, and so it felt very anti-climatic, the anticipation leading up to Christmas just wasn't there. We did our little Christmas together the Sunday before and then she went to St. Louis and I went to Rockford. Funny we have been together 6 years now and still haven't spent a Christmas together. I'll talk to the therapist about that, don't fret I won't trouble y'all with all that "mess".

FriendsGiving 2013

I guess I didn't take pictures, probably for the best. This was the second year that Joey, Kristen, Laura and I did a Thanksgiving, just the four of us. It was really nice and peaceful, full of good conversation and love. This is a great juxtaposition from the real deal a week later, lets just say I'll take "Friendsgiving" over family "Thanksgiving" any day.

These are pictures from the year before, 2012, since I apparently didn't take any this year ...

Halloween 2013

I had planned a great Halloween Party, but it turned into a really small Halloween Party where no followed my control freak party guidelines! I wanted to do a 1960's theme party with vintage party food and vintage themed costumes. Still, no one but Laura and me dressed that way, hardly anyone came anyway and I managed to have a complete breakdown the day of the party. I manged to burn, overcook and be way behind schedule all day. I even cut the tip of my finger off cutting up carrots! I spilled maraschino cherry juice on our new carpet (cream colored carpet)! I was a disaster, and Halloween is my game! It's my favorite! It ended up just being ... meh.

Then when actual Halloween came around Laura and I dressed up and gave candy away to the kids in the building, I did my best but it wasn't Chicago Halloween :(

Garden!

Last summer I had a beautiful garden at my moms in Rockford. I grew greens, Okra, lots of tomatoes, peppers, carrots and yuppie KALE!

This year I'm starting seeds in a greenhouse I build, and hoping for the best, will keep you updated!

We Moved ... to the burbs :(

Hello to my 2 readers (my bff and wife), sorry I haven't kept up with this blog over the past year. We moved from our perfect apartment in Chicago out to the burbs of Naperville :(

When I was 17, I used to dream of living on a tree lined street in a Victorian house on the north side of Chicago. It was perfect. I rode my bike everywhere, there were 8 blocks that were my personal small town a mist the din of city living. My best friend lived 3 miles away and could ride his bike to my house, and we saw each other every week.  I grew Rosemary on the porch, decorated for the Holidays, had a FUCKING yard in the city of Chicago that I could put Jack-o-Lanterns in, again it was perfect. I had perfect for a year, some people never even get that, so, ... .

then ...

Laura got an amazing job out here so we moved to the 4th floor of a giant apartment complex. "The Preserve at Cress Creek" looks like something from The Shining, stucco walls and dark brown paneling in the hall ways. Our actual apartment is nice, comfortable, clean and BIG.

Craft Room!

Big Bed Room

Small kitchen, no gas stove

Living Room

The View

I Still have my bike. 

Vegetable Lasagna

 This is my very favorite dinner. Cheesy spinach and mozzarella and pasta with all the vegetables and carbs all together in one dish. YUM! Serve with a simple green salad or be really naughty and serve with cheesey garlic bread for a carb coma. Great comfort food, and really all in all not terrible for you.

Dice or process carrots and onions in the food processor. Saute for 5 mins. with olive oil. 

Mix carrots and onions with ricotta, oregano, salt and pepper

Drain thawed chopped spinach
 well and incorporate with carrot mixture

Set up your workspace and get ready to assemble

Start with sauce on the bottom of the 13X9 pan, then add layer of pasta, ricotta layer and more sauce

Make a many layers as you want, I normally get 3 layers,
but do what makes you happy.
When you finish top with whole milk mozzarella,
about 2 cups, but more or less to your liking

Bake 350 covered with foil for 50 mins. uncover and bake 15 mins. more for a toasty top!

Vegetable Lasagna:
Barilla Lasagna Noodles (Never EVER get the pre-cooked ones)
Ragu Light Alfredo Sauce
Part Skim Ricotta 15 ounces
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced onions
1 box frozen chopped Spinach
2 cups Whole Milk Mozzarella
2 Tablespoons Oregano
Salt and Pepper