DINNER AND A MOVIE

If you're having a bad day, this should cheer you up. Sit down for a moment and enjoy a good bit of comedy. It's rated G.


Now on to dinner. This is one of my favorites. Notice that the lasagna noodles are not pre-cooked. This concept also works with traditional lasanga. Just remember to add the boiling water.
Chicken Lasagna
1C. cottage cheese
3 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut up
1 (103/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1C. loose pack frozen cut broccoli
1/3 C. sliced celery
¼ C. milk
1 tsp minced dried onion
¼ tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground sage
6 lasagna noodles
1 C. cooked ground turkey
½ C. shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 C. boiling water

In mixing bowl, stir together cottage cheese and cream cheese; set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine soup, broccoli, celery, milk, dried onion, oregano, sage and cooked turkey; set aside. Spoon a small amount of soup mixture into the bottom of a greased 10x6x2-inch baking dish, then place in 2 uncooked lasagna noodles. Layer with half the cottage cheese mixture and 1/3 soup mix. Repeat layers of noodles, cottage cheese, and soup/turkey. Top with remaining noodles, and remaining soup/turkey mix. Sprinkle with cheese. Slowly pour boiling water into dish around entire inside edge. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 for 60 – 65 minutes or until noodles are soft. Let stand, covered for 10 minutes. Serves 6.

**This can also be cooked in the microwave. Use microwave-safe plastic covering. Cook approximately 20 minutes--or until noodles are soft.

It's Time for Hot Chocolate!

The grey clouds parted just long enough to show off the layer of snow they’d left on the mountains. An amazing sight, really. For us moisture-starved Arizonans, this past week has been quite a treat—there’s rain in the deserts and snow on the mountains.

Our cat doesn’t like the rain—it’s wet, he’s wet. He meows at the door wanting us to make the rain stop. We don’t. He wonders if we should let him come in where it’s warm. We don’t. I’m not sure I’d like the outcome of letting an outdoor cat have a sleep-in.

Our dog is also put out by the rain—the whole two minutes she’s out in it. She scratches at the door after being good and doing her ‘business’ outside. We open the door to let her in and she brushes against the cat to enter.

My daughter goes out and gives the cat come attention and then makes a warm little cubby for him to sleep in. He quits meowing, and that is good.

This is the perfect weather for curling up in a nice cozy blanket and reading a good book. It’s the perfect weather for hot chocolate—or soup. Both are good, but today I’m going to share a recipe for Paula Deen’s Dreamy Creamy Hot Chocolate. I’ve tried it, and it is dreamy and creamy.

Dreamy Creamy Hot Chocolate

Makes 2 quarts
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
½ C unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
6 ½ C hot water
Mini marshmallow (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla and salt; mix well. Over medium heat, slowly stir in water; heat through, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Top with marshmallow if desired.

**This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. Mix well and reheat before serving.