April Showers Bring May Flowers

Take time during the rains of April to rinse off the past. 

Prepare to welcome in the rebirth of spring and new blooms of ideas.  

Be free. Open new creative paths for yourself.

Take a cooking class

Sign up for a hike

Go to a museum

Take an art class

Volunteer in your community

Set up a quiet break to sketch out your dreams, plant new ideas then make way for growth in the new season!

[Easy & Simple Lasagna]

Easy and Simple Dinners can go a long way. One of my favorites is my easy Lasagna Dish...

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INGREDIENTS:

I usually get most of my supplies for this recipe from Trader Joes.

• 1 to 2 packages of Four Cheese Ravioli

Found in the cold food section at your local Trader Joes. You may try other type of ravioli, but the four cheese is good for Lasagna

• 1-2 jars of Three Cheese Tomato Sauce

• Vegetables ~ I choose depending on the inspiration.

- Spinach; fresh or frozen

If frozen, thawed per instruction.

- Zucchini; fresh

If using fresh, Slice thinly to layer with other veggies.

- Artichoke hearts; canned or frozen.

 If frozen, pre-cook in oven till browned with a little splash of olive oil, dash of salt.

-Eggplant; fresh or frozen

If using fresh, Slice thinly to layer with other veggies.

Trader Joes has a nice frozen roasted eggplant that you can thaw out or pre-cook till brown....

• 1 cup of ricotta cheese

• 1 package Mozzarella cheese (Shredded or Sliced)

• 1 package of Grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat Oven to 350F

2. Cook ravioli per direction. Then drain and rise with cold water

3. Prep Veggies; If you are cooking with fresh eggplants or zucchini, thinly slice them. If you are cooking with frozen, thaw or pre-cook per instruction.

Use a casserole dish or glass baking dish to cook in :

4. Make your first Layer of ravioli, place one next to each other to cover the bottom of the dish

5. Add your veggies; layer them like the ravioli.

6. Add a layer of Three Cheese Tomato sauce, evenly spread over veggies.  

7. Add your cheeses; spread the ricotta cheese followed by a layer of mozzarella with some parmesan cheese

8. Repeat steps 4~7

9. Your top layer should finish with tomato sauce sprinkled with mozzarella and parmesan cheese

10. Cover with aluminum wrap and bake in oven for 45 minutes to 50 minutes.

11. Take off the cover for last 15 minutes to get a little crusty, adjust to your tastes.

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ADJUSTMENTS:

My Friend Nicole had requested the veggie version of the recipe, but if you like a little more spice, I recommend adding a pound of cooked ground beef and a few links of spicy Italian sausage.

To complete your easy Italian dinner I would add a fresh green salad with black olives, feta cheese, splashed with Italian Style Dressing, serve with warm olive bread, or your rustic style bread of choice.

Enjoy!

[Elizabeth's Chicken Soup]

My sister and I were talking about recipes and some new easy meals to make that will last a couple of days... She had shared one of her staples in her recipe book, homemade chicken soup... Easy for any of us to make and create to our tastes.... One of the things I like about a basic chicken soup recipe is that you can be more creative when adding the vegetables and seasonings.... depending on what is in your refrigerator......

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BASIC INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 cans of Chicken Broth

• Vegetables - Zucchini, carrots, asparagus... green beans... fresh or canned...

• I usually add 2/3 to a cup of each to create a hearty soup.

• 1/4 cup diced onion

• salt , pepper, garlic, basil, other seasonings to your tasting.

• 1 cup chopped pre-cooked chicken breast

DIRECTIONS:

Add all together.

Bring soup to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes.

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OPTIONS:
Serve with some accent garnishes: like chopped cilantro, shredded cheese.
Serve with a slice of bread or roll and a small dinner salad ....
and you are set for a nice easy lunch or dinner...

[ The Holiday Scents ]

The Holiday Season, like many others, is an exciting time of year for me. It is a time to reflect and slow down, to enjoy the special moments with family and friends. As many of us have full schedules today, it is sometimes hard to find the time to slow down to truly enjoy the moments of the Holiday Season. This is why I have created some simple holiday treats and recipes that are inexpensive and easy to create, so we may allow more time to enjoy the gifted moments with family and friends…

As I start preparing to decorate my home for the holidays, I love to create an atmosphere of seasonal ascetics such as playing holiday music, cooking comfort foods like homemade soups, breads and pies and dressing my home with all the holiday decorations. 

One of the first things I do to create my holiday atmosphere is to start with creating the essence of “seasonal” scents…I learned this secret years ago and have really enjoyed using it since… 

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Saucepan

• Water

• Cinnamon: ground or sticks; 3 Table Spoons of Ground Cinnamon or if you may add a few Cinnamon Sticks

• Nutmeg: Ground-1 Table Spoon

• Cloves: Small hand-full

• Options: For more of a citrus scent you may want to add orange or lemon peels to the mixture. 

DIRECTIONS:

Fill the saucepan 2/3 with water. Add the ingredients and put on low heat to simmer… (You do not want the water to boil, just simmer.) After a little period of time, your home will be filled with the scents of the holiday…

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When I am having a small gathering or some family over for a visit, sometimes before they arrive, I make a batch of my Holiday Scents and place the pan on a warming plate at the entrance of my home. The enhanced fragrances welcome our guests with warmth and comforting scents of the Holiday Season and cheer....

Have fun in creating your own “Holiday Scents” using different treasures from the garden or different seasonings…