It's REALLY cold!

Is anybody else freezing their patootie off? I had to leave the house yesterday but today I refuse! Unfortunately, we do have to go out tomorrow to take Toby to school and so I can make my dr appt. It is supposed to get below 0, yikes! I can't wait for some snow to go with this cold weather. I think both kids will have fun out there this year.

Last night I think I made the highest fat/cal recipe I have ever made. It was called "World's Best Lasagna" and it had 5 stars on allrecipes.com. It was good but not one I will make often. I even followed the recipe to a T, and I am usually known has "The Great Improviser" (to myself nobody really calls me that :-)).

World's Best Lasagna

1 lb sweet Italian sausage 1 tsp Italian seasoning

3/4 pound lean ground beef               1 tbsp salt

1/2 cup minced onion                          1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic                                       4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1(28ou) can crushed tomatoes           12 lasagna noodles

2 (6ou) cans tomato paste                   16 ou ricott cheese

2 (6.5) cans canned tomato sauce       1 egg

1/2 cup water                                         1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp white sugar                                 3/4 lb mozzerella cheese, sliced

1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves                   3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1. In a Dutch oven cook sausage, 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 tbsp salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. 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 tsp salt.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4. Assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of the 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 it doesn't touch cheese. 

5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.  

I had leftover meat sauce that went well with my breadsticks. The sauce was very yummy!

I also made a easy Bread Pudding recipe from my Mother-n-Law Fran.

Bread Pudding

5-6 slices day old bread

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1/2 cup moist raisins

1/3 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs beaten

3 cups milk, scalded

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Toast bread and spread with butter while hot. Arrange in baking dish (I used 9x13 but can use smaller). Sprinkle with raisins. Stir salt and all but 2 tbsp sugar into eggs. Add milk and stir to mix well. Pour over toast and let stand 10 minutes. Press toast lightly down into milk occasional so it soaks up the milk mixture. Mix cinnamon with remaining 2 tbsp sugar and sprinkle over top. Place dish directly on oven rack and bake for 25 min at 350 degress or until knife comes out clean. Makes 5 to 6 servings.