My Lazy Girl Lasagna

I struggle with what to have for dinner often. It's just so hard for one person. The options are fast food/take out everyday or home cooked. I usually bounce back and forth between the two. If I buy groceries, I'm concerned they'll go bad before I use them up. If I don't buy groceries I have to eat out. Like I said it's a struggle and believe me the struggle is REAL. I prefer cooked food at home as I love the way my house feels all warm and cozy when something good is cooking in the kitchen but then I have left overs for days. After eating out last week I decided it was time for something different and Lazy Girl's Lasagna is what happened. I got smart and froze my leftovers in my Tupperware Freezer Container.

Frozen Ravioli
Pasta Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Spread some sauce in the bottom of the dish. I used an 8x8 casserole dish. Place the Ravioli's in a single layer. Top with sauce then Mozzarella Cheese,repeat a couple more times. End with sauce on top. Sprinkle on Parmesan Cheese. Cover with foil and place into a 400 degree pre-heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and put back in oven for 15 minutes.

Is My Car Demon Possessed??

Have you met my car? Please allow me to introduce you to Irish Spring or Iris for short. Iris is a 2005 Cadillac CTS I purchased a little more than three years ago. I named her Irish Spring for two reasons. First, I got her around St Patrick's Day, and second reason is because of her color being a silver green metallic. Irish Spring just seem to fit so that's the name I gave her. When started, the screen on the dash reads "Denise". I have no clue who Denise is or what that's even about, but anyways, Iris's odometer was reading in the 101,000 range when I got her and to me that was practically brand spanking new when compared to my 99 Toyota Camry's (Yota or Little Yota) 240,000. The Camry was a good car, no major issues, I had bought it when it read 117,000 miles so I'd had it awhile and since I no longer commuted to work I wasn't limited to just 4 cylinders any longer. Mom had just gotten a brand new CTS and I wanted one too but the big difference was, she could afford a new CTS(which she sooo deserved) and I could not. So a pre-owned would have to do. I prefer the term pre-owned instead of used. It just sounds better.

Just short of four months after trading the Camry for Iris. The engine was gone. I don't mean gone as in missing or just not there. But instead, there,but not functioning as in something blew. Please excuse me if I can't explain the mechanics. Being Iris's owner has already caused me to have to know more about mechanical things than I ever wanted to. Anyways, the engine was gone and that's not good when you still have 32 payments left. The used,oops, pre-owned lot where I had traded agreed to pay for another engine if I paid their mechanic the labor and all costs involved in the installation. Engine $1000. Mechanic $2700.The whole engine replacing ordeal took forever and I didn't get my car back until September. Thankfully my personal assistants offered to use their vehicles when driving me. After a new, well not new, but different engine, I then replaced a catalytic converter for $800. Are hearing the Cha-Ching  money sound in your head about right now? Yeah,me too. About March of last year, the air conditioning quit. I was able to get that working again for a few hundred dollars. The actual repair was estimated at around $1400 but they said they could try something else for a few hundred dollars but no promises if or how long it would work. I opted for the lesser of the two evils and thankfully it still works.A few months ago the wipers wouldn't shut off so the girls(my personal assistants) have all learned to remove the fuse and if it starts to rain,we just pull into the nearest car wash bay or any other covered area and pop the hood and put the fuse back in. A couple weeks ago I was headed to the mall and noticed the gas hand was all the way on the empty sign. I knew that couldn't be right as I should've had more than half a tank. We went to the gas station where it only took a few gallons to top off which confirmed the gauge wasn't working. Ok, no big deal I thought. If I can deal with the wipers I can manage the whole gas gauge issue so I continued on my way. The screen on the dash was saying something about the anti-theft system and there was annoying dinging sound. A few minutes later the rain started falling so...you guessed it...we pulled into a gas station to put the fuse in so the wipers would work The day was not going as planned. I just needed to get to the mall. Was that too much to expect? Apparently so because Christine, I mean Iris, refused to shift from park into Drive and she locked us in,and, as if that wasn't enough,she turned the radio off. There we were, other cars waiting for us to move but we can't. I decided I better call for some advice but just as the Cadallac dealer service department answered, Iris unlocked the doors and turned the radio back on and allowed us to shift to Drive. When Iris finally allowed us to get to the mall, there was another issue. We could shut the engine off but not the juice from the battery,that's right,if I went into the mall, I would have to either leave the engine running and chance someone stealing Iris. Now that I think about it,maybe that was what I should've done and then prayed really hard for it to happen. The other option, I could leave the battery running and if the battery died just get a jump. I was on the hunt for new Summer Sandles, a Pretty Shirt, and a new Black Dress. I knew my fashion prey was inside that mall but Iris sure wasn't helping me to get in there and find it so I did what any gal whose demon possessed Cadillac was thwarting her shopping trip. Go see the guys at O'Reilly's and ask them to unhook the battery in hopes of resetting the codes and canceling the Anti-Theft System Service Needed message that kept flashing.(after googling the problem and reading this might work) I honestly wasn't even aware my car had any kind of anti-theft system and I sure didn't know how it worked or why it would need to be serviced. But there we were,unable to turn the car off,remove the key,( yes I forgot to mention Iris would not allow us to remove the key) and go in the mall, so YES it definitely needed servicing. Unfortunately, disconnecting and reconnecting the battery didn't help but it DID fix the wipers. They referred me to a garage nearby where we sat patiently as they tried several tricks. Most mechanics just kind of act like they don't want anything to do with Iris but these guys were so nice and really seemed as they cared. Their diagnosis was a new ECM $500 Labor $100. It would take a week to get the part. Well, I had already spent my entire shopping day tending to Iris. I had a very important hair appointment in a couple of days. My gray was already showing so how could I possibly live without my car for that long not to mention I had FUN plans for the weekend. I ask if there was a way to disconnect power from the battery and then reconnect to start and if so show us how. So that's how we roll these days. The process has become such the norm that after two weeks I'm not even concerned that the garage hasn't called yet but I guess I'd better give them a call. By the way.....the wipers aren't fixed after all but on a positive note, I really felt like those mechanics were honest and interested in keeping Iris running for me, if so, the ordeal is worth the inconvenience. Do you think if I start calling her Denise it would change things?

St.Patrick's Day

I love red velvet cake and it's not just for Christmas or Valentines as it tastes great any day, any occasion, or no occasion at all. In honor of Saint Patrick a.k.a.the "Apostle of Ireland" or the primary patron saint of Ireland, I thought a green velvet cake would be a nice tribute. I just used a store bought mix but made substitutes to the direction. I'll eat cream cheese frosting as it seems what most use with velvet cakes but I prefer homemade buttercream. My green velvet cake isn't wearing either of the a fore mentioned but is instead sporting a generous amount of store bought buttercream frosting. I think it turned out well and tasted great. I served it as dessert at my usual Sunday Night Supper and Bingo gathering and my guests enjoyed it.

Here's the recipe. Mix 1 box yellow cake mix with 3 whole eggs, 2 more egg yolks, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, add green food coloring. Pour into greased pans(I used 9 inch rounds) and bake as directed.

Best Cranberry Relish

Cranberries. People either like them or want nothing to do with them. There is no middle ground. I myself am a fan. I even like the jelled stuff in the can. I also love the juice, and Cosmopolitan's in moderation,of course. On Thanksgiving a few years back, I was introduced to what I think is the best cranberry relish ever and think it only fair I share this delightful delicacy on Thanksgiving Eve.

You'll need a bag of fresh cranberries, an orange, brown sugar, and some nuts such as walnuts or pecans, or if you don't care for nuts just leave them out. I think a little celery would be a great substitute for the nuts but I haven't tried that yet. I used a blender but a food processor would be great.

Adjust the amounts of ingredients to your taste or the amount you plan to serve. I only used 1/2 bag of berries,1 orange,3/4 cup brown sugar, and about 3 oz of pecan chips. If your orange has seeds remove them but use the whole orange as a lot of the flavor is in the peel. Thanks to Nancy Ball for introducing me to the best cranberry relish ever.

My Style Hacks

I'm certainly no slave to fashion and I don't spend much time shopping. My budget at the moment doesn't allow me to do either, however, there are times when I know it's time to increase the options in my closet. What do I do? Well in this post I'll share some of my frugal fashion tips.

 Now I know most of you are thinking yard sales and consignment shops are the obvious solutions and those work great for most. I don't go to either. I just don't like going to yard sales or consignment shops. I've just never found either to be very successful options for me as most consignment shops are crowded which turns into an obstacle course when you are in a wheelchair. Yard sales involve several stops which means several transfers, and that's only if the site is level and has easy access. Too much time and trouble when you have no guarantee they have what you are looking for. I usually always have a general idea of what I'm looking for. This is important so I'll say it again KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. It doesn't have to be exact. Maybe you saw someone wearing a certain color or pattern and loved how it looked. Just start with that. Then shop at online discount dept stores for something similar. For example, I recently saw a vest I liked but it was very expensive so here's how I copied the look for less. The funny thing is I went out wearing my new bargains and not one but FOUR total strangers complimented me on the vest I was wearing. Each time I just smiled,said thank-you.    Puffer Vest $9 Jeggings $10 Boots $21

Trust me when I tell you I still love Ralph Lauren and all my other favs but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

Mononucleosis, Menopause, and Marshmallows Part 2

but finally it seems to gone. Never ever to return again I hope and pray.

 My time spent from behind the desk working for a reproductive endocrinology specialist allowed me to become very familiar with menopause and it's symptoms.  How would I of all people not know what was happening? It just seemed like everything that could happen was happening. What specifically you are wondering? The a/c on my car breaking , my favorite black shirt lost, the murder of Noah Newman's fiancee Courtney on their wedding day. These are not events that should cause a major flood of emotions. Oh,by the way, Noah and Courtney are not friends or family members of mine. They are characters from my favorite soap opera Young & Restless. To me, the most minor happenings of everyday life seemed huge and overwhelming.  Some women demonstrate a more angry and aggressive behavior during this time but I however began to feel cowardly and defeated. It's highly possible that those around me could have a totally different spin on things. Maybe I haven't acted as passively as I think. I found myself also unable to make simple decisions without asking someone's opinion. When I say simple, I mean as in what do I want to eat, where should I go, what time should I leave. Making a simple decision or answering a yes or no question suddenly became a difficult task followed by not feeling confident or content with my response.

I was struggling at best so I allowed my doctor to prescribe Welbutrin. It came highly recommended by several friends so I began taking as directed and excitedly awaited for my "normal" self to return. After taking the meds for about a week or two I was anything but normal so I discontinued them. Don't worry, I knew to decrease dosage gradually rather than stopping abruptly. I can't even find the words to describe what I was feeling but c-r-a-z-y comes pretty close. My faith has always been the foundation of my stability and for the first time I can recall my fears were greater than my faith and that scared me. My 'half-full glass attitude' turned into a 'half-empty glass that fell off the table and shattered in tiny pieces attitude". I was able to overcome and find myself again by controlling what lingered around in my mind. If it promoted fear and worry, it had to leave. That's right...so long...goodbye...no room for you here. I replaced the discouraging thoughts with favorite scriptures, positive quotes and music, replayed in my mind past trials and the victories that followed. They always do you know.

  It takes effort but it works and then you get your groove back and remember all the good things in life like marshmallows. That's right....marshmallows. Flame-charred on a stick, chocolate-covered, the glue holding rice crispies together, or my favorite which is big heaping spoon-fulls right out of a jar, marshmallows are great no matter how you like them. They are just versatile like that. No matter what you subject them to they still hold their favor. I like to combine my love of marshmallow cream, Hershey's chocolate, and vanilla wafers into what I think is the perfect sweet snack. My personal assistants didn't get it at first and were like "you want to eat what?", but after trying "my" version of an indoor s'more, they're hooked. Here's how it goes. You'll need vanilla wafers, marshmallow cream, and chocolate bars. Staples no Christ-centered home should ever lack. Especially if any moody females dwell within the walls. Take the marshmallow cream and spoon some onto the flat side of a vanilla wafer, top with a piece of chocolate and enjoy. You can add another wafer and eat as a sandwich cookie if you desire. I prefer mine open-faced as I feel another wafer disturbs my cookie to marshmallow cream to chocolate ratio.

Mononucleosus, Menopause, and Marshmallows Part 1

What do the the a fore mentioned"m" words all have in common? Me.Another "m"word. Imagine that.
First of all, I thought I was way too old to have mono and much, much too young for menopause. For anyone interested in knowing my age, I'm 49 but because most of my personal assistants are ages 18-25, I often think I am the same age as them. That is until they get this very lost look on their faces when I mention things like Tiger Beat magazine, the Partridge Family, and especially when I tell them that I once won ALL the record albums from Casey Kesem's Weekly Top 40 Countdown. Needless to say they are not impressed .Winning "those big round black things" is no big deal to them. This generation has never had to listen to A.M. radio just waiting and hoping they hear their favorite song or nor do they know what it feels like to have your "dialing" finger almost fall off from dialing repeatedly from a rotary phone to win a radio contest.

Buy anyways back to the mono.Research suggests that most people contracting mono are between the ages of 15 and 25 so that explains it as I almost never fall into any category associated with wording that includes "most people". I am never a "most person" that's for sure. I was so excited about the Summer of 2015 and had intentions of enjoying it to it's fullest potential. I was doing a good job of welcoming the warm weather season into existence too. Friday and Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend were great and then came Sunday. After church I felt a little tired so I laid down and napped. Unusually restful for me but not a big deal. Then I noticed feeling warm. No not a hot flash, I'll talk about those in a minute after I am finished with my dramatic mono story. Anyways, the warm when your eyes kind of feel hot. You know what I'm talking about.Right? Well the thermometer confirmed I had a fever followed the next day by a very sore throat,cough,and congestion. That was two whole months ago and last week was the first week I haven't had to lay down during the day. I didn't know if monukickingmybuttruiningmysummernucleosis would ever go away. Yes, I know that isn't a word. Spell check already told me, but as far as I'm concerned it should be, and in BIG BOLD letters too. Every time I started to feel a little better and thought it was almost over I would wake up with the symptoms again the next day. It seemed as though it would last forever which I found to be a huge inconvenience. Living with muscular dystrophy has been and is a challenge but at least I almost always still find a way to enjoy life. Mono was definitely a killjoy for sure.........