Happy Birthday Lady

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

For those of you who don't know, the person that I refer to as "lady" is my mom. It is a nickname that I started calling her years ago and it just kinda stuck! Today is her birthday! She is the best mother anyone could ever ask for and I love her dearly!

Tomato, Basil, and Cheese Baked Pasta

So I made this the other night and it is so yummy! It's super easy and fast! It feels so good to be in the kitchen and cooking again!

Ingredients
1 pound small shell pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 small to medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes, any brand
1/2 cup, 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Salt and pepper
1 cup store bought basil pesto sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella

Directions
Cook pasta to al dente in large pot of salted boiling water.

Meanwhile, preheat large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, and onion. Cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes to the onions and stir. When tomatoes come to a boil, reduce heat to low and add basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat your broiler to high and make sure oven rack is in center of the oven.

Drain pasta and add to a casserole dish. Add pesto, ricotta, and a handful of Parmigiano. Stir to coat the pasta. Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta. Shred mozzarella and scatter over the pasta along with some more Parmigiano.

Place dish under broiler for about 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbles on top. Enjoy!

Wrigley!

Have you ever seen a more stressed out dog?

Homemade Pizza Anyone??? Oh yes I did.

Anyone who knows my husband and I knows how much we love and adore pizza. Our favorite place to order pizza delivery is iFratelli. My favorite place to go out to dinner for pizza is Fireside Pies here in Grapevine.

My newest passion for pizza is making it homemade! I'm talking about fresh mozzarella, homemade pizza sauce, and fresh handtorn basil...Oh yes I did! Unfortunately, I had to buy a ready made crust because our grocery store did not have pizza dough. Does anyone happen to know where you can buy a really good pizza dough in the Grapevine area, or does anyone have a good recipe for a homemade one? I like mine thin and crispy!

Doctor Doctor...Give me the news!

I went to the doctor yesterday for my second follow up. They did more xrays to see how my back is healing. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any improvement yet. I will be in my brace even longer than expected and can't return to work for a couple of more months. Bummer!

On a lighter note, Jonathan is going to Vegas for the weekend with some of the other coaches and since I cannot be by myself yet I get to go stay with Lady (my mom) for the weekend! The best part... my sister and her husband are going to be there! I'm so excited! I haven't seen my sister since THANKSGIVING! Yay for family weekends!

So this is what it feels like to blog...

Alright, I have been starring blankly at my empty blog now for several weeks as I try to figure out exactly "how to blog". So bare with me, as I'm sure I will struggle to make this interesting enough for anyone to read. My inspiration to begin publicising my life??? My sister Lindsay Woods and dear friend Ashley Eppers.

For those of you who don't know, I broke my back on Memorial Day in a horrific car accident. I can't work, drive, and I'm stuck in a back brace that goes from my shoulders down to my waist, leaving me stranded and isolated in our new apartment. Did I mention that this new fabulous apartment of ours conveniently sits on the 3rd floor? So with all this free time on my hands, I figured what better time than now to start blogging. I think that is enough for now.

Over and out.