Recipe - Italian Sausage and Bean Bake - Non-Crockpot

This easy and delicious recipe came from the Dinner Doctor cookbook, page 213.  You take cooked ground sausage, a can of beans, diced tomatoes and cheese - layer them and bake until bubbling.

I added fresh, diced onion because we love onions.  I baked it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes and it was too long.  Next time, 20 minutes will be my time choice.  I really liked this and would make it again.  My husband insists that this casserole needs to be served over pasta.  But, take his opinion with a grain of salt as he would eat only carbs, if allowed!

And, a note for my girlfriends - if you buy the Jimmy Dean Sausage roll at BJs, you can make the sausage thing apps and this casserole from the sausage.

Where Have I Been?

I've really missed blogging and taking some time to write and gather my thoughts.

We have been really busy with Halloween, the twins' first birthday party, some house guests and the twins' Christening!

Now, we have to get thru the first steps (I kid, I kid - I am SO excited that walking will be here soon), Thanksgiving, Christmas, another possible house guest and New Year's.

I'm going to post some new recipes and pic's to tide you all over until I am back full speed ahead!  Some exciting news at our house is that my husbands hours are changing a bit after Christmas and we are going to work out a deal-ie-o where I get to blog (alone) everyday, woot!

Here are some pics for all of you in blog-land!

Look What I Won From Right @ Home!

We returned from vacation pleasantly surprised to find a small package from SC Johnson's division Right @ Home.  I'm sure that I entered something in order to win this.  I know that I get emails from Right @ Home once in a while.  Something in my memory is vaguely fuzzy when it comes to a contest, LOL.

I'm excited because I don't usually win anything!

TV Recap - Keeping Up With The Kardashians - October 17, 2010

I have a lot to say about this week's Keeping Up With The Kardashians.  So, do we really believe that Scott has maintained these positive changes that everyone keeps talking about?  For Kourtnay and Mason's sake, I really hope so.  I did feel the tiniest bit bad for Scott when he got left out of everything fun and had to stalk and beg Bruce to hang out.  Scott&Bruce were really cute when they hand hugged!  I also thought that the suit bonding was really nice.  I couldn't help but think of Barney on How I Met Your Mother and "Suit Up"!

Kim is dating someone new!  I'm excited as it seems like she really needs to just move on and stop going back and forth with Reggie.  Of course, next week's Season Finale teasers make it look like Reggie ends up back in the picture.  Poor Kim, I hope that she can just say no to Reggie!  She can call me and I will talk her thru how she needs to resist the drama.

Dash - a new one in NYC?  Close the CA store?  I think that the store(s) really takes the back seat and I think that opening a NYC would be a mistake.  Close the CA store.  These girls have way too much going on now to worry about retail.  I was actually shocked that the business managers thought that the NYC store was a fantastic idea.  Kourtnay always ends up working on the stores and she gets upset with her sisters who don't devote as much time.  Of course they can't devote that kind of time.  Kim has a busy career and Khloe is married.  I agree with Khloe who asked what the rush was.  I think that they should skip it all!  Is the Miami store even open?  They didn't mention it.

Weekly Menu - October 18, 2010

If you haven't had a chance to check out the About Section of the Weekly Menu, please check out now for info on sides & veggies.

This week, I need some cooking inspiration!  I have a bunch of defrosting meat, as we speak, but no idea what I am going to actually cook up.


Monday - ham steak
Tuesday -  ground beef
Wednesday - ground beef
Thursday -  boneless pork
Friday -  boneless pork
Saturday - fish*
Sunday -  tortillini



As I choose some recipes this week, I think that I will do separate blogs and soon I can start linking them up to the weekly menu.

*About the fish, this is frozen but ready-to-bake fish.  I can't take anymore fish drama LOL!

10 Things - New TV Shows - Fall 2010

I gave 10 new shows a shot this fall.  It was tough to spend my time watching new shows because they have a tendency to get canceled so quickly these days!

1. Undercovers - I gave it 2 epis
2. Nikita - OK but I don't DVR it
3. Running Wild - I gave it 1.75 epis
4. Hawaii 5-0 - I think that I like it
5. Terriers - I like it
6. Boardwalk Empire - already renewed for 2nd season
7. Lonestar - ALREADY CANCELED
8. The Event  -I like it
9. Mike & Molly - cute!
10. No Ordinary Family - I think that I am going to dump it.

P.S.
I didn't plan to watch it, but, My Generation has been canceled.

from the blog: true blood news

TV Recap - Boardwalk Empire - October 3, 2010

from: premiumhollywood.com

Amazing that Jimmy & Al's 5th victim is still alive.  How crazy was it when the police-chief-brother tried to kill him, even with his roommate in the room!  I'm glad that the police-chief-brother wasn't able to kill him.  But, he did die in the end.  TG he died after the FBI-IRS guy was poking his fingers into his wounds.  BLECK.  I hate scenes like that.

So, is the funeral home back in the alcohol business?  It seemed like a horse-drawn hearse that pulled in, filled with alcohol.  What is that character's name?  I think they said Chuck.  Let's go with that.  It seemed like Chuck took over the operation now that they guy who changed his name got busted.

I'm really excited about Mrs. Shroeder's job at the French Boutique at the Ritz Carlton.  (Btw, I just figured out that I have been spelling her name wrong).  The shop mistresses is a pill but fun to watch.  "When did you last bathe?".  How crazy was it when Mrs. Shroeder had to wait on and dress Nucky's ho?  She really earns her title, that one.

Yikes - NYC's mobster guy sure got some bad karma when he was treated for gonorrhea.  I bet that the men watching this scene were cringing.  I don't like this mobster guy - at all.  How crazy was it that they doc was smoking a cigarette during the procedure.  So typical that Mr. Mobster wouldn't let the doc write down his issues.

So, what is the big secret between Jimmy's Mom (Jillian) and Nucky?  What's the agreement - to keep Jimmy out of trouble - but why is Nucky on the hook?  Is Nucky his bio-Dad?  Is Nucky his brother (the only reason I wondered was when Nucky's brother (the police chief) asks if Nucky would be as understanding of him)?  How long until we find out?  Stuff like this will keep me interested.  I love a good back story.

OK, I missed this the first time thru - Mr. Name Change (who used to run the alcohol from the funeral home) gets told by NYC to take care of the issue (now that Nucky put them out of business) and that is why he kills the man and hangs him.  They shoot him because they are going to use the cover-up story that it was a jealous husband who shot him.

Why wasn't the head FBI-IRS guy more interested in Jimmy being one of the shooters?  He says he has to speak with the US Attorney's office, but, I can't help but think that he is up to something...

Jimmy - Jimmy - Jimmy!  What a freaking royal melt-down: you don't like the vacuum, your shoulders are bare, did you sleep with the photographer, let me grab my gun from atop the hutch, and you didn't seem to mind the last time I left!  Sheeesh, buddy, really?  I was curious about how/when we would see Al Capone again what with him being in Chicago and all.  Now, we know.  I'm still upset that Jimmy left his family, though.  Why not just bring them with him to Chicago.  Or, someplace else, start fresh.

Finally - I'm liking this show and hoping for some more good stuff!  Boardwalk Empire, you got a DVR Removal stay-of-execution, at least for another 2 weeks!