Black Friday

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Today I will be too busy today doing this .....

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because of this .........

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Woo hoo!  I have my list, checked it off twice and am ready to face the crowds .... only making one stop but that's all I need!

If you are out shopping today, be careful and have fun!  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving..... one word which conjures up images of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie.  Family and friends gathered around the table ... unfortunately some of our family members have to be absent this year .... namely Luke, Sarah and my Mom but they are close to our hearts today.  We love you and miss all of you!

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We wish you lots of joy, laughter and good food on this day in which we give thanks.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Pizza Casserole

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Another pizza recipe.  Another casserole recipe ...... combined in one!!!!  How amazing is that?!

This recipe caught my eye and I just had to give it a try.

It was very easy to prepare and put together ... although I switched it up a bit ... but be forewarned, it makes a HUGE batch!

Ingredients

1 bag of egg noodles

1 extra large can of Ragu sauce (or any other tomato sauce you enjoy)

3 cups of mozzarella cheese (I used two full packages because I love cheese!)

1 1/2 pounds hamburger (I used one pound of beef and one pound of pork)

1 package of pepperoni

Other ingredients that could be used

any other cheeses you might enjoy

onions

mushrooms

italian seasoning

other types of pasta instead of egg noodles

pizza sauce instead of spaghetti sauce

olives

or any other ingredients you love on pizza!

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.

I lightly greased my 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. 

1.  Brown meat and drain.  I then added the spaghetti sauce and added fresh parsley from my windowsill.

Cook the egg noodles as directed on the package.  Strain.

Now to put it all together!

first layer is half of the meat and sauce mixture

then a layer of noodles, using half the noodles

half the cheese

the rest of the meat and sauce

then the rest of the noodles

the the rest of the cheese ...
I had some solid mozzarella cheese left over from another recipe so I added slices of that as well

lastly arrange the pepperoni all over

Doesn't it look yummy?!

Now cover it with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove foil and bake a further 15 minutes or until the cheese is lightly brown and bubbly.

Once you remove it from the oven, let it sit for 15 minutes.  The casserole needs to settle so it doesn't fall apart.  

Very easy AND delicious!  It could easily be made ahead of time and then thrown in the oven when you get home from work.  It freezes just wonderfully too!  This recipe was enough for the night I made the casserole and then had enough to freeze for two more meals!  Wow!

Thanks For Mamas for such a tasty and quick new recipe.  We love it around here and it is added to our meal plan rotation list. So if you love pizza and casseroles ... well I would suggest this one.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Tuesday's Tip

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This week ... the day after Thanksgiving is BLACK FRIDAY.  I don't usually shop on this day.  I do not like crowds of people and I certainly do NOT go to the cities on this day but since I am waaaaay behind on my Christmas shopping this year ... well I need to hit our local big box store for some of the sale items as they are on my list.

I started talking to some of the ladies at work and there is a whole "science" to this day and how shopping is done.  WOW!  I never would have guessed that it is such a big deal.  I have seen news footage of stampedes at some centers in large cities in the past that might be offering a dynamite deal but here?  In our small area?  The cities are an hour and a half away and apparently many, many people make the trip to pick up the deals ... who would have thunk?

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Talking with these ladies, I have picked up some hints and tips on 'how' to shop on this day so if you are planning on heading out, maybe some of these tips will help.

1. Eat a big breakfast.  Your body needs fuel to shop.  You don't want to be stuck in a line for hours, only to pick up junk food at the cash register because you are starving.
2. Carry a water bottle in your bag/purse.  Being thirsty is not fun and the mall's environment tends to be drier this time of the year.
3. Head to the washrooms for a break when you see one.  Don't wait until you have to go ... the line ups can be extremely long.
4. Do your research.  Buy locally made, quality made items when possible.  It will pay off in the long run.
5. Browse the deals before you go.  You want to head to the store that offers the best price to help stay within the budget.
6. Bring ads with you.  Being in a store that is crammed with shoppers grabbing items, it can be confusing when similar products are side by side.  If you have the ad with you, you will be certain to have the correct sale item before you get to the register.  Some stores also offer 'lowest price guarantee'.  You will need the ad to prove a competitor is priced lower to receive price difference.
7. Early Bird and Night Owl specials.  These are intended to draw people in at different times of the day, hoping to alleviate congestion at the most popular early afternoon hours.  The deals can be worth setting the alarm earlier or staying up later!
8. Know the store policies on returns and exchanges.  Familiarizing yourself on the store's policy will ensure a happy recipient if the gift needs to be taken back.
9. Don't forget the gift receipt.  Many stores will do this automatically but watch out as cashiers can be forgetful too.  
10. Last but not least .... have fun!  Enjoy the ambiance and know that you will be sipping on an     eggnog come Christmas Eve with your gifts all wrapped and under the tree because you finished shopping early in the season.  

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Let me know how your shopping went if you venture out and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Filling the Freezer

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Hunting season .... we are meat eaters in our family.  When we hunt, we hunt to feed the family, not for the sport.

We have great respect for Mother Nature and all she provides for us.  This year however, was a bust.  Hunting season is over for another year.  No deer were shot.  Our freezer will now have to be filled with beef, chicken and pork on sale from the grocery store instead.

Word around these parts is the overabundance of wolves which in turn chase the deer away.  A neighbor stopped by last week and informed us that when he was passing by earlier the day before a large grey wolf was spotted leaving our driveway.

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My morning walks will need to be kept close to the house and definitely during daylight hours.  Our pets will need to be kept indoors for the time being. I hope the wolves move along soon and the deer move back in.  There is nothing prettier than watching the deer make their way along the property after a snowfall.  They are so graceful and beautiful.

Hoping that you have a lovely week and remember to give your loved ones a hug!