Riverbend Ramblings

Labels: Family Life

Tonight we had lasagna for supper-- "healthy" lasagna. It's lower in fat and has more protein than a traditional lasagna. The flavor is a bit different, but very good. The kids helped themselves to seconds and thirds. Healthy Lasagna 1 & 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey 3 cups pasta sauce 2 cups mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 container low-fat cottage cheese (15 oz.) 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp. parsley salt & pepper to taste The prep work is easy. I started out by browning a pound and a half of lean ground turkey. After rinsing the meat, I added 3 cups of spaghetti sauce from a jar (gasp!). I like mine with mushrooms. While the meat mixture simmered I combined 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, a 15 oz. container of low-fat cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, two eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley to make the cheese filling. Layering is the fun part. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place 3 uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles on top, then layer with another cup of the sauce, three more noodles, and half of the cheese mixture. Continue layering the ingredients, then top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. I covered the dish with foil and baked it in my convection oven at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. A traditional oven would probably need 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Another thing I like about this recipe is that it is relatively inexpensive. I'm all for frugal when it tastes good and is good for you, too. The finished product is delicious. Let me know if you give this "healthy" recipe a try.

Labels: In the Kitchen, Recipes

It's hard to believe that August will be here in just a few more days. It's been hot here in Central Florida this summer, but we've had enough rain to keep things looking green. The garden planted in the spring has helped stretch my food budget this summer. We've eaten countless salads from it. I'm going to plant some more tomatoes in the next couple of weeks and perhaps some more lettuce, too. All of the Crepe Myrtles in our yard are in full bloom. We have both pink and white varieties. Eventually it would be nice to add some purple and red varieties as well. We've mixed in a lot of fun this summer. Last weekend my hubby and I spent an evening with with one of the couples' Sunday school classes from our church. We ate supper at a Japanese steakhouse and then played glow-in-the-dark miniature golf. That was a first for me. The putt-putt place was inside a mall, and all of the props glowed in the dark. It was definitely challenging, but I think I prefer the regular kind of putt-putt on a course where I can actually see the hole I'm aiming for. :)After we finished golfing we stopped by a restaurant for dessert. I've been staying away from sugar lately but decided to splurge on our date night. Hubby and I each ordered a brownie sundae. Talk about a huge dessert! We could have split one, but where's the fun in that? :) We really enjoyed the fellowship with good Christian friends. Bookworm spent two weeks visiting my dad. All of the kids missed her, but I think Lil' Nut missed her the most. She hasn't let Bookworm out of her sight since she came home. Hopefully we'll get away for a mini-vacation later this week. I'm ready for some R & R. :) I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Labels: Family Life, Fun Stuff, Outdoor Life

Wow, that was my longest blogging break ever! The kids survived their week at camp and so did I. :) The summer seems to be flying by. We've been enjoying the relaxed pace that comes with summertime. The Florida heat has just about sucked all the life out of my garden. I still have tomatoes in abundance. The kids race outside each evening to see who can pick the most cherry tomatoes. They eat most of them right off the vine without even washing them. Organic gardening has its benefits. :) We celebrated the 4th with our own little fireworks display. This was the first year we've ever purchased a big assortment of fireworks, and we certainly got our money's worth. The kids had a "blast" and so did the grownups. A few weeks ago my third blogging anniversary just slipped right by unnoticed. I have so enjoyed journalling about our family's life over the past three years. It's so neat to read back over what God has done in our lives and reflect upon the path He's placed us on. I'm also thankful for the many friends I've made, though most of you I'll never meet face to face this side of heaven. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Things may be a bit quieter here on the blog for a while. After being a full-time homemaker for the past ten years, I've recently accepted a position as the supervisor of our church's elementary school. Needless to say, my daily schedule will be changing. I still plan on checking in here from time to time and continuing to visit your blogs as well. I'm looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us in this new season of life.

Labels: Daily Life, My Thoughts