Slow Cooker Lasagna

While I was at the coast with Mother a few weeks ago, I was looking through one of her plethora of back-logged magazines and came across a recipe for lasagna made with a slow cooker. At first glance, I just passed right by it, but when I noticed it a second time, I decided to tear it out. At the very least, I could give it a look once I got home. I am, after all, trying to find as many slow cooker recipes as I can due to the fact that I am enrolled in a ballet class on Thursday’s that keeps me out until nine-ish. Once I got home, I gave the recipe another look. I was extremely skeptical….Let’s face it, slow cooker recipes can be tricky, especially the ones that involve more than your basic ingredients. They are always super easy, but it takes talent (or at least I think it takes talent) to make recipes in a slow cooker that have any depth of flavor and a variety of textures within the dish. So, I gave the original recipe a look over, changed a few areas (ingredients and methods) that I wasn’t happy with, and went to work on it. The result was so much better than I had ever imagined! I may never make a traditional lasagna again!

2 Boxes Frozen Spinach (10 oz. each), thawed and squeezed dry

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese (I used part skim ricotta)

1/4 - 1/2 Cup Half and Half

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese ( I used the canned kind. It was all I had! I’m sure fresh would be even better!)

3 Cups Meat Sauce or Marinara Sauce (This is a great use for sauce you have left over or in the freezer!)

6 Dried Lasagna Noodles

2 Cups Mozzerella Cheese, shredded

In a small bowl, mix together first 6 ingredients and half of the Parmesan cheese. Set aside. Layer the following, repeating twice: Thin layer of meat sauce or marinara, 2 noodles (breaking to fit), thin layer of meat sauce or marinara, half of the spinach mixture, thin layer of Mozzerella cheese. Repeat, ending with an extra layer of oodles and meat sauce or marinara on top. Top that layer of marinara with remaining Mozzerella and Parmesan. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Enjoy!!!

An Accidental Valentine’s Feast… . .On Tuesday, aka - Valentine’s Day, this is what I made for supper:

Pan-seared Salmon with an Avocado Sun Dried Tomato “Salsa” Roasted Potatoes and Onions Carrot Purée with Cilantro

Now, I call it an “Accidental Valentine’s Feast” because although we are deeply, even madly, in love, Amos and I don’t really “do” Valentine’s Day. Sure, when we were courting, there were many elaborately planned dinners with flowers and candy and all that hoop-la, but now, we would rather have a “romantic” dinner on a night when everyone else isn’t crowded into our favorite restaurants for some mandatory Prix Fixe menu. That said, it was just another Tuesday to me, and I had been wanting to try this menu for about a week now. It was inspired by a menu that I saw in a not-so-recent volume of Real Simple magazine. Boy, did my variation not disappoint! Amos even said that if we had gone out, we would have been hard pressed to find a meal as delightful!

All in all, I’d say we had a pretty great “Accidental Valentine’s Feast”!!!

Here’s the recipe for the Salmon and “Salsa”:

1 Avocado, diced 1/4 Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely chopped 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped Salt and Pepper, to taste 1 Lime 2 Salmon Fillets Olive Oil

In a bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Juice the lime into the bowl and stir to combine well. Set aside. Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and pepper. In a skillet heat about 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat, add salmon and sautée until desired doneness is reached, turning once (about 3 minutes per side for medium). Remove salmon to serving plate and top with half of the avocado mixture.

Enjoy!!!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day….Come in and treat your Sweetheart to a new bauble from The Pearl Girls!!!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day….Come in and treat your Sweetheart to a new bauble from The Pearl Girls!!!

A little time spent in Madison, GA….

Last week, Mother, Daddy, and I spent Thursday evening and Friday in beautiful Madison, GA. A very kind friend gave us tickets to see the Atlanta Symphony at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center and passes for the annual historic tour of homes. As always, the symphony sounded amazing and the homes on the tour couldn’t have been more beautiful! What a wonderful way to start this holiday season!!!

This past Saturday, the store was buzzing with holiday activity! We hosted our annual Christmas Open House and had a great time! It was the perfect way to kick of this wonderful season!!!

I thought I would share one of the recipes from our “Friendly” Thanksgiving supper with you….A sauté of cabbage, apples, and fennel….Very easy and very tasty!

1 Head Red Cabbage - shredded, 1 Red Onion - thinly sliced, 2 Granny Smith Apples - thinly sliced, 2 Fennel Bulbs - thinly sliced, 1 Cup White Wine, 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper - to taste

Sauté onion and fennel until soft, in olive oil. Add in cabbage and apples and cook until cabbage wilts. Add in wine and cook until apples are soft. Pour in vinegar and cook until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!!

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Amos and I had a few friends over to celebrate all of the things we are thankful for….Good Food, Good Friends, Good Music….Just to name a few! We had a great time and truly are thankful for all of the great friends we have made in Nashville!

Brand New for Christmas! Stop in for our Open House and Brunch on Saturday, December 3rd to see all of our new gifts and goodies galore!!!

Just in time for winter weather….Stop in the store for one of our super cute hats for little girls!