Spaghetti Casserole

Good Tuesday morning!

The Gallery Pic is of Sparkle and Copper... together again!

ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! - Since it is a holiday weekend, there will be a few scheduling changes. I'll announce them today through Wednesday.

Monday - Mindless Monday (Been there. Done that!)

Tuesday - Recipes

Wednesday - Seasonal Tradition and Wednesday Wisdom

Thursday - I am taking the day off to celebrate Thanksgiving with Mike's family and meet my sister, niece and cousins at The Wynfrey for our Black Friday Shopping Tradition.

Friday - I will be posting Blog Linkage and Weekend Happenings after 5:00 p.m. Friday evening. When I come home from Black Friday Shopping around noon, I tend to crawl into the bed and sleep for four hours. (That, too, is a tradition.)

RANDOMNESS #1 - I'm going to share a few Pinterest funnies with you today. Some of the quotes are hilarious.

"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream... and that's kind of the same thing." (I dedicate this to my friend, Julie.)

"We'll be best friends forever, because you already know too much."

"I'm not evil. I'm good... with a twist."

"I child-proofed my house, but they still get in." (Been there!)

"I understand the concept of cooking and cleaning. Just not as it applies to me."

RANDOMNESS #2 - This Thursday evening will be our third annual Cousin/Sister/Niece/Daughter/Aunt Black Friday Wynfrey Extravaganza. Amy, Monica, Bev, Katie, Roxie and I will be checking in around 5:30 Thursday night... watching movies, playing games, drinking hot chocolate... sleeping a few hours... AND shopping and eating a few hours.

Tons of fun packed into less than 24 hours. We cannot wait!

RANDOMNESS #3 - A lot of people on Facebook have been naming one thing they are thankful for per day. I, of course, have decided to do the Top Ten List (David Letterman-style)!

10. Cameras - Taking pictures is a constant source of joy for me. I love it. I'm not very good at it, but I've been taking tons of pictures for 24 years now and it never gets old. (And every now and again, I get lucky and get a really, really good shot.)

9. Movies - I LOVE going to movies. I always have, and I suppose I always will. I'm thankful for those "special" movies that make me think, make me smile, make me cry. It's a simple thing really, but it is one of those things I love.

8. Snow Days - I will never tire of waking up, watching the bottom of the television screen and seeing the words, "Jefferson County School closed today due to 1/2" of snow." It still makes me smile... even though I haven't attended school in almost 30 years!

7. Pedicures - I jumped on the "pedicure bandwagon" a little late in life, but it is one of those little luxuries that absolutely makes my day. (Keep in mind, I've only had four pedicures in 50 years... but I'm looking forward to many more. I'm getting one next week, as a matter of fact!)

6. Holidays - I am so thankful for reasons to celebrate special occasions with family and friends. Whether it is Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter or the 4th of July, spending these special days with the people I love the most is without a doubt some of my favorite things to do.

5. Shelter, Clothing and Food - I am thankful to say I have never been without these three items... ever. I know many people in this world cannot say that. I pray I will have empathy and compassion for these people. I also pray I always keep my eyes open looking for ways to help and give.

4. Country - I am so proud to be an American. I am so thankful for our brilliant forefathers and the men and women who sacrifice each and every day to maintain our freedom. I never want to take America for granted.

3. Friends - I am thankful for friends, old and new. It took me a long time to understand the different roles friends play in our lives, but I think I'm finally "getting it." There are definitely different friends for different seasons, and I'm thoroughly enjoying this particular "season."

2. Family - Words cannot express how thankful I am for Mikie, Austin, Josh and Roxie. My life is so much richer and fuller because of them... I cannot even begin to describe. I am also thankful for extended family, as well. The Faulkner Five are extremely blessed in that department, too.

1. God - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:4-9.

Spaghetti Casserole

This recipe comes straight from Paula Deen's boys. I just have to say... They done good!

You will need the following:

Salt
1 pound uncooked spaghetti
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 26-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
3 ounces Parmesan cheese - 3/4 cup
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese - 2 cups

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain.

2. In a large Dutch oven, brown the ground beef.

3. Add the salt, oregano, black pepper and red pepper flakes.

4. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, Parmesan and the cooked spaghetti. Transfer to baking dish. Top evenly with mozzarella.

5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

It was a big hit last night. There's a little bit of leftover, so tonight is hodge-podge night... ham, dressing, sweet potato casserole, deviled eggs, spaghetti casserole and muffin eggs. (I'll let you know how the muffin eggs turn out tomorrow. It's another Pinterest experiment!)

Have a totally wonderful Tuesday. I'll be back tomorrow with pics, Wednesday Wisdom, a Seasonal Tradition, Randomness and a whole lot more.

Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda