10 Items a Week . . .

A few years ago I adopted a new policy regarding acquisitions:  If something comes into the house, a like thing must leave.  This policy took effect not long after we had our master bathroom floor tiled and I had to empty my husband’s closet.  He’s a PGA golf professional — a teacher — and he wears golf shirts to work.  Plus he likes clothes.  But when he came home an hour or so after I’d emptied his closet, told him that he had 93 golf shirts and he just shrugged, I knew we had a problem.  But it became personal when I bought a set of dishes (service for 8 with attendant serving pieces) for a veritable steal.  I unpacked the boxes, washed the dishes and realized I had no place to put them.  Quite frankly, I can’t remember now what used to live in the space where these dishes live now.  Obviously they weren’t that important.  So since then I’ve taken various opportunities to get rid of excess material possessions.  (See “Dumping.”)

A few weeks ago, Facebook friends started a group called “10 ITEMS A WEEK,” as a support group for their own organizational efforts.  As it happened, the day I was added to the group I had thrown away a bunch of non-functioning pens . . . in a fit of frustration.

Off to a great start!

And since I’ve already been walking the walk AND talking the talk by making my monthly Goodwill drops, I felt sure I was going to be the star member of the group.

That is until the china.  As part of my job, I was asked to help the widow of The Dead Boss to help her organize a storage shed in anticipation of the sale of her house.  She told me that there were many boxes that had been moved from one property to another and then to this one without having been opened.  Three moves over 6 years and no one really knows what’s in them, EXCEPT she thinks the service for 20 of dishes bought sometime in the mid 20th century in China are part of the bounty and that she does not want them.  If I don’t help her then they will go to the handyman.  Well, hell, I can’t let that happen as a self-respecting dish whore.

So I met the widow early in the morning and we spent 2.5 hours in the shed.  We had a huge stack of boxes for the handyman to “get rid of,” as well as a few things I was taking home.  My husband was kind enough to help me unload them into the garage.

Only the boxes inside the big loop are in this. The others are recycling bins.

It was too hot to work in the garage when I brought them home, but a cold front moved through over the weekend and I planned to spend Labor Day morning getting the dishes unpacked, sorted, washed and stored.  Of course I had to make room for them.  And somehow I got sidetracked and decided to purge the cabinet in the laundry area where I keep vases.

Don’t you have this many extra vases?

And the sideboard didn’t escape scrutiny.  Everything to the right of the plant is going.

Then I tackled the built in cabinet in the kitchen.  Frankly, I had already moved a bunch of things out of this cabinet and into the Goodwill box in the garage.  But it still needed to be pruned.

There was no way that 7 (or is it 8?) boxes of dishes would fit here.

The blue goblets on the top left were given to me by mother were put in a box to take to the nice guy in the office next to me who said he’ll use them.  The soup tureen and Chinese plates on the top right are going to my step-daughter because they belonged to her mother who died in 1987.  Left center — being donated, for the most part.  (I just can’t get rid of the antique amethyst canning jar.)  Center square (I loved Paul Lynde!) are going to be sold in a neighbor’s estate sale after they are considered as props in a photo shoot next weekend for a challenge called “Glass.”  The remaining things needed to be rearranged and the shelves washed, etc.

I don’t have a photo before I put any of the “new” dishes in, but this is a good representation.

So now I could unpack the boxes, sort the dishes, get them inside and wash/dry them.  It turned out that instead of service for 20 it was two sets of service for 12 that had almost identical patterns.  Let me say that this is not a china pattern that I would have chosen, but it is really starting to grow on me.

You might notice a few glass pieces in the background — 2 bells and 4 candle holders.  Yes, I kept them.

Into the house and sorted by type and pattern.  Ready for the bath.

This part took a very long time because I really do not like washing dishes.  Drying them even less.  So they get stacked in the drainer.

After all was said and done, I was able to enjoy the results and look forward to the Chinese banquet for 24 that someone else is going to cook.

Postscript:  There was also a box of silver plate.  My neighbor who is going to have an estate sale soon came and took almost the entire box away.  I did keep 4 pieces:  a set of toast tongs (do you have some?) and 3 seafood forks that it turns out were lifted from the London Hilton.

There’s An App for That

I took some screen shots from my iPad2 to show which apps I currently have and use.  “Currently” is an important thing to remember.  I have only a few paid apps and so I experiment with new ideas and apps and have no regrets deleting (or removing for the time being) the ones that didn’t live up to my expectations.

This is my “desktop” where I keep the things I use most frequently.  I don’t want to have many pages to scroll through, so I have organized the apps into “sub-directories.”  I find it easiest to do the arranging in iTunes.  To do this, drag one icon on top of one you want in the same sub-directory.  Most times, the iPad will come up with a title for the group, but that can be changed.  If you want to do this “on the fly, press on an icon until they all start wiggling and have little black circles with an “x” in it in the upper left corner.  You can then move or even delete the icons.  You can also “park” up to 6 icons in the tray at the bottom of the screen, but Safari, Mail, iPod and Mail can’t be removed.

You may notice that the picture is in Landscape mode.  I prefer that orientation and have locked it.  To lock the screen orientation, double tap the home button and then swipe the tray to the right.  You will have several controls available, including the screen lock on the far left.  (Tap Home once.)

Tray first:  I have added Kindle and The Weather Channel to the tray.  I think Apple’s weather app sucks.

From top to bottom:

Travel:

This is one I change around a bit.  I haven’t deleted the San Francisco apps I included for my June trip to the City by the Bay.  AA is our local carrier; you probably know Trip Advisor; Gate Guru is helpful in getting around unfamiliar airports; TripCase is excellent when flying with connections.  PFHD Free is just something I was fooling around with.  You can track a plane by tail number.  (Remember, I work at an airport.)

News — Pretty self-explanatory.

Utilities:  Another transparent one.  I like Nightstand because the display is BIG.  I have the Wi-Fi only iPad.

(So far, you’ve seen only free apps.)  I don’t know why Flickr Studio is there all by itself, but it is.  Good app for viewing Flickr files.

Games — these are all free except the Angry Birds apps.  For something different I really like Gerd Arntz and the Faile Puzzle Boxes

Entertainment:  IMDb is a must for when you’re watching a TV show and can’t remember the name of the actor.  Streaming videos via Netflix, PBS, TED, HBOGo.  I can schedule my DVR via the U-verse app.  This is a well used “page.”

Maps and Contacts.  ::yawn::

Lifestyle:  This is an odd assortment but I love all of these.  There are actually two paid apps on this page — the National Geographic Park Maps and Audubon Guide — Wildflowers.  I think I want more of the Audubon Guides too.  I use Yelp more on my iPhone, but use this while sitting on the couch wondering what’s for dinner.

Books:  LOVE THIS PAGE!  Two of my favorite apps are here.  Zinio is for digital magazines.  I have several subscriptions, but National Geographic is awesome.  They use the interactive features to their full extent.  Flipboard probably should be on the front page alone.  I use it a lot.  You just need to go get it and you’ll be busy with Flipboard alone for hours, if not days.  Overdrive is the app I can use to download books from my public library and the “M” one is Mango and I think it’s for learning languages via the public library (have not used it.)  I don’t use Nook.  The Apple iBook app is good.

Foresquare and GetGlue you know, as you do Google.

Photography:

G Eyewitness and all of the Fotopedia apps are photo collections.  Word Lens is a cool thing where you take a picture of a sign in a foreign language and it translates it.  0 to 100 Project is a cool photo project.  LOVE 100 Cameras in 1; Instagram is fun.  Photo Booth looks fun, but I haven’t played with it much.  I don’t understand Paintbook.  PS Express is the Adobe Photoshop app for iPad.

PAGE TWO

The only sub-directory is Real Estate — Zillow and Realtor.com.  I’m nosy.

The others are apps I don’t use often.  I use the Audible app on my iPhone to listen to books.  The camera sucks on the iPad.  I don’t really tweet.  From the Edge and MyPad will be deleted soon.

I hope this helps show you the variety of apps you can have.  You just need to find ones that suit your interests.  Welcome to the club.

 

Oh, in addition to apps I have one important accessory for my iPad — the camera connection kit.  There are two adapters that plug into the slot where your charger plugs in.  One is for a USB connection and the other for an SD card.  So if you’re out and about and want check a photo you took, you just plug in the adapter, slip in the SD card and you can see if the pooches are in focus or not on your iPad screen instead of the tiny camera screen.

Protecting My Investment — The Traveling Klutz’ Way

I’ve had portable electronic devices long enough to know that if it can be dropped, scratched, drenched, or mutilated in any way, I can and will do it. So when I got my iPad2, the first thing I researched was how to protect it from its owner — me.

One of the first things I learned is that when you get a device within the first month or so of its release, there are not a lot of choices. So when I was looking for a light weight protective case, my choices were limited. I wanted something that would cushion the iPad when I tossed it in my purse or stuffed it in my camera bag. What I found was a neoprene sleeve that was actually designed to be used as a sleeve for a portable DVD player. But it met my requirements — it’s cushioned, easy to use and, as a bonus, it has a degree of waterproofing.

http://www.initproducts.com/pc-453-5-init-reversible-sleeve-for-most-portable-dvd-players-up-to-9.aspx

In the meantime, at the same time I ordered my iPad, I ordered the Apple cover.  I didn’t want to use a screen protector because one of the primary reasons I got an iPad is to view and process photos.  I feel that the screen protectors alter the otherwise crisp and accurate projection of photos.  So I use the Apple cover as just that — a cover, not a stand.

Now the back of the case.  I have used Gelaskin products since I learned of them from an online friend.  They are basically vinyl stickers that protect your device, but in creative manner.  You can order one of their hundreds of designs or design your own.  I chose a relatively generic, but colorful, skin to protect the case of my iPad.  For another $29.95, I can change its look whenever I want.  (NOTE:  The skin also comes with a “frame” for the front of the iPad and a file so you can use the same design for your wallpaper.  I have opted to not use these, but have them if I change my mind.)

http://www.gelaskins.com/

The other bit that I’ve attached for protection is the StuffBank sticker.  If a good citizen finds my iPad left somewhere unattended, they can contact StuffBak and they will contact me.  I can offer a reward or not.

Confessions of a Stalker

After spending several hours with my fellow members of the Fort Worth Camera Club taking pictures and eating breakfast last Saturday morning, I went to a local garden center to do some shopping with a friend. New plants in my car, I started home.

But I was in a historic part of Fort Worth and decided to scout for some shots for an upcoming competition. Every month the FWCC has a competition for its 200 members. Each member is permitted to enter one digital image and one print for consideration by an outside judge. Three times a year the competition has a closed subject. In June 2011, the print category’s topic is “Architecture in Monochrome.” I had no idea what I was looking for, but found some things that I thought might work and took a bunch of shots.

Back home the next day, I started reviewing the images from the outing and my solo expedition. While I like several architectural photos I got, I really liked one and worked with Photoshop to convert it to monochrome and see what I thought. What do you think?

Back up a couple of weeks to when a friend and I talked about going to the Fairmount Historic District Tour of Homes in Fort Worth. After buying the tickets and clearing my schedule, I hadn’t thought much about the event until Thursday when I checked their website to see what homes were included. Imagine my surprise to find the subject of my photo to be one of the eight properties on the tour.

Blanchard Schaefer Advertising & Public Relations

Since I had two copies of the print, I considered taking one of them with us and giving it to the owners of the building, but wondered if they would think it was creepy — sort of like someone stalking their building. But my friends encouraged me and I brought the print along. The way things worked out, this building was the last we toured. When we entered the former apartment building that is now a glam studio for an advertising agency, the owner was just telling the docent goodbye and on his way out the door. I got his attention, explained the circumstances and gave him the print. He loves it and was just a tad regretful that he did not have a personal stalker. He did say he was going to tell his wife he does anyway.

The Recipient’s Response

Today I heard from the recipient of the box I “dumped” on Tuesday.

She is over the moon.  I sent her a box filled with recipes I had cut, torn, and collected over the past 30+ years.  Some were on cards, some were loose (I put those in a manila envelope), and some were in a 3 ring binder.  Here are pictures of the stuff I sent taken by The Recipient.

This photo shows most of the contents of the box.

The binder on the top was created by The Recipient. Do you really think this was a coincidence?

I had meant to have a blog entry prepared before the box was received, but didn’t.  So this is most of the email I sent as explanation:

Oh I am so glad you didn’t just throw the whole thing into the dumpster!

I wanted to get the next blog installment done before your mail got there.  But here’s the short version.

At one point in my life I was married to a man who had me convinced I was a shitty wife, mother, was ugly and basically worthless.  For a short while, I responded by bending over backwards to prove what an asshole he was.  I made this friggin’ binder, was Cubmaster, Brownie leader, and worked full time.  I organized a food coop, canned fruits and vegetables, did needlework.  Damn.  What a fool.  Finally I realized that all I really had to do was leave.

There’s more to the story that all seems rather funny now.

But I couldn’t let go of this fucking binder and the stupid cards that I had glued recipes to.  As a result, whenever I wanted to  find a recipe that was important to me, I got trapped by all of this.  The other night I finally had enough.  I had torn everything out of the cabinet and started looking for the 3 x 5 card with my mother’s French onion soup recipe (after reading Clio’s).  In frustration, I went to the garage and just threw this stuff in a box, bit by bit.  I finally found what I was looking for.  Then I got the tape and started taping the box closed.  Joe came in and saw I was in  crazy mode and just helped me close and tape the box without even asking what I was doing.

No, Lisa won’t want this.  She will never be a Girl Scout leader and make cute little fake gingerbread houses with graham crackers or any of the other stuff.

Have fun!

Love you,

J.

So now I should presumably be able to find my mother’s soup recipe or my grandmother’s noodle recipe without having to sift through the detritus of low self esteem.  I feel lighter already.

NOTE:  I’m leaving The Recipient as an anonymous friend for now.  She may reveal her identity in the future.  But it’s totally up to her.

Dumping

I tried to think of a better title, but the only other one that came to mind was “Purging.” No better.

I just put a box in the mail. I need to let the recipient know it’s on its way. I’ve moved the contents many times, but they have little meaning for me. They got in my way the last time last night.

I had choices. I could have just put them in the recycle bin and they would have been gone Wednesday morning. But instead I put them in a box and taped the box closed before I could change my mind. I’m hoping that the recipient will find something useful or clever to do with the contents.

I’ll write more after I hear from the recipient.

Who Is This Child?

I vaguely remember her. And her dog Puddles. I didn’t remember the naked doll until I saw it again. But those saddle shoes? I’d remember them anywhere. They’re the ones she was wearing when she stepped on a rusty safety pin. When they had to pull the safety pin out of the sole of the shoe so they could take her to the doctor to have a tetanus shot. It would have been easier if she had been barefoot, the way she always wanted to be.

Me. Forgotten memories. The photos bring some of them back. The photos that ended up in my virtual lap one day. The photos that were carelessly recorded by a brother discarded. Can’t I ever get rid of him?

What if I had let go? They would have blamed me — just like they always did. I was the oldest, the most responsible, the one who knew better. Still am. Still do.

But it only took “this” long to be slammed back in time. The photos. Is this why photos are so important to me? Is this the only thing tethering me to any memories I have? I am indeed the archivist.

Thrown in My Path

There are no accidents whatsoever in the universe.

–Ram Dass

When I got the small book in the mail from my daughter, I was delighted. “Light is The Theme” is a compilation of photographs, architectural drawings and quotations about the design and construction of the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, published in 1975. It struck my heart and mind in so many places and from so many directions.

As a photographer, I have taken a number of images of the Kimbell — it cries out to be photographed because of its texture, angles, curves and the way the light plays among those elements. It is really like a playful child, impossible to capture in a single image. But now to reach some of Lou Kahn’s thoughts gave me a sense of connectedness with the great architect.

“A great American poet once asked the architect, ‘What slice of the sun does your building have? What light enters your room?’
– as if to say the sun never knew how great it is until it struck the side of the building.”

Louis I. Kahn

When I first started reading (more like devouring) this small book, I posted something on Facebook about it and how appreciative I was that my daughter had sent it to me.  An online friend made a comment about Kahn that included a reference to his three families.  I didn’t know anything about Kahn’s personal life and hardly anything about his professional life, so I started to research him.

I found a movie, My Architect:  A Son’s Journey, online via Netflix.  The filmmaker is Nathaniel Kahn, the bastard son of Louis I. Kahn and product of Kahn’s liaison with Harriet Pattison, a landscape architect who worked with Kahn on several projects, including the Kimbell.  It took me the better part of an entire day to view this film because of various interruptions.  But I was stunned by what I learned about Louis I. Kahn.

First, the office of his firm was less than a block from where I had worked for a number of years.  I probably passed him on the street any number of times.  If I had passed him, I most likely wouldn’t have noticed him.  He was only 5′ 6″ tall, wore thick glasses and his face had a pocked appearance due to scars from burns he suffered as a small child in Estonia.

First Tangent:  One of the things I love about the building at the Kimbell is the unvarnished appearance.  One of the interviewees in the film said that they believed one of the reasons Kahn left the “raw” concrete in his buildings was because of the scars on his face.  How perfect is that?

The name of the book is Light is The Theme.  What is a photograph?  Merely the capturing of light on the media, whether it be film or a digital memory card.  A photograph can be edited, i.e., altered by changing the amount of light.

“Photography depends on light. Therefore, an understanding of light, what it is, how it behaves and how you can learn to use it, is essential to creating superlative photos.  Because the character and quality of a photograph can be altered by the character and quality of light, even the most-seasoned photographers puzzle over how a scene should be lit, what lighting angles to use for good results, and what exposure settings will bring out the best detail and tonal shading.”

(from “Light Photography – Writing with light” at http://www.photographytips.com/page.cfm/157)

Kahn is an artist, using light as an integral element of his buildings, not just an accidental play of nature.

I could easily list each of Kahn’s projects here and discuss the play of light on the angles and curves.  There are not many projects.  While he bid on many large projects, he was only engaged on a few.  A list can be found here:  http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Louis_I._Kahn.html   But there is really no point in that.  The point is that he was a deeply spiritual man who lived what society of the time deemed a morally bankrupt life.  He died $500,000 in debt, with a widow and daughter, two illegitimate children and their mothers mourning him.  But his buildings live in the light.

Second Tangent: I visit the Kimbell often.  I’ve been a member since I moved back to the DFW area in the late 80s.  There is an intimacy in the building that lets me feel comfortable, like going to a private place, whenever I’m there.  After my father died and my mother moved to Virginia, we would talk often on the phone.  On the occasions when I’d tell her that I was planning to visit the Kimbell, she would invariably tell me “That’s the last place your father and I went out to eat before he died.”  (Quite frankly, I wouldn’t mind my last meal on earth being from the little buffet at the Kimbell.  I’ll have the large plate, with the soup, salad AND quiche, please.  Oh yes.  I would like the gingerbread for dessert with a dollop of REAL whipped cream, thank you.)   So now when I visit the Kimbell and have lunch, it’s like my father and my mother are sitting there with me — under the wisteria if the weather is nice.

For me, the most moving part of the film was the last sequence where Nathaniel visited The National Assembly in Dacca, Bangladesh.  This was Kahn’s final project.  He died before it was complete.  It was built primarily of materials found near the site with local labor.  It is truly a building OF the people.  Nathaniel interviewed architect B. V. Doshi in the building.  Mr. Doshi asks how much time will be devoted to this project in the film.  When Nathaniel tells him he can only allow 10 minutes, Doshi weeps.  He says that the story of the building and the importance to the people of Bangladesh cannot possibly be conveyed in that brief time.  To me, Mr. Doshi’s tears told the story in only seconds.

Doshi tells how Kahn could “go into silence” and how among architects he is a guru.  It is really one of the most moving parts of a very touching film.

Third Tangent: My parents were seekers.  One path they took was the practice of yoga.  In 1971 they traveled to Rishikesh, India to their guru’s ashram.  When they came back they started making plans to move to India to live.  Because of some business concerns, they never did move to India, but my mother in particular always held the hope of ashram life in her heart.  After my father died in 1991, she moved to an ashram just outside Charlottesville, VA.  Now that I’m doing the calculations, she was 62 at the time — my current age.  After a brief time at the ashram she left — she said if she never peeled another carrot in her life again it would be a day too soon.  But where do I go now where I feel the greatest connection with my parents?  To the Kimbell.  A structure designed by the guru of light.

Light is The Theme, Comments on Architecture by Louis Kahn, Compiled by Nell E. Johnson, Kimbell Art Foundation, Fort Worth, Texas, 1975.

My Architect:  A Son’s Journey, a film by National Kahn

Photographs by Julie Delio, 2010, all rights reserved.

Old Dog — New Tricks

I’m learning (note that I didn’t say “trying to learn’) how to use my DSLR camera and the post-processing programs I have at my disposal. I’m learning how to make better prints. I’m taking baby steps.

As most of you know (because I blabbered on and on about it), Joe and I went to Ireland last summer. A photographer’s dream, right? The weather sucked almost every day. Sun on maybe one day. We planned a trip to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher so that we would be at the Cliffs in the afternoon, when I had learned the light was best. It was very windy, spitting a fine mist and cold. ARGH.

On that same day when we were in Galway, we somehow ended up at a marina where there was a huge pile of scrap metal at the end. I had wandered away from Joe, who is used to it, and was eyeing the pile of metal. A local woman came by on her brisk walk. I asked her about the pile and she explained that they brought chewed up scrap metal from all over here by truck and then a ship (with a really big magnet) took it away. She “got” my fascination and she saw my camera. She told me to wait and she would walk by so I could show perspective. (Unedited overexposed and blurry photo — sorry) But don’t you love her red boots?

After she left, I got this shot.

What a mess, eh? But one thing stood out to me.

I am an old dog, but I can learn new tricks. It just takes a bit longer.

After she left, I got this shot.

Gran’s Lasagna

I know everyone has one of these dishes. It’s easy to prepare, doesn’t make too much of a mess, it’s easy to serve, and everyone loves it. My answer to this is “Gran’s” lasagna. I’ve prepared it to take to neighbors following a funeral, taken it to potluck dinners, made it in response to a request for a special dinner and, most importantly, it has become a Christmas Eve tradition.

I took the photos and wrote most of the script for this last year, when my 30something daughter who lives in the San Francisco Bay area was unable to come to Texas for the Christmas holidays. As well as her sadness for not having time spent with family and friends, she was really disappointed that she wouldn’t share the usual Christmas Eve dinner and wanted me to send her the recipe for “Gran’s” lasagna so she could share it with her friends. The following photo essay was my response to her.

The base to the original recipe came from the box of lasagna noodles years and years ago. I made it for a dinner with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, ex-husband and 5 or 6 hungry children. Later that year when my mother-in-law was coming up with the menu for the Christmas Eve birthday dinner/celebration for one of my nephews, she asked me for the recipe. Since then it has been known as Gran’s Lasagna, much to my consternation.

I almost always make a double recipe. It takes no extra effort and the leftovers are as good, if not better, than the original. The pan I use is 18″ x 14″ and about 3″ deep. The recipe shown here uses ground beef, but it can be made with just about any ground meat (even meatballs cut in half) or meatless with mushrooms and other veggies. As you can see, I make it as easy for myself as possible. I used sauce and chopped garlic from a jar and pre-shredded cheese from a bag. You, of course, can peel and crush your own garlic, make your own sauce and shred your own cheese. (A complete shopping list can be found at the end of the post.) More power to you!

I do chop my own onions. My theory with sauteed onions is “the more the better,” so I use about 3 medium onions chopped and saute them with a generous portion of garlic in about 2 Ts. of olive oil.

When the onions are translucent, I remove about 1/2 of the onion/garlic mix, set it aside and add about a pound of sliced mushrooms to the mix and lightly saute them. You will need to add some more olive oil.

After mushrooms are lightly sauteed, I put them aside and then put the lean ground beef and the remaining sauteed onion and garlic in the pan to brown. You may have noticed that big pan next to the pan. It’s filled with water and on high heat to boil.

This “recipe” lends itself to improvisation.  This time, I looked in the fridge and found 3/4 of a green pepper which I chopped and added because it looks and tastes good.

When the meat has been thoroughly browned, add the mushroom mix back in it and stir them together.

Add sauce. For this doubled recipe, I put in 1 jar of tomato basil sauce.

Season as you desire. I added freshly ground pepper and sea salt (with garlic) and some dried basil.

Mix it all together, lower the heat, put on a lid and let it simmer while you prepare the cheese mixture and noodles, stirring occasionally.

Now that the meat sauce is simmering, the water should be boiling. Add the pasta. In this case, two boxes. Don’t just dump the box of dried noodles in the pan. Place them in the boiling water one at a time, arranging them so they are exposed to the boiling water. Try not to break the noodles. You will have leftovers, but intact noodles are easier to work with.

While the noodles are cooking, prepare the cheese filling. For one large container of ricotta cheese, use one slightly beaten egg, garlic powder (yes, MORE garlic) and dried basil (or oregano, but I prefer basil).

Almost ready.

The noodles are ready when they are pliable. Do not overcook.

Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.

After a light coating of vegetable oil on pan, cover bottom with plain sauce.

Put a layer of noodles over the plain sauce and then add 1/2 of meat sauce.

Add another layer of noodles and then all of the cheese mixture.

Another layer of noodles and the remaining meat sauce. We didn’t measure quite equal halves, so I added some plain sauce so it would cover this layer. IMPROVISE!

Cover the 2nd meat layer with noodles and then plain sauce.

Cover with a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Clean as you go.

Bake the lasagna in 350 oven for probably an hour, until cheesy top is bubbly and NOT burned.

It’s difficult to get a photo of this lasagna plated, since as soon as it hits a plate someone grabs the plate and starts eating. But here’s a shot from Christmas Past just as serving began. That year, I used two smaller pans because I had used pork sausage in one half and the other half was vegetarian. As I mentioned above, this recipe is a perfect way to show off your own style and creativity. Buon appetito!

Shopping List:

olive oil to saute vegetables
2 – 3 medium onions, chopped
crushed garlic to taste
1 pound sliced mushrooms
2 – 3 pounds lean ground beef
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 jars tomato basil pasta sauce
2 boxes lasagna noodles
1 large egg
1 large container ricotta cheese
garlic powder
dried basil or oregano