We really just hung out all afternoon and for dinner we were both tackling our own version of lasagna! I don't like lasagna, haha have I ever mentioned that I am an extremely fussy eater? I don't like ricotta cheese and truthfully I don't like lasagna noodles.. I never have! There is a lot of foods that I don't like but will indulge Jason and make them or have something else while he makes them because there is no reason he should be deprived. So this time we talked about having lasagna this weekend if he had the day off and I thought I might try this recipe I found on Pinterest, if we were going to have all the stuff for lasagna out why not try to do something with that instead of making a whole different meal... so I tried THIS.
I absolutely love zucchini and Jason isn't a huge fan so I figured what a perfect time to have something I like and he doesn't and incorporate majority of the same ingredients! I changed the recipe a little, this is what I did...
1. Combined chopped celery, onions, red, green and yellow bell peppers in a pan with fresh garlic and a bit of oil.. let it cook down so the veggies crunch consistency is too your liking. Add sauce.
2. I had already cooked ground turkey for Jason's lasagna so I used a little of that adding it to my sauce.
3. I washed and cut zucchini length wise into this slices to layer like lasagna noodles.
4. I used a small tin tray, but you can use whatever size tray will appropriately accommodate the amount of lasagna you are hoping to make.
5. On the bottom of your tray layer a little bit of your sauce to prevent the zucchini from sticking to the bottom or burning.
At this point I just layered and substituted the zucchini slices where you would generally have noodles. I included 2 layers of thinly sliced mushrooms as well but you can add whatever your heart desires. I then covered the tray with tinfoil and cooked in the oven at 350 degrees for just over an hour. Keep in mind you want to make sure the zucchini is cooked thoroughly so depending on the thickness you might need to cook longer. You also want to make sure you have enough sauce.
Just before taking it out, I removed the tinfoil and added cheese to the top and broiled for just under 5 minutes! TADA! AMAZING!! I can't tell you how impressed I am with how this turned out, it was absolutely amazing, I highly recommend you try it, super easy and super healthy!
Jason headed back to work today unfortunately, so we have been back in contact with our home builder today with updates as it is not a holiday in the States. Unfortunately we are having some issues with our builder, super frustrating at this point I really would have thought things would have been playing out a little differently but until we have more answers to our questions and concerns and figure out what the deal is with these people I am going to continue to update you just as I always would.
As of today the siding on the exterior of the house is completed and we are waiting for the stone accents to be started. The drywall throughout the house is complete and the cabinets have been delivered which is super exciting.. here is a picture!
We are super happy with the color we chose and cant wait to share pictures once the stone has been added. As you can see it will be all around the front entrance as well as the pillars and the bottom half of the garage as well. Hopefully by the end of the week we will have another update.
Anyways getting on to what I actually came here to post about.. Manners.
I don't know about all of you but I was raised to say please and thank you.. hold a door for someone and when they say thank you reply with a friendly "you're welcome". Basic manners. You respect your elders, offer and helping handed when needed, be a good hostess to guests, etc. etc. What happened to that?
I can't help but notice that manners don't seem to be in common practice like I once remember, not just with children but adults too. No one holds a door for anyone, if someone hits you with their cart in the grocery store they look at you like you're an
Jason use to be terrible with his manners, it drove me absolutely batty as I couldn't understand how saying please and thank you wasn't second nature to him as it is to me. He would ask me for something and I would look at him and very loudly say "PLEASE" and then he would repeat it like a child. I would then get him whatever he was asking for and he would say nothing, so I would say very loudly.."THANK YOU NICOLE, Oh you're welcome" -ugh! Finally I told him that I wasn't his mother and if he couldn't remember to use his manners than he better learn to start doing things for himself. At this point every time he didn't use his manners I would ignore his existence.. I know that sounds terrible but I was drove nuts and on top of that I hated the thought of us one day having children who wouldn't understand the importance of manners as only one of us used them! Needless to say Jason jumped on the manners band wagon quite quickly.
Do people not teach their children manners? When did saying please and thank you not become important? I guess it only starts there, how often are you on the subway or train going somewhere and an elderly person or pregnant woman, etc gets on and no one gets up to give them their seat? Is this the world we live in?
On our last trip to North Carolina, we were driving down and our home inspector called and when talking to him I repeatedly said "Yes Sir" and my brother joked that I sounded southern and I got mad, I wasn't saying "Yes Sir" to sound southern I was doing it because I was being polite, when I speak to anyone I don't know, in person, on the phone or via text I always say Yes Sir, Yes Ma'am, because its polite. Sounding southern, good lord! Don't get me wrong, by no means is my brother not extremely polite. Jason and I were coming home yesterday talking about how we took him to friends of ours that he had never met and he was so extremely polite while there that later they wrote us and told us how polite and wonderful they thought he was and he was welcome back there anytime.
In our house manners were not an option, from a young age it was enforced and for that I am so grateful. But why does it seem less important these day?
People often joke that Canadians are too polite, over apologizers, etc... is this worse than the alternative? I would rather say "I'm sorry" when its not necessary but just be polite anyways rather than not say it when its warranted and look ignorant. No?
I understand there are ignorant people out there, and yes you are always going to run into someone who isn't going to thank you for holding the door, or hit you with their cart and look at you like its your fault but you need to rise above it, often if someone hits me with their cart I will look at them and say "I'm so sorry, was I in your way?" - honestly not at all sounding sarcastic, they often look shocked truthfully because I believe deep down they know they are in the wrong. The second time they hit me I turned around and grab the front of their cart and push it back at them giving them fair warning if they do it again they better run, fast!
I just think its important to rise above ignorance, show your appreciation, use your manners, be an example. You are more likely to remember the person who got up and gave you their seat, held the door for you with a smile, the stranger who said "bless you" when you sneezed across the room from them at the dentist office.
Teach your kids the importance of being polite, because sad but true the quality of society and their social interactions seem to be diminishing.
Truthfully I could rant about this forever, give a million examples but its really plain and simple. Be polite, use your manners. Please.
I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend, I am off to make dinner! I'm having my leftover zucchini lasagna which says a lot because I HATE leftovers (Ya I said it!).
We were hoping to get out for a nice leisurely drive when Jason got home but apparently this is our weather forecast for the evening...
So I don't think that is going to happen! Oh well, always another night to get out. Have I ever mentioned the Estevan is the sunshine capital of Canada?
Excellent commentary on manners. I could not agree more with you. Manners are disappearing. Example: we recently gave two of our nephews expensive gifts. We never heard anything back. I realize we should give and expect nothing in return but in this case I think it's because they got so much " stuff" that getting a gift today hardly registers with them. So thanks for the reminder on manners!
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ReplyDeleteThanks Steve! Manners are disappearing and its extremely disappointing the lack of emphasis put on the importance of being polite. Your nephews are a perfect example, first they obviously didn't need all the gifts they received because they were so overwhelmed they forgot to be grateful, I'm sure if they received one or two really great items they would have been more inclined to show their appreciation. It's really sad to me, its not just my generation and those younger, its everyone everywhere and that's what scares me.
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