Demo & Remodel.... Two of my favorite words

Recently, I have had a few requests to show some of our home improvement projects. When I told Mr. W this he laughed and told me we are, "taking a break," from those for a while. Well, typically that means we probably will not start on anything until at least fall, which actually is probably okay. We (Mr. W.) have practically gutted our entire house. When I moved in the whole upstairs (except the bathroom) had been done and the basement was the only thing left that needed some work. The basement was really my first project. Total 80's style wood panneling covering the walls and carpet that was not even secured to the floor. First was the fun part, demolition! I thought it was fun until we started taking down the drop ceiling. I'm only about 5'6 so I'm just going through the basement, grabbing and tearing down what I can reach. Well, the old owners seemed to like to hide things in the ceiling. Not only did we find about 5 florescent light bulbs, but we also found an old glass bottle of Pepsi and landscaping paper! Yep... This room was a beauty. Once demo was done Mr. W did the sheet rocking and woodwork. My brother-in-law was able to come over and help us paint (he is so good at it!) and then it came to the point where everything was done but the floor. We debated on the flooring for quiet some time, but decided to go with a floating wood laminate. Laminate sounds like it would feel like plastic, but this was amazing! It looks and even feels similar to real wood. Mr. W and I hauled it to the basement and started laying it. Once we got the hang of it, this was probably the easiest home project we have done that gave this room a total transformation look. The wood literally snaps together, no nails, staples or anything else you would need to hold it together.   Mr. W and I had a blast doing this together. While it was a lot of work, it's fun working on your first house together. It's even more fun when you get to enjoy it!  Pre-furniture and pre-woodwork, but still pretty!

Two Timin' Pasta

     I absolutely love pasta! I was looking for a simple and quick (as always) recipe that didn't require much prep work. I came upon this recipe, and decided to give it a go! This recipe is actually one I found on Pinterest and it worked out great. I highly suggest pairing this with garlic bread and a nice glass of wine!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 box penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
• 1 (15 oz.) jar alfredo sauce (I used the light version)
• 1 (24oz.) jar marinara sauce
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1lb. Meat: (I used hamburger but I felt like it would be better with a spicy Italian sausage)

Directions:

  

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350

 

2.) Boil water and cook pasta according to directions on the box 

 

I love to use this product from Pampered Chef, Boil Over No More. It is very easy and prevents the huge boil over spills that seem to always happen to me. Plus, you can throw the noodles in and set the timer then just wait for the noodles to finish cooking. It makes cooking noodles even easier!

3.) While your noodles are cooking, start browning your sausage or hamburger.

4.) Once the noodles are completely finished cooking, combine the meat and noodles. 

5.) Next is the easy part, pour in both your sauces (yes the whole entire jar) and shredded cheese. Mix until the pasta is well coated.

6.) Now pour contents into a 9 x 13 baking pan. I sprayed it with olive oil so it doesn't stick.

7.) Take your Parmesan cheese and spread it evenly over your pasta mixture.  Then bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly or the top is a bit brown toward the edges. Your finished product should look something like this:

YUM! Now time to devour!!

Review by: Mr. W

Star Rating: 5

Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole

Lately, I have been extremely busy. Between working full-time and taking graduate classes, it has been quite a challenge to find quick and easy recipes to make for my hubby. The Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole not only was quick, but also a flare of Southern comfort food which I definitely needed being so stressed out. One of the best things about this is that it is so cheap to make, definitely making it a good candidate for 'just married meals!' View this recipe featured on Cents Less Deals Blog here, or see below:

1lb. ground beef (I used 93% lean to keep it a bit healthier)

1 can of sloppy joe mix

1 can of corn, drained

1 16oz. of tater tots (I used a little more for porportionate meat to potato ratio)

1 cup of grated cheddar cheese

Start by pre-heating your oven to 450 degrees.

Brown your hamburger completely, and drain out the grease. After draining the corn, mix with hamburger.

Next, pour in sloppy joe mix and mix until completely coating corn and hamburger.

 Then, pour in a 9 x 13 pan. I didn't grease mine, and it turned out fine.

 

Spead cheese evenly over meat mixture & top with tater tots. 

 Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes or when tots are golden.

This is a quick receipie and one I have actually made a few days before we plan to eat it. It's so nice to pop in the oven without any pre-work! Enjoy!

Review by: Mr. W 

Star Rating: 4