Sleep

I got my results from my sleep disorder tests today.   It seems that I do have MILD sleep apnea, but I also have a kind of insomnia (I can't remember what she called it...)  She said both could be treated, but that we should treat them each separately to see which treatment is most effective.  I opted to go for the insomnia first as it is medication rather than mechanical.  I will be on a very VERY low dose of a sleep aid.  I am not to take it everyday in case I start to tolerate it and need higher and higher doses  Right now I would be so grateful to sleep through the night.  I told her I never sleep on my back 'cause I always have trouble breathing a make loud noises and wake myself up.  I was surprised when she told me that I had spent about 40 minutes on my back during the test, but she also said that it was apparent that my body seem to recognize that there was something wrong with that position because the longest I spent on my back was just under 12 minutes.  I was also surprised to learn that most people stop breathing while sleeping  The normal range is 3 to 5 times per hour!!!!    I will pick up the pills tomorrow and see how things go.  I have to make an appointment with my own doctor to renew my blood pressure pills,  but I will wait until I have tried the sleep pills for a while.  I'll let you know how things go....... hopefully after sleeping for at least 6 hours straight!!

Early start

This morning I had the car to the garage by 8 am - time for oil change and inspection. Now with only one car the process is a little different. I stayed in the waiting room until the work was completed. In the past we would leave the car there for the day and pick up later when we had another car to jockey us about. So for about an hour and half I sat and read my Kobo and generally enjoyed a little time while the car was done. Then I had other chores including the bank, the store, the pharmacy and the post office. But was home by about 1030. Tomorrow we are going again to Midland to the Auction House. Harry bid on several items and as well we had several items in the auction for sale. Tomorrow we will take more boxes of treasures for the next auction. This may be a profitable way to clear out stuff but does require the drive there and back. So that's my update - short and sweet. Thanks for the recipes - I'm anxious to try it out now. Yesterday I sent regrets to the Coordinator of the Class of '69 Reunion set for May in Winnipeg. Does not seem timely or of real interest for me to attend these events. Well I shall go and read some more - I am really enjoying this book by Louise Penny - perhaps I will have to read more of them. Take care

My recipe

is somewhat similar to Cathy's.  I use a 10 ox package of frozen chopped spinach instead of the parsley. Thaw and squeeze the water out, before mixing it with a 500ml carton of cottage cheese, and egg and Parmesan cheese, for the filling. I will use homemade sauce if I have it, but just as often use a 28 oz jar of bought sauce.  I just layer twice, and don't put any mozzarella in the layers.  So that is sauce, noodles, filling, noodles and sauce.  The mozzarella is only added for the last few minutes of baking.  I make and freeze mine in small aluminum loaf pans--just two generous servings in each. If you give it a few minutes to sit after taking it out  of the oven, this makes a nice firm lasagne. 

Lasagne

 This makes a "sloppy" lasagne rather than a dry one.  When I made it Saturday,  I used two square tinfoil cake pans rather than one large lasagne pan.  I make my meat sauce with hamburger, frozen tomato  junk, onions, a small amount of green pepper (optional), mushrooms etc. and cook it up and simmer for a little while.  Canned sauce would probably be much easier.  This recipe comes from the Reader's Digest "Cook Now Serve Later" cookbook.

12 LASAGNE NOODLES (ABOUT 12 OUNCES)

1 POUND RICOTTA CHEESE (I USE COTTAGE CHEESE)

¼ CUP MINCED PARSLEY

1 EGG

½ CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

¼ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

5 CUPS TOMATO-MEAT SAUCE,

  (OR CANNED SPAGETTI SAUCE WITH MEAT, ONIONS, MUSHROOMS ETC. ADDED)

3 CUPS SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE (ABOUT 12 OUNCES)

1.      COOK THE LASAGNE NOODLES ACCORDING TO PACKAGE DIRECTIONS UNTIL AL DENTE.  DRAIN IN A COLANDER, THEN RINSE UNDER COLD WATER TO STOP THE COOKING

2.      IN A MEDIUM SIZED BOWL, COMBINE THE RICOTTA, PARSLEY, EGG, ¼ CUP OF THE PARMESAN CHEESE AND THE PEPPER

3.      PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375 F.                                                                             

      SPREAD ½ CUP OF THE MEAT SAUCE ON THE BOTTOM OF A LIGHTLY OILED, 13” X 9” X 2” BAKING PAN.  THEN LAYER ON 4 LASAGNE NOODLES, FOLLOWED BY HALF THE RICOTTA MIXTURE, ¾ CUP OF THE MOZZARELLA AND 1 ½ CUPS MEAT SAUCE.  REPEAT, STARTING WITH NOODLES.  TOP WITH THE REMAINING 4 NOODLES, 1 ½ CUPS SAUCE AND 1 ½ CUPS MOZZARELLA. SPRINKLE THE REMAINING ¼ CUP OF PARMESAN OVER ALL.

AT THIS POINT THE LASAGNE CAN BE STORED:  REFRIGERATE, TIGHTLY COVERED FOR UP TO 2 DAYS.  FREEZE IN THE LINED, LABLED AND TIGHTLY COVERED CASSEROLE FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS.

4.      PLACE THE LASAGNE ON A BAKING SHEET AND BAKE, COVERED, FOR 15 MINUTES.  UNCOVER AND BAKE ANOTHER 20 T0 25 MINUTES OR UNTIL HEATED THROUGH AND BUBBLING.  REMOVE FROM THE OVEN AND LET STAND FOR 15 MINUTES.  CUT INTO 12 SQUARES AND SERVE WITH GARLIC BREAD AND A SALAD OF LETTUCE WITH RED ONION AND SHREDDED CARROT.  SERVES 8 TO 12

SERVING LATER:

FROM REFRIGERATOR: PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375 F. PROCEED AS IN STEP 4, BAKING THE LASAGNE COVERED FOR 30 MINUTES; THEN UNCOVERED FOR 25 TO 30 MINUTES.

FROM FREEZER: THAW THE LASAGNE IN THE REFRIGERATOR OVERNIGHT. PROCEED AS ABOVE.

Who needs groundhogs to predict?

I can tell you that spring is no where to be seen - at least around here. I just came in for a coffee and rest and will head outside again. So time for a quickie note. Good to read your news.
I finally got all the hard pack snow piles cleared away yesterday ( from cleaning the roof two days earlier) when it started to snow again and this morning greeted with another 10 cm. I took the dog for a walk to the lake and when on way back the plow was at it - I stood and watched him dump ( and I mean really dump) onto the driveways all the way down our street but I think especially into my driveway. (Maybe he was mad, or hung over ??) We don't have to go out anywhere but I am always needing to clean a path in case we have to get the car out quick.- I think this feeling I have is from our time caring for Harry's mother when we (I) had to be ready day and night to head out.
Cathy what recipe do you use for Lasagna? I had a craving last week and ventured to buy Compliments ready made that was on sale at Foodland. As usual it did not meet my expectations. Harry doesn't eat it so I hesitate to make a batch but maybe if I break it down into meal size and freeze I could think about making some? Well, coffee is done so out I go. Won't be watching the Super Bowl as not interested. If it were Canadian Football I would but since CBC went off the air here, I haven't even been able to view those games so have almost lost interest. I go onto the Wpg Free Press site regularly and get my Bombers fix that way haha  Take care

An adventure

Over breakfast, and looking at a day of housework, I saw an ad in the paper for a flea market at the race track, so off we went.  What a mob scene!  Thank Goodness for the handicap permit, as otherwise we would have had to park miles away.  Most of it was the usual flea market stuff--over priced garage sale junk--but we found a couple of treasures.  I now have a new thimble.  It was also over-priced, but I have so much trouble finding one that fits.  I found some jewelry, mainly pins and earrings.  David has now helped take the backings off the earrings.  On one of the bags I found a 50 cent price tag under the $2.00 one that showed, so I have to believe that the prices were raised for this event, but no-one twisted my arm to force me to buy anything.  I also found a booth selling Victorian Epicure.  I have acquired a couple of their dip mixes before, but this was my first chance to talk to a vendor. I came away with two bottles of stuff to try with my roasted veggies.  I tried one with supper, and found it acceptable but not really a "WOW".  We'll see how the other one works out.

The rest of the day was spent in the studio.  I had two projects to finish and post on other blogs, and then start tidying up for the Ravenesque ladies who are coming on Monday..  The following week my Tuesday Stitchers will be coming, but they meet in the living room.  They are a more formal group, and I will have to serve teaand  dainties to them.  The Ravenesque ladies will eat just about anything served.  Sometimes we just dig into a box of Timbits plunked in the middle of the table.

All of the cleaning has to be finished by tomorrow evening, as I have another swim class on Monday.  I have been requiring a nap after my classes, as they are really tiring. It seems that I lost a lot of ground during the two weeks following my recent surgery, when I was doing nothing.   So I want to be able to really take it easy on Monday.  While I was not attending, I made myself a terrycloth wrap to use following my shower at he pool.  Now I am able to have a real shower, and wash my hair, instead of just rinsing off and then showering when I got home.  Thank Goodness, because my skin was really suffering.

Bed time now.  Have a great weekend ladies.

Saturday

Finally the weekend is here. I'm not sure why I look forward to my time off so much.  The last load is in the dryer.  I have two trays of lasagna in the freezer and a big pot of "clean out the fridge" soup on the stove. It is almost 12 noon.  I guess it's because I am at home doing my own stuff instead of at work doing someone elses stuff.  I was really tired this week.  Not sleeping well.  I  told the others that I was tired and bitchy and to just ignore me.  Elizabeth said that if we had a phone call from a disgruntled person they would just pass them over to me.....It might have been a good idea!  I have to go  back to Brandon on Tuesday for a "tele-health" meeting to get the results of my sleep disorder tests.  They will probably say there is nothing wrong.  That's what my own doctor says when I complain.  (want some cheese with the "whine"?)  Rrain gave me a new stock pot for Christmas.  I always used hers when she was here and I really missed it.  Mine was so cheap that everything burned,  This new one is nice.  It has the pasta insert and the steamer insert.  I cooked the lasagna noodles in it this morning and I have my soup simmering in it right now.  Tomorrow is Super  Bowl.  I am not a real football fan, but it is a great excuse to have finger food for supper and just snack all evening.  I was supposed to have Monday off work, but since it is month end I have to go in.  I will take Friday instead.  I have to head out shopping soon.  My freezer and pantry are full, but the fridge is bare.  Time for some fresh produce. (and toilet bowl cleaner... I discovered I am still out!)  I'm glad both of you have received good news about your problems.  Even if you don't think you are worried I know that things like that are always in the back of your mind.  Take care and have a great week.