Becoming Martha

Baked Spaghetti Pie

I had 2 lbs. of ground beef and a carton of mushroom that desperately needed to be turned into a meal.  I turned to an old stand by recipe that I have made my own from probably 4 different recipes, taking the best from each.  It is Baked Spaghetti Pie.  My family loves it, it is super easy and my favorite...it is freezable.  It is a great substitute for lasagna.  Here's my version.

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) package thin spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 packet McCormick's Thick & Zesty Spaghetti Sauce
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Cook and drain spaghetti. Stir in margarine, parmesan cheese and eggs, while spaghetti is hot. Form spaghetti mixture into a crust in a buttered 10 inch pie plate.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a skillet cook the beef, onion and mushrooms. Drain off the fat and stir in 1 3/4 cups water and tomato paste. Heat through.
4. Spread ricotta cheese over the spaghetti crust then pour in the beef and tomato mixture.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of the pie then bake for 5 minutes longer, until cheese melts.

If you want to freeze it.  Defrost, then follow cooking instructions.  This time I made one batch with ricotta and one batch with a 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture.  I froze, so I will try it out the new version and see if I need to update the famous Baked Spaghetti Pie recipe.

I actually had so much meat and shrooms that I made 6 small casserole.  Froze 2 for our family and feed 3 neighborhood families.  I think the entire neighborhood will be having Baked Spaghetti Pie for dinner tomorrow.

Bird Bath Makeover

As far as Martha-esque projects go, I would have to say gardening is my weakest area.  I kill indoor plants and I really don't get near anything outdoor.  Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a well manicure yard or a beautiful garden.  My husband takes great pride in his yard, and I really don't think he wants me near it.

But if I am taking this experiment seriously, I must tackle gardening.  I started with a makeover of our sad little bird bath that covers a manhole to the neighborhood's cable connection.

Bird bath before...

 

Dave started me out by drilling holes for drainage.  Then I planted an a tall flower for center height.  I would like to say what the flower was, but Dave threw away the description.  (Project FAILURE right off the bat).  Next layer was periwinkles, followed by Asian jasmine.  Not bad for a first attempt and no class (I really enjoy a class to walk me through the process).  Here is the final outcome.

 

I think it will fill in nicely.  Perhaps I will remember what the center flower is called, or perhaps I will never know.  Tomorrow, I will tackle planters by the front door.
 
 

So, I am starting a blog. Really, I am starting an experiment. I often contemplate what I want to be when I grow up. Since I am 35, I might be a little behind in the discovery process. Anyway, I have always enjoyed creating and entertaining, but I have recently begun a serious journey into the world of crafting. After my mom passed away, I really felt the urge to learn how to use her sewing machine. We had always talked about taking lessons, but she was very sick and we never did. But I felt I needed to learn and use her machine. So in December, I started sewing lessons at The Stitch Lab. That unleashed a passion for sewing and all things crafty. I am addicted to taking classes and creating. And this leads me to my little experiment...

Wednesday morning, I woke up in my little twin bed in a New York City hotel with my roommate on this trip, Aimee (my co-worker, who also happens to be my best friend). We were enjoying a peaceful morning with no children and watching The Today Show. Martha Stewart was doing a segment, and I said, "That's what I want to be when I grow up". Aimee said, "I could see that". And that's all it took for me to decide that I want to be Martha Stewart.

Why Martha? Because I have always loved Martha. I often reference "My good friend, Martha". Although we have never met, I really do think she would enjoy being my good friend. Martha loves a wide variety of hobbies, not just one. I love to dabble in lots of things. Martha may not be an expert in everything, but she surrounds herself with those who are.
Martha loves to make everything special. I love to add little touches to personalize and make things special. I am obsessed with holidays, birthdays and tradition. Martha is an amazing business woman and has built an empire. I am in awe of her success.

So as I begin my journey to be my own version of Martha, I have a lot to do. As it stands today, I am far from being Martha. Let me list just a "few" of the reasons.
1. Martha is a master of all things crafty. I am a novice and have a lot to learn.
2. Martha is a great cook. I can cook, but I'm no Martha. And my baking is sub-par at best.
3. Martha is the queen of organization. I have a LONG way to go on this front.
4. Martha is a master entertainer. I gave up entertaining when I had kids. Time to get back on the band wagon.
5. Martha keeps an immaculate and welcoming home, mine's not even welcoming.
6. Martha has it all together and I am a chicken with my head cut off.
7. Martha owns an empire. I own a blog.

But everyone needs a goal, and I have mine. Now, it's time to get started. First step, read a book about Martha, not by Martha. I have selected Being Martha: The Inside Story of Martha Stewart and Her Amazing Life by Lloyd Allen, a friend and neighbor. I don't want to read an attack of Martha, I want to just know the story of her background and how she started.

So begins my experiment of Becoming Martha.