Anyway - Everyday Pasta Casserole

As long as I can remember, I have loved to cook. In fact, most of my scars are from cooking (or battling the hot glue gun, but that is another story). I figured that I would share some original recipes on my blog.


This recipe is super fast, easy, and cheap! Perfect for those busy days that you just need to throw something in the oven! Also is reheats awesomely, because who doesn't love leftover pasta?

Anyway - Everyday Pasta Casserole

Yields 6 servings

Prep time 15 mins. 

Cook time 25 mins.

(Okay for lack of a better name I picked this, I know super cheesy. Plus, it totally taste better than it sounds)

You'll need:

 a 13 x 9 pan (I used a glass pan)

3/4 box of Rigatoni noodles

1/2 lb. of sausage, quartered (I used andouille)

1 small green bell pepper, diced (You could do chopped to sneak it past the kids, no matter how old. Promise they wont even taste it!)

3/4 of a small onion, sliced (Once again try chopped)

1 small jalapeno pepper (optional)

1 bag of bacon bits

2 1/2 cups of red pasta sauce (I used 1/2 from a can and half homemade. If you use a can, try to get one that has garlic in the mix, if not then add 2 cloves of garlic to the sauce before adding to the casserole)

5 oz of shredded Parmesan cheese (I used Sargento's brand because that is what we had in the fridge. I'm sure straight from a block would be delish!)

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook noodles as directed

Step 2:

Drain noodles and pour directly into pan. Add sausage, peppers, onion, bacon on top of the noodles.

Step 3:

Pour sauce on to the ingredients. Sprinkle cheese on top of sauce

Step 4:

Cook for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is mostly melted (or as melted as Parmesan cheese can get)

Step 5:

Bon Appetite

There you have it! Dinner ready in under an hour and mostly healthy. The best part is that you can switch to whole grain noodles and organic veggies for a healthier version.Take out the meat for a vegetarian dish.

Add mushrooms, more cheese, less cheese, more veggies, make your own sauce or use Ragoui. It really doesn't matter. Make it yours and enjoy!

Remembering 9/11

Today, or should I say yesterday by now, was 9/11. When 9/11 hit 11 years ago I was 6 years old but I remember that day quite vividly. I remember waking up that Tuesday morning like any other day. I remember my mom getting a phone call from my grandmother asking us if we saw what happened. I remember my mom turning on the tv and watching smoke pour out of the first tower. I remember seeing people jump from the sides and people streaming out from the bottom. We drove to a bible study my mom was part of and by the time we got there, the second tower had been hit. I watched the horror of men and women risking their lives to save others. Of course at 6 years old, I didn't understand what this all meant.

I remember that my aunt was terrified that her husband and oldest sons would have to go to war. That my mom was worried that we could get attacked because of the Arsenal. Yet, that night I slept soundly because the terror was not close enough for me to register fear. Of that, I am thankful.

My family took a trip to New York in 2007 or 2008 and we went to see where the Twin Towers once were. The fences with the letters, the pictures, the stuffed animals, and flowers on and against it was quite possible the most terrifying and touching sight ever. By this time, I did understand.

Last year on the 10th anniversary, I watched all the shows and documentaries about 9/11. I must say that seeing the images, seeing the personal video cameras of people on the streets, hearing the testimonies of people in the buildings, was shocking. It put me in shock that people survived, it put me in shock of the unity of our country on that day, and it put me in shock of the hopeless state so many were in.

So many men and women have gave their lives that day for the good of others. So many men and women have given their lives since that day. I am so very thankful that I am able to live in a free country and not have to worry about my safety everyday. Sure, at times I might be a little inconvenienced, but I am safe. I'm blessed that my mom and dad don't have to go overseas for long periods of time like so many of my friends.

On days like this it reminds me to be thankful. On days like this it reminds me to be prayerful. I pray for the people that have lost loved ones on 9/11. I pray for military families who have given loved ones to the service of our country. I am thankful to live in such a strong and safe country. I am thankful to have my parents, and siblings, and friends. I am thankful that I have faith in such a powerful God.

While I hate country music, I will leave you with the words to an awesome country song.

                               "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out with pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?

[Chorus:]
I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell
You the difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Or go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns?

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Did you stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?

College Prep

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to go to college. I guess the thought of getting away from Home and trying something new was exciting. As I am 8 months away from finishing my high school career, I more and more frightened by college. It might be that I'm more scared of not going to college, or that I won't get to go to the right college.

I have never seen myself going to an ivy league school. Too far away, too many people way smarter than me, and with a price tag I'll never be able to afford. Auburn University has been, and still is, my dream school. Auburn is my ivy league. My grandad graduated from there in the late 50's, my aunt and my dad went there in the 80's, and all of my cousins except two have attended. Auburn is my legacy.
I started my application last night and that is when I felt so inadequate. I don't have awesome grades, I haven't taken the ACT since sophomore year, and my extracurriculars are less than encouraging. Another huge hit to my self-esteem is that I'm not exactly prepared financially as well.

The plan for the last several months has been to do one semester at a community college, one semester at the Disney College Program in Florida and then finish my last 3 years at Auburn or Alabama or some other university. That has been the plan that not only pleased my mom but also gave me some sort of an answer. Practical, affordable, essentially smart. In reality, my heart only longs for one thing, Auburn.

Of course it is so silly of me to be hooked on a stupid school. Heck, I have never even been to the place. I look back now and I want to go back to freshman year and try harder, and do more, and be more involved, and learn more. I want to have a higher GPA and be smarter so that my ACT score would be better. I wish that I had saved and scraped and applied for scholarship opportunities. I wish I had done things better. Of course if I had $5 for every time I wished I could change the past, I wouldn't have to be wishing.

So here I am, September of my Senior year. I know what is in my reach and I also know what I want. What do I do? Do I reach for the untouchable? Do I settle for the practical? Do I try to convince my dad more and more to let me take out school loans? I know loans aren't practical, but I would rather achieve my dream and work the junk out later. What can I say, I'm a dreamer. Please pray for me and my parents in these next few months as I make decisions. Pray that they are wise and that they are the will of God.

Defeated Again

So you know this whole life thing?

Well it isn't working out that well for me.

I have no plans, I have no clue what I'm supposed to do, and I just can't seem to hear God at all.

I need to start applying for colleges in a few months and I have no clue what I would major in.

I don't even know if I want to go to college.

I hate this feeling of not knowing what to do.

I have a head full of ideas and thoughts and dreams but that seems to be all they are.

Dreams...

I thought about making a 5 year or even 10 year plan but I can't even do that.

I don't know what I want in the future.

Do I want to go to college?

Maybe but not really.

Do I want to be married?

Maybe.

Do I want to be in Africa?

Yes, but am I supposed to be there?

Do I want to do the other 5 careers that are in my head?

Yes, but which one is the right one?

So many thing to take in to consideration but I just can not wrap my mind around it.

I want someone to make a decision but not me and not my parents.

It is frustrating trying to hear from God with no answer.

How long do I listen?

How long is one supposed to wait before going insane?

I have had words from God but what do they mean?

How do I apply "stand beside the broken" to my life at this junction?

I feel defeated, confused, and frustrated.

Philippians 4:6-7  "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

This verse is powerful and very wise.

Prayer and thanksgiving should be my attitude to God.

I want to be a confident woman that knows what she is doing but I just don't have that.

This could be God's way of forcing me away from the drivers seat.

If it is He needs to just take it already.

I'm done with worry, stress and fear.

Jesus take it all because I am done.

Late Yearly New Years Blog

                  I know, I know, 9 days late but at least I made it before January is over. 2011 was a great year. Full of ups and downs but mostly a good year! Last year I learned new things, did new things, dreamed new things, laughed harder, loved deeply, messed up, and enjoyed life.

                 Last year started with a new career journey; I officially started my photography business, Fly Away Photography. That has been an adventure in itself. I became a professional photographer, my first paid session was in January. I definitely learned as I went along and made many, many, many mistakes. Things are mostly smoothed out but I will probably still have some rough patches to go through. I really enjoy photography, it has become a passion that sometimes turns into an addiction. Photography has allowed me to, not only feed my own personal creative energy, but also to give back to others. Last month I helped with Huntsville first ever Help Portrait event. To be able to see people's faces as they viewed their pictures - maybe their first picture in 5 years, 10 years, or their whole life - was such a blessing. You could tell that they were so overjoyed to be simply handed a photograph. It made me think that next time I am begged to have my picture taken, I should be grateful for the opportunity. Thanks to my wonderful parents I received a Canon 40D camera for Christmas and I now officially have my own camera. No more borrowing Mom or Abbi's cameras.

                 This year Alabama had some pretty extreme weather. The first week in January we had a pretty major snow storm that let us home-bound for probably 5 days. It wasn't just a 'Southern dusting'. We had about 13 inches over a 5 day period. The most snow I have ever seen in my life.

Also a series of tornadoes came through. The tornadoes that came through Huntsville left us for 98 hours with out power. Thankfully my Grandparents were out of town so my family hung out at their house for about a week. Our neighborhood got hit by one of the several tornadoes that came through on April 27th. It was a Wednesday and Abbi, Zeb, and I had gone to biology class at school. By about 11:15, the power at our house had gone off and Mom, Zoe, and Charlie - our puppy- were sitting in our laundry room. We were let out of class early but couldn't leave school until about 1 and didn't get home til around 2 because all the roads were closed off due to fallen trees and power lines. We finally got home to a mess. Our backyard had been blown away. We had no fence and a board had flown through one of our windows. We had a tree fall in the front yard and a fair amount of roof damage, but we were all okay. The big bummer of that week was I had to cancel my sweet 16 birthday party which I had spent months planning. In the end it took us about 7 months, but all the damage finally got fixed!

                  Last summer I had the amazing opportunity to work as a page in the United States Senate in Washington DC. I was in DC for 4 weeks. I lived in a dorm with 30 other teenagers from across the US. I spent the month sitting on the Senate floor doing whatever was needed of me. I got waters and ran bills and amendments to different parts of the Senate. I just so happened to be a page during the Debt Ceiling Crisis so I got a first hand look at how our government works during a stressful time. That week was full of late night shifts, card games, I finished 4 books, and ran on about 4 hours of sleep everyday.
I learned so much about myself, others and my Abba God during that time. Now looking back and glancing forward, I am so thankful that God opened the doors and gave me that desire I have. I enjoyed my time in the Senate immensely, but I know now that politics are definitely not what I want to do in my life.

                   In October I got my first, real, official, part-time job. I am now a proud employee of Chick-fil-a here in Huntsville. It is very interesting and sometimes very frustrating to have to juggle work and school and last semester I didn't have a social life. I have had to drop a few extra-curricular activities which is sad (and decreases my social life even more) but I really enjoy working. The freedom of having my own money makes going in at 7am and working 5 days a week worth it to me. My family really enjoys that I am working at Chick-fil-a and come in quite often for their family discount.

                    My siblings and I started attending a new church, Summit Crossing. I love it there and have started some awesome relationships with the people in the youth group. It took me about 7 months after my family left the church to fully leave my Sojourn youth group. I left there hurt and confused as to why God took me away from my amazing friends there. I am sometimes still sadden by the lack of relationship I have  with those people but God had a plan. I still am not sure why He had me leave but I know that His will is the only way.

                  One of the biggest and most significant changes that happened last year was I felt a calling to go to Africa to work in an orphanage. Earlier last year I couldn't wait to graduate, move out and go to college to get away from all of this hectic chaos that is my life in Huntsville. Now, I still can not wait to graduate and move out but I want to go some place much different then a university. The hope of me moving to Africa keeps me going sometimes. Sometimes I go online and Google African children so I can see the beautiful faces. I am so in love with Africa. But that is the point. I am so in love with Africa that I am having a hard time figuring out if it is my will to go or God's will. I tell myself and others that I am not going to college and I have all these expectation set up but deep inside I worry that these dreams and desires are just that. Fleshly desires and dream to full fill my needs and wants, not God's. Of course, I want to do what God calls me to do but figuring out which little voice is His is harder then I thought. Sometimes I wonder if this is just His way of getting me prepared for something greater, if this is just a trial to see if I will give up my life for Him. I told Him to close doors if this wasn't His will and to open them wide if it was. So far most doors have been closed. In order for me to go on the mission trips I had planned to go on this spring/summer I need a passport. I asked my parents for one for Christmas and filled out an application have not gone and actually applied. Now I am too late to apply for a March trip and the trip I wanted to go on in July has a waiting list. I am getting very discouraged and worried that my dream is too far gone.
Stresses of starting the college application process and preparing for a future are really getting me down. I just try and hope and pray that God shows me a path soon. Meanwhile I try and trust but I feel like I fall short every single time.

So my year was fun, exciting, new, challenging, and scary at times. I got my licence, lived independently, lost friends, dreamed big, got my own room for the first time in 15 years, tried new things, made new friends, and tried and failed many, many, many times. Thanks so much for reading and I hope that your new year is filled with blessings and love.

-Alex