Lasagna - Home Made is The Perfect Choice!

The best Lasagna is often prepared with passion investing a decent amount of time. It's easy to distinguish a good lasagna from a bad one. If properly done, this dish can be somewhat time intensive and probably not the best choice if you decide to prepare this dish in late afternoon. In my family, Lasagna is a traditional dish that we loved to eat along with a good glass of cabernet wine on weekends.

How to make a lasagna: 

In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute meat, onion, and garlic until meat is browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Drain pan of fat and add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then mix in cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and seasoning salt.

Spread a little of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay half the noodles in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping by 1/2-inch. Spread half the egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle half the mozzarella and Cheddar evenly over the cottage cheese mixture. Pour half the meat sauce on top. Repeat layering in same order. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Bake in center of oven 30 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for pan
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 (8-ounce) jar tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles
2 large eggs
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded

There are many ways on how to make a good lasagna, you can choose what best works for you and apply your own method. I had the great opportunity to assist my mom in the kitchen while preparing a good lasagna for my friends and family.

Vanilla Bourbon Bacon

I had finally time to catch up with an good old friend for breakfast this morning, he single-handedly inhaled
almost an entire pound of bacon (It must have been his Wednesday ritual), which made me got to thinking about it more. Why is it that so many people love bacon? We love it so much that we even top lots of our foods with it now. Menu items including bacon have risen almost 30% in the past few years. Designers and artists are inspired by it and create all sorts of bacon concepts. Why?

I suddenly needed to know, and I went on an information hunting spree. After all, almost everyone I know loves bacon. I even know vegetarians who are tempted by the smell of bacon on the griddle. Another interesting fact is that not all pig breeds are suitable for good bacon. As per statistic there are about 73 pig breeds on earth, non officially about one hundred. It's always amazing to find out how many dishes and even deserts can be combined with Bacon. Ever heard of Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Molasses Cookies with Bourbon Glaze ? So here you have it. A cookie jam-packed with not only bacon, but booze as well! Well, the cookies are just as bacolicious without the booze, but we know you really want it!


For the cookies, you will need:

1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup of cooled bacon grease (or shortening)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Chopped Vanilla Bourbon Bacon

Line an edged baking sheet with foil. Lay the bacon strips onto the foil, then place in the oven. Heat oven to 400 degrees and set the timer for about 20 minutes. Once cooked, drain bacon strips over the pan then set them aside. Pour the hot bacon grease into a small measuring cup and let it cool completely (put it in the fridge to speed this up). You will use this bacon grease to replace the shortening in this recipe. If you do not have enough grease, fill the rest of the 3/4 cup with shortening.

While the grease is cooling, measure out the remaining ingredients and chop up the bacon. Use as much bacon as you want and enjoy a few pieces while you’re waiting for your grease to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the grease/shortening and sugars. Beat in the eggs. Add remaining ingredients. Drop dough by spoonful onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Do not flatten. If the dough is too soft, refrigerate until more firm. Bake about 9 minutes. Carefully remove them from the cookie sheet and allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Bourbon Glaze:
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup bourbon
1/2 cup dark brown sugar

In a medium saucepan melt butter, then add the brown sugar. Whisk in the bourbon, stirring constantly. Once it begins to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the mixture bubble for 10 minutes or so. It will bubble and rise in the pan so keep whisking it! The longer you let it bubble, the thicker your glaze will be.

To serve, drizzle the glaze over the cookies or serve the cookies with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of the Bourbon Glaze on top!

These cookies are perfect for family gatherings and summer picnics and potlucks. They’re also ideal for using up all of the leftover bacon grease you've been accumulating in your refrigerator!

What is Healthy and What is Not

Nutrition is nowadays a pretty controversial topic, what is healthy and what is not? When it comes to food, we have plenty of mediatic choices such as TV, newspapers, online, and other media that pass on a daily dose of brainwashing to its readers to believe that everything is good for us. As long you purchase and consume what they think is good for you, life becomes eternal and we will never die of any heart disease or cancer. Well, if you believe what your daily newspaper claims, then we must be living in Alice in Wonderland!

We are often victims of our own success, I happen to come across people who think they are too fat, too slim and some who think they look ugly and can't get rid of their high heels. If you can't hold on to the horse's mane then don't try to hang on to its tail! 

The key to longevity is certainly not about appearance but nutritional diversity and a balanced state of mind. It's like holding securities in a portfolio, if you invest in one single vehicle.. the chances that markets turn against you are considerably high. But if you diversify, you'll soon notice that diversification is what is needed to progress in life. The same thing goes for food and the way we look at things. The more we worry, the more things tend to happen in the opposite direction.

So, it's necessary to cultivate a philosophical aspect of what we want to have, when, and lastly how we going to get healthy stuff from super supermarket or farmer next door. My great-grandma passed away when she hit 104 years of age by accident and surprisingly not by age. She quit smoking at 98 years of age, and lived a pretty hard life. Left alone with three kids, one of whom passed away early with tuberculosis. Nevertheless, she had very strong willpower and a diet based on pasta, vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and chicken. Occasionally in the early morning hours, she loved to enjoy a good glass of Italian grappa (hard liquor). This is just one out of many examples of people who were going through hell in their lives but yet had long live spans. Then there are other unfortunate ones that always watch out for what they consume, do not smoke, do not drink but yet die at 45 of heart failure or prostate cancer. 

Cancer has touched many of us in some way. Whether we know of or have overcome cancer ourselves, or know someone who has passed away from it, we can all draw some form of intimate connection to the disease. There are plenty of foods that can be healthy or unhealthy, it's all about dosage in life. One example could be the southeast Asian fruit Soursop, a flowering evergreen that is said to kill cancer cells effectively and does not produce the same undesirable side effects. On the other hand, another study suggests that high consumption in Soursop could lead to a form of movement disorder such as Parkinson,'s etc. By the side of sickness, health becomes sweet and most of us remember this fact when it's too late. 

Remember, health is wealth in life and anything else will follow smoothly.. 

Your question is quite broad, and health can refer to various aspects of life, including physical health, mental health, and even the health of systems or objects. Here's a general breakdown of what is considered healthy and what is not in different contexts:

Physical Health:Healthy: A person with good physical health typically has a balanced diet, regular exercise, and maintains a healthy weight. They may also have no chronic illnesses, good cardiovascular health, and strong immune function.

Not Healthy: Poor physical health may involve a lack of exercise, an unhealthy diet, being overweight or underweight, suffering from chronic diseases, and having a weakened immune system.

Mental Health: Healthy: Good mental health is characterized by emotional well-being, the ability to cope with stress and life's challenges, positive self-esteem, and healthy relationships.

Not Healthy: Poor mental health may involve conditions like anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses, as well as chronic stress, low self-esteem, and unhealthy or toxic relationships.

Environmental Health: Healthy: A healthy environment is one with clean air and water, sustainable ecosystems, and minimal pollution. It supports the well-being of both humans and other species.

Not Healthy: An unhealthy environment may be polluted, contaminated, or otherwise compromised, leading to negative consequences for ecosystems and human health.

Economic Health: Healthy: A healthy economy is characterized by low unemployment, stable prices, and sustained economic growth. It provides opportunities for people to earn a living and improve their quality of life.

Not Healthy: Economic downturns, high unemployment rates, inflation, and income inequality can indicate an unhealthy economy.

Relationships:Healthy: Healthy relationships are built on trust, communication, mutual respect, and support. They foster emotional well-being and personal growth.

Not Healthy: Unhealthy relationships can involve abuse, manipulation, lack of trust, poor communication, and emotional neglect.

Systems and Objects:Healthy: In the context of systems and objects, "healthy" often means functioning as intended without defects or malfunctions.

Not Healthy: "Not healthy" in this context typically refers to systems or objects that are broken, damaged, or not working properly.

It's important to note that what is considered healthy or not can vary depending on the specific context and individual circumstances. Additionally, promoting and maintaining health in various aspects of life often requires ongoing effort and attention to make positive changes and address issues when they arise.

Economical Wonton Noodle Soup

Gather your guests in the kitchen and have them help you fold the wonton! Folding wonton requires patience and again a lot of patience. Soon you will notice the more you fold the better wontons will be produced.. Now, Wontons are made by spreading a square wrapper (a dough skin made of flour, egg, water and salt) flat in the palm of one’s hand, placing a small amount of filling in the center, and sealing the wonton into the desired shape. A triangular shaped Wonton is the most common shape around the world.

Adhesion may be improved by moistening the wrapper’s inner edges, typically by dipping a fingertip into water and running it across the dry dough to dissolve the extra flour. Wonton are commonly boiled and served in a soup or sometimes deep-fried.

I personally prefer the soup version of Wonton, simply because lots of outside food is deep-fried nowadays which means not as healthy.  I am lucky to be in Singapore if we speak about this dish; there are plenty of food stalls around every corner of the city. But having said that, home made food is still the healthiest choice, so don’t get too much used to outside food if happen that you live in south east asia.

I am sure you are used to watching the clock when boiling pasta, well this isn’t pasta but a chinese style wonton noodle soup! Boil your pot of soup, add dumplings. When it comes to a boil, add one cup of broth. When finally that comes to a boil, add another cup. When boiling again, it’s done!

Every region in China has a different way of making wonton noodle soup, but this is how I did it for four persons:

1/2 pound ground pork (Damage $ 5.00) for Vegetarians Portobello mushrooms (approx. $5.00)
2 stalks scallion, finely minced (Damage $ 1.00)
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 pound wonton wrappers, at room temperature, covered with a damp towel
1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1/4 cup cool water (cornstarch slurry)
2 quarts chicken broth
8 ounces dried wonton noodles (or thin egg noodles)
1/2 pound bok choy (Chinese Cabbage) leaves separated and washed well (Damage $ 2.50)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
chili garlic sauce (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the pork, scallion, soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sugar and sesame oil. Mix well. Put a scant teaspoon of filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper, brush cornstarch slurry on all edges. Fold over to form a triangle, press to secure edges, encasing the filling. Brush cornstarch slurry on one tip of the triangle. Bring two corners together and press to secure (though my kids often just leave them as triangles.) Place on clean, dry plate in one layer and cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Repeat with remaining.

In a large stockpot, add all but 2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. The 2 cups of reserved broth should be room temperature or just slightly chilled. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the wontons. Bring pot back to a gentle boil. When it reaches a boil, add 1 cup of the reserved broth. Bring back to a boil and again, add the remaining 1 cup of reserved broth.

Keep the heat on the pot on (you still need to cook the noodles and bok choy) while using a spider or sieve to scoop up the wontons and distribute amongst the bowls. Cook the noodles in the pot according to the package instructions. Add the bok choy (Chinese Cabbage) to the pot during last minute of cooking noodles and let simmer, until cooked through. Ladle broth, noodles and bok choy to bowls. Drizzle just a few drops of sesame oil in each bowl. Serve with chili garlic sauce if happen that you stay in south east asia.

Enjoy and don’t forget about this economic recipe!