Thought - Retirement

Thoughts on Retirement

Retirement is a new journey I am on. I retired after 16 years working at Wells Fargo. More on that some other time. It was a good place to work and the longest place I worked.

Retirement activities are so far in a holding pattern. First due to the Covid pandemic and second because I am waiting to have a knee replacement surgery. 

My plans are to be able to travel again. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Europe. Especially after having lived there for 3 different military assignments. 

So while I wait for covid to resolve and my knee to get better, I'm writing, reading, and riding my bike, walking very short distances (due to my knee, of course), yoga, pilates, and total gym exercises to try to keep in somewhat shape until me knee is better. 

Another work in progress sounds totally boring, but will be fulfilling as it commences, is to clean out closets, cabinets, and a very stuffed garage full of well, stuff that has accumulated. There is stuff from when old storage, both of our daughters stuff that got left behind when they moved out, moved back in, moved back out. Also inherited stuff from family members who have passed on, bless them in heaven. Some things are just hard to let go of, so I find a place for those as much as possible.

Regardless of the setups, I am thoroughly enjoying retirement and look forward more fun in the coming days, months, and years.

Food - Lasagne - no boil method and homemade sauce

Lasagne - no boil method and homemade sauce

Ingredients for sauce

1 lb bulk or links of  hot Italian Sausage (can sub hamburger but will need to add more spices)

1/4 cup water or wine (I use white but red is fine)

Finely chopped Onions (optional - so however much you want)

Finely chopped garlic

Chopped peppers (Optional - green or red)

1 large can of Tomato Sauce 12 or 14 oz 

1 can Tomato paste

1-2 tsp. Oregano

1 tsp. Paprika

Salt to taste (sausage is already salty, so no need to add if using sausage)

Pepper to taste

(If you aren’t using sausage, add red pepper flakes or cayenne,)

Ingredients for lasagna

1 package Lasagna noodles - will be enough for 9X13 pan 

1 lb (16 oz.) mozzarella cheese (grated or in blocks - I hate grated because it has cellulose and that causes bloating - so I grate my own. You usually get more too and it’s cheaper to buy in blocks)

16 oz. ricotta - (probably 2 containers) 1 is fine if you don’t like as much ricotta cheese

1 cup parmesan, same on grating it

2 eggs, beaten slightly

1/4 chopped Fresh parsley

Start the sauce first. Brown the meat in larger fry pan or sauce pan. Add the onions, garlic, peppers. Add spices. Move the meat to the side and add the tomato paste to slightly cook it - this helps bring out the tomato flavor. Stir into the meat. Deglaze the pan with wine or water. Stirring up any meat bits from the bottom. Add the tomato sauce and 2 cans of water. 

Sauce will be runny. You need the extra water for the noodles to soak it up and soften. 

Mix the ricotta with the egg and parsley.

Grease the 9x13 dish. Spoon a layer of sauce on the bottom. Place 1 layer of noodles, you may need to break some pieces for the ends. Spread a layer of Ricotta on the noodles, then a layer of mozzarella.

Top with another layer of sauce. 

Repeat the layers.

Finish with a layer of sauce  - you will add that mozzarella later. Add more water if your sauce is too thick

Cover with foil 

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes 

Then remove foil, cover with cheese and bake for 15 minutes more.