Baked Spaghetti and Four Layer Wallpaper

I think I've mentioned this once before but in case you missed it....I do not possess very many skills that come in handy when it comes to remodeling a house.  At least as far as actually doing the work is concerned.  I can pick out cabinets, countertops and paint colors all day long but when it comes to framing a wall or hanging sheetrock...you're better off finding help elsewhere.  It is true that I am not awesome at laying subfloor (ask my husband) but I do love to cook!  And all of our friends and family who have come to help us so much over the last several weeks deserve to at least have a little supper before the work starts.  Plus, everything is a little more fun when food is involved! With that being said...I am excited to share with you all some of the yummy meals that we have been having together recently.    

Last night we had a "wallpaper removing party"!  Doesn't it sound a lot more enjoyable when you call it a party?  Before the fun began we gathered around our "cute" little card table in the dining room and had some Baked Spaghetti.  This is a recipe that my mom and grandmother have been fixing for as long as I can remember but, sadly, I did not learn to appreciate its goodness until I was an adult.  This is not a "traditional" spaghetti dish with a meat sauce but there are lots of yummy veggies and cheese involved! 

Baked Spaghetti

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

28oz can diced tomatoes (with liquid)

4oz can mushrooms

12oz spaghetti, cooked

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of mushroom

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in butter until tender.  Add tomatoes and mushrooms.  Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.  Place 1/2 spaghetti in a greased 9x13inch baking dish.  Top with 1/2 vegetables and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheddar cheese.  Repeat layers.  Mix cream of mushroom soup with water and pour over casserole.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

This is an easy dish to add or subtract ingredients that you love or hate.   The original recipe actually included olives but they're not my favorite so I left them out.  If you're a meat lover you could easily add a pound of browned ground beef to the layers.  I love making recipes fit what my family prefers!

A special thanks to our faithful friends who endured a not-so-glamorous night of peeling off wallpaper that only wanted to come off in tiny strips.  To our kids who adapt to the crazy things we bring them into.  And to the previous home owners who somehow found one wallpaper made up of four layers of material. 

Bye Bye Brick!

It's been a while since we've given you all an update on what's been going on around the house!  Isaac and I were out of town last week so I took a little break from the blog too.  While we were gone there was still lots of activity going on over at our fixer upper.  Kyle is always hard at work even when I take breaks!  We're finally starting to see some "positive" progress.  All of the demo work is finally done and big things are happening!

Our most noticeable accomplishment to date is definitely getting the brick painted on the outside of the house!  Doesn't it look awesome?!  Our painter did a great job and got the job done insanely fast.  I can't wait to see the color in contrast to the white windows and doors.  Siding will be going up soon! 

Before the brick was painted we had to clean up the outside of the house a little more.  This meant removing the large shrubs and railing from the front of the porch.  When we planed on doing this I didn't expect the difference it would make.  The space looks so much more open and clean.  We'll have to replace the railing at some point but this space will be so much cuter that I expected it to be!

On the inside of the house we've got some progress going on too.  The framing for the laundry room and guest bathroom is officially done!  Dry wall will go up in these rooms soon and we'll really start seeing things come together.

In the kitchen we've finally gotten rid of that black and white checkered floor!  Along with the layer of subfloor that held an awful odor that a previous owner's pet left behind.  Be thankful that pictures don't come scented.

  

In the living room we have light!  Can lights to be exact.  Previously there were no ceiling lights at all in this room.  Thanks to an efficient electrician we will no longer be living in darkness.

And last but certainly not least...our appliances were delivered! Aren't they pretty?? :) I cannot wait until its time to open these beautiful boxes and see the new, clean appliances that I get to cook and clean with!  It will be a good day!

That's all for now!  Don't forget to check back soon to see what else is going on around the house!  I promise an update will come sooner this time!