Fab Friends and Unforgettable Food

Ladies,

Do you have good girlfriends? It's so important. About as important as breathing, in my book. If you happened to miss The Chirpy Bird's Mama's Day wisdom, visit it here. One of the best pieces of advice in that article is this:

"Be wise about who you share your true heart with. It's okay if that group of people is small, it should be! Make it an elite club with an exclusive membership. Once you've found those people, love them fearlessly and with a passionate, reckless abandon."


I'm many miles and exactly one week past a simply fabulous cocktail party I had with some of the most divine creatures I happen to call friends.

It really was just an excuse to get together, wear fancy clothes and eat yummy food...

I think it's true when they say that women don't dress for men, they dress for other women. And I'm totally down with that. Who better to understand my obsession with fashion... and the perfect red lip...?

What good is having that new Hermes bracelet (!!!) if your girlfriends don't ooh and ahh over it?

These trivial things are just that, trivial... but so much fun, and especially delicious to share. Because at the core of who we really are, what we truly need is that sisterly companionship... that connection with each other to get us through each trial and each and every day.

It's one of the biggest lessons I'm going to teach my daughter, and why I want to give her a sister.

So make those moments last.

OH, and wear high heels and sparkle too!

Nobody will appreciate it the way she does.

Here's the recipe to the lasagna we ate. Uh-huh, the best you'll ever have.

That's a promise. xx

Sauce:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 c. minced or diced onion

1 clove garlic minced

1 lb. ground beef (optional)

1 large can whole peeled tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

½ c. red wine

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. basil (or 2 Tbsp. fresh, chopped)

1 tsp. oregano (or 2 Tbsp. fresh, chopped)

Few drops of Tobasco seasoning to taste

1 box lasagna noodles (I used the flat noodles that don't have to be pre-cooked)

1 c. ricotta cheese

½ box cream cheese

1 lb. grated mozzarella cheese

½ c. grated parmesan

For sauce: Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion, sauté until golden. Stir in beef, if using, and brown. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn. Add remaining ingredients of sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat 1 hour. Stir occasionally, and smoosh the whole tomatoes with the back on your spoon.

Casserole: Spread thin layer of sauce in bottom of 3 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of noodles (break noodles to fit casserole dishif necessary). Spread with a layer of sauce. Dot sauce with spoonfuls of ricotta and cream cheese, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used up. End with sauce and mozzarella on top. Can be refrigerated overnight if needed. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes (or less if you are using a funky old stove in a fabulous house in the hills) or until the noodles are soft, the cheese is gooey, and the top is browned. If your baking dish is really full, you can place it on top of a cookie sheet so the cheese doesn't bubble over into your stove. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.