Yesterday we returned from Vegas with friends.  While I am still limping a bit, we had a blast.  It was everyone's first visit except us so it was fun to show everyone around!
Mal and Jason were married in a little Vegas chapel and we all met up after at the Boneyard for photos where I played photographer with my iphone!
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In Mid - January I went with my sweet Aunt Jo Anne before heading to California and then again in early February with friends.
While visiting with Aunt Jo Anne in Vegas I managed to severely sprain my ankle so that trip was mostly spent with my foot elevated, but we had so much fun laughing and catching up!  I absolutely adore my Aunt Jo Anne and will forever cherish the time we spent together!
We then flew on to California for a couple of days at Disneyland with my cousin, Heather.  What an incredibly fun time!  I can't wait until our next girls trip!

In December of 2022 we visited NYC with our besties,  the Ewaldsen's. It was there first visit to the Big Apple and our first at The Holidays and it was truly magical!  
A few highlights from the trip"
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• Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge
• Seeing WICKED
• Chelsea Market

I am delighted they seemed to enjoy Manhatten as much as we do and I can't wait until we can all go back!

Twenty four years ago today we said I do, and we did and we still are!  

It never ceases to amaze me how each year I love you more.  You make me laugh until I cry and that alone cures so many of life's ailments.
You work harder than I can even fathom and care so much about your work and I love you for that.
The way you provide for us doesn't go unnoticed, although I don't think I show you enough gratitude.  

I love you more than I could ever say,
#1
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​Ingredients

• 1 small jar of pizza sauce
• 1 cup (approximately 24) pepperoni slices
• 1 cup shredded mozzerella
• 1 Tablespoon italian season
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 8 oz. cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Bagel or pita chips for dipping

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400°
• In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and spices
• In a small casserole dish spread cream cheese mixture
• Top with 1/2 of mozzarella cheese, then pepperoni and then sauce and repeat
• Finish off with remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan
• Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and brown
• Serve warm with Bagel chips or pita.

​Love,

You can't really mess up Mac & Cheese and will likely always have the ingredients on hand!

​Macadoo has always been my Mac n' Cheese fan and over the years I've made about as many different types as their are cheeses.  I always welcome his feedback and I think we've pretty much nailed it with this version.

Mac- aroni & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb box of macaroni noodles - I prefer small (but not tiny) elbow noodles
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 Tablespoon of flour (any kind is fine)
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 8 oz of shredded cheddar.  I prefer to shred my own or use thicker shreds like Tillamook.
• 4 oz (half block) of cream cheese softened and cubed
• 1/2 cup of grated parmesan 
• 2 teaspoons of dry mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°
• Cook macaroni al dente (subtract 2 minutes from suggested cooking time on box) and drain reserving pasta water.
• In a heavy skillet melt butter over medium heat and let it just begin to brown.
• Sprinkle flour over butter and gently stir to combine.
• Pour in heavy cream and stir well allowing to lightly simmer before lowering heat.
• Blend in all cheeses, stirring to combine.
• Add dry mustard, salt and pepper.
• Add noodles and stir well.
• The mixture shouldn't be too thick so add in a little pasta water if it is.
• Transfer to a greased casserole and bake in oven until top is bubbly and golden.

​Love,

When Daddy and I first started dating it was a bit of a shock to my system to eat dinner at his house.  Nana has always been a phenomenal cook, but for the longest time I was a fairly picky eater, I know such a shock.  Green beans aren't even an option for me and I didn't go near things like squash or butter beans, much less something called a purple hull pea!?

Thankfully they wore me down and I grew to love some of their southern staples. I have especially enjoyed adding Nana's Squash Casserole recipe to my collection.  In true Teresa fashion I have made some *very* slight modifications over the years.  I am including a photo of Nana's recipe that is printed in the St. Francis cookbook.  Nana worked at St. Francis as a pharmacist.

This is one of those dishes that isn't at all what you think it will be and is truly a crowd pleaser at the Holidays.  I am so glad I tried it all those years ago and I hope one day y'all will as well!

Squash Casserole

Ingredients

• 8 medium yellow squash sliced and then halved
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups of shredded sharp cheese - divided
• 1 1/2 cups of sour cream
• 1 stick of salted butter - divided
• 2 small boxes of stove top stuffing mix (chicken or herb flavor)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°
• In a heavy skillet, melt 1/2 stick of butter and allow to almost brown
• Add in onion and squash and saute on medium-high heat until onion and squash are tender and begin to caramelize
• In a large bowl mix the sauteed vegetables, cream of chicken soup, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, sour cream and contents of one box of stuffing mix, stir gently to combine
• Spray a large casserole dish and pour in squash mixture
• Melt remaining butter and mix with contents of second box of stuffing
• Top squash mixture with buttery stuffing mix 
• Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
• Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown

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​Love,

I wish there was a way to make trumpets sound when this page is opened.  This dessert recipe is hands down the favorite of the Earnest household.  My step-dad's mom made this when I was a kid and I remember wanting to steal it and run away to have it all to myself.  Not because I had serious issues, but because she would serve us about a 3" square.  WOMP WOMP WOMP.  I swore one day when I had my own family I would serve ridiculously huge portions and I am proud to say I have lived up to that.  I won't lie, this one isn't the quickest recipe and it's a mess in the kitchen but I promise it's worth it!

Four Layer Delight
serves from 1-10 people depending on who's eating it

Ingredients

Layer 1

• 1 1/2 cups of white flour (any kind is fine)
• 1 stick of salted butter - softened
• 2 cups of chopped pecan pieces

Layer 2

• 2 - 8 oz blocks of cream cheese - room temperature
• 1 Large tub of cool whip - thawed
• 1 cup of powdered sugar

Layer 3

• 2 small boxes of instant or quick chocolate jello pudding mix (NOT the kind you have to cook!)
• 3 1/2 cups of cold milk

Layer 4

• 1 large tub of cool whip - thawed
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecan pieces

Directions

Layer 1

• Pre-heat oven to 350°
• Mix flour, butter and pecan pieces
• In a casserole dish press flour mixture into bottom of pan
• Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes, watching closely.  It will be done when edges are golden brown.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool completely, you can also place in fridge to speed cooling up.

Layer 2

• Beat cream cheeses, cool whip and powdered sugar on high until completely mixed and fluffy.
• Once cooled add many heaping spoonfuls of layer 2 onto crust.  (like dots) Be very careful not to spread layer two too roughly as it will destroy layer one.  You can avoid this by placing many "blobs" of the cream cheese layer onto the crust.

Layer 3

• In a clean bowl mix chocolate pudding and cold milk on high until thickened.  Start by adding a little milk at a time so you can be sure to not make this layer too runny but also not too thick.
• Using the same technique and care as with layer 2, add blobs of the chocolate pudding mixture onto the white cream cheese layer, gently spreading to cover.

Layer 4

• Spread cool whip
• Sprinkle with pecan pieces

Chill for several hours before serving and then bask in the glow of the love everyone has for you for making it.

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With love and second helpings,

Lasagna
Serves 4-6 and can easily be doubled for freezing

​Ingredients

• ​1 box of lasagna noodles cooked per box instructions
• 2 lb of ground beef
• 2 jars of spaghetti sauce - I like to use one nicer brand jar like Rao's or Newman's Own and one jar of Publix brand
• 2 - 8 ox bags of shredded mozzarella cheese - I prefer a nicer shred like tillamook or kraft with creamy philadephia blend
• 4 oz (1/2 of a block) cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 400°
• Cook lasagna noodles according to box directions in a large pot and rinse under cool water after draining.  To avoid noodles sticking together put them back in a pot of cold water once they are cooled.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook ground beef that has been seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste; drain meat.
• Return meat to cleaned skillet and add in jars of sauce and cubes of cream cheese.
• Cook meat and sauce mixture on low and stir to incorporate cream cheese.
• In a deep casserole dish spray cooking spray in bottom of dish and spread about 1/2 cup of sauce onto bottom
• Begin making layers by shaking excess water off of noodles and laying in bottom of pan, slightly overlapping edge of noodles.
• On top of noodle layer add enough meat sauce to cover noodles, It's ok to see a little of the noodle.
• Next sprinkle mozzarella cheese onto sauce mixture
• Repeat layers until you have used all of the sauce.  You may have noodles leftover, this is when you want to roll one up and dip into the leftover sauce in the pan.  YUM!
• Top final layer with remaining shredded cheese and grated parmesan cheese.
• Spray the underside of a piece of aluminum foil and cover lasagna.  This will help the foil to not stick to the cheese as much.  Gently press down on the foil so that the lasagna layers are a bit more compact and dense.
• Bake covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered until cheese is bubbly and brown.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. 

TIP:  Once cooled off this can be placed in refrigerator for several days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Love,