Side Table Makeover: $5 Flea Market Flip!

Well the last couple weeks have been very busy, but I promise I've still been cooking, quilting, and DIY-ing.  Today's adventure was to make over a happy little side table I got at the Harper's Ferry Flea Market.  Remember in my post about the copycat Pottery Barn candle holders, when I showed off the batch of goodies my husband and I got for $25?  Well this is the side table from that haul.

I liked the shape, and it's a great little size to sit next to the couch and hold a drink while I'm watching TV.  It was wobbly and just needed to be reassembled with some wood glue, really.  I also wanted to sand it down and give it a nice coat of navy blue paint so it could be a happy, well adjusted member of my living room furniture family.

See?  What a nice size.

Our before shot.

Disassembled.

Sanded!

Primed.  I used the Zinsser primer again- the one I used on the dresser makeover.

Painted!

The after picture.  Ooo. Aaa.

Just used basic craft paint for the table, and wood glue in each joint when I reassembled.

Fin!

Lasagna Roll Ups

Lately I've been seeing more and more pins of lasagna rolls on Pinterest.  This piqued my interest, because it seemed like a much easier way to approach lasagna than the rickety, slippery layers we all know and fight with when it comes time to serve up that delicious pasta.  I was frustrated when I went searching for one to make, though.  So many with bacon!  I just wanted a regular lasagna recipe that happened to be rolled, with proven cooking times so I didn't have to monitor my stove like a nut trying my own approach.  I finally found a keeper from My Joy Filled Life, and share it here with modifications to just make half of her giant serving.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (or 1/2 cup diced onions)
• 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 jars pasta sauce, divided
• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 7.5 oz-container ricotta cheese
• 1/2 egg (sorry- I know this is awkward!)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water with a drizzle of olive oil to boil.  Set out a cookie sheet covered with wax paper, to lay out your lasagna once it's cooked.  Add lasagna noodles to boiling water and cook according to package directions (likely ~10 minutes).
3. While your water comes to a boil and your lasagna cooks, brown your beef with the garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Drain and return to pan.  Add 1 jar of pasta sauce and heat through.  Set aside once sauce is heated.
4. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, 1/2 egg, parsley, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
5. Drain cooked lasagna noodles and rinse with cool water, to stop cooking and make them easier to handle.  Lay noodles out on cookie sheet covered with waxed paper.
6. Spread 1/4 cup of jarred pasta sauce in bottom of a 13x9 baking dish.
7. Spread the cheese mixture evenly down the center of each noodle.  Top with meat sauce in an even layer.  Roll up noodle and place seam side down in baking dish.  Repeat with remaining noodles.  You may not use all 12 because some tear while cooking or you run out of filling.
8. Once all noodles are rolled up and placed in pan, spread remaining pasta sauce (jarred and/or meat sauce) over top of noodles.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and 1 tablespoon of parsley flakes.
9. Tent baking dish loosely with aluminum foil; make sure it isn't touching the pasta and cheese at all.  Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until heated through.
10. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Mmmmm.  Lasagna-y goodness!