Painted Mason Jars

I have found another DIY project! These vintage painted mason jars are super easy and a fun handmade gift.  I actually made them as Mother's Day gifts, but you could make them for a number of occasions!

1.  Gather supplies.  You'll need the following supplies: Mason jars, Acrylic paints, Nail files, Paint brushes, Sealer, and a Bouquet of flowers.

 2.  Paint two coats of paint on the outside of the jars.  Allow appropriate time to dry.  After drying, use the nail file to sand the raised letters and spots around the jar for an aged, vintage look.

3.  Seal.  Paint two coats of sealer on the outside of the jars.  

4.  Arrange flowers for gifting or display! :)

Additional tips: The paint colors I used were Citron and Turquoise by Craft Smart.  The bouquet of flowers I used was $3 at Aldi!  I used Mod Podge as my sealer.  The sealer allows you to be able to wipe the jars with a damp cloth for cleaning purposes; however, you cannot submerge or soak these in water. 

Zucchini Lasanga

This is a must-try recipe!  Seriously, delicious! 

I am trying to become a better cook, but time is usually not on my side.  I am working many evenings these days, so Josh has become a master chef by default.  Today, I was able to capitalize on some free time and try a new recipe.  So exciting...Josh and I love good food!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 T basil
3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1/8inch slices
15 oz part-skin ricotta
16 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c parmesan cheese, grated
1 large egg

Almost all of the ingredients are available at Aldi, our favorite grocery stop.  I picked up the ricotta cheese from Target and my dad keeps our freezer stocked with plenty of freshly-butchered red meats.

Directions:


In a medium sauce pan, brown meat. When cooked drain in colander to remove any fat. Add olive oil to the pan and saute garlic and onions about 2 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer on low for at least 30-40minutes, covered. Do not add extra water, the sauce should be thick.

Meanwhile, slice zucchini into 1/8" thick slices, add lightly salt and set aside or 10 minutes. Zucchini has a lot of water when cooked, salting it takes out a lot of moisture. After 10 minutes, blot excess moisture with a paper towel.

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a medium bowl mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and egg. Stir well.

In a 9x12 casserole spread some sauce on the bottom and layer the zucchini to cover. Then place some of the ricotta cheese mixture, then top with the mozzarella cheese and repeat the process until all your ingredients are used up. Top with sauce and mozzarella and cover with foil.  Bake 45 minutes covered at 375°, then uncovered 15 minutes. Let stand about 5 - 10 minutes before serving.