Seafood Lasagna

1 (6 oz) can flaked crab (drained)
2 (14 1/2-16 oz) cans stewed tomatoes (UNdrained)
1 small can mushroom pieces (drained)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (crushed)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (4 1/2 oz) can shrimp (drained)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 3/4 cups milk
6 slices of Swiss Cheese
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 lasagna noodles (cooked according to directions on box)
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

Make 2 sauces. Tomato and Cheese.

Tomato Sauce- In a medium saucepan, combine undrained tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to simmer mixture for 20 minutes to thicken. Turn off heat and stir in shrimp. Set aside.

Cheese Sauce- In a seperate medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and cook over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Tear Swiss Cheese into pieces and stir into milk mixture until melted. Turn off heat and stir in crab and wine.

In a rectangular casserole dish (mine is 11" x 7" and 2 " high), that is sprayed with cooking spray or lightly greased, pour 1/2 of the Tomato Mixture in bottom of baking dish. Layer 4 lasagna noodles on top. Next pour 1/2 Cheese Mixture and spread evenly over noodles.  Then repeat remaining Tomato Sauce (Yes, you will have a layer of Cheese and Tomato Sauce touching!), 4 noodles and remaining Cheese Sauce. Sprinkle with The Romano or Parmesan Cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Paper Towel Dolls

I found the ideal homemade gift for that special friend. It's fun, whimsical and yet so practical. Beve's Paper Towel Dolls combine everyday items around the house and culminate in a present you'll be proud to give. I made several of them for my family and friends for Christmas of 2011 and they were a hit! Here's how easy and fun it is to make:

Supplies needed: paper towel roll; dish towel; dish rag; rubber jar gripper; small plastic garbage bag; face of your choosing; silk flowers of your choosing; sewing pins; plastic sewing needle; black sewing floss; glue stick.

Step #1: Fold dish towel in half.

Step #2: Secure one end of dish towel to paper towel with two pins.

Step #3: Fold unpinned end of dish towel so it just overlaps the pinned end.

Step #4: Secure with two pins.

Step #5: With fold side down, roll top edge of dish towel slightly and pin to paper towel with flower on top. This creates the decorative neck of the doll.

Step #6: Glue face to paper towel.

Step #7: With plastic needle, thread sewing floss through holes of jar gripper and tie off so you create wavy folds to represent the doll's hair.

Step #8: Pin the gripper/hair to the paper towel.

Step #9: Crumple the garbage bag up, stuff most of it into the paper towel tube,and leave some on top for hair.

Step #10: Make a one inch fold in the dish rag.

Step #11: With fold side up, pin dish rag to paper towel on either side of the face.

What a unique, yet simple, gift for family and friends!!

I picked this craft because it was so easy to make, and the result was something that makes me smile every time I see it. When you try it, you'll agree that Beve's Paper Towel Dolls will make your gift-giving a welcome relief for that hard-to-shop-for person. Enjoy!