Baked Ziti.

This baked ziti is a classic midweek meal, which is a lot like lasagna. The best (well there are many really) part about this meal? You can make it ahead, freeze it, and it’s still fab when you cook it- also, it’s impossible to screw this “recipe” up and you can add in all kinds of things if you want, it's that basic. 


Consider this your “little black dress” of meals, it works for everything. 


Ingredients. 

1 (16 oz) package of ziti or fusilli pasta
2 cups of ricotta cheese
2 (24 oz) jars of marinara sauce
Fresh Mozzarella or Shredded Mozz (as much as you want)
Parmesan for topping


Optional: meatballs, meat sauce, chopped veggies, sausage.


Directions.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees


Prepare the pasta, undercooking it just a little. Drain the hot pasta and pour it back into the warm pot.


Stir in the ricotta and one jar of the marinara, mix until it is blended. Toss in a bit of the mozzarella cheese- stir to combine. If you are using the optional add in ingredients, put those in now and stir.


In a rectangular pan, pour in just enough marinara to lightly coat the bottom. Top with the pasta/cheese mixture. Sprinkle or place the extra mozzarella on top of the pasta.


Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Serve warm with extra marinara, garlic bread, and salad. 

100 Things I Love About Britain Part.1

So I've decided to do a series documenting 100 things I love about Britain. I'm a born and bred Sri Lankan girl exchanging my flip flops to rain boots, family and boyfriend for economics and finance and temporarily living in the UK for 3.5 years. You guys want to do your own series like this then feel free, it would be fun to see the reasons you love where you live, at least temporarily. :)  

#1 Full English Breakfasts.
When I went to America they seemed to find it weird that the Brits eat beans with their breakfast.

#2  Sunday Roasts.

#3 Harry Potter.

OK, so everyone grew up with this series, so really it belongs to everyone, but the fact is - an englishwoman created this, and therefore it definitely is part of their heritage. 

#4 The Royal Family.

Mostly they're boring. But sometimes we get some pretty good scandals out of them, such as 'who is really Harry's father?' and 'did the queen kill Diana?' Always fun to read about.

Also, how good was that wedding last year? And how cute is Prince Harry? 

#5 Indie music.

Because indie boys do it better. At least, they did when I first came to this country.

#6 You can be anywhere in the country within a few hours.

#7 They have some really good animal charities, Cats Protection and the RSPCA to name but a few.

#8 Walks in the countryside, and lunch at country pubs.

#9 Tea

Because who needs coffee?

#10 Only Fools and Horses.
Arguably the most classic of all British comedies, this programme is amazing. I used to watch a few episodes here and there, whenever it's on the Gold channel.

#11 Mr Kipling's exceedingly good cakes.
The ones pictured are called, angel slices. My favourites also include lemon slices and french fancies. SO good! 

#12 The need to layer.
England is absolutely freezing, and the only consolation is that I can layer my clothes, which I LOVE doing. 

#13 London.

#14 Jude Law.
The most beautiful man in the world, with the most beautiful voice.  Yum!

#15  Fish and chips.

#16 In England, everything can be solved by a trip to the pub.

#17 British boys.
I hate to burst the bubble ladies. But only London boys have the sexy accent, and it's mainly the gay men that will call you 'love'.

#18 The interesting history.

When I saw The Iron Lady, which has given me a new found appreciation for Margaret Thatcher. Far from the evil witch I've been lead to believe she was, she actually came across as very inspiring.

However, I wasn't around when she was in power,  so if you disagree with my conclusion then please, No hate mail.

#19 The Inbetweeners.

If you've never seen the Inbetweeners, then seriously, you HAVE TO SEE THE INBETWEENERS. These boys remind me of some of my male friends at uni, which makes this show even more hilarious for me. 

#20 Their cats are cute.

I imagine cats are cute everywhere. I know in Sri Lanka we have our very own  gorgeous, stray cats. But the fact of the matter is that I get to see the ones in UK every day.  So they win. :D

Oreo stuffed cookies

I have almost no words for these cookies. Almost. A few that actually do come to mind are miraculous, ingenious and life-changing. How could anything stuffed with Oreos and baked to a golden, gooey deliciousness NOT be life-changing? 


If you're looking for a fun and decadent treat these would definitely fit the bill! 


Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Find original recipe here


Ingredients. 

2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 pkg. Oreo cookies


Directions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars together with a mixer until well combined.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.



In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.  Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie.  Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie.  Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is enclosed with dough.  Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.


Makes about 2 dozen VERY LARGE cookies.


* NOTE:  I had some trouble with the dough spreading too much during baking. If that becomes a problem, throw the dough balls into the fridge for a quick chill before baking. That should solve the dilemma beautifully.  :)

What it feels to be in love - a look in to a day's affairs.

You may wake-up happy as a single person...life would be simple...less complications...much less obligations and yes...you fart more! BUT, when your in love; oh boy does the tables turn or what! You wake-up smiling, almost singing a verse out of a 70's disco hit made popular by a band with Afros as silly as the lil tap dance you do with your Bata slippers on...you reach for the iPhone kiss the wallpaper and make sure your hair's in tact and the stubble doesn't hurt her delicate cheeks on the Retina display! You were happy as a singleton...but your jubilantly elated as a committed man! There is no greater feeling! 

When you go to work as a single man, you flirt with all the girls that passes you by, offer an umbrella to them on a rainy day and even walk them to their office which on route back to your will make you wave efficaciously with a few other lasses...life is a bliss as you gingerly walk in to office and catch-up on what went down in the Marvel Universe while you were away;...but when your in love, Oh boy it's a look down at your shoes and the road...oblivious to the girls who waves at you...you would smile at them realizing "Wow how my kella would beat all these Barbies on her worst day, one hand died to her back, and without even a blow dried hair do!...she is beautiful...in fact the most beautiful in this whole Universe...including Marvel!" ... There is no greater feeling! 


Single men goes home, fart while lazily walking in to the room salivating at the thought of the roast pork for dinner cooked by a mother who'd bring your egg flip to the room...a one whom you would not have a chat about things like current affairs, the longest conversation would be about the sauce that would be made for the roast, for dinner! But now that your in love...you think of her voice, all excited would walk up to ammi and say "she is my whole world"...would be an absolute mute to mom's question on "what do you want for dinner?" and would instead of walking dart in to the room all to put the white fancy ear phones and dial that name "P a t i y a" on the fancy contact list on the iPhone (We use white iPhones....the best... #Apple give us some money now you big corporate you...much love!) ...speak for hours...and them some! The turning world is no longer in your peripheral thoughts...the hours that passes seems like candy floss...airless and yummy...all that was mundane and routinal has now become much more interesting than a day in the life of Tony Stark! (#Marvel we love you, give us some money now, you big comic universe, you...much love!) ... There is no greater feeling! 


So there you go...to be in love with the right person...to be in love with that one girl who was taught to you by REO Speedwaggon back in the retro days...... There is no greater feeling!

(Dedicated to my Princess; Natasha without whom my life would not have known the "GREATEST FEELING" ) 

What i've learned from... The Boy.

Sometimes you need to make sunshine a priority. Sometimes you need to set up something spontaneous  just to soak up the daylight — and yes, the laundry (and the groceries, and the dishes, and all those phone calls) can wait until tomorrow.

A good workout and/or patience can solve just about anything. 

It's important to take time for the people you care about most. Even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone or rearranging your schedule, those moments are worth it. They make you whole.

Happy music can do wonders for your mood. So can YouTube.

Cooking really isn't that hard, so don't be afraid to try something new. Plus, if you do mess up, who cares? There's always  takeout.

Most of the time, your stress is your own doing. Relax and take care of it, one to-do at a time.

People deserve second chances, and sometimes a third, too. Trust yourself. You'll know in your heart when it's time to step away from a relationship and move on.

Nothing beats a blue sky, cool portello, and a wrestling match.

Take the high road.

It's possible to wake up happy every single day. It's possible for cool, calm, and collected to be your version of autopilot on a daily basis. (He's like that. Seriously.)

Before you ask for help, try to do it on your own. You may just surprise yourself.

Silly faces and ridiculous baila dance parties are a crucial part of life. Let loose. Acting childish every once in a while is good for the spirit.

When you're good at your core—really, truly, honestly good—love comes easy.

Trust and empathy are important, but relationships are really built on the little things. Don't overlook the smaller moments, the tiny ways in which you relate and react to each other. Flirt, laugh, stay up late talking about anything and everything, and never forget to show how grateful you are.

These are the ways you love yourself. (to forgive)

Forgive yourself the nights you climb into bed full-face of makeup, too tired to take it off. 


Forgive yourself the days when one latte is not enough, when the two major food groups are coffee and sugar. 


Forgive yourself that one night when at two am you woke to use the bathroom and inhaled an entire chocolate bar instead.


Forgive the time spent with a man you now have not one nice thing to say about. and forgive just how long it took to get over him. he was not good and not kind and he is not your fault. 


Forgive yourself for actually loving the gentle curve of your hips. and to hell with a society which suggests you might not or should not. they herald your womanhood, the man you marry will lose himself in them, they will hoist groceries and children. they are sturdy--anchoring you firmly to this earth. 


Forgive the nights you cannot sleep-sadness or some unnamed force pressing heavy on your chest. 


Forgive the mistakes of the last several years. so you made them. okay. enough. move on. the mistakes and the fault-lines, they are the foundation. 


Forgive yourself that you did not choose an easier path. and forgive yourself the sadness you caused those around you. the broken-promises and cutting words and the things left unsaid. 


Forgive the anger you feel. feel it and then look again with kinder eyes. 


Forgive yourself for not handling it all better, for feeling like you let others down. The path is not done, the road is not finished. 

One year.

15.3.2011 - 15.3.2012

It was that kind of love that walks down the street and makes people say, "AW". The love that sits in the corner and doesn't see anyone else in the room. The love that slow dances, the cinematic kind. 

I fit into him, like puzzle pieces. And today and every day, I'm am so very glad he's mine.