Spaghetti Pie and Pineapple Sheet Cake…made with l♥ve by the Cookie Mama.

This week I decided to make spaghetti pie and pineapple sheet cake.  Here’s the story.  We were going over to my Dad’s on Memorial Day and I wanted to bring a dessert.  I visited my “Pinterest dessert board” and began browsing.  I settled on this cake as I had all the ingredients in the pantry, and it sounded really yummy. Well it is yummy.  So yummy that I didn’t even frost the cake.  The original recipe calls for a cream cheese frosting that sounds delightful.  However,  Memorial Day was REALLY HOT, and I wanted something light for dessert. I do love a cream cheese frosting, but it sounded really heavy.  Instead of the frosting, I just used some whipped cream.  I got rave reviews of the cake, and I would definitely make it again…maybe next time I’d add some shredded coconut to the batter…YUM.   Here is the link to the recipe: http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2010/05/blog-revival-week-monday-miss-susans-pineapple-sheet-cake/

We spent the better part of the afternoon at my Dad’s house on Memorial Day.  He and my sister Amy, made a lovely lunch of panzanella and garlic spaghetti…YUM.  After we got home, Dan and I cut the grass.  It had been a long day so I wanted to make something simple for dinner.  I also wanted to use up some angel hair that I had made earlier in the weekend, but didn’t feel like experimenting with another new sauce.  I immediately thought of spaghetti pie.  I actually copied the recipe while watching Martha Stewarts’ show when I was on bed-rest while pregnant with Victoria.  Martha’s guest made what she called “pasera” (prounced like pa-cer-ahh), or in other words spaghetti pie.  I went to my recipe box and reviewed the recipe.  I had all the ingredients on hand, but as I read the recipe, it sounded really bland.

So instead of using that recipe, I opted for a recipe that I found on-line for spaghetti pie.  Again, I had all the ingredients, and it sounded simple so I selected it.  The results??  YUM-A-LICIOUS!

It was so yum-a-licious in fact, that I made another spaghetti pie for dinner yesterday.  I love this recipe. It’s a great way to use up left over pasta, spaghetti sauce, and cottage cheese, and it’s really quick to put together too. Here is the link to the recipe that I used: http://amuseinmykitchen.com/2012/01/21/spaghetti-pie/

I love love love a long holiday weekend.  I especially love a long holiday weekend that includes time spent with family and yummy food.  This holiday weekend had a great kick- off.  It started with the elementary school’s silent dismissal on Friday afternoon.  In an attempt to honor the real reason for the long Memorial day weekend, Ryan’s school enacted a silent dismissal to honor all of our fallen heroes.  All the kids were to exit the building in silence out of respect for our troops.  The local Amvets, as well as active military personnel, were invited to attend the dismissal.  They lined both sides of the walkways to the front and back of the building, so everyone entering or exiting the school had the opportunity to see them.  It was awesome.  I thought it was a great idea, but I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical.  Our elementary school houses just under 900 students and approximately 80 staff members on a daily basis.  Add to that a countless number of parents and siblings that are in and around the building at dismissal time.  That said, I figured that a “silent dismissal” would be difficult to pull off.  Well I was proven wrong.  Dismissal on Friday was unbelievably silent.  The only noise to be heard was the flapping of the American flags that were held by many of the participants. It was so great.

I thought the idea of a silent dismissal was really cool.  What I wasn’t prepared for was the emotion I felt as I watched it. Our middle school and high school students dismiss an hour before our elementary school does.  Many families have children in more than one building.  What normally happens is older siblings will walk over to the elementary school, and wait for their younger siblings.  Also, many parents enter the building to wait for their little person to be dismissed.  I was so moved by what I witnessed as these family members entered and exited the building on Friday.  Almost everyone waited in line to shake hands and personally thank all the military members for their service to our country.  Even though the students didn’t speak, many of them paused in front of the service men and women to wave or salute them.  It was amazing. I was humbled by the students eagerness to participate, and their displays of gratitude and respect.  It was the perfect way to start the Memorial Day weekend, and I am so glad I was able to take part.

In closing, I’d like to personally extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all of our service men and women.  Those that are here on Earth, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  Thank you…thank you…thank you. ♥♥