Cave canem, te necet lingendo (Latin)

Latin: Cave canem, te necet lingendo

Translation: Beware of the dog, he may lick you to death

And that pretty much sums up our memorial day weekend. A dog fest full of slobber, kisses and good laughs.

My hubby and I had the pleasure of dog sitting Vincent and Mrs. Potato this weekend. Two lovable, slobbering pups that kept us entertained as well as the June Bug (a.k.a. Juno).

Here's a few snapshots from the weekend...Hope they make you smile.

Playtime...three whole days.

Where'd they go?...

It's hot....break time.

Run Vincent run....

This might be my favorite....he looks so fierce trying to get the camera!

Mrs. Potato chillin'....so cute

Strike a pose!

Juno...as happy as can be

Sweet face + big tongue = slobbery kisses...

That lating quote was right!

Beware of dog; he/she might lick you to death.

I'm okay with that though....that's why we have showers.

Wine & Love

Wine & Love....

Ok...so I will admit, this is the first time I've done a linkup. I found this when reading Claire's blog "bicoastally" on Thursday night, but unfortunately blogger was down. So I'm a little late, but I really liked the topic. If you feel inclined to play along too, then linkup with Nora & let us know what has you reaching for a glass of vino & what your lovin'!

Wine.

- Serbian: ja zelim casu vina (ya jeleem chashoo veena); English translation: I want a glass of wine. If you ask me, sometimes that's the best reason of all. By the way, drinking a glass of wine (or two) and trying to learn and remember Serbian may not be a good combination, but at least I care less how silly I sound trying.

- It was a long day; and people forget they have brains. Do I really need to elaborate more?!

- When bad things happen to good people who have good hearts; regardless of what the doctor says. I'm praying for you Aunt Brenda.

Love.

- My hubby, our dog and house and this beautiful weather we've been having in the south. It's May and we can still sit outside and not be eaten alive but mosquitos!

- Our tomato plants. They smell so good and 1 of 6 plants has baby tomatoes! Can't wait to eat them!!!

- Shabby Apple Dresses. Just too cute.

The Dish: Turkey Pasta Bake

So I forgot to take a photo of tonight's glorious dinner, so I'll try to make it brief and hopefully leave your mouth watering and with the key ingredients to whip-up this yummy concoction in your own kitchen (where the smells will do more justice than a photo anyway).

Turkey Pasta Bake (sort of low-fat version)

Bechamel Sauce

3 Cups 1% milk (warmed - in a microwave safe bowl, works just fine)

4 Tblsp Butter (I thought about using the smart balance, maybe next time, but no promises of the consistency if you do go this route)

1/4 cup + 1/8 cup of all purpose flour

You can make this one day ahead...it definitely makes the next day so much easier.

Melt the butter and whisk in the flour until smooth. About 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the warm milk, while constantly whisking to ensure no lumps form. Stir/whisk the cream mixture for 15 minutes on medium to low heat. Don't let the milk boil or burn. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 tsp of salt, a pinch of white pepper (black works too) and a pinch of nutmeg (don't be afraid; it gives it that extra something that will make everyone else go OMG).

Let it cool. Refrigerate or use right away.

Turkey Bake Pasta

Bechamel Sauce

Pesto

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 large onion chopped/diced in small pieces

3-4 garlic cloves chopped/minced

4 oz. mushrooms (pre-sliced)

salt

pepper

olive oil

16 0z. box of favorite pasta (I used penne)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Boil a large pot of water and cook pasta according to directions. Drain.

Heat a large pan with 2 - 3 tblsp of olive oil on medium-high. Sautee the onions for about 3-4 minutes, add the garlic and sautee for 1-2 minutes. Add the turkey, season with salt and pepper and cook through (no pink left). Add the mushrooms and cook for about 2 more minutes. Mushrooms should still be firm. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the bechamel sauce and add 2-3 tablespoons of pesto (home made or store bought). Heat through. Season with more salt and pepper if desired. Remove from heat.

Stir in the cooked pasta with the creamy-pesto-turkey mixture and spread into a 13 x 9 inch dish. Cover with mozzarella and parmesan cheese for a cheesy crust.

Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese has a nice golden color.

Serve with a salad.

happy cooking & yummy eating