“We are the Nixon-Weems Family,” shared Geneviève boldly. “A spontaneous, digital nomad family that lives life to the fullest! We have family homes in Navarre, FL, Washington, DC, and New York City.”
Geneviève is, most importantly, a confident and loving wife, a proud mother, and the glue holding her family trio together as they move around and dream big. She is also a TV & Film Producer, Marketing & Brand Strategist, and Momager (mom and manager) for their son.
Julius and Geneviève celebrated seven years of marriage this past June. She describes him as a wonderful husband, father, and God-fearing man. He is the CEO of WA Global Solutions Inc. and a Digital Transformation Specialist.
Their son Julius-Raymond, aka “JR the Star,” is a 10-year-old child prodigy. He is world-schooled and starring in the Broadway smash hit MJ the Musical, debuting as Lil’ Marlon and Lil’ MJ of the Jackson 5. In addition to his breakout roles on Broadway, he is the voice of Rory for the hit animation series VeeFriends by Gary Vee, and he plays the role of Icon in the soon-to-be-released film Stronger.
“Dinner time in our home can be many things; it depends on our daily schedules. If we’re running around New York City, we might go to a few of our favorite spots to grab something quick before dropping our son off at the stage door or heading to the next activity,” shared Geneviève. “But what’s the best is when we are home, and all jump in and help cook. We always sing, dance, and sample the food while we cook. It’s the best time ever!”
This month’s recipe is one the Nixon-Weems family holds near and dear to their hearts. They chose this particular dish because it is a mesh of their favorite Lasagna and Geneviève’s father’s homemade spaghetti sauce. Her father, Raymond, passed away in 2006, and this sauce allows the family to remember and feel close to him.
Grandpa Ray & Mama’s Lasagna
Ingredients:
Lasagna noodles (don’t use oven-ready pasta, the texture is mushy); 18 oz Ricotta Cheese (whole milk); Several Blocks of Mozzarella Cheese (whole milk), shredded 1 pkg Bella Mushrooms, diced; 1 bunch of Fresh Spinach; 2-3 Cups Parmesan Cheese, shredded; 1 lb Ground Turkey meat (80% lean and 20% fat); 1 lb Italian sweet sausage (optional); Italian Seasoning; Fresh Garlic; Fresh Basil; 2 Green Pepper, diced; 2 Sweet Onion, diced; 2 large cans whole peeled tomatoes; Lawry’s Seasoning; Black Pepper; Garlic Powder; Salt; Sugar; Bay Leaf; Beef Bullion; Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Sauce: In a large sauce pot, heat oil on medium-low. Add crushed garlic to the pan and allow it to become fragrant. Add sliced green peppers, sweet onions and mushrooms. Cook veggies to soft but still a bit firm, onions should be translucent. Season veggies lightly with Lawry’s and pepper. Add ground meat (and sausage if using) to the center of the pot. Season meat with Lawry’s, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Blend well and cover for a few minutes. Remove the lid and begin blending veggies into the meat and breaking up the meat. You don’t want big chunks of meat. Once meat and veggies are blended, add the two cans of tomatoes and their juice. Bring all to medium heat, stir all together, and let simmer. Taste and add seasoning where necessary. Add a 1/2 cube or teaspoon of beef bullion, fresh basil, and 2 medium bay leaves. If sauce tastes a little bitter from tomatoes, add a pinch of sugar to taste. Keep the lid on while the sauce simmers, stirring occasionally.
For Ricotta Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese. Steam one whole bunch of spinach (cut stems off). Drain water from the spinach, chop fine, and add to ricotta. Add one generous cup of shredded mozzarella and 3/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Lightly season with Italian seasoning and salt to taste. Do not overseason. Mix together and put aside. The rest of your grated cheese will be used later.
For Noodles: In a large pot, boil water, oil, and lightly salt water. Cook noodles as directed. Remove from heat and cool with cold water. Keep noodles in water.
Bring It All Together: Remove the top layer of grease from the sauce and the bay leaf. In a large baking pan, add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom. Layer the bottom with noodles. Cut excess noodles from the pan; do not overlap on the sides. With a ladle, add sauce.
Add a layer of ricotta blend, not too thin or too thick. Sprinkle mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Repeat the noodle, sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella layers to the top of the pan. Roughly 3-4 layers. Stop where the last layer is noodles and sauce (no ricotta). Use the last of your mozzarella cheese to put a thick layer of cheese on top. Cover with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Sauce should be simmering in the pan. Uncover and place under broil to toast the top layer of cheese only, less than 1 minute or until the desired color. Remove and let sit for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 17 years. Together they have three incredible children – two boys, ages 16 and nine, and a sweet girl who will be two in August. Gabriele is a full-time Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Gulf Shores.
