Monday is off to a good start!

Well, I will have to say---5 PM was wonderful today!  Derek put the tater tot casserole in the oven for me. Supper was ready when I got home from work! What a good feeling!  Now I am normally not a fan of casseroles, let alone tater tots! But that is what my boys like....and really, it was actually pretty good! I was surprised!
Here is the recipe:
1 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 c onion
1 c. mixed vegetables (I used corn due to fussy eaters!)
10 oz tomato soup ( I used tomato sauce)
1/2 chili sauce or salsa (I used salsa)
Combine these in a large bowl. 
Layer 1 bag to tater tots over the top.
Sprinkle 2 cups of cheddar cheese on top. (I used Tillamook Sharp Cheddar--excellent choice)
Bake 350 for 1 1/4 hours, uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

Surprisingly enough, it reminded me a little bit of lasagna!

So now that I had time to have supper done zippity do dah...I even had time to make a loaf of gluten free bread for Lauri. Yep, one loaf, one evening. Easy!  Ha, ha, next question, will he eat it?

And I had time to go through my dad's old slides. It is so much fun, but oh the stories behind the pictures...I wish they could talk!

I found this one of my grandma Helen and I....I just love this!
I was seven when she passed away, but I have so many memories of this dear grandma.  She was such a good baker, loved to laugh and loved to sing!

I had never seen this one before. Looks like Aunt Maxine holding me. Aaaack a bikini!  

This must of been at Christmas.  I do remember that green tractor!

Wonder what kind of event was at my parent's house? Jeanette is the little girl in the picture. My grandma in the pink dress. Grandpa's sister Ellen behind Jeanette.

I could keep posting..but time for bed! Caught up in memories tonight......

Freezer Day!

I am set! Woot! Woot!
My sister so kindly gave me a new cookbook for meal planning by yourself or with your friends.
I tried to get my friends to join me..maybe next time.  So I did it myself.
Step one...read the book! Yep!

Step two...go buy a small freezer! Done. I did that on Thursday.

 

Step three..figure out what meals I want to make. So many factors, will my teenager eat it? will my meat and potato hubby eat it?  is it gluten free?

Step four..make a grocery list. The book helps you with that. Easy. Done. Seriously, this book is just cool.


Step five..away I go to the grocery store with my list. Yes, a list. I never go to the grocery store with a list. I never need one, because I just don't!

Step six..I actually enjoyed grocery shopping. I never enjoy grocery shopping. Whip..whip..whip..clunk, clunk, wham, wham..the cart is full.  And hey, I even remembered my "green bags", no plastics bags needed! And I saved a few cents off my bill by doing that. Woot! Woot!  AND the cashier said, "hey, you didn't get your free turkey? should I go get you one?"  Oh no kidding..yes go get me one!  The biggest one you can find! SCORE again...she really did run! And she was an elderly lady...woot! woot! for the cool Fred Meyer cashier!

Step seven...get the menfolk in the house to haul in the groceries. And we all put them away.  :)

Step eight..have a cup of coffee, put up your feet and dream about those meals. Get some rest.

Step nine..yay! Saturday has arrived. Go out for morning coffee with friends, preferably Red Leaf!
www.redleafcoffee.com

Step ten...look at the list and dive full force into the project. Sun is shining. Someone is snoring in the lazy boy. The piano is in full force. Oh yes, this gives me the juice to whip out 7 meals in three hours!

And what did I end up making?
 BBQ Beef, Lemon Chicken, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Angela's Spaghetti Sauce, Shepherd's Pie, Dijon Peppered Roast Beef,  and Tater Tot Casserole.  Plus of course, I have my free turkey in the freezer! heh!


Step eleven..load the dishwasher. Release a big sigh. The sun is still shining.



















Step twelve..have a cup of coffee.
Get in a game of Candy Crush, gotta beat Laura!

Step thirteen..off to Vancouver with my favorite boys, out for supper and shopping at the mall! Teenager somehow empties my wallet.. But enough of the high water pants and holes in shirts.

I am all set for meals for the next two weeks!!!!!
All of sudden 5 pm will have a new look next week!

I am never sick of the ocean!

These pictures are from the South Jetty on the Oregon coast.

This is where the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River meet....

 The next two pictures are from Peter Iredale.

 Coffenbury Lake (in Fort Stevens)

 Do you see the blue heron?

Exploring Fort Stevens...

A night in Astoria.

Exploring Fort Stevens

layout of the original fort.

I love old doors, do you?  

These were the bunk houses. All is left is the chimney and some of the concrete.
Looking at their pictures, these buildings were good size, they had many chimney's in one bunk house.

Did you know this is called a sallyport?

Roses were still blooming!

Remember--if you click on a picture, you can see it bigger.