JAUNTS AND DINNERS

We finally gave up waiting for younger stronger peeps in the house to take the tree down to the garage. Bill brought in the box and we took it apart and packed it up.  Its now out in the shed waiting for next year.  Took long enough.  I had two dinners to do this week and we couldn't have a dead tree filling up the hallway.

Last Sunday we went up to Squamish and toodled around.  Such a beautiful place and we had so much fun,  we went to a local grocers and got a picnic and went looking for a spot to eat.  We ended up at the little tiny airport, in the snow, sat in our car and had a lovely lunch.  I will post a few pics below for those that I am not facebook friends with.

Tuesday night we had Andrew's dad Al and his sister Katie and his brother Joel over for Al's 59th birthday.  We always enjoy having them.  The visiting gets really interesting and good.  I made a meatloaf and recorded each step...for no reason whatsoever other than to bore you with the pics!  Then last night we had Bill's nephew and wife over for a roast beef/yorkshire pudding dinner.  What a wonderful evening that was.  I love those two people.  And now today I am making beef soup.

For deserts I deconstruct regular desserts into trifles.  Last nite I made an apple pie trifle.  I baked a carmel coffee cake and made vanilla pudding.  I also whipped cream and added cinnamon to the cream.  I also crumbled ginger snaps.  I used two cans of apple pie filling and layered it all up to the top of my trifle bowl.  It was really good.  In the past I have made lemon pie trifle (using meringue cookies, banana cream pie trifle (using graham wafer crust broken into pieces), chocolate trifle (using one bite brownies), pumpkin pie trifle, (using graham wafer crust pieces), black forest cake trifle..I used cherry pie filling and chocolate cake and vanilla pudding and whipped cream.  Its fun finding new trifle ideas. If you think of one put it in comments and I will make it and take pictures and credit you with the idea!

ALWAYS START WITH THE ONIONS

ADD THE CARBS

THEN THE SEASONING

THEN THE EGGS

KETCHUP AND WORCHESTER 

MIX

THEN I TOTALLY MISSED A STEP HERE.  YOU MIX BROWN SUGAR, BALSAMIC AND KETCHUP AND POUR OVER THE TOP AT THE LAST TEN MINUTES OF COOKING.  THIS LOOKS BURNT BUT IT ISN'T, ITS THE BALSAMIC TOPPING THAT IS DARK

A REALLY TYPICAL BRITISH COLUMBIA SCENE

MOLLY IN HER NEW LIFE JACKET GETTING READY FOR A TEST RUN IN THE BATHTUB

HER LITTLE LEGS WERE PADDLING AWAY LONG BEFORE SHE HIT THE WATER

NOT HAPPY IN THE WATER!!!!!!

ANDREW    JOEL     KATIE      AL

AS BEAUTIFUL AS HAWAIIAN SUNSETS

Tonite April and Aryn have asked me to join them for dinner at a place called GRUB.  I can't wait!  Ape and I looked it up and the food looks amazing.  In the reviews a few said its a true hipster place so I can't wait to go see.  I shall put a few pics here..TTYL