This was a family weekend. The top picture is ten-year-old Maddie, my oldest grandchild, who does a super job of organizing, shepherding, and loving the little ones-here she's watching Morgan struggle with a push broom that appeared on my porch mysteriously. Jordan and Christian want to hire her as their nanny because Jacob really listens to her.Last night he jabbered and jabbered until she said, "Okay, Buddy, we're going to sleep now." Jacob followed with his usual stall, "Will you cuddle me?" and Maddie sasid firmly, "Jacob, I'm in the bed right next to yours and I'm here if you need me, but we're going to sleep." According to Mel, Maddie's mother who was listening from the next room, everything was silent from then on.
In the second picture, left to right, are Eden, whose seventh b'day we were celebrating a week early, Maddie, Kegan (2-1/2, from Houston), Morgan (almost 4, from Houston, and I have no idea why she was hanging her head), and Jacob.
Tonight I'm eating leftover Doris' casserole. The Houston Alters arrived Friday afternoon, and we want to see Uncle Charles. Then Jacob and his parents came for supper. I had made a double batch of Doris'--see below for recipe, though I think I've posted it before, and it's in Cooking My Way Through Life with Books and Kids.. The Houston Alters are early-to-bed people, and I even got Jacob asleep by ten (he stayed to play with his cousins in the morning). After much debate, we decided to eat in Saturday night, so I ran to the store that morning for hamburger and hot dog fixings. Lunch at the deli, Carshon's--Colin does not consider a trip home complete without a trip to Carshon's. They all played at Jacob's house in the afternoon while I had a blissful reading/nap time before I started getting ingredients ready for supper. Jay came for dinner (Susan is in Marfa) and Sue for a drink. The Frisco Alters arrived a little after eight in the evening and we had a party (Sue came back) on the porch, except that the people we all came to see (Colin, Lisa, Morgan and Kegan) were already asleep. We had a good time in spite of that. This morning, a late breakfast. Colin, who is so helpful and such a good cook, did oven bacon and made breakfast tacos, after Jordan and Christian stopped at the store. Then by one, everyone was on their way, and I was doing the final clean-up on the kitchen. The kids always leave the house neat, but I tomorrow I have to do clean-up--laundry, mop the floor, hose the porch, which got horribly mud-streaked because of today's light rain, find the guest room pillow I'm missing, etc.
The weekend taught me something wonderful about family--okay I think I always knew it, but it's best to "hang" at the house We had talked about going out to dinner Saturday, but it was so much better to be at home, at our leisure, where the kids could run and play--and boy did they! With all hands helping with the cooking, it's really not much work, and I loved having them all around. We missed Megan and her bunch mightily. My happy thought as I drifted off last night was that when they were grown, the grandkids will all remember that they came to Juju's house and had a wonderful time. The Houston kids call my garage apartment "Camp Juju," and I don't think they'd stay in the main house. My family is the biggest blessing in a life that's truly blessed in many ways.
Doris' casserole:
Bottom layer:
Brown one lb. hamburger (I used extra lean from Central Market, and both Colin and Christian commented on how flavorful it was--they sent me back for hamburger meat the next day with instructions to ask for meat from the same cow!)
Add 1 clove garlic
When meat is browned, add
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
Simmer about 20 minutes, until thickened.
Second layer:
Cook about 6 oz. egg noodles
Drain and while hot stir in
3 oz. cream cheese (Lisa stirs in an entire 8 oz. pkg and says it's wonderful)
1 cup sour cream
Six green onions, chopped
Spread evenly over meat layer in a 9x13 pan.
Top with 8 oz. grated cheddar.
Bake 30 minutes in 350 oven or until cheese is melted and slightly browned and casserole is bubbly. Friday night, five adults and three kids (small helpings) ate a whole casserole.
Lisa has tried this with Rotel tomatoes but says she doesn't like it as well.
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