Deep Dish Taco Squares

Here's an easy and yummy dish that I hadn't made in awhile. Don't let the "taco" part of the name throw you off, it doesn't have taco seasoning. Give it a try!

Deep Dish Taco Squares

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. dairy sour cream
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. chopped onion
1 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/4 c. cold water
1 or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced or diced
1/2 c. chopped green pepper

Heat oven to 375. Grease square baking dish (8x8x2).
Cook and stir meat until brown, drain. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese and onion together, set aside. Mix baking mix and water until soft dough forms. Pat into pan, pressing dough 1/2" up the sides. Layer meat, tomatoes, and pepper in pan. Spoon sour cream mixture over the top. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Bake until edges of dough are light brown, approx 25-30 minutes. Serves: 3-4

I usually double this, to make a 9x13 pan. Enjoy!

Helpful Photography Articles

I live my life being curious about things, forever looking to increase my knowledge and understanding of subjects that I like. With photography, I'm not always able to process technical data, some just goes ‘over my head’.

Lately I’ve been trying to sort out information as I research cameras and equipment. I found so many acronyms, letters, roman numerals, that it became distracting, a hurdle. Recently I found a few articles that explain a lot of terms and also those pesky lettered labels, both in cameras and lenses.  I have wanted to ask a lot of these questions to others in my photography club, but was often worried it was a ‘stupid question’! Perhaps these might help others in their journey too.

My apologies in advance to those who don’t use Canon gear; this writer (NK Guy, PhotoNotes.org) is aiming for the Canon user; however the majority of the explanations apply to any photography.


Part 1: General questions - http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/general.html#eos


Part 2: Cameras -  http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/cameras.html


Part 3: Lenses – http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html


Part 4: Flash – http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/flash.html


Part 5: Filters, Part 6: Miscellaneous Questions, Part 7: Links - http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/misc.html

Attack Chickens

Meet Flo and Goldie. They are attack chickens. No really, they are! A door-to-door salesman told me so.

I was at home cleaning my house when I happened to look out the window and see a man standing in my driveway. His car was parked across the street, and he was glancing around nervously. Within moments he was knocking on my front door, and seemed relieved when I opened it.

“Lady, did you know you have attack chickens?” he blurted out. I tried to contain a giggle and said “No, I wasn’t aware of that.” He continued “I was looking up information on my iPad and your chickens chased me. I heard a weird noise and they were right behind me”.

My hubby can attest that having my chickie girls running at you IS kind of scary. He likens them to the bird-like dinosaurs racing across the landscape on Jurassic Park. I let them out to free range and explore our yard whenever I am home. They have gotten to know me and greatly enjoy when I show up with treats for them. This poor salesman had no way of knowing that I had just went out to give them stale bread an hour earlier, which they eagerly take directly from my hand, so they were extra-friendly and inquisitive! 

As I retold the tale to hubby later that evening, I was again extolling the virtues of keeping a backyard chicken flock. In exchange for delicious, healthy, organic, fresh eggs, they help to keep insect populations down. They are very entertaining, even winning over my reticent husband.  They are cheaper than therapy after a stressful day; there is something calming about doing my feeding chores, collecting eggs, and listening to their contented clucks as they settle in for the night on their roost.

And now, I can add “chasing off salesman” to their list of attributes!

3 2 1 Cake

A month or so ago while listening to our favorite podcast, Living The RV Dream, they were discussing a recipe for little individual cake servings. I finally bought the two (yes, only two!) ingredients while at the store tonight and made this. It really was as easy as we'd heard, and fun to make.

This recipe is called "3 2 1 Cake" because all you need to remember is 3 tablespoons of cake mix, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 minute in the microwave. Try any flavor of cake mix you like, as long as one box is Angel Food.

If you want to give it a try, here's the info:

Ingredients:
1 box of Angel Food cake mix
1 box of regular cake mix, whatever flavor you prefer
2 tbsp. water

You'll also need:
One gallon ziplock bag to store your mix in
Tablespoon measuring spoon
Small glass bowl to cook in
(Some use muffin cups, but I don't have a microwave safe muffin pan. I've also read where some bake their cake in a microwavable mug.)

Now ... ready, set, go!

Combine the two cake mixes into a gallon size ziplock bag. Mix them well, breaking up any clumps.

For each serving, put 3 tablespoons of the cake mix into the little glass bowl. Add 2 tablespoons water and stir well. Then bake for 1 minute.

That's it. Really! How cool is this? You can have a little cake in an instant anytime.

I wasn't sure if the cake would stick to the bowl, so I sprayed them with a little non-stick cooking spray first. And after baking, I let them sit in the bowls about 10 minutes to cool slightly. The finished cakes came out of the bowls easily.

In my photo you can see I experimented with two different sized bowls. Ultimately I liked the results from the smaller one better, although I was glad I set it on a plate to bake because it did go over the top slightly.

To finish them off I frosted them with some icing I had bought, although they could be topped with whipped cream, fruit, or a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

I hope you try these and have as much fun as we did!

I Found A Peanut

Some of you may remember one of my earlier blogs about my dog named F.R.O.G.  He was an amazing little guy, my constant companion for 4 ½ years.  If shadows could be white, he was mine. Sadly, we lost our FroggyDoggy on April 27^th 2012 after a seven week battle with lymphoma (cancer).  Through it all he taught us much about life and living each day to the fullest.

When one loses a beloved pet, it leaves such an emptiness in our lives and our families. Discussion is sure to follow about if / when to find another companion, if ever. Each person must choose what is right for them and their circumstance.

Not long after F.R.O.G.’s passing, I saw someone in a parking lot trying to sell cute little white puffballs of Poodle puppies. I know Poodles can be great dogs for an RV lifestyle; they don’t shed, they are small, but these just didn’t feel right. Not to mention having a fairly steep price tag for having no papers.

The following week I found myself wandering to the webpage for our local animal shelter. I’ve never adopted a dog from one, but saw a few faces that were intriguing. One day I went to visit, and although it was almost overwhelming to be greeted by so many dogs eager to find homes, I was able to sort through them. Some would bark the moment I turned to walk away, not a good trait when one lives in an RV and campground. One cute candidate hated cats according to his information sheet … that wouldn’t work. Another that looked good on the website showed a lot of fear aggression when meeting him in person.

Finally the volunteer took me to a row of dogs still in quarantine. This shelter connects with an overcrowded rescue in Los Angeles to bring in small dogs that are about to be put down in California. This gives them a chance here in Colorado where they have requests for smaller animals. After meeting several of the “inmates” I chose one to spend a few moments with in a more relaxed setting.

“Peanut” was a dapper black and tan fellow, smaller than I had been looking for, but friendly and interested in me. His paperwork said he was a Chihuahua/Miniature Pinscher mix.   Our first meeting went well, so I filled out the prospective adopter paperwork, and went home. The dog wouldn’t be released from quarantine for several days, giving me time to talk to my husband, and some space to decide if this is really what I wanted to do.

At the end of the week my hubby, his dachshund “D’Artagnan” and I made our way back to the shelter for another meeting with Peanut. I had to have the approval from Ty, and the dogs had to get along. We all did fine, other than Peanut thinking about marking my purse as his!  So Peanut came home with us for a two night trial. That went well and I returned to sign the adoption papers so Peanut could have his forever home with us.

It has now been a couple weeks, and we are amazed how well this little guy fits into our family. He loves people, he goes to work with me occasionally and is happy to greet our campers in the office. He loves my grandkids, tolerates our cats, and bonded immediately to our other dogs.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you … “Peanut”.

Cravings

Interesting. Today I have been reviewing my life over the past couple of weeks and I see a pattern. I'm totally attracted to any scent of coconut and pineapple or anything 'tropically'; I bought Ginger & Coconut hand soap, and am trying out the new automatic AirWick scent machine in the lovely Hawaiian Kaloko-Honokohau  flavor. While walking through the Mall two weeks ago I got sucked into the Hollister store by the scent that they project in their entrance. (And no, the large picture advertisement of the handsome young man in his swimsuit had NOTHING to do with it!).

 I scored buying another Hawaiian shirt at my favorite consignment shop, and wore 2 Hawaiian shirts to work this week plus two Hawaiian tshirts on days off. I haven’t worn “real” shoes in over a week, relishing that the weather is nice enough that I can wear the few flip flops that I packed when I moved.

at Chapman Reservoir last year

I have been practicing the ukulele a lot, trying to get my fingers back into the toughness they need. I took a few lessons while in Hawaii with my Mom and hubby last year, and found I really enjoy it. They are very portable, and it gives me something to work on musically since I don’t have my keyboards down here with me.

 While shopping at WalMart the other night, I got excited to find a few tropical print fabrics. I need to return to get a yard of the turquoise Honu (Sea Turtle) print I found, I think it will be the answer to what I’ve searched for to make a cover for my travel pillow. Yesterday my Mom made my day, calling me to tell me she was sending me some fabric that she found while in Kona, plus some remnants from projects that she has sewn while over there this year.

I didn't put all this together until today. I have long known that I am a beach girl at my core, which is why my screen name here is StrandedBeachBunny. I always crave anything tropical and dream about the day I can stick my toes in the ocean again. I just don’t know why it has suddenly become this strong in my life. Maybe when stressed my heart returns to its true home?!  Maybe this is all like “comfort food” for my troubled soul?

I think I'll go make a pina colada and sit and think about it in the sunshine. Except the only palm trees I know of here in Grand Junction are at Hooters! Aloha!

Sunday, Muddy Sunday

The "before" pic

This past weekend we set forth in Ty’s jeep for an adventure.

 



Sun and Shadows

  We stopped for some not-so-fast-food at the Burger King in Fruita, bought some camera batteries at the City Market, and I gave in and bought a box of Girl Scout Cookies at their table outside.

Not deep mud yet

 We headed north to explore the North Fruita Desert. It was a nice sunny day, a wonderful time to go out and get some fresh air and have some together time.



My lovely window





And my mirror

After checking out several small side roads, we decided to go up a canyon, which appeared to lead into the Bookcliffs on the Colorado Atlas we had.



Mmmmmmud

It had snowed quite a bit earlier in the week, which made for some very muddy roads. Just what Ty wanted to go play in! 

He piloted us up and around the hills, and we eventually came to the top where we could look off towards the valley on the south side, and another ridge toward the north side.

Ewww

I was thrilled to see a flock of Western Bluebirds, surely that means Spring isn’t far off. We also saw some eagles, crows, and mule deer.

F.R.O.G. aka "CreepyDog"

View towards the Valley

Our jeep was encrusted with mud by the time we arrived back at our RV park, but we had a great time.

Two Months In

Today marks two months into our adventure. We have successfully survived 60 days of close confinement together, also known affectionately as ‘living in a hallway’ in RV lingo.

We celebrated the end of the first month by finally getting to use our water system, meaning I could enjoy running water. Oh the joys of being able to take a shower right in our coach and not have to trek to the bathhouse.  Even doing dishes was almost fun. I didn’t have to heat the water in our microwave anymore, and I could utilize my whopping 12 inches of counter space by removing the water jug we had kept there. It is still winter here though, so Ty fills our water tank as needed then detaches the hose so it doesn’t freeze and burst or damage our coach. Our tank has enough capacity to last through several showers and household activities, so it isn’t too much of an inconvenience. Once the night temperatures remain above freezing we can leave the hose hooked up.

Ty also utilizes a tip we learned through listening to our favorite podcast, which is choosing a certain day to dump our holding tanks. For us, it’s easy to remember that on Wednesdays, “Hump Day is Dump Day”. Some might think that while in a park with full hookups that one would just leave the valves open, however that can lead to problems. If the fluids were allowed to just trickle out continuously, in freezing weather there is a chance that ice would gradually build up and block the exit and plug up the tanks. Likewise, in warmer weather, we don’t leave our valves open because the slow flow can lead to sediment accumulation, also resulting in a plugged up tank. So according to RV rules, let the tanks fill a bit, then empty them in one big whoosh regularly!

Speaking of podcasts, we would heartily encourage anyone that enjoys RVing to check out our favorite audio show “Living the RV Dream”. Hosts John and Kathy Huggins post a new episode each Friday that is chock full of tips, experiences and encouragement.  Whether you like to spend weekends in your rig or are dreaming of spending more time on the road someday, they have something for everyone. The podcast is free, and is available thru their website at http://livingthervdream.com/ and also thru iTunes. They can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/113274598695228/.

In The Beginning ...

I have a delightful job wherein I get to meet many wonderful and interesting people. And often times, their life journey mirrors my own in a way. Seems many folks start tent camping, then move up into a pickup camper or camp trailer. Some then go further and get a motor home or 5^th wheel trailer. And then us really crazy ones start wondering how we can work it out so we stay on the road and don’t have to ‘go home’.

A couple months ago, I saw a commercial on TV featuring a motor home made out of Legos that triggered a childhood memory. I started searching the internet, and was delighted to find this 1970 Barbie Country Camper. I once was a proud owner of one of these! Now I wonder if this is where my nomadic journey really began.

I can only guess at what kinds of adventures my Barbie dolls enjoyed in their coach. There were yellow plastic sleeping bags, and little folding yellow and orange camp stools. The driver’s side of the vehicle opened into a pop-out tent, and the rear was a fold out kitchen. Wow, a “slide out” in 1970! I don’t even have a slide-out in my current motor home.

My parents had a camper that went on our truck, and we would sometimes travel back to New Jersey to visit our family there. I loved lying on the top bunk, looking out the big front window, watching the landscape unfold. I should decline to mention my mother’s stories about shutting my brother and I in the back so they didn’t have to listen to our childhood arguments, but those are part of family journeys too.  I also cherish memories of my Poppop’s pickup camper, parked down in his barn, where my cousin and I spent hours inside playing games and imagining adventures.

I thank my family, friends, and dear readers who are currently sharing my journey.  I’ll keep sharing stories, ideas, tips, and probably even trials as this unfolds.  But for now, it’s time to me to go reminisce of my days with my Barbie camper. See ya down the road!

Catching Up

It has been on my heart for some time to revive my blog, and I’ve procrastinated long enough. It’s time for updates on our life, and on the new journey upon which we embarked on New Year’s Day 2012. Many entries will be forthcoming sharing stories and adventures. But for now, it’s time to catch up.

2011 brought many changes to our life. We found ourselves out of work, which eventually encouraged us to really look at where we were, where we wanted to be, what we wanted to do. Things weren’t coming together for us in our hometown of Craig, CO. We considered work in the cold of North Dakota, and dreamed of being in the tropical climate of Florida. But we kept returning to Grand Junction, CO in our mind and hearts. We lived there once before, and loved the slightly milder climate, the businesses, and job opportunities; all while remaining close enough to our families that we could visit occasionally.

In early December we journeyed there to look into a job for Ty, who planned to investigate a trucking position. We went in our motor home and stayed at the campground we often have visited over the past few years. While in their office, I happened to ask if they had any job openings. Surprisingly, there WAS an opportunity coming available in January. Upon returning to our coach I emailed my resume to the owners, and was delighted when they asked if we could do an interview the following morning. Our visit with them went well, and I was offered a workamping position.

Our new life began, appropriately, on New Year’s Day, when we finished loading essentials and our pets into our motor home and moved to Grand Junction. I began work at Junction West RV Park on January 2nd. In following entries I’ll explain workamping in more detail, and I’ll share all kinds of fun stuff that we are learning about the RV lifestyle, and about each other. I hope you’ll come along with me as our story unfolds.