Overnight in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California:  A very busy day for the old folks. We headed over to Los Angeles in cloudy skies and actually had to use our wipers a few times due to sprinkles! What is going on?

Not only was it raining in Los Angeles, all sorts of white stuff was falling at Taylor Manor in Portland, Oregon:

Yes, just a dusting... but more snow is predicted overnight and our house is at nearly 700 feet in elevation (high for Portland, Oregon!).

Apparently, little white men are occupying our porch.

DT gets to fly into Portland tomorrow - leaving the sunny Coachella Valley for several days of meetings as he helps to plan the 2012 Olympic Track & Field Trials. Will he miss me? No. Will he miss the weather in Indio? Yes.

Weather or no weather, we had more important things to occupy our thoughts this afternoon.

They put Leo to bed on his back, and he rolls-over to sleep on his side. Just like his Grandma. Like the pants? The Lovely Lisa sewed the pants herownself.

Talented!

After his nap, Little Leo was quite friendly and was laughing and smiling with Grandpa Dave.

Hey Gramps! Are you here to entertain me?


Grandpa, you make the funniest faces


Oh, yeah, just keep smiling and I will keep smiling


Is this smile frozen on my face, or am I really just this cute?

After entertaining Leo, I assembled the patitsio casserole:

A layer of straw-shaped pasta as the first layer.

The savory lamb/beef sauce went over the pasta.

Then another layer of pasta, topped with a cheesy béchamel sauce.

Then the casserole is topped with a sprinkling of more cheese and baked for an hour to a bubbly brown.

Truth? It was a very pretty dish, but it did not present itself very well when sliced. Kinda did not hold its shape. Hamburger Helper Hell. If you have ever dined at Skyline Chili in Cincinnati, you know the flavor I am working with in this recipe. Skyline Chili (meat sauce served over spaghetti noodles) is obviously an Americanization of the Greek Patitiso. Not sure I will make patitsio again, unless I forgo the casserole idea and go full-on Skyline style. If so, I will title this recipe "Cincinnati-style Spaghetti".

Tomorrow, DT jets back to Portland and I will be on baby duty. Lenny & Lisa will be away, so expect a baby photo-shoot-palooza.

Until my next update, I remain, your meat-sauced correspondent.

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