Holidays

FORT VANCOUVER

Hub of the “Oregon Trail” Fort Vancouver is a National Historic Site. One of over 380 parks in the National Park System.

Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, in sight of snowy mountain peaks and a vibrant urban landscape, this park has a rich cultural past. From a frontier fur trading post, to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest, history is shared at four unique sites. Discover stories of transition, settlement, conflict, and community.

Fort Vancouver was a 19th-century fur trading hub that was the headquarters of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Since 1966 several buildings have been reconstituted on their original location. As you arrive and walk through the front gates it gives you an idea of what life was like when Fort Vancouver was the most important settlement in the Pacific Northwest.

Vicki and Liz
Park Service Office
Indian Trade Shop
Rustic
Counting House
Chief Factors Residence
Bastion
Bake House
Stockcade Walls

In addition to Ft Vancouver, there is a must visit to Pearson Field, one of the Nation’s Oldest Operating Airfields. The Pearson Air Museum is an aviation museum at Pearson Field in Vancouver, Washington, USA. Managed by the National Park Service as part of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, museum exhibits …Fascinating and informative self guided tour which takes approx 1  to 2  hours and admission is FREE.

 

After all of the walking and touring it’s time for lunch at “The Grant House”. Tucked away on Officers Row in Vancouver’s Historic Reserve is an exceptional dining experience.  Vancouver’s Best Kept Secret!

Whether you’re in the mood to relax with a glass of wine on their veranda, have a leisurely lunch on the garden patio, or join them for dinner.  We joined the grant house for lunch and it was very memorable. Here is a little example of a featured soup.

F A L L   C H O W D E R   $4/$6
Locally grown pumpkin, butternut squash, yams and sweet potatoes stewed with a fall spiced cream, topped with candied bacon & toasted pumpkin seeds.


Visitor Information:
Address: 1501 E Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661
Facilities at Fort Vancouver NHS, including the reconstructed fort, Pearson Air Museum, and the Visitor Center, will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9 am to 4 pm, and closed Sundays and Mondays.
Phone: (360) 816-6230
Management: National Park Service
Architect: John McLoughlin

Until Our Next Road Trip Cheers from Just Around The Bend ♥

Broccoli Quiche Casserole

It seems like Christmas time brings out all of the family tradition recipes.  I cannot tell you how many times my children have either asked for the recipe or requested it to be made at our family dinners. So here is another great family recipe from my home to yours.

PREPARE BROCCOLI

3       Cups broccoli florets (blanched)  Make sure after your broccoli is cooled you remove all          moisture. Place in a 9 X 12 casserole dish.

Large mixing bowl add in order:

4      eggs beaten for 1 minute

Then add:

1      Can cream of mushroom soup

3/4   Cup vegenaise  (or best foods  mayo)

2      Tablespoon finely diced onion

1       Cup sliced mushrooms

1/2   Cup grated sharp cheddar cheese  (divided)  1/4 Cup for egg mixture and 1/4 Cup to top            quiche

When all mixed together pour over broccoli, making sure all of the broccoli gets covered.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Checking that the middle have gotten fully cooked. We live at 3800 feet elevation so it takes a little longer.

I decided today to bake the quiche mixture in  my cupcake pan, they were cooked in 30 minutes exactly, with a little extra mixture left over. Hence the little red casserole dish. So either way 9 x 12 casserole dish or these little quiche cups it all turned out fabulous.

NOTE: It’s endless what ingredients you can add to this recipe, from asparagus, bacon, prosciutto, spinach, kale and many  different kinds of cheeses. When I make this for Jeff and I, I get very creative, but for the kids I tend to keep it very simple.

Until the next recipe from    JUST AROUND THE BEND ♥

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash

We fell in love with this ultra-filling,  vegetarian recipe that stuffs spinach, quinoa, and pecans into acorn squash. The original  recipe is from Simple Cooking with American Heart Associations program.   With family members that are gluten free, I changed a few ingredients to fit our family’s eating lifestyle.

Ingredients

1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup quinoa, couscous, bulgur, barley or faro   (What ever grain you prefer) I have tried it with all of the grains I mentioned above all worked excellent, some just nuttier than others
4 small acorn squash, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each
1 tsp canola or olive oil
1 cup chopped celery (about 4 stalks) include the celery leaves if possible
1 onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. sage
2  cups fresh chopped  spinach or kale
1/4 cup unsalted, chopped pecans, walnuts or what ever nut you prefer
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles ( I used honey goat cheese from Trader Joe’s)
Directions Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 70 min
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat water to a boiling temperature using either a teapot or the microwave. In a bowl or heat-proof container, combine boiling water and quinoa, couscous or any whole grain you prefer. Prepare your grains according to cooking directions. For Couscous Cover and let sit 10 minutes.
Prepare each acorn squash: Cut off around 1-inch of the top of each acorn squash; use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. Use a knife to slice a sliver off the bottom of each squash so they stay upright as they cook. Place each acorn squash bottom onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Reserve.
Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion, salt, pepper, and sage, stirring occasionally and sautéing until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in fresh spinach or kale, stirring and cooking until spinach or kale is cooked and heated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in reserved quinoa or couscous etc, remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil, preferred nuts, maple syrup and cheese..
Pack about 1 cup of stuffing into the cavity of each acorn squash. Top each squash with its lid. Bake in the oven until squash is tender, about 60 to 75 minutes. Remove acorn squash lid and enjoy.
Additional Tips     We enjoyed this dish as a side and split 1 acorn squash, these are very filling. As a vegetarian meal one acorn squash would really fill you up. Also if you are not a vegetarian you could add lean sausage crumbles, my husbands idea of course.

Serving size 1 acorn squash

Serves 4
1 hr 30 min
381 Calories
285 mg Sodium
$3.64 Per Serving

Hope To See You Just Around The Bend ♥

American Heart Association

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