Road Trippin'

On this day a year ago, Shaun and I were in the midst of our best summer ever! We had just been married and were spending two months traveling and honeymooning. The perk of spending four grueling years at the Air Force Academy, is that upon graduation, you then have 60 days of leave... free and unattached to do anything you want. Well, Shaun did have one attachment... ME! :) We were married on Day 3, so we technically only had 57 days of honeymoon, but I'm not complaining.


For 8 of the final days of June, we went on a road trip from Colorado Springs through Utah and Nevada to LA for a couple days, then back around via Pheonix, El Paso, and Fort Worth before coming back to Colorful Colorado. We were able to see some of the gorgeous landscapes in the West, but better yet, we spent time with family and friends on each stop!




Here are some snapshots from our trip:

We drove through the Colorado National Monument to start our road trip. It was worth the extra driving time it took. It made us sad to think that we were saying good-bye to such a beautiful state soon.

Simply breathtaking in person!

The park's famous coke ovens rock formation.

You can see just how big and pretty this national park is.

After 10ish hours on the road, we got a speeding ticket only half a mile from our hotel.

Parowan, Utah... you are dead to us.

We didn't spend much time in Vegas, only enough to fill the car with gas and fill our tummies with some In-N-Out! Mmm!

With long-time O'Bryant family friends, Tim and Janet Simonec.
We had such a great time with them in LA!

Hollywood!

Eating lunch at the Farmer's Market, we saw Matthew Gray Gubler from the TV show Criminal Minds, so we asked to take a picture with him.

Shopping on Rodeo Drive
(Don't worry, we walked away empty-handed. Though the 12-carat diamond ring we saw in Cartier's window was tempting...)

Venice, California

The trip to Fort Worth was to see my cousin Jeremy's wedding to his wife, Kaci.
This is him walking my Aunt Robin down the aisle.

Some rural Texan scenery on our way back to Colorado.

Chicken en Papillote

It's no secret that my interest is piqued when something is French, and this recipe was no different. The name of the dish alone grabbed me, but the inclusion of mango in the dish.... well, it's safe to say that I was hook, line, and sinker at that point. I knew I wanted to try this recipe, and last night I did. It was such a good one that I felt I had to post about it right away!

En Papillote means "in parchment" in French. But don't let the name fool you; this recipe uses aluminum foil rather than parchment. This recipe is based off a recipe I found from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the executive chef and co-owner of several New York City restaurants.

Chicken en Papillote

Makes 4 servings

• 8 sheets of aluminum foil, each about 18 inches long
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups watercress leaves*
  
• 4 boneless chicken breasts
  
• 1 cup diced mango (about 2 mangoes)
• 2 cups of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

1. Preheat your oven to 500F (yeah, you read that correctly). Place two of the foil sheets on top of each other, making 4 double layers. Rub a teaspoon of olive oil on each of the 4 top sheets, about in the shape of where the chicken breast will lie. Place one cup of watercress leaves* on the oil, and then a chicken breast on the bed of greens. Sprinkle the chicken with pepper.

2. Cover the chicken with the sliced mushrooms and diced mango. Then, in a small saucepan, heat the soy sauce, ketchup, and vinegar until it comes to a boil. Stir in the ginger and garlic and allow to sit over the heat for a minute or two.
It helps to fold the foil up into little boats before pouring the mixture evenly over each chicken. Then crimp the edges of the foil up so that each packet is firmly closed.

3. Place a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan into the oven for a minute or two to heat it up, then place the packets on it. Keep in the oven for about 15 minutes, then remove and pierce the foil to allow the steam to escape. You can do this at the table even for a dramatic effect. :) Just be careful: each packet will have a decent amount of juices at the bottom, so it could leak.


* Although the recipe called for watercress, which we used, I think spinach leaves might work just as well. If you try the substitute, let me know how it ends up!

Happy Father's Day!

Today I want to pay tribute to the man who raised me. The man who loved me unconditionally, provided for me, protected me. The man who was my clear example of how a man should treat a woman with respect and how he should lead a family. I respect him so much and always knew that he respected me as well.

So here's to you, Daddy! I love you so much and can't wait to see you soon!




But this post would not be complete without including a tribute to my newest Dad.
A year ago my family grew, and I inherited a second father. He has been an excellent father to my husband, and I am so thankful for how he raised Shaun. He taught Shaun how to be a loving husband through his example and advice. I am honored to be his daughter-in-law and to have him as my second father.

Love you, Dan!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Torte

For Shaun and I's first Thanksgiving, I wanted to pull out all the stops and really do it big. Maybe it was because I felt I had something to prove, but most likely it was because I realized I could make only the foods I really love! (Probably the reason we had three different potato dishes too...)

This was my favorite to make because it looked so yummy and because it wasn't actually all that hard to make. I've since made it for our church small group, and it was a hit. I mean, who doesn't like a super rich, chocolate-y, peanut butter-y brownie cake?

After uploading our Thanksgiving pictures on facebook yesterday (I know, I realize it's June.), I had comments on this picture within the hour, so I figured it would be the perfect inaugural recipe for my blog! Let me know how it goes! :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Torte
Ingredients:

• Baker's Joy, or other nonstick baking spray
• 1 package (18-21 oz) brownie mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 9 oz Reese's peanut butter cups (mini or regular, doesn't matter)
• 10 oz peanut butter morsels (or 1 2/3 cups)2 cups mini marshmallows

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray 2 torte pans* with Baker's Joy and cut 8-inch circles of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pans. Combine brownie mix, eggs, 1/2 cup of the oil, water, and peanut butter; mix well. Divide batter between pans, making sure to spread to the edges. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the centers are firm to the touch.

2. Meanwhile, dice the Reese's and set aside. Combine peanut butter morsels and remaining 1 tbsp of oil and microwave until melted and smooth (about 1 minute), making sure to stir every 30 seconds so it doesn't burn. Place about 1/4 cup of this mixture in a Ziploc and set aside. Fold the marshmallows into the remaining peanut butter mixture.

3. Remove pans from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Set one brownie well-side up on a platter and fill with the marshmallow filling. Place the other brownie well-side up for the second layer. Scatter the chopped Reese's over top. Cut a corner from the Ziploc of peanut butter mixture and squeeze to drizzle over the torte. Serve warm (if it's a leftover, you can microwave a slice for about 20 seconds) and preferably with a glass of milk! (Trust me, it's so rich, you'll want the milk!)

*I only have one torte pan, so I just repeated this step twice and baked one brownie layer at a time. If you don't have a torte pan, I suggest going to look at a TJ Maxx. I picked mine up there for $7. Gotta love TJ Maxx!

PS- I found the idea for the wine glass charms online and loved making them. I bought a huge bag of clothespins and some fun colors of paint, and with a gold leaf punch, I had both wine glass charms and placecards. Plus, I have like 94 more clothespins for the next dinner party, haha!

A NOLA Anniversary - Part 4

For our last morning in New Orleans, we decided to pack in a few more quick sights as we walked around the corner. But the day would not have been complete had we not started it in Big Easy style -- a patio serving of beignets and iced chicory cafe au lait. This time, however, we went to the New Orleans Musical Legends Park off Bourbon (where we watched live musicians on our first night) for Cafe Beignet. There wasn't nearly the same size line and the beignets were practically twice the size as Cafe du Monde, so we were happy.



This is the Cornstalk Hotel. It is supposedly the place where Harriet Beecher Stowe stayed when she witnessed the slave markets in the city and decided to write Uncle Tom's Cabin. The reason it got its name was because of the cornstalk wrought iron work. (If you click on the picture, you might be able to see the detail better.) One of the early owners built it because his new bride was homesick for her corn fields back in Iowa and he wanted to give her a little bit of her home in New Orleans. It's now a super cute bed and breakfast.

New Orleans had pirate lore long before it was cool. This block-long alley next to the cathedral is named Pirates Alley, though it's questionable why. Legends have all sorts of stories of pirate hideouts along the route and of Jean Lafitte meeting with Andrew Jackson to plan the Battle of New Orleans against the British in 1815. But pirates or no, Pirates Alley is still well known for the Faulkner House, where William Faulkner lived and wrote. His house is now a bookstore, which I'm sure has plenty of copies of As I Lay Dying.

Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, now a famous bar.

Our last meal in New Orleans was at the Gumbo Shop off St. Peter Street. My family would always eat lunch here when we were in the French Quarter. We split a platter with jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish etoufee, shrimp creole, and maque choux, but we decided to order our own strawberry and strawberry-banana daiquiris. :)

There was a woman who set up shop just outside our window during dinner. We watched her sing and play her keyboard all during lunch.

But before we left to go back home, she urged Shaun to grab a tambourine and play right along with her! After all, when in New Orleans...
Laissez les bons temps rouler!

A NOLA Anniversary - Part 3

Sunday, our first anniversary! We had officially been married for over a year, and it felt awesome! Our day started out driving to the Northshore to go to church at Church of the King in Mandeville, the town I grew up in. We had heard some great things about this church and really enjoyed the service a lot. It was great to start our second year of marriage worshiping our God together.

Then the next hour or so was dedicated to showing Shaun the life I lived before we met in Colorado. I showed him my old high school and my old house, the house I had always dreamed of living in someday, and the highway ditch where I once fit a whole Ford Mustang, complete with my driving instructor. (Don't worry, Shaun was driving...)

After the brief tour, we stopped for lunch at one of my favorite places -- La Madeleine. It's a chain like a Panera Bread, but it's all French themed with quiches, sandwiches, French onion soup, and strawberries Romanoff. After our sunny patio lunch, we were ready to head back to the Quarter.

After heading back, we decided to take it easy and spend some time at Pat O'Briens, arguably the most famous bar in the French Quarter. It's well known for it's "dueling" pianos, two pianists are up at the bar and take turns playing songs requested by the patrons. It also has hundreds of beer steins hanging from the ceiling. We ordered the typical, two hurricanes in the souvenir glasses, and kicked back for the next hour and a half.

The picture above shows the dueling pianos and the beer steins. This video below is a clip we took during the song "Sweet Caroline," which apparently is the number one requested song at Pat O'Briens.



After Pat's, we went back to shower and change for our anniversary dinner. Yet again, Shaun earned some serious brownie points by surprising me with dinner reservations at Arnaud's for the big night. It was right off Bourbon and Bienville, which made for an interesting walk in our finery! The cute Canadians I mentioned from Friday night at Acme had actually raved about their dinner they had had at Arnaud's the night before, though I had no clue we'd be going there! It definitely lived up to its hype. We had such a great meal!

My handsome husband and I at our table.

Shaun's plate had a sampling of wild mushroom veal, crab cakes, and a crawfish rice dish. I ordered duck with a blueberry and port wine sauce. And we ordered pomme souffles (puffed up potatoes) and smothered okra for the sides. Everything was very tasty!!

Our runner was so great! She was really fun and a great sport when Shaun launched his water all over the table. (Apparently that is now our anniversary tradition... Shaun spilling his drink. At least this time it was not a smoothie, nor was it on me, haha!) Here she is making us our dessert at our table. Bananas Foster, yum! Everyone in the restaurant turned to watch as she flambeed the bananas, and then once our dessert was in its proper places (our tummys of course!), Shaun and I noticed a sudden influx of runners flambeing bananas at other various tables. We are quite the trend setters! :)

When Shaun made our reservation, he had mentioned that it was our first anniversary, so Arnaud's had a big, red heart balloon tied to the back of my chair, signifying to everyone in the restaurant that we were a big deal. :)

If our first year of marriage is any indication of what the rest of our life together will be like, I say bring on the next 80 years!

A Streetcar We Desired

All we wanted was a streetcar. We had heard about a big music and art festival being held at Palmer Park that Saturday from 10 to 4 and were told to just "get on a streetcar as far as it will take you." So we tried.

They say New Orleans is the most European city in America. Well, we decided it must be most like Italy in the form of public transportation.

The Whitney Wyndham is a block from St. Charles Avenue, where the streetcars run, we we walked over to the pickup spot and waited for a few minutes before this streetcar came rolling up.

Needless to say, we decided to take our chances with the next one.

We waited a couple minutes before deciding we should just start walking down St. Charles and pick the next available streetcar as it approaches us. So off we went, hand-in-hand down St. Charles Avenue. It was a warm day, but we were optimistic. We walked down to Lee Circle and turned right. It had been maybe 20 minutes by now at our leisurely pace, and we were wondering why we had yet to see a streetcar.

A man on his cigarette break outside a hotel told us we were bound to see one soon at the stop there. After all, streetcars come by about every seven to eight minutes. We took his advice, but decided we were so close to the beautiful Garden District of New Orleans, that we wanted to continue our walk until we got picked up. So off we went again.
We saw beautiful homes in the Garden District. It was a really pretty walk and shaded by lots of towering oak trees, so it wasn't too bad really. But after those 11 blocks, we were no longer around the gorgeous homes nor shaded by stately oaks. After a couple more blocks, we were desperately wondering where the streetcars were, so we ducked into a Walgreens to buy some bottled water and inquire.

Ends up, the streetcars are sporadic on the weekends... as a general rule. No wonder we hadn't seen one for the past hour and a half! But we were already too far gone (over 2 and a half miles) to turn back around, so onward we pressed, determined to get to that art festival.

Shortly there after, we heard a faint noise on the tracks. Could it be? We glanced back and saw our long awaited streetcar barreling down the tracks, so we ran full speed to the next stop in order to get on.

And on we got!

We rode until we arrived at Palmer Park. But by then it was 3:50. The vendors were packing up their wares and the live music had ended. It was a very anti-climatic ending to our streetcar adventure.
But undaunted, we decided to ride the next streetcar (by now they were back on schedule) a little ways back to Audubon Park and just meander through the scenery there. Dinner was in the general area, so we wanted to stay a little longer on that side of town.

Shaun decided to work on his fitness.

On the walk to dinner we saw this gorgeous, old brick building and tried to decide what it was. After some sleuthing, we concluded that it was one of the cutest elementary schools we had seen.

Dinner! Finally! We were hungry after our long trek across New Orleans. Shaun, being the romantic that he is, had surprised me with the restaurant, Le Crepe Nanou. It was a cute French restaurant that apparently had quite a name for itself. We were there early so we were the first ones seated, but by the time we got our entrees, the restaurant was packed and a line waited outside!

Appetizer of seafood gratin -- a cheesy baked dish of crawfish tails, shrimp, and crabmeat.

We ordered two crepes to share -- a ratatouille crepe and a crabmeat/creamed spinach crepe!

Dessert? No, we didn't get sweet crepes. We opted for the Creole Creamery instead. We decided to pass on the olive oil flavor, but the Ultimate Cookie Dough and Lavender Honey were delicious!

And if there was ice cream, my friends, you can be sure it was a good day!


(PS- I apologize for the cheesy literary allusion in the title... the English major in me just couldn't help it...)