I think I'm in heaven.

This popped up on my Google Reader feed thanks to Never Turn Down A Cupcake and I'm definitely in love.

HEAVEN IN A JAR.

(I'll wait while you squeal with delight and plot your own attempt at the recipe.)

Peanut butter and Oreos??? My siblings and I would dip Oreos in peanut butter whenever my mom actually permitted Oreos in the house (which was not often).

Side note: My mom once tried to convince me that fruit leather was the same as a fruit roll-up. I was not fooled and have hated fruit leather ever since.

So this is the exact OPPOSITE of the fruit leather. Oreo-y, peanut buttery, rich deliciousness.

I can't wait to try it out!!!

Celebrating 20 years of love

Over Memorial Day weekend, Steve and I flew to the Texas coast (and it was quite a traveling experience) to celebrate my mom and stepdad's 20th wedding anniversary.

And what a party weekend it was! They threw a fantastic party right on the beach and renewed their vows in front of their closest family and friends. I'm pretty sure Mom has already picked the photo of all of us on the beach as the Christmas card picture.

All of the photos from the evening were taken by Breanna Powers of Powerhouse Studios. She also shot my wedding, and I'm already dreaming up more life events so I can have more of her beautiful photos!

Hello old friend

So...I took a blogging break. Not intentionally, but it just kind of slipped to the bottom of my to-do list. Work took over and things got a little busy and we had family in town and I had a really awful cold...but I'm back! And rarin' to go. Coming up this week: dark chocolate peanut butter cup cookies for the DC State Fair bake sale and a chocolate cake for a visiting friend.

Here's a peek at what I've been up to over the last couple months.

My dad visited for a few days and created the beer suicide - a couple ounces of everything on tap. The orange slice for the Blue Moon mixed with the Guinness...I shudder.

I made dark chocolate brownies at a friend's request, and he gave me the most sincere, genuine hug ever.

Open-face egg sandwich with frisee, tomato, bacon and a sprinkle of parmesan. LOVE breakfast for dinner. It's been a favorite in our dinner rotation.

My dad and I tried Paul, and the pain au chocolat was fantastic. I was transported back to Paris (when Steve ate pain au chocolat at least twice a day every day we were there). My dad liked it so much he went back two more times during his visit.

Vanilla cupcakes filled with Merry Gourmet's lemon curd and topped with cream cheese frosting. Frosting turned out a bit thick, but the cupcakes disappeared quickly!

The First of Many Trips to Napa

Steve and I went to Napa to celebrate our first anniversary and it was AMAZING. We've already discussed going back. Wonderful people, great food and fantastic wine. And best company ever!

Whole Spice at Oxbow Market was incredible. I'm already planning my first online order.

Steve kept going from table to table smelling the different rubs, curries, salts and spices. Spice overload.

Oxbow: home to C Casa and some of the most delicious and inventive tacos EVER. Can't wait to go back! C Casa - come to DC!

 

Our tasting at Cardinale was a perfect way to start the trip...fabulous wine and beautiful views of the valley.

We had dinner at Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc Restaurant and sat next to this cute little piggy. I wanted to take him home!

For dinner at Ad Hoc: hanger steak with a mushroom ragu, fingerling potatoes and buttermilk onion rings. Food was good but sadly not as good as expected. Steak needed seasoning and salad was standard. Standouts: milk chocolate panna cotta, mushroom ragu and buttermilk onion rings.

Delicious pizzas (margherita and sausage/lemon/arugula) for dinner at Oenotri, right across the street from our hotel. Would love to go back and try more options there!

Amazing tomatillo and roasted poblano soup with creme fraiche and cilantro at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen.

Famed duck burger at Cindy's. So amazing I would fly back right now to eat one. Pretty please.

Beautiful bathroom at Darioush (most ridiculously overdone winery in Napa but so fun). Gorgeous turquoise tiles and beautiful mirrors!

The debate rages on about whether Thomas Keller's Bouchon was the best meal of the trip. We were so wrapped up in the meal (and talking with our neighboring table) that I forgot to to take pictures.

I DID snap a picture of the profiteroles at Bouchon. Steve decided that we'd have profiteroles there before we even left for Napa. SO worth it. Decadent, rich and absolutely dreamy.

Anniversary night in San Francisco!

Probably the single best dish of the trip (at the other best dinner) - Steve's braised black cod on foie gras-shiitake rice with charred bok choy at Baker and Banker. Heaven on a plate. We both agreed we could have eaten a plate of just the rice. (Side note: I got the braised duck with gnocchi, spring vegetables and ricotta salata. Quite delicious but definitely no foie gras rice.)

AMAZING trip. Can't wait to head back to Napa. Next time: The French Laundry.

One whole year!

One year (and a few days) ago, this happened:

What a fantastic day. Celebrating our marriage with family and friends. Great food, wine and dancing. Fantastic and touching toasts. My brother doing the EXACT choreography from Indian Thriller on the dance floor. One of Steve's friends doing the worm on the dance floor.  Steve getting mobbed by his groomsmen and friends on the dance floor. One of the bartenders getting fired for acting a bit too much like a guest (complete with photos). One of Steve's friends faceplanting off a ledge and staying out to party after the wedding. Going from bar to bar to try to find one that stayed open past 11 on a Saturday night (seriously, Riverwalk??). Finding out later that a few of our friends demolished a 100-piece McDonald's mcnugget box after the reception.

Yep. 100 nuggets. Split between 5 or 6 friends.

Best night of my life!

For Japan With Love

I know I don't post every day, but I just had to participate in For Japan With Love. Put together by Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours to raise money for Japan disaster relief, it's a blogger day of silence.

The catastrophic situation in Japan has touched everyone, and here is an opportunity to contribute to helping families survive disasters. ShelterBox provides a tent for a family, survival equipment, etc. With an earthquake, a tsunami and a potential nuclear disaster, this is absolutely crucial.

Donate now to provide shelter to those affected by the disasters in Japan.

A swoon-worthy kitchen

Wow. This kitchen is...wow.

(From I Want That Kitchen)

Definitely can't make a pot of my husband's family sauce in there. The whole kitchen would have red polka dots.