Sonoma Bound

 I am off to celebrate my lovely friend's "last fling before the ring" aka her bachelorette bash in Sonoma.
I think we may have watched The Sweetest Thing one too many times in our apartment senior year because we decided to "road trip" it up there.
I am not a road trip girl by any means, but I don't get to see my college friends nearly enough so I couldn't say no to hours (and hours and hours) of catching up and reliving our "glory days."


I am loving all the wedding events as of late, because they are the perfect excuse for some luxurious girl time. I have no doubt we will pick up exactly where we left off. Drinking wine, playing Apples to Apples and laughing our faces off. Pair that with a limo, some delicious meals and Sonoma wineries and this weekend will surely be unforgettable.

Menu Monday

In an attempt to be a "real blogger," I'm going to hop on board the sharing meals/ recipes train. Knowing that I wanted to do a Menu Monday link up provided the extra motivation I needed last week- and I was quite pleased with the results. We prepared dinner at home six out of seven nights (!!!). Not only that, but we ate at our dining room table (as opposed to the couch/ coffee table) for every dinner. This is a personal record, on both counts. I am proud, more than that, I found it be really enjoyable. The time spent preparing and enjoying dinner each evening, away from the noise and distraction of the tv and computer, was restorative.
I have been making an effort to eat healthier and cut out processed carbs in an effort to loose some of the winter/ post- wedding weight.
Food photographer I am not, but this is my first try so hopefully I'll improve with time?

Sunday: Kale & Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. Super easy. Omitted the croutons, topped with a generous serving of fresh shaved parm.  Grilled the chicken on the BBQ (marinated for 10 minutes in a little evoo, garlic & lemon juice). Sean makes a delicious homemade caesar, but I opted for Newman's Light in the interest of saving calories/ mess on a Sunday night.

Monday: Warm Asparagus, Gorgonzola & Steak Salad. I've seen this recipe on quite a few blogs. Everyone seems to love it and the simplicity attracted me. Sean and I gave it two enthusiastic thumbs up. I am not a huge steak person, but I will happily eat anything that pairs with blue cheese (I used crumbled blue instead of Gorgonzola, because that's what we had) and asparagus. Sean was pleasantry surprised that we were eating steak at home. So easy, so satisfying. This is a keeper.
(I completely forgot to take a picture of the dish after it came out of the over. I was hungry.)

Tuesday: Shrimp & Veggie Asian Stir Fry. Sean has mastered the stir fry. I have no idea how he does it, but this one contained sliced peppers, broccoli, mushrooms & Trader Joe's frozen uncooked wild blue jumbo shrimp.

Wednesday: Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats
I forgot to take a picture, but Gina's is a lot prettier than mine anyway. These turned out pretty well. Better than I expected honestly. I had to cook up some chicken just for this dish, which added to the cook time/ effort. Next time I will probably just make this when I have leftover shredded or rotisserie chicken. However, for being low carb- you really do get the chicken enchilada flavor here. It was a satisfying dinner, and possibly even more enjoyable for lunch the next day (but I'm pretty partial to leftovers). I think it's important to note that Sean & I both really like zucchini, if you don't like zucchini I would avoid this recipe/ or stuff a different vegetable.

Thursday: BBQ chicken tenders with Mustard BBQ Sauce, roasted cauliflower & Addictive Brussels Sprout Salad 
I love Brussels Sprouts and this salad was a fun twist on my favorite slaw recipe. I added a lot of fresh parm, and loved the nuttiness paired with the toasted walnuts. The cauliflower was roasted at 500 degrees with a bit of olive oil & cut up garlic for 10-15 minutes. I sprinkled a little leftover parm on top for grins. I LOVE roasting veggies at a high heat. The chicken tenders were marinated, grilled on the bbq & topped with a little pre-made Mustard BBQ sauce. So simple, so good.

Saturday: Sausage and Kale Mock Lasagna Casserole
I started to get nervous as I was preparing this dish. Kale leaves in place of noodles? Will my Italian husband  think I'm insane? It actually worked and tasted really good! Be sure to use plenty of kale (I used 2 huge bunches), because you need "lasagna" coverage for two full layers. Also, using a healthy amount of cheese helps to separate the layers too. I think the recipe calls for a 9x12" casserole dish. I went smaller, and enjoyed that it was a little thicker. Nonetheless, this was pretty easy in the end and really satisfying. The leftovers were possibly even better.

Friday Favorites: Five Things

I am always curious to read blogger's "Five Things" posts. So when the lovely BHB tagged little old me, I was happy to play along!
Without further adieu, five random facts about me:

1. I am a morning person; most productive during the first few hours of the day. Early to bed, early to rise and I'm happy girl.

2. I believe birth order has a profound effect on personality. I am the oldest in my family, and I typically take on the "big sister" roll in my relationships.

3. I hate driving. I spend a large portion of my life in the car, and while I enjoy having alone time to listen to NPR, I hate the actual act of driving. It doesn't help that I consider myself to be a terrible driver. (At least I'm honest!)

5. I am always in the mood for sushi. Any day, any time. It always sounds good!

4. The Sound of Music is my favorite movie of all time. I can't even begin to estimate how many times I've watched it. A few years ago, Sean and I traveled to Austria and went on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. I rank that day as one of the happiest of my life. There were tears of joy (and lots of singing).

The gazebo where Liesl & Rolf sang "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen"

The Church where Maria & the Captain were married

Skipping & singing

The Villa Von Trapp

*Let's not discuss my capri leggings ensemble.

I tag Tess , Sarah, Shoshana  and anyone else who wants to play along. Just let me know so I can read five facts about you!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Napa Recap, Part Two: The Food

Recapping our trip to Napa without discussing the food would be amiss. Especially since one of our dinners is in the running for best meal of my life.
I enthusiastically vouch and highly recommend every restaurant listed below.

Hog Island Oyster Co. at Oxbow Market, Napa

I am huge oyster fan, and it just doesn't get any better than Hog Island. They have six (or so) different oysters to choose, from all over the world (or country?). I go with the sampler platter and sit at the raw bar because I like to watch the shucking take place, and learn a bit about the different types. We typically also order the clam chowder and grilled cheese, since both are out of this world. Oxbow Market is a foodie's paradise- restaurants, gourmet food stands and other food related paraphernalia  enclosed in a giant warehouse (there is probably a better word than warehouse, but I'm going blank right now).  You can eat in at Hog Island or the Corner Door (I've heard great things, but haven't been able to tear myself was from Hog Island to try it) or get sandwiches, gourmet cheeses and charcuterie to have a picnic. Gott's Roadside is located next door if you're in the mood for a burger and killer onion rings. This is my top lunch pick for Napa Valley! (Also, the Hog Island San Francisco in the Embarcadero is just as phenomenal.)

The French Laundry, Yountville
Dining at The French Laundry has been a dream of mine for years. I ventured so far as to say it was my goal to eat there before I turned 30. Apparently I made an impression on my managers, who surprised Sean and me with a gift certificate for our wedding. I was so stunned when they handed me the card that I cried. (It was also my last day at work before our wedding so emotions were running high.)
Nonetheless, it took us eight months to use the gift (including making our reservation exactly two months prior, when the "books" open). Thanks to the godsend that is Amex platinum we were able to phone in our request early, and they did the heavy lifting to get our ideal time. French Laundry offers two dinner seatings, 5:45 & 9:30. It is a three to four hour dinner, so I was really hoping to get the earlier time. Luckily Amex came through for us again, and we ended up with my ideal slot on Friday evening. This was more than just a meal, it was the destination- we planned our trip around the experience.
So, after all that build up, how did it measure up?
Beyond words.
I can be a tough critic, especially when I have high expectations, and to be perfectly honest- I was a little worried that a restaurant with such a reputation wouldn't live up to my fantasies.
The good news is, it did! I quickly realized that when my imaginary BFF, Anthony Bourdain, calls a restaurant the "best in the world," along with Restaurant Magazine, and they maintain 3 michelin stars year after year- they know what they're doing. Every single bite of the nine course + meal was exceptional. However it is not just the food, it is the service that makes this restaurant truly brilliant. The space is small and extremely charming, housed in a stone cottage surrounded by gardens where they grow the majority of their vegetables and herbs. I was surprised by how intimate it all was. There were about sixteen tables (max) on two levels, and we were waited on by an extremely knowledge staff. We sat down at 5:45 and finished around 9:45- during the four hours, there was not a second of discomfort. It was pure pleasure. For some a four hour long dinner sounds like torture (my brother), but for me it was pure paradise.
At the end of our meal, as we were headed out, I asked the host if he would mind taking a photo of us. He said, why don't you guys come in to the kitchen and take a picture with the chef.
He escorted us through a hallway and in to every foodie's dream land- the kitchen of French Laundry. I tried to take it all in, but I think at that point I was just overwhelmed with happiness.
We were introduced to the chef de cuisine, David Breeden, and then posed for a photo.
And then I died of happiness. All in all, a perfect night and without a doubt the best meal of my life.

 

 

 

French Blue, St Helena

Great brunch spot. The patio has a beautiful fireplace and heated seats. I had the puttanesca baked farm eggs and a grapefruit mimosa. Sean had an epic Bloody Mary. I stole his pickled cauliflower!
This is a great place to fuel up for a day of wine tasting with a hearty breakfast and bit of a booze. 

Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford

There are quite a few great wineries up in Rutherford, but not many places to eat. The Auberge du Soleil is a fancy hotel with a Michelin star rated restaurant and less fancy (but still pricey) cafe with an unbelievable view. We stopped in for an afternoon snack. The weather was unbeatable and we sat outside with our friends, enjoyed a seafood platter, some flatbread with dips and a carafe of wine.  

Our friends, Heather & Ryan

Mustards Grill, Yountville

Sean has declared the Mongolian pork chop at Mustards to be on his list of last meal on earth foods. We can't come to Napa and not go to Mustards. The food is hearty and flavorful, the atmosphere is relaxed. It is the perfect spot to refuel after a long day of wine tasting. I particularly enjoy the crab cakes, the pulled pork sandwich and the onion rings. I’m not a pork chop fan, but I steal bites of Sean’s- it’s that good.

After recapping, it now makes sense why my pants are tight. It was worth it, but I should probably hit the gym! Everything in moderation, right?