Why Blog?

Right? Why keep a blog when 1. you completely forget to/are too lazy or unmotivated to post for months at a time, and 2. no one reads it?

I'll tell you why.

I have no idea.

BUT in an effort to keep my mind sharp and myself entertained while continuing to help support our family and our mortgage by holding down a job with way too much  just enough down time until a school district buckles and finally hires me (that's another show), I believe I will have another go at this ever-so-popular blogging trend.

 Who knows? Maybe something good will come of it.

Not much exciting has happened in our kitchen lately. Namely because we've been on vacation in.. wait for it.. NAPA. Yes, yes, our family vacation in Napa, CA. was last week and it was fantastic. Filled with tons of..

 family time

 photo bombed by Pinky!

Oh, this girl...so precious

 amazing wine

 We even made our own! Well, blended it.. at this awesome winery! Such a cool and funky experience!

Our label design

Pinky and Laura blending wine in their 'space suits'

 amazing FOOD

 amazing scenery

 etc

 etc

 etc

One of the best things we ate while there was the fresh mozzarella from Tra Vigne in St. Helena. We discovered this place last year while out celebrating our second wedding anniversary. The whole experience was quite lovely, but what really brought, no, dragged us back was that darn cheese.  E and I HAD to sneak away one night so we could experience it again. I swear, I could have eaten three orders of the hot, oily cheese all by myself. ALL it is is super-fresh, super-soft mozarella with olive oil, served on crusty rosemary bread and. i. just. die. I miss it already.

 Our view at Tra Vigne. Look at that table. That's a fountain, y'all. For real.

We had plenty of other amazing foods while we were there as well. For instance, we visited Gotts Roadside.. twice.

Three words. ahi.tuna.tacos. Best thing ever.


It was truly an incredible week. Plenty of relaxing, chatting with family, doing yoga on top of a mountain, tasting some incredible wine and food, and just enjoying being away from real life for a while. Can't wait for our vacation next year in Oregon!

As far as cooking goes, this week has been fairly basic - lots of veggies and easy, simple meals while we get back into the swing of things.  Soon, though, I will be posting recipes again - in fact, tomorrow night we're having an at-home date night. Yep, we're cool like that.

On the menu for tomorrow is an apple pecan salad with a crazy-knock-your-socks-off  dressing made with Roquefort cheese and will probably cause me to gain 5 pounds, grilled corn and avocado salsa, flat iron steak with pan jus, and a baby yellow potato recipe that I am SO excited to try after tasting some of the most ridiculous yellow potatoes at a winery in California. I'm sure they won't be as phoenomenal but..you never know ;)

Happy Thursday!