This is clearly just another excuse to show you pictures of paradise, and wish I was there. On our trip, we took a boat to a private island, to spend the day on an even MORE beautiful beach (could that even be possible?)
No one lives on this island, and it pretty much is a party island. You can snorkel, hang out on hammocks, or drink all day…or all of the above.
Sandy Toes, Rose Island, Bahamas
Last post. I promise.
After our engagement, we had dinner at Dune Restaurant at The One & Only Ocean Club. The restaurant was beautiful. They had a koi fish pond leading up to the door, and 3 sides of the walls were glass. There was indoor and outdoor seating, but we opted for indoors because we were still warm from that crazy walk we had earlier.
We started off with bread, and infused olive oil. You got your choice of which infusion of oil you wanted.
I chose the prosciutto wrapped pork chop over a bed of glazed mushrooms. So simple yet so delicious. The meat stayed steaming until the end. The flavor combination was perfect, well seasoned and I just ate it as is. It’s a fairly large portion, and I was sad I couldn’t finish it!
(His meal)
The service was great, like all the service on the islands. We were originally sat next to the window but a large crowd of drunk and rowdy patrons came into our section. The server offered to move us to another table in the other area. We did. We were put in a crowded center table, but as soon as the window freed up, they moved us there and said, “It’s only fair right?”. Since we were at the window originally. They were very thoughtful, friendly and attentive.
If you are on Paradise Island, and looking for a fabulous semi formal place to dine, I’d definitely suggest Dune.
I can’t believe I am writing this post. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to share this personal of a story on my blog, but it’s such a good story, why not? As you already know, the honey surprised me with a birthday trip to the Bahamas. But the surprise did not end there.
Our second day on the islands, he made reservations at Dune Restaurant on Paradise Island. Before that though, he wanted to watch the sunset at this special place he read about The Cloisters. He said it would be a nice little walk on the beach to get there.
Yes, it was a walk on the beach, but no it was not nice. Haha! Since we were headed to dinner afterwards, I was already made up, and in my dinner dress. We walked down to the public beach and walked across the sands, for what felt like an hour over hilly ATV tracks. When we finally made it to where we could walk off the beach and on to the roads, we ended up in front of a liquor store, and on the back side of an industrial park.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, we were walking in the wrong direction on the main road. As the neighborhoods got less friendly, he realized…and we turned around and walked in the right direction. I’m sweating, and not feeling fresh for our fancy dinner and he’s soaked through his shirt. But when we got to the destination, I forgot all about it.
The Cloisters are beautiful. Sculptures and flowers and a cute little altar overlooking the water at the end of it. He told me to go ahead and check it out, he was going to set up the camera. So I am in the altar taking pictures, and he joins me.
He hands me a scroll with a love letter written in it. I start tearing up as I read it, and at the end it says, “PS I have a question for you”.
I look up at him and say, “What’s up”, and he looks a little startled and says, “what”. I told him he said he had a question…and he gets down on one knee.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes” -tears falling.
*silence*
“can you put it on me?”
“oh yeah” *slips ring onto finger
Hugs and kisses all around. <3
Last year for my birthday, we went to Hawaii. I thought that couldn’t be topped. He did it big, and he did it better this year. And it was completely unexpected. In the weeks leading up to this trip, he mentioned that we were going to take a weekend getaway “south” about 3-4 hours away. Me thinking I am Sherlock, assumed that it would be a ROAD TRIP to North or South Carolina.
I was completely wrong.
Friday morning, we loaded up the car, and I thought I was headed to work, but no. I soon realized we were headed to the airport. Freaking out, because I am type A and need to be prepared for all situations, I exclaim that I am not packed for the airport. He says he’s got it covered, and when we parked, he pulls out a bag of small empty containers. Time to dump my full sized goodies into tiny bottles.
We walk into the terminal, and he hands me my passport. WAIT, WHAT. I’m not prepared to go out of the country!? We made it through security and sit down at our gate. I still have no idea where we are going. He hands me my boarding pass. WE ARE GOING TO THE BAHAMAS?!…I’m not packed for the Bahamas!!? I had jeans and sweaters in my luggage. Lucky me, he packed my flip flops, bathing suits and “summer” clothes.
It was a complete surprise, with much more in store. I was so happy to escape the snow!
Thank you so much to everyone who came to my birthday party, mardi gras celebration. Every year it gets better and better and I’m so happy to share it with them. 
This cake was the best cake ever. My friend Tiffany was in charge, and I told her to make whatever she wanted, as long as I got to blow out candles. She went above and beyond what normal friends would do if you asked a friend to make you a cake. SHE MADE ME AN ICE CREAM CAKE.
No this wasn’t your normal chocolate vanilla ice cream cake. She made a red bean and green tea ice cream cake, with a fluffy chiffon cake. YUM. I almost didn’t have any cake leftover, it was such a hit! (Tiffany managed to hide a piece in the freezer for me, for later).
I have the best friends, fiance and family. So happy to have lived another year!
My how the year has flown by! I am typing this to you on my surprise weekend trip to the Bahamas, which my honey gifted me! My actual birthday is Thursday, Feburary 27th. Since last year we went to Hawaii, and this year I was planning on joining my annual Mardi Gras party with my birthday party, he wanted to sneak me out of the country for a quick paradise getaway! More on my trip later.
In celebration of my birthday, I wanted to do a giveaway! Stay tuned! One of my favorite aprons will be up for grabs.
I wish you could smell this. It smells amazing. And it was simple! I would put this under “Whats for dinner” except for the fact that it takes about two hours to make, and well… “ain’t nobody got time for that”.
Ingredients for the braising liquid.
Boil the ribs in ginger and water for about 30 minutes, skimming off the fat. Rinse in cold water, pat dry.
In a heavy pot, brown it in a little oil, salt & pepper it.
Now the fun part. Let it simmer in the goodness for about 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.
I took the ribs out, strained out the braising liquid into another small sauce pot. Added honey and let it reduce down into a glaze, then served it over brown rice topped with green onion and sesame seeds. YUM.
Honey Soy Braised Ribs
(exactly from Spoon Fork Bacon)
Serves 5 to 7
Ingredients:
3 lbs. pork spare ribs, cut into 1 1/2-2 inch pieces
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 cups dry sherry
1/4 cup superfine sugar (granulated is fine)
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
honey-soy glaze:
2/3 cup braising liquid
1/4 cup honey
garnishes:
thinly sliced green onion
toasted sesame seeds
Directions:
1. Rinse rib pieces under cold water and place in a large pot. Fill with water and add ginger. Place pot over high heat and boil for 30 minutes, skimming the fat from the surface as it forms.
2. Drain and rinse rib pieces in cold water for a second time, removing any excess fat, debris and ginger.
3. Place a large Dutch oven, or heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Add ribs and season with salt and pepper. Brown for about 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to the pot and stir together.
4. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover.
5. Simmer mixture for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender.
6. Scoop 2/3 cup of the sauce into a small pot (skimming off any excess fat) and stir in honey. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture has reduced by 1/3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
7. Brush glaze over rib pieces and serve over white or brown rice. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve.
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I love this site for dinner/party food ideas!
Happy Valentine’s day! I hope you all have a special day today, and the rest of the year of course! Every Valentine’s is “Gal”entine’s for me, because I feel like Valentine’s day is every day in my relationship (ugh, so CORNY, I know ;)) Well every year, for…I don’t know how many years now, my friend Vitya and I spend it together. Whether or not we’re in relationships, Valentine’s day is our day.
We call it Meatless Meatful (hehe, you can figure out why). And we always order meat lover’s pizza and breadsticks, or just have a meat feast. We tend to watch girly movies, and do girly things, whether it be painting each other’s nails or waxing each other’s mustaches (haha) to wearing creepy facemasks. I look forward to this every year, and even though she’s engaged now, I’m still so glad that we spend it together.
Here’s to us, my ride or die!
I have a new favorite pie. Not the Baltimore bomb, but THE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. Holy OH MY. I haven’t found a chocolate mousse that I loved as much as when I was in France. But this pie. Takes the cake.. (haha!) So yes. That my go to slice now at Dangerously Delicious Pies. Chocolate lovers have to try. You’re welcome.
It’s not on the their site though. So it makes me a little sad. I had it at Killer E.S.P. the first weekend in February and it’s all I can think about!
I love that the honey is cooking more. That frees up time for me to do other things …like laundry and write about what he’s cooking. Hah! This week he brings…
SLOPPY JOES!
I haven’t had these in forever. And it’s usually from a can. But it seems much healthier if you make it from scratch right?
Sloppy Joes
Adapted from Foodnetwork
Ingredients
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 can small red beans or pinto beans, preferably low sodium drained and rinsed
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon A1 sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
8 potato burger buns
Directions
Brown the meat and the onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and red pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the red wine vinegar, the molasses and the rest of the seasonings. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes more.
Scoop onto buns and enjoy!