Happily Homemade: Fruity Granola

Ever since I was served homemade granola by my friend Rachel during a visit to her place a while back, I've been kind of obsessed with making my own granola. I've poured over granola recipes. I've compared ingredients. I've experimented. I've accidentally allowed a couple batches to get a little too toasty. And I've eaten a lot of granola.

After all of that, I think I've finally landed on the composition of my favorite homemade granola. It has everything I was looking for: a bit of crunch, a bit of chew, a dash of spice, low in fat, high in fiber, and just different enough to keep me from getting bored with granola. It's also super easy to make, open to alterations as you wish, and quite inexpensive. Without further ado, here's my favorite Fruity Granola:

First, preheat oven to 250. In a large bowl, measure out 2 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup quick oats, 2/3 cup ground flax, and 1/2 cup crisped rice cereal.

Add to that 1/4 cup raw sunflower meats, 1/2 cup sliced raw almonds, and 1 cup dried fruit (I used currants, golden raisins, and snipped apricots) and mix well.

In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (or small bowl), stir together 2 Tb canola oil, 2 Tb maple syrup, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, and 1/4 cup brown sugar until sugar is dissolved and mixture is well blended. 

Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until all of the dry ingredients are moistened. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the granola mixture into an even layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes until nicely toasted, stirring the granola and rotating the pan every 10 minutes. When fragrant and toasty brown, remove from oven and allow to cool in pan. When cool, store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

I love this granola with milk as cereal, with fresh fruit and yogurt as a parfait, or just by the handful as a snack. The pomegranate molasses and cardamom set this apart from regular granola by lending a certain fruitiness. If you can't find pomegranate molasses, or don't have cardamom, have fun experimenting with substitutions until you discover your own favorite granola concoction.

Food for Thought: The Fear of the Lord

"Obviously, to be in the fear of the Lord is not to be scared of the Lord, even though the Hebrew word has overtones of respect and awe. 'Fear' in the Bible means to be overwhelmed, to be controlled by something. To fear the Lord is to be overwhelmed with wonder before the greatness of God and his love. It means that, because of his bright holiness and magnificent love, you find him 'fearfully beautiful.' That is why the more we experience God's grace and forgiveness, the more we experience a trembling awe and wonder before the greatness of all that he is and has done for us. Fearing him means bowing before him out of amazement at his glory and beauty."

 - Tim Keller, in The Meaning of Marriage

A Photo Collage for my Valentine

Created on Shutterfly.com

Spice Delight

One of the things my sweet Hubs gave me for Christmas was the gift of organization, in the form of a new system for storing my spices. The more I've delved into cooking over the past few years, the more spices I've collected. The collection outgrew my previous system (if you could call half my spices on a stair-step thing in the cupboard and the other half jumbled in a basket in my pantry a "system") and it had gotten to the point that I had a hard time remembering which of the more "exotic" (i.e. rarely used) spices I actually owned vs. had only thought about buying. Which resulted in lots of rummaging, and a few accidental duplicates.

After quite a bit of research online to see what my options were (the Hubs knows me well, and wisely discerned that while I asked for a spice rack for Christmas, I would want to pick it out myself, and so at his invitation I did), and after contemplating what was really important to me when it came to my spices, I decided on The Spice Stack. It met my criteria of:

• I can leave my spices in the bottle they came in. 
• It can accommodate various sizes of spice containers.
• I can arrange the spices in the order I choose. 
• It fits in a cabinet (and specifically my unconventionally-sized over-the-sink cabinet).
• It has space for labels, so that each spice has a designated home.
• It requires no hardware or installation (since we rent).

Each drawer of the Spice Stack has six divided slots for spices. The three slots on the top can accommodate larger spice bottles, while the slots on the bottom can accommodate standard size spice bottles, or two of the little ones (see photo below). Each drawer pulls out and can rest open on its own as you select your spices. There's space on the end of each drawer to affix a label identifying the contents as they lay inside.

I regret that I did not think to take a "before" picture before I embarked on my spice system overhaul. It was only after I'd finished and stepped back to admire my organized cupboard that I thought "this is so beautiful I should take a picture and blog about it." And so here I am. I apologize that the photo quality isn't great, but hopefully you can still get a sense of the blessed orderliness the Spice Stacks have brought to my kitchen. (These go for $24.99 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond if you're interested. And don't forget to use one of their 20% off coupons!)

The start of a new year always seems to get us Americans thinking about reorganizing, decluttering, simplifying, etc. Have you taken on any such projects in this new year? Discovered any helpful products? Have a great tip to share? Leave a comment!

Destination Date Night: Marrakesh

When we got married, the Hubs and I set aside Friday evenings as our regular date night. Sometimes date night means we go out; sometimes it means we stay in and do something special together at home. For Christmas, I gave the Hubs a DVD set that I found at Costco: Jamie Oliver's Food Escapes. It's a 6-volume set in which Jamie Oliver (a.k.a. The Naked Chef) travels to various cities to experience and introduce the viewer to the local customs, culture, and cuisine. My idea behind it was this: for those weeks when a low-budget date night is in order, we'll stay in, watch one of the travelogues, learn something together, and enjoy a home-made (or perhaps take-out) dinner representative (or at least somewhat resembling) the cuisine of the featured country.

This last Friday was our first of these "Destination Date Nights," in which we savored a Moroccan-inspired dish (keep reading for the recipe) and went along with Jamie on his adventures in Marrakesh. The evening ended with an SDP (spontaneous dance party), attended by Brutus (who is still adorned with the ornaments of the season). He's a bit of a wallflower, though.

Moroccan-spiced Chickpea Chili

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (29-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tb lemon juice

Heat oil in a dutch oven over med-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes. Stir in spices (cumin through cayenne); cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lemon juice. Salt to taste.

This chili has a nice heat to it without being too spicy (for my tastes). Besides being a low-budget wonder, it's also vegetarian (if you use veg broth) and gluten-free (if that's a concern for you). 

Christmas Song : Labor of Love

It hit me this morning that Christmas is now less than a week away. That means the window of opportunity in which to complete preparations is narrowing quickly. Preparations not just related to traditions and festivities, like shopping and wrapping the rest of the presents, addressing and mailing our Christmas cards, and thawing the turkey for Christmas dinner (all of which remain on my To-Do list), but also preparations of the heart--readying my spirit to celebrate once again, at this appointed time of year, the truth that God came to earth, put on flesh, and lived among us.

Some Christmas music is festive and gay, producing the levity of heart that some equate with "the Christmas spirit" (such as Jingle Bell Rock, or We Wish You a Merry Christmas). Other Christmas music is more somber, reminding us that we were totally lost and without hope until Jesus Christ came as our Redeemer (such as one of my favorite carols, O Holy Night, which reminds us that before Christ, and without Christ, the world--and each human heart--lies in sin and error pining).

And then some Christmas music takes you back to that very first Christmas: it pulls aside the curtain and invites you to gaze upon the scene in Bethlehem and wonder at the sight. Andrew Peterson's Labor of Love (sung by Jill Philips) is that kind of song. Take a minute to read the lyrics:

Painting by Simon Dewey

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph by her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
On the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

This song is on AP's Christmas album, Behold the Lamb of God, which is probably my favorite collection of Christmas music ever. This album is unlike any other I've encountered, as it draws upon the sweeping Biblical narrative to tell the story of Christ's coming (and Andrew Peterson is an excellent story teller). I was pleased to discover that you can still listen to the entire album online here, for free. Start with the first song and then move through the rest one by one (you'll need to click on each title to start the next song). Blessings as you prepare your heart for Christmas. 

Best. Appetizer. Ever.

I don't remember exactly when I fell in love with bacon-wrapped dates, but I do know that from the moment I let that first scrumptious bite melt in my mouth with all of its warm, sweet and savory, fruity and bacony goodness, I have never been the same.

In the early years of my love affair with bacon-wrapped dates, I limited my encounters to infrequent visits to tapas restaurants (such as Cafe Babareeba, the Chicago dining establishment where I met the Hubs for the first time, and where I've been known to polish off an order of BWD all by myself). No more. Now I make them myself. And once you see how incredibly easy it is, you will too. The next time you have people over and need an appetizer, whip up a batch of these. Then stand back and watch with satisfaction as the unsuspecting, uninitiated pop that first bite into their mouth...you'll see their eyes widen in surprise, then roll back in their head as they release a soft moan of pure satisfaction. Or something like that. If you've never tried one, trust me on this: they're that good.

Bacon-wrapped Dates with Cider Gastrique

What you'll need for the BWD:
A package of dates*
A package of bacon (avoid thick-cut, which is harder to wrap around the date)

*There are several different varieties of dates, which affects their size, color, and degree of sweetness. Medjoul dates are probably the most widely known by name in the U.S., but they can also be the most expensive. Use what you can find at the grocery store. I've found that once you wrap a date in bacon and bake it up in the oven so that the sugars caramelize and turn the date flesh to a soft, melt-in-your-mouth consistency, the variety of date doesn't matter too much. 

Yes, that's all it takes for the BWD themselves. The name pretty much says it all. 

However, you'll also need: 
A large, rimmed baking sheet
Aluminum foil
Oven-safe cooling rack
Toothpicks
Patience

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line the baking sheet with foil (this makes clean-up so easy!). Place the rack in the baking sheet. (You don't have to use a rack, but doing so allows the grease to drain off and helps your bacon get crispier all around.)
2. Cut the package of bacon in thirds. (Since raw bacon is on the slimy side, I find it easiest to use kitchen shears or a sharp knife and cut it up all together, packaging and all.)
3. If your dates didn't come pitted, pit your dates. Use a paring knife to make a slit in the side of the date, pull out the pit, then squish the date back together.
4. Take a date, wrap it in bacon, secure the bacon with a toothpick, and set it on the rack in the baking sheet. Repeat until you run out of dates or you run out of bacon, whichever comes first.

5. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip dates using tongs, rotate pan, and return to oven for another 10 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
6. Allow to cool slightly before serving. (This is where patience is required. The dates will smell AMAZING and you'll want to pop one in your mouth right away, but trust me...you'll burn your mouth and then your taste buds will be ruined for the dates to come.)

Now, you can stop right there and have a truly delectable appetizer. Or, while the dates are in the oven, you can go the extra mile and make a cider gastrique to drizzle over the BWD that will add a subtle complexity to the flavor and make you feel all chef-like because then you can say "I made a gastrique." And then your guests will ask, "What exactly is a gastrique?" and you can tell them:

A gastrique is a classic French reduction sauce made from a base of vinegar and sugar. Gastrique is the French word for “gastric,” pertaining to the stomach, from the Greek word for stomach, “gaster.” While the term first appeared in 1656, the word “gastronomy” wasn’t coined until 1800, when French poet Joseph de Berchoux created it as the title of a poem on good living. 

What you'll need for the Gastrique: 
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
a small saucepan

Instructions:
1. Dissolve the sugar in 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Increase heat and boil, without stirring (don't even think about it), until amber, about 5 minutes.
3. Add vinegar (mixture will bubble vigorously...it's kind of exciting) and stir until all of the caramel bits dissolve and the sauce thickens slightly.
4. Remove from heat; sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Once you've nicely laid out your slightly cooled BWD on a serving platter, drizzle them with your mostly cooled gatrique. Then try not to make a noticeable dent in the platter's contents before your guests arrive.

If you give this a try, have any questions, or simply want to share your love of BWD, please leave a comment!

a new look

If you've been here before, I'm sure you've noticed I've changed the design and spruced things up a bit. What do you think of the new look?

Fall Foto Friday

Okay, you caught me. I am retroactively posting this pic as last week's Fall Foto Friday (on the following Wednesday). Does it cut me any slack that the photo depicts where I happened to be last Friday? Well, anyway, here's a pic from my time down at Taylor last week, recruiting for WV during their World Opportunities Week. Scattered around Taylor's campus were quite a few of these bright red maples--LOVED them. Here the soft morning light shines on the Memorial Prayer Chapel in the background.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever since my friend and former co-worker Tirzah shared this recipe with me, these cookies have become a MUST every time autumn rolls back around. I was asked to bring a dessert to a church function last night, and I knew these would be perfect. True to form, my plate of cookies was one of the first ones empty. That's just how good these cookies are. Make them and you'll see!

Ingredients: 
2 cups shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 15-oz can pure pumpkin
4 cups AP flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 12-oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, mix in the eggs, then the pumpkin. 
3. Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. This is a fairly wet dough. Chill in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes and it will be a little easier to work with. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350.
5. Drop by tablespoon-full onto cookie sheet. (I use my medium-size cookie scoop for these.)
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until center of cookies no longer look wet. Let set for 2 minutes on pan, then remove to cooling rack and cool completely. 

A couple notes: 

1. This recipe makes about 5-6 dozen cookies.You can easily halve the recipe if you don't want that many cookies; I make it this way because if I only use one cup out of a can of pumpkin, I never know what to do with the rest, and don't want it to go to waste.
2. The final consistency of these cookies is more soft and chewy (cake-like) than crumbly and crunchy (cookie-like). And that's a very good thing.

Fall Foto Friday

Hello, dear readers! Thanks for sticking with me through another unpremeditated blogging drop-off. When I originally proposed Fall Foto Friday, I failed to factor in that my upcoming vacation would mean I'd be unplugged for the following two Fridays. And then after that I was simply busy/lazy. But now I am back, and I intend to make up for those missed Fridays! Because while I wasn't posting, I was taking photos. Here are a few faves that show how I've been favoring fall. (And yes, I did have fun with all of the alliteration in this paragraph.)

Taken on our vacation road trip. Autumn in Georgia means the cotton harvest!

Taken on a hike at Morton Arboretum

Also at Morton Arboretum

Highwood Pumpkin Festival

There were SO MANY jack o' lanterns. This shot captures only a fraction of the scaffolding pull of pumpkins that lined the streets of Highwood.

Fall Foto Friday

As September melts into October, and the leaves are turning in earnest, and there's a new chill in the air, and I find myself with an insatiable appetite for all things pumpkin or apple, I've decided to celebrate the season (and goad myself into using my camera more) by instituting Fall Foto Friday. Enjoy!

Disclosure: Today's photo was taken last fall on an unseasonably warm October afternoon at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Forthcoming Friday photos will be taken in the days and weeks to come.

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 8

V is for Vistas 

Colorado is full of them. But then, I suppose any state is. It's just that in Colorado, you find yourself wanting to just stand there and drink them in with your eyes. Whereas while driving through Nebraska, you find yourself looking out the window and wondering just how many more hours you have of driving through Nebraska. (My apologies to any readers in or from Nebraska.)

W is for Wildlife 

We encountered mountain goats on Mt. Quandary. We also saw a few marmots sunning themselves on the rocks.

X is for eXtreme eXertion 

Which is what hiking 14ers requires. For some more than others. When we finally made it back to the car, I looked and felt like this:

Travis, meanwhile, was still all smiles and high spirits. Which I found both admirable and irritating, to be honest.

Y is for "You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me"

Which is what I was thinking (above) when faced with the prospect of hiking another 14er just a few days later.

Z is for Zany 
Which is what you become towards the end of driving straight through from Denver to Chicago, which is what we did on the way home. Thankfully, the Hubs and I make good traveling buddies. Although anyone forced to listen in on one of our silly sing-a-longs probably wouldn't agree. But then that's the beauty of us: WE think we're hilarious. :)

And that's the end of my Vacation Alphabet! 

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 7

S is for Street Food

A love a good open air market. The small town of Minturn, not too far from Vail, has a nice market every Saturday morning during the summer. We enjoyed wandering through the aisles of vendors, which offered wares ranging from jewelry, specialty pasta, clothes, accessories, kitchen goods, dog paraphernalia, and even "Dope on a Rope" (soap made from hemp). There were also a good number of food stalls, and picking just one was difficult. Travis and I settled on the crepe tent and shared a savory creation brimming with good things. I don't remember exactly what was in there, but I think turkey, tomatoes, spinach, and cheese were involved.

T is for Treacherous Trail

Descending the exposed ridge after reaching the summit of Mt. Sherman. Yikes.

U is for Unexpected Beauty

Scattered amidst the Rockies' harsh terrain are little patches of color and beauty for those who will notice.

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 6

P is for Pizza

If you ever find yourself near Leadville, Colorado, stop in for a pizza (and some crazy good garlic bread) at High Mountain Pies. Trust me (and Travis, and all the 5-star Yelp reviews) on this one. 

 Travis and I shared "El Hidalgo," which featured a garlic oil base topped with thinly sliced beef sirloin, dried cherries, caramelized onions, blue cheese, and arugula--a delicious combination.

 My parents chose their own toppings: a basil pesto base, topped with roasted chicken, roma tomatoes, and mozzarella--modeled loosely on my homemade version, of which my mom especially is a big fan.

Q is for Quandary 

 quandary (noun): a situation from which extrication is difficult, especially an unpleasant or trying one; a state of uncertainty or perplexity

Yes, Mt. Quandary is aptly named.

R is for Reflection

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 5

M is for Maroon Bells

At Dave's suggestion, we took a day trip to the Maroon Bells, which are near Aspen. The Maroon Bells are touted to be the most photographed location in Colorado, and a visit there makes it easy to see why. It's absolutely gorgeous. Because we visited in the late afternoon, the sun position unfortunately wasn't the best for photos of the bells themselves. That didn't stop me from snapping away while we were there, and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the area a bit before the encroaching nightfall compelled us to continue on our way.    

 

This water rushing down the mountain was so cold it looked icy blue.

The iconic Bells

N is for Nature 

  "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."

~George Washington Carver

O is for Organic

At the Boulder Farmers Market, people take their organic produce seriously. I just took pictures of it.

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 4

J is for Journey Companion
A long road trip can be a good test of just how well two people get along. Our drive to Colorado and back was the longest road trip Travis and I have taken together, and I just have to say, there's nothing quite as sweet as having the perfect companion for the journey. Not that either of us are perfect (far from it!), but our vacation this summer was just one more compelling illustration of how we are perfect for each other. Love you, hubs.

K is for Kaleidoscope

That's what this sculpture reminded me of as I gazed up at it, squinting against the strong Colorado sun.

L is for Landmark (and the obligatory photos we take with them)

 

The alphabet continues on the other side of the weekend!  

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 3

G is for Grass

On our descent of Mt. Quandary, Travis celebrated when we reached tree line, because it signaled the end of the seemingly endless rocks. On the way down Mt. Sherman, my knees were protesting against the pressure of descending rock after rock after rock. (My feet weren't too happy about it, either.) Therefore, when we reached the grassy Iowa Gulch, I had to do a little celebrating of my own. That grass was beautiful, and it deserved a kiss.

H is for Hiking Gear 

When setting out on a substantial trek, it's important to have the right gear. When we hiked the 23 miles around Lake Geneva on Memorial Day, I learned the hard way that my boots were really too small, and it cost me a toenail. Travis learned that no matter how much cushion his socks might provide, his boots were always going to give him blisters. And so we decided that before our trip this summer we had to invest in some really good hiking boots. After trying on several styles at REI, we both decided on Keens. My new boots carried me up and down two fourteeners, and around the Maroon Bells, without a single blister. Those are some good boots.

When setting out on a day hike, it's also important to have a good pack. If I wasn't convinced before, these two mountains confirmed for me how much better it is for a woman to wear a pack designed and sized for a woman. I have the Sirrus 24 pack by Osprey; the hip belt sits at just the right place, the chest strap is appropriately positioned to not squish the girls, the size perfectly fits my torso, and all of the adjusting straps allow me to hold the load close to my body and get the weight distributed just right. I highly recommend this pack.

I is for Incredible Views

The Rocky Mountains are full of them, of course. Here are a couple of my favorites from this trip.

Mt. of the Holy Cross...can you find the cross of snow?

Amazingly turquoise blue lake down in the valley, as seen from the ridge on Mt. Sherman

The alphabet continues tomorrow!

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 2

D is for Dessert

I rarely need an excuse to order dessert, but "Hey, I'm on vacation!" is a great one if I find myself hesitating. Here's the Triple Berry Chocolate Mousse Torte that Travis and I shared at Dixie Quick's (see E below).  We were half-way through it before I thought to take a picture. Yeah, it was that good.

E is for Eat Like a Local

The hubs and I watch our fair share of Food Network. Inevitably, that affects the way we think about food-- how we prepare it, how we think and talk about it, and where we eat it. There are a number of shows on FN that feature and promote local establishments, especially Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Seeing how many great restaurants and delectable dishes are out there, Travis and I have developed the practice of seeking out local, independent joints when we travel, rather than routinely settling for the safe and familiar chain restaurants by the highway exit. With FN's recommendations as our guide (and also a few shout-outs from friends), on this trip we set out to eat where the locals eat, and were not disappointed.

A few highlights: In Omaha, NE on the way out we stopped for dinner at Dixie Quicks. This is the kind of place an out of towner would probably never drive by in the first place (since it's on an out of the way street in a not-so-pretty part of town), and even if they did, probably wouldn't notice. If not for the GPS announcing our arrival, we might have missed it the first time too, even though we were looking for it. The restaurant has an unassuming facade on a rather industrial street. Inside, however, the decor is surprisingly colorful, elegant, and eclectic. The menu changes daily, and is printed in chalk on a board at one end of the dining room. The chef's creations are influenced by time spent in various regions of the country, especially the south. I ordered the blackened salmon, which came with mashed potatoes and this delicious tomato butter sauce, and Travis ordered the pan-fried catfish with collard greens. (Please note: In case you're thinking about checking this place out, I noticed on Dixie Quicks' website that they'll be moving to Council Bluffs, IA on the other side of the river Fall 2011.) 

In Denver we had lunch with friends (see F below) at The Cherry Cricket, which we'd seen featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate for having the best burger in Denver (in the opinion of Aaron Sanchez, at least). We weren't terribly impressed with the service here, but the burgers were superb, and the fries as well. 

On our return trip across the Midwest we stopped for dinner at WheatFields in Omaha, which came highly recommended by Chris & Janelle (again, see F below). This is one of those places where you walk in and find yourself mesmerized by the bounty and variety of baked goods on display, and the once seated, completely overwhelmed (in a good way) by the sheer abundance of menu items. The highlight of our meal here: the cinnamon roll that came with Travis's quiche trio as a sort of "first course," the same way a salad might come before lasagna. Giant frosting-covered cinnamon roll as first course? Indulgent. Delicious. Genius.

 

F is for Friends

The lure of Colorado has called several of my friends out west. While I miss having them nearby, the upside is that trips to Colorado are usually peppered with reconnecting with people I love dearly. This trip was no exception. We got to have lunch with my college roommate Cheryl and her husband Joe, stay with Rachel & Eric (who played an integral role in bringing the hubs and I together), and spend a delightful afternoon dining and visiting with TU friends Chris & Janelle and their daughter, Sophie. Here we are with them at the mall:

Stay tuned for Part 3 tomorrow!