Happy 30th

Yesterday was our 30th wedding anniversary- the day before was Grandma's 56th- amazing. I'm not sure that when you say "I Do" you really realize that means you will be looking at each other 30 years later over a glass of wine, eating dinner off fine bone china, eating a scrumptous meal with Don Williams softly crooning in the background, at your own kitchen table. Very quietly celebrating. In the home we have worked to create over the past 24 years. And celebrate we did. (We were both very slow to get out of bed thanks to a wonderful bottle of French wine the Hoelschers gave us.) Just the fact that we can still sit down at the same table with each other seems to be no small feat. I was encouraged this past spring to hear a report that the divorce rate is down for the first time in XXX years. That is encouraging as long as the "murder the spouse" rate isn't up and the reason the divorce rate is down ;o)
And let me tell you about dinner. After shrimp cocktail, dinner was baked pork chops over long grain and wild rice, sauted mushrooms, snow peas, and steamed asparagus. Dessert was vanilla ice cream with amaretto. YUMMMMMM- and about the pork chops.....They were accidentally the best I think I have ever had. The recipe was a lucky concoction- here it is:

Accidentally the Best Baked Pork Chops

flour
spices
olive oil
Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice
Chicken Broth
4 center cut lean pork chops- 3/4-1 inch thick
Flaked parmesean cheese

In a casserole large enough to hold the pork chops without layering them, pour the contents of the rice box into the bottom of the casserole, including the spice packets. Add chicken broth in the amount recommended on the package instead of water. Spice the pork chops with favorite spices (salt and pepper were all I used). Dredge in flour until all sides are coated. Brown both sides in a skillet with olive oil. Lay the browned pork chops on top of the rice and broth. Cover (I used a 9X13 pyrex dish and covered with foil- sealed tightly). Cook 425 for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and check to see if the broth has been absorbed. If not, uncover and let it sit in hot oven until it is. I left mine in the oven while we were having appetizers- maybe 20 minutes.
The meat was flaking off of the bone- the most tender I have ever had. It was great.

What a wonderful evening it was. And what made it even more wonderful was hearing from those who love us. Thank you.

Fredericksburg weekend

Saturday and Sunday we were in Fredericksburg with Aggie friends from Alice. They and we were married two weeks apart in June,1977...... 30 years ago. So we decided to meet on the weekend between both of our anniversaries. We had a great visit and some outstanding meals. We stayed at the Hangar Hotel, a 1940s replica of a Hangar converted into a hotel. It is on the edge of the Gillespie Co. airport, so it is not uncommon for "fly in" reservations. In a second "hangar" they have a convention center (with a reconstructed aircraft inside... I'm not sure what it is) and a diner that is based on railroad dining cars. It is all very well decorated.... lots of Art Deco. One of my favorites were the telephones, which were reproductions of the black handled cradle phones with rotary dial of the 40s.(Except instead of the rotating dial, there are push buttons where the finger holes would be.

The rooms have only king size beds in large rooms with 12 foot ceilings. The furniture is all covered in flight jacket leather- purposely made to look worn. The bathrooms have black and while tile with white beadboard cabinets topped with black granite countertops. The closet is a small beadboard fronted cabinet. The lamps are all period styled.

Here are pics of the lobby and check-in desk. Note the luggage and radio near Natalie......looks just like home!!!!!

The bar in the hotel is called the Officers' Club and weekend nights they have live entertainment. After going out to dinner at The Nest, we went back to the Officers' Club and listened to an incredible pianist. After several songs I walked across the room to the piano to watch him play and was surprised to find a yellow lab with a leading harness sleeping at the foot of the piano bench. The pianist was blind and we hadn't even noticed. He was really good. You can see more about the hotel at http://www.hangarhotel.com/ .

I will blog more about the places we ate and what we saw later.

Great recipe- may lead to decadence

I found this in a Southern Living mini-cook book. It is WONDERFUL!!!!

Creme Caramel in a Bundt

makes 12 servings

Preheat oven to 350.

Must be made at least 12 hours in advance.

3 cups sugar, divided

3 cups whipping cream

1 T. vanilla extract

6 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk

1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

garnish: fresh blackberries, raspberries, mint leaves

1. Sprinkle 1 cup sugar into a medium skillet. Place over medium heat, and cook, shaking pan often, until sugar melts and turns to light golden bown. (carmelized sugar) Quickly pour syrup into a 12 cup Bundt pan, tilting to coat bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides; set aside. (Mixture may crack as it cools.)

2. Stir together whipping cream and vanilla in a large bowl. Process 6 large eggs, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 2 cups sugar in a blender just until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. (do not overprocess) Stir egg mixture into cream misture.

3. Pour custard over caramelized sugar in Bundt pan, and place in a large roasting pan on oven rack. Pour hot water into roasting pan to a depth of 1 inch.

4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in deepest portion comes out almost clean. Remove Bundt pan from water. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Loosen edges from Bundt pan with a thin knife, and invert carefully onto a serving plante. Garnish, if desired.

My final impression was that it is a cross between flan and cheese cake. Oh, yum!