I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We're spending today close to home as we rest up for our night out at Ford's Theatre. It's becoming a bit of a tradition for us. Only we're taking his parents as they made the trip down to spend the holiday with us this year. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I've been waiting for the leaves to change and create a golden arch all fall. It's one of the most beautiful sites to see. On Saturday it finally happened - the arch was a gorgeous yellow. Rather than take the photo right then and there, I decided to tackle the Thanksgiving grocery trip. What a mistake! I was heartbroken when I looked out the window Sunday to find bare trees. Instead, I was greeted with a yellow blanket on the sidewalks and streets. Regardless, still a sight to behold - and one I couldn't help but share.

Planning the Thanksgiving menu and subsequently cooking the big meal is something I truly relish. I start thinking about the menu right after Labor Day. I then agonize over the final menu for the entire month of November. This year I'm thinking it will be a pretty straight forward theme of simple comfort. I contemplated new recipes, but really when it comes down to it everyone is happiest with the basics.

Now for the big shopping trip this weekend. I know Keith looks forward to this every year. (Can you hear the hint of sarcasm?)

Simple Bourbon Chai

4 oz. chai tea concentrate (You can find Tazo concentrate at Whole Foods and Target.)
4 oz. milk (almond or milk works)
1 oz. bourbon (I went with my good friend, Maker's Mark.)

In a microwave safe mug, combine the concentrate and milk. Stir and heat until warm in the microwave. Carefully, remove from the microwave. The mug may be warm to the touch. Add the bourbon and stir. Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg before serving.

Cheers!

When I stumbled across Joy the Baker's recipe for the Best Banana Bread You'll Ever Have on Cup of Jo, I felt we were meant to be soul mates. Taking banana bread to the next level, Joy adds bourbon and chocolate chips. This woman is genius. Pure genius!

It takes all of my self-control to not the devour the entire loaf when I bake it on Sunday afternoons. I may even just let bananas sit a little too long just so they are perfectly ripe for this bread. I recommend you do the same.

Bourbon, Chocolate Banana Bread 
Courtesy of Joy the Baker 

2 c. all-purpose flour
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 t. lemon juice
3 T. bourbon
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. semisweet chocolate chunks

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F. Grease and flour an 9x5 loaf pan. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add bananas, lemon juice, and bourbon. Beat until well incorporated.

5. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat until almost incorporated. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Add the walnuts and chocolate chunks and incorporate the last of the ingredients with a spatula.

6. The batter will be thick. Spoon the mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (It takes my oven about 55 minutes.)

7. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Enjoy!

If you're looking for a wonderful story that will make you laugh and cry, but is also a quick read you could knock out in a weekend, this is your book. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a story about coming of age, first loves, coping with loss, and how to do it all with grace.

Narrated by 16 year old cancer patient, Hazel, you learn she's a bright young woman that has thought of herself as nothing more than a terminal cancer patient. After giving in to her mother's prodding, she joins a support group where she meets August and her life takes on a new meaning.

Have a box of tissues nearby, but don't worry it won't be all sadness. If you're anything like me, you'll be wiping tears away and laughing only moments later. This is a book deserving of the accolades. But don't take my word for it, go read it for yourself. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Like I mentioned yesterday, my plans for an afternoon spent apple picking was a bit of a bust. Thankfully, Keith wanted to make the most of the hour and half drive out of the city deeper in to Virginia. The majority of Saturday afternoon was spent sampling more wines of Virginia.

Our little adventure took us to four wineries and vineyards - Philip Carter Winery,  Winding Road Cellars, Hume Vineyards, and Rappahannock Cellars.

After completing the tasting the best thing at Philip Carter Winery, the best glass we tasted was the sangria. The space was beautiful and if the wine was better I would have been interested in drinking a bottle and playing some lawn games.

Winding Road Cellars is a small operation with a charming wine maker. I find I like the white wines coming out of Virginia much more than the reds as was the case at Winding Road Cellars. We left with a bottle of Chardonnay. Their Chardonnay was nicely balanced and I could see it being a lovely table white should it ever become more readily available. I wanted to like the reds, but found them all to taste a  bit like musty mushrooms. Way too earthy for my likes.

Further down the road, we ended up at Hume Vineyards where I again struggled to find a wine I really enjoyed. That is until the final one we tasted - their 2011 Vendange Tardive. Unlike most desert wines, this one had a light mouth feel, which makes me think we'll serve it as an aperitif with some good sharp cheeses.

The final stop of the afternoon was Rappanahannock Cellars and by far the best of the four. We left with not only two bottles of wine - the 2012 Viognier and the 2011 Meritage. The Viognier is crisp with a wonderful apricot finish. The Meritage is well-rounded with a soft earthy finish. In addition to wines, they offer Greek olive oils. Had we not ordered their sampler of warm bread and olive oil we would have missed out on the heavenly truffle-infused oil.

P.S. This is our third adventure exploring Virginia wine country. You can find one here and two here. I'm thinking my favorite vineyards are located closer to Charlottesville.

I never imagined writing these words, but sometime the inevitable happens and they must be said. Keith was right.

Secrets are often held close and never make their way out to be shared with a spouse. Imagine your secret is so dark that is could damage your marriage, your family, and everything you hold dear should it be known.

That's the kind of secret that Cecilia Fitzpatrick stumbles upon when she finds an old yellowed envelope addressed 'To be opened only in the event of my death' from her husband. He is still very much alive and out of town on business. Does she open the letter?

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty is a captivating story weaving together the lives of a group of people that barely know each other but will are all impacted by the secret included in that letter. This book left me speechless and provided the right twists and turns at just the right moments to keep you reading.

You should definitely add this one to your list or just download it to your e-reader now. I want someone to chat with about this book and everyone I've recommended it to have finished it yet.

Any recommendations as to what I should start next?

We flew back to Kansas this past weekend to help my mom celebrate her 60th birthday. During a little downtime, I managed to share a piece of Kansas history with Keith by making the drive over to Abilene for an afternoon exploring the Eisenhower museum.

You all know of my love for presidential libraries. Despite having visited this one many times, I still enjoy walking through and learning a new tidbit or two. Unlike most other presidential libraries, the Eisenhower library and museum is more like a campus with multiple buildings, including his childhood home as well as chapel including his final resting place.

We couldn't have asked for more gorgeous weather. Can you believe the blue of the sky? And of course, what trip to Kansas would be complete without a stop at Arthur Bryant's before the airport? I might just take Keith to one of the other barbecue joints in Kansas City on the next trip...maybe.


It was good to see family and celebrate a milestone birthday with my mom, but it sure does feel good to be back in DC with Sammy. There's just something about your own bed.

After flipping through the collection of cooking magazines that I had acquired, I was reminded of a few recipes I had forgotten about. One of those was Cooking Light's recipe for Breakfast "Cookies." This is  a recipe I was using almost weekly a few years back and then it just disappeared from the rotation - or maybe I over did it.

Have you noticed that you experience an uptick in the number of books you read during certain times of the year? For me, I read a great deal during the summer. I only wish it was because I was laying poolside or on a beach. Unfortunately, I just couldn't find anything to watch on TV especially since we powered through Orange is the New Black. As an aside, wasn't that show just awesome?

Every time we would sit down to eat at the dining table, I'd look over at my collection of cookbooks and cooking magazines and grow frustrated. I knew there had to be a better system that looked better. I also knew it was on me to organize them. It wasn't like Sammy was going to take care of it.

Despite not having children heading back to school, it feels like Labor Day weekend brings the official end to summer. Although fall doesn't officially start for a few more weeks, I'm hoping to feel a renewed start when I return to the office tomorrow.

Remember Pop-Ice as a kid? I loved those things. However, my mom wasn't the biggest fan of them and wouldn't buy them regularly. Something about all the sugar.

When I came across these silicone molds at my favorite store, Hill's Kitchen, I was just full of ideas. (If you don't have a Hill's Kitchen, you can find the molds at Target and Amazon.)  And don't you know, those ideas included bourbon. Let's up the ante on a childhood favorite. I tried to balance the bourbon with fresh nectarines.  Combine all this with the heat wave DC is experiencing at the moment, and you have a wonderful idea.

Bourbon Nectarine Ice Pops

1/2 c. simple syrup
3 nectarines
3 T. bourbon

1. Make the simple syrup by combining 1/4 cup sugar with a 1/4 cup water. Heat the combination until the sugar dissolves and remove from heat. Allow this to cool to room temperature.

2. Pit and slice the nectarines. You can peal the nectarines if you want a smoother pop. I didn't peel, partly for the texture and partly because I'm lazy.

3. Place the nectarines, simple syrup and bourbon in a food processor. Pulse about 12 times until relatively smooth.

4. Transfer the mixture to a large measuring cup. This makes it easier to pour the nectarine/bourbon mixture into the molds.

5. Freeze for at least one hour. Don't forget the bourbon will keep it from freezing solid.

6. Enjoy!

Too bad we can't pick the day of the week that major holidays fall on. If so, I wouldn't have agreed to the Fourth of July taking place on a Thursday. Friday at the office was rough and threw me completely out of whack. Very technical explanation - I know. 

As you may recall, I tried let my inter artist out. Well the more I looked at that painting above the bed, the more I just didn't like it.

"The Secret Keeper" explores dreams, desires and the lengths people go to make them a reality, and the life long consequences they can have. It's a story of love, friendships, dreams, and schemes.

The party comes to an abrupt end as Laurel watches her mother do something she never imagined, impacting her view of her mother for years to come. Kate Morton takes you on a journey, seamlessly switching between past and present to explain who Laurel's mother was and why she saw what she saw.

While the story was good, it took me almost 200 pages to really become invested. Regardless, it was a good story. I just would have cut out almost 40 percent of it.

There's a good chance I was the only one that found this book cumbersome at times. The story is good and left me surprised as to the ending, so I'd recommend it for that alone. I'd just advise patience.

Not sure why this is the case, but I only want an Old Fashioned during the cool winter months. The spicy rye with a hint of citrus just makes me think of the holidays. I know. I know. Most people think spiked egg nog. Wait, why are we talking holidays in the middle of June?

Let's focus on the beautiful weather we've been enjoying here in DC for the past couple of days. It's the kind of weather that requires a lighter cocktail for sitting on the back porch with. And I just can't get down with vodka or gin, so I present to you the Fizzy Old Fashioned or my summer old fashioned.

Did you know 1 in every 4 children within the United States don't know where their next meal is going to come from? I find it very troubling that in one of the richest countries we cannot provide healthy food for our citizens.

I promise not to go on a big political rant. Instead, if you live in Washington, DC, I'd like to ask you to join me at the screening of "A Place at the Table" tomorrow evening at the AMC Loews Georgetown. This is a documentary from the people who brought you "Food Inc." You learn more about the issue of hunger through the stories of three people struggling with not having enough food.

You can still buy tickets and make a contribution to Martha's Table to help feed those in the Washington, DC community. I hope to see you there!

There was talk of taking our next adventure north to explore Gettysburg on horse back. Again I suggested the idea to Keith so he could have first refusal. Again he suggested that be a ladies day out. I have no idea where his sense of adventure went.