antwerp

I can't believe we've already been back from Europe for a month. Feels like just the other day it was Dec. 2011 and we were booking out flights! Here's a look back at Antwerp, Belgium, one of our favorite places!

We loved:

• The architecture. Plus the cobblestone, windey roads and old wooden doors
• Our B&B was a-mazing. A big comfy room, with an large attached sitting room and huge bathroom - all to ourselves! The welcome drink really was perfect too.
• Delish breakfasts on the patio
• We arrived on a Catholic holiday so no one was working and everyone was out enjoying the big market
• De Koninck - Antwerp's beer
• Our leisurely lunch
• View from the Mas
• Ice cream there is unbelievably good
• Sunflowers in the middle of town
• Stumbling upon the big food and drink festival

perfect saturday evening

A few Saturdays ago, Dave and I decided to spend the evening driving neighborhoods. Checking out other areas we might like to live other than where we each live now. We had so much fun picturing our future and imagining where we might end up. After our little house/neighborhood hunt, we dined at Spinatos - one of my favorite pizza restaurants ever. His first time! And he loved it. We will be back for more soon. Our fave combo is sausage and pineapple, yum.

all-american fourth of july

We spent our July Fourth evening at the Dbacks game with my future in-laws. Baseball, hot dogs, nachos and fireworks...doesn't get much better!

Here's Dave with his niece, so cute! 

valentine's day

So, my boyfriend's fave cake is apparently Black Forest cake. He's only ever had it in restaurants but it is a chocolate cake with a Kirsch Cherry feeling and whipped cream between the layers. Although I've made a lot of cakes, I've never made this one. The week before V-Day, I did a lot of researching to find the best recipe to use so I could surprise him with a homemade version...well apparently this kind of cake is made with "sponge cake" as opposed to the typical "butter cake." Not a fan of "sponge cake." It dries out super fast and next thing you know I was peeling wax paper off each layer, piece by piece. (not how i imagined the process would go)! However, I think made with a regular Devil's Food recipe, it would come together quite nicely.

The best part of the cake making process was learning how to make chocolate curls from the Pioneer Woman blog. The Black Forest cake recipe can be found here, which I wouldn't make the same way again...

My Valentine made me a wonderful filet mignon dinner with Gorgonzola garlic butter, french bread, salad and champagne. Yum. Plus romantic red roses and chocolates - it made for a pretty great little evening.