Desert Diamond Distillery

Right up until this point, we never really enjoyed the taste of straight alcohol, but this place turned all that on it’s head and showed us some really good flavors.

Stray Leaves Winery

A wonderful little winery, with super-friendly staff and some really good wines.

The Grand Canyon in a week, in a 14 1/2 foot box, really?!?

The Grand Canyon has been on Dan’s bucket list for years, maybe since he arrived in America, or possibly ever since he discovered America as a child, well after Christopher Columbus of course. It has not been on my list, ever. But being that our marriage is a democaracy not a monarchy, although he does…

Smoked Salmon Bagels

Pretty sure we’ve done something like this before, but when something is so delicious, why would we not?

Fire Roasted Vegetable Sandwich

Freeze dried food probably isn’t at the top of everyone’s gourmet cooking list, but it’s actually pretty decent in a pinch.

“Baked” Brie

Not really baked, but when all you’ve got is a cast-iron skillet and a propane stove, you improvise, adapt and overcome.

Open-Faced Breakfast Sandwich

Quick and simple, yet so sophisticated. I think it’s the combination of the hrissa aioli and smoked salmon that makes me feel fancy when I’m eating it.

Carne Asada Tacos

Carne Asada Tacos. That’s all you need to know, because you know you already want it.

Moss Landing KOA

Quiet little campground perfect for an overnight stay on the coast. We stayed on a Sunday night, so it was probably quieter than usual, but we don’t have a problem with that.

Garlic Herb Chicken with Vegetables

Riding high on my success with the previous braised lamb recipe, I decided to do something similar with chicken, and it actually turned out very well.

Braised Lamb Steaks with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I’ve never braised anything before, and for some reason I always thought it would be difficult to both cook the meat and have it tender at the same time, but it turned out extremely well.

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

This was a really tasty low-carb meal, high in protein and loaded with “super food” vitamins. It’s easy to prepare, cooks quickly, fills you up and is definitely something that we would make again.

Salmon Picatta

Delicate salmon in a light cream sauce. Unless your skillet is too hot, in which case, we’ll just call it crispy fried salmon….

Clautiere Cellars, Paso Robles

We showed up to this very unique winery in Paso Robles at about 4 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon. It was so quiet that we thought perhaps it was closed, but it very much open and we’re glad we stopped by.