Anniversary Dinner

In the midst of all my first 5k craziness last week, Gary & I had a very low key 7th anniversary weekend.  We said we weren't going to do anything special because we wanted to save all of our extra money for our road trip next month, but we did have a few indulgences!


First up we went to Jack London Square and saw a Ben & Jerry's shop.  The closest one to us is over an hour away & we don't buy ice cream for the freezer, so we instantly knew we wanted to find some schweddy balls  to put in our mouths!


I am choosing not to post the pictures of us actually eating it...they could be used for blackmail!

We were really good and shared a kid sized cup....the perfect treat!


Once we got to the hotel, we had already decided to order in some Chinese take out and eat while watching a movie or TV show.  


Well that was before I saw in a local magazine that there was a German restaurant nearby.  I am half German, so I jump at a chance to have some of my ethnic food, especially because there are NO German restaurants near us!  When I asked Gary if we could change our plans he said "this is your weekend, we will go where you want."  What a guy!


So Speisekammer it was!


First up were the Reibekuchen {Potato Pancakes with apple compote}

I haven't had potato pancakes in such a long time and these were worth the wait!  Perfect crispy on the outside, but nice and chewy on the inside.

They didn't last us very long!

Next up was the Spätzle baked with Caramelized Onions, Parmesan & Cheddar Cheeses for the main course!  Gary & I both got the half order, his with ham and mine with bacon.

Freaking amazing!

But since it was a special dinner, I decided to save room for dessert by taking half of my dinner home for my mom & dad to enjoy!

Proof that I didn't eat everything!

We asked to look at the dessert menu and were dumbfounded when they handed us a menu at least 4 pages long.  One page was just for foodie dessert, then one page for drinkable desserts, and two pages dedicated to wines & ports.  Plenty to choose from!

Right away I knew I wanted the Apfelstrudel {Apple Strudel} with a scoop of ice cream and a side of whipped cream.

HOLY MOLY!!  The best part was the whipped cream.  It tasted so fresh that I joked with Gary about them having a cow right out back!

That and a latte for me was the perfect end to our anniversary dinner!

Of course we had to get some pictures of ourselves and not just the food!

If you are ever in the Oakland/Alameda area, I would definitely suggest Speisekammer.  The food is delicious and satisfying and the prices were pretty reasonable.  For all the food I mentioned {and the iced tea & coffee for Gary that I did not} our bill came to right under $50.  

PS - that Monday {our actual anniversary, Gary surprised me with flowers & a card}.  I am a lucky gal!

***What is your favorite food to splurge on?***

***Are you a foodie dessert person or an adult beverage dessert person?***

{Almost} Wordless Weekend

May is a BUSY month for my family!  Within 1 week, we celebrate Gary's Birthday, Mother's Day and my dad's birthday!  We typically meet on Mother's Day to celebrate all three.  Here's how we enjoyed our May Celebrations this year:

My Mama & Papa in their lovely garden!

Gary & I - mugging for the camera since 2000!

My Papa & My Hubby = a happy Mo!

By the koi pond

Love my Mama!

Bryant & his GF Laura - I knew I liked her when my mom asked her, "so your a vegetarian, but you drink margaritas?" and she just laughed it off.  Well played!

The Grill Meister reporting for duty!

Typical family gathering photo bomb!

Mama was spoiled!  Wine from B & Laura and a mani/pedi to come from Gary & I!

Yes, that is a card with 2 asses on it.  Yes, that was from my brother. You can decide who is Beavis & who is Butthead...

Papa and his Andre Reiu CD

My family drinks....don't judge.

Showing how I keep sane during family gatherings

Bryant, Mama, Papa & I - the original 4!  :)

***How was your weekend?  Do anything fun & exciting?***

{A Late} St. Patrick's Day Meal

Since we spent the actual St. Patrick's Day with Gary's family, I decided to make a traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage meal for us and my parents on Sunday evening.  One thing I love more than cooking is sharing it with my family & friends.

This is only the 2nd time I have made CB&C, so I am far from being an expert.  But if there's one thing I know, it's that cooking meat in beer in a crock pot will turn out to be a success 99% of the time!

~ First, I gathered my basic ingredients:

~ Add the CB to the crock pot and slowly pour the beer over

~ Add half of an onion, cut into 2 sections and a handful of garlic cloves

~ Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours

~With about an hour left, wash red potatoes {I figured about 2 per person, including lunch leftovers}

~ Cut potatoes into smaller pieces and add to a large pot with baby carrots. 

~ Take about 2 cups of liquid from crock pot to add to veggies {make sure to get some onion and garlic for an extra flavor boost}

~ With about 30 minutes left, add cabbage that has been cut into wedges to the veggie pot

~ Cook 20-30 minutes and serve!

We were soooo full from dinner.....

But there's ALWAYS room for dessert.....

Right????

Especially when the whipped cream had Bailey's in it!!