Name Alloy Wine Works Varietal Pinot Noir Region California Central Coast Country USA Year 2014 Price $8.99 (500ml) Canned wine. It is a thing, and I like it. The concept started in Australia about 20 years ago, and it is just now making some big moves over here in the States. I have heard some buzzing about this new trend and had to try it out! There weren't too many options at the wine shop down the street, but they had this Alloy Wine Works Pinot Noir on a special display. And just like that, I got my first tallboy of wine... I also picked up one of my favorite boxed wines on the way to the register, just in case ;-) I got home and couldn't wait to pop that top! I felt like a kid with a n
First big exam of the semester under the belt! Woohoo! We typically have our exams on Mondays, so I make Monday my "day off." Aside from the exams, they are always my favorite day of the week! I make sure I leave all of my notes at school or in my backpack, and I focus all my time on anything BUT school. This past week, we went on a picnic and it was so fun! I have always loved picnics, and with the weather finally cooling down (like under 100 degrees), it was time to gather my two main food groups (cheese and bread) and head to a local park. I like keeping it simple with picnic food, so I just stopped by the grocery and grabbed a baguette, a few different cheeses, some charcuterie, and frui
You are either thinking one of two things... "People really eat those things?!" or "Holy cow, those are huge!" And the answer to both is YES! They are sooo good and these are the biggest frog legs I have ever seen. Now, I did not grow up eating frog legs. I think I tried them for the first time soon after we moved to Louisiana when I was 14. I remember everyone saying "they taste like chicken!" and they really do. I think the best way to describe them would be like juicy, dark meat chicken. And of course, anything fried is okay in my book! So after enjoying my share of frog legs made by others, it was time for me to give it a go. Baxter, the boyfriend, is an avid sportsmen and is always brin
Name Casal Garcia Varietal Trajadura, Loureiro, Arinto, and Azal Region Vinho Verde Country Portugal Year 2015 Price $7.65 This is my ultimate go-to wine for so many reasons. It is a young wine (hence the name) with slight effervesce, making it so refreshing and delicious! It is minerally and dry, with citrus notes. The classic "patio pounder." It hails from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal, which is famous for...you guessed it, Vinho Verde. There are many grape varietals that are grown in this region and a number of grapes that are permitted to be used for Vinho Verde DOC. The Casal Garcia consists of four of the recommended grapes. My favorite part thing about this wine? It is always che
Oh the things you will see while driving down Route 66! This was our first stop in Addison's surprise 18th birthday trip. Our mom woke her up super early with a bag already packed and dropped her off at the airport without telling her where she was going. When she realized her ticket said Amarillo, TX, I don't think she was any less confused. Ha! We drove down and surprised her at the airport and set off on our Southwest road trip! Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation created in the 70s. It is right off the highway, and really easy to miss. We had done some research, and came prepared with lots of spray paint. We felt kind of silly pulling off the road and taking the short hike to see
If you know me at all, you know I swear by Blue Apron. We have been getting deliveries once a week, since January, and it is like Christmas every Wednesday afternoon. I have such a busy schedule, so it is SO nice to have my groceries planned out and delivered right to my door! Each week, you choose 3 of the 6 recipe choices, and you get fresh, in-season ingredients, with everything perfectly pre-portioned for each meal delivered on whichever day is best for you. It is seriously a dream come true. Feeding more than two people? No worries! They have you covered with the 4-person recipe options. Blue Apron is offering readers $30 off when you sign up! Click here and click the orange "redeem" bu
Name Olivares Varietal Monastrell Region Jumilla Country Spain Year 2015 Price $9.57 I am loving everyone's new found love for rosé lately! It was long overdue. I remember the first time a glass of rosé was offered to me. My initial reaction was "No way. I am not drinking that sweet pink wine that every housewife in '95 guzzled while making the latest casserole recipe." I think a lot of people have that reaction...maybe not quite as dramatic. But let me tell you, times have changed! We are finally inviting this beautiful wine into our lives, and it is here to stay. So what is rosé? It is simply a type of wine that gets its color from the skins of the grapes, but not long enough to be conside
I have never been a big fan of getting up before the sun. It's just not right. As I set my alarm last night for 4:45am, I momentarily questioned all my life choices. As my alarm went off, I of course pressed snooze...twice. Woke up at 5:15 in a panic, and jumped into the shower. This is a typical morning for me. I struggle with becoming a morning person every. single. day. I am still determined to make it happen! Here are a few things I do to make my early mornings a little more enjoyable. 1. Use a sleep cycle app. I only recently discovered this gem. It is an app that you can set an alarm through (I still set up multiple backup alarms), and it will monitor your movements so it wakes you up
I love pasta. I could pretty much eat it every single day, but somehow I found the only guy in the world that doesn't really like pasta and decided to live with him! Ha! Since he is out of town this week, I have indulged in my fair share of heaping bowls of pasta. This creamy lemon pappardelle being one of them. You can make this with any kind of noodle, but I love the look and feel of these extra wide noodles. I like this recipe because it has simple ingredients, and it is really affordable. It is also lighter than your typical creamy pasta because it has Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. I love the tanginess the yogurt adds to the dish, too! I started by bringing a large pot of salted w
Staying motivated during medical school can be really tough. There are many days that all I want to do is just sit on the couch and binge watch Law & Order: SVU and snuggle my pup, when I really need to be studying. Here are a few tips on how to keep yourself motivated----even when that light at the end of the tunnel is nowhere in sight. 1. Take breaks. When I make my study plan for each week, I always schedule breaks. It is important for me to have something to look forward to when I have so much material to get through. I usually try to schedule a 15 minute break for every hour of studying. This also allows me to focus more during that hour because I know that I will have that 15 minutes t
Who doesn't love strawberry shortcake? There are so many variations on this dessert, and each holds a special place in my heart. My favorite part about this recipe is not only how easy it is, but that I had most of the ingredients already. There are three components to this dessert: the biscuit, the strawberries, and the whipped cream. For the biscuit, I used store bought biscuit mix. Work smarter, not harder, right? I essentially followed the directions on the back of the box, with the addition of 1/4 of sugar. *Tip: make sure your butter is super cold. This will ensure optimal flakiness! The pint of strawberries are sliced and placed in a bowl with 1/2 cup of sugar. These are best if done
Name Villa Wolf Varietal Gewurztraminer Region Pfalz Country Germany Year 2014 Price $8.99 Gewurztra-what?! Don't let the crazy name scare you away from this amazing grape varietal. It is one of my favorites! The Villa Wolf Gewurztraminer (geh VAIRTZ trah mee ner) is from the Pfalz region in Southwest Germany. It benefits from one of the warmest and driest climates in Germany, thanks to the Haardt mountain range blocking the cold and wet weather coming in from the Atlantic. This allows the grapes to come to full ripeness every year. Are you having a hard time letting go from your college favorite Moscato? This is a nice transition into adulting. It is considered "off-dry", meaning that there
Scarlett was not afraid at all! I was so impressed. I, on the other hand, was hiding in the truck. A few days off-grid is so good for the soul. We recently spent the weekend at a friend's cabin in southern Arkansas. We had no electricity, plumbing, or cell signal (the horror!). It was around 100 degrees everyday, and I don't think I have ever sweat so much in my life. So, we spent most of our time cooling off down by the river. We started each day with coffee over the campfire, bacon cooked in a cast-iron skillet, and mentally preparing ourselves for the heat we were about to endure. Ok, ok, enough whining about the heat. It really just made swimming all afternoon so much more fun! I even
Name Collegiata Varietal Pinot Grigio Region Umbria Country Italy Year 2014 Price $8.49 Another hot day here in Oklahoma, and all I want is something light, refreshing, and COLD. I made summer panzanella (recipe here) for lunch, and wanted something that would compliment the acidity of the tomatoes and vinaigrette. This wine came to my table all the way from Umbria, a region in central Italy. The grapes are immediately crushed and cold-fermented in stainless steel to keep the freshness, and it shows. This wine was crisp, clean, and had subtle flavors of green apple and lemon. I will probably pick this one up again! It would be excellent alongside lemon chicken, sushi, or grilled shrimp. Mayb
Does it hurt your heart a little every time you have to throw away stale bread? I have never really actually had to do this being that my meal-time motto is "no bread left behind," but maybe it happens to other people. If you are like me, and don't have stale bread laying around, you can ask the bakery department at your grocery store if they have any day-old bread, or you can just dry some fresh bread out in the oven like I did. Panzanella is one of my favorite go-to dishes all year round. How could anyone not like panzanella?! It is basically a bread salad! I make it with whatever seasonal veggies I have in the fridge, and it is so quick and easy! My sweet friend brought me some cherry tom
Name Three Thieves Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon Region California Country USA Year 2014 Price $9.29 Sommin' on a budget ain't easy. Finding a good wine for a decent price may sometimes feel impossible. But don't worry! There are some great wines out there that won't break the bank. I am making it my mission to dig deep and find those wines, so you don't have to! It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it ;-) Today, I picked up the Three Thieves Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a steal for under $10. It was decently balanced, fruit-forward (black cherry and plum), and heavy on the vanilla. I paired it with beef albondigas (Spanish-style meatballs) and summer squash. The wine was lighter than your t
I am starting my second year of medical school this week, and sometimes I wonder how I made it out of first year alive! This past year was, to say the least, a very humbling experience. I learned a lot about myself, and learned how to challenge myself in ways I never knew were possible. Here are 5 tips for making it through your first year of medical school: 1. Make time for yourself. This is a serious must. For me, I used my time cooking dinner and working out to relax my mind and feel like a "normal person" again. I didn't make it to the gym everyday, and I didn't make a healthy homemade meal every night, but I made a point to fit both in at least 3 times a week. It took me a couple months
A couple of months ago we packed up and headed across the pond to Greece! The land of amazing food, wine, people....let's be honest, amazing EVERYTHING. We started our journey in Athens. We stayed in an Airbnb, with the most incredible views. We spent the days museum hopping, and the nights sitting on the balcony, drinking wine, eating all the weird foods we could find at the local grocery stores, and staring at the ancient ruins while listening to the hustle and bustle of a busy city. After a couple days in Athens, we headed to Mykonos. I am not sure what I expected when I got off the ferry, but boy did this island deliver. It was calm and peaceful, and such a contrast from Athens. We settl
