Happy - Happy - Happy!

Happy Birthday to the love of my life and my very best friend - Chad!

Chad was in California all last week but flew in late Friday night just so we could all spend his birthday together.  Unfortunately Ashley had to stay in CSTAT but posted a sweet note on his facebook.  Zach was still here in town but will be going back to Lubbock this week.

  

 I made Chad one of his favorite meals - Korean short rib tacos...They are really delicious - especially with some spicy sunomono and cilantro on them.

Let those puppies slow cook on low for about 7 hours... they fall off the bone!

Spicy sunomono or cucumber marinated in rice vinegar with red pepper flakes - yummy!

The piece de resistance was his birthday cake though....I found a recipe for Chocolate Nutella Strawberry cake with home made whipped cream from The Pioneer Woman.  It was AMAZING.

The little trick is to soak the strawberries in sugar & vanilla for a while before assembling the cake.

This year I went with a Whiskey theme for his gift.  He isn't drinking a whole lot these days but he still likes a little night cap.  One of his favorites is Macallen 18.  It's a bit pricey - especially right now for some reason.  He finished his last bottle quite a while ago and has been slumming it with Jack Daniels.  I also found a really neat book that has the history of whiskey and all of the regional distilleries.  I added in some soap stone chillers and a little selection of tiny bottles of different US whiskies for fun.

We had a nice day just hanging around and enjoying each others company.  I miss him so much when he is gone.