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We made this the other night. It was lovely and I thought you should know. Here is the recipe.

Tripnotes: Peru

Peru. Machu Picchu. Both were on my bucket list, so when I got the chance to visit this October, I was beyond words excited. There wasn't enough time to actually hike the Inca Trail (also, I lack the stamina, upper body strength and overall good attitude for this) so we were going to do the Lazy Man's way. And I was pretty OK with that.

We flew to Lima, and then Cuzco, staying in Cuzco just long enough to feel enormously affected by the altitude and then it was onto a bus bound for the Sacred Valley. Cuzco and I would meet again, but lucky for me, the next encounter would be eased with the help of Coca Tea and altitude medicine.

We arrived about a hour plus later at our hotel, Tamboo Del Inka, in the Sacred Valley, which would act as our home base for the next few days. The hotel is brand new and graciously decorated in a modern South American style.

I had the chance to check out the spa, which I highly recommend. It was a great way to unwind after a long journey.

(Jugos naturales for breakfast)

The next morning, we were up early to catch the bus to the train station. The train ride took about 2 hours and was super comfortable. There were large windows with amazing views of the river along the way. If you're trying to see Macchu Picchu, but have time restraints like we did, this is the way to go.

Once we arrived in Macchu Picchu, we were ushered to an area where we waited for a small bus to make our way up the mountain to the entrance of the ruins. I'm not really a small bus, up a mountain side, no guard rails kind of girl, so it was a pretty harrowing experience for me. I think, white knuckle would be the best way to describe it. I learned too late that hiking up was also an option. Since we had been on planes, trains and automobiles for the bulk of our trip and had done little actual hiking, I would have preferred this method. Needless to say, we hiked down.

After the bus ride from Hell, we were there! The entrance to the majesty of Macchu Picchu! Just like entering a new country, you're required to show your Passport, and you even get a cool little stamp.

Our guide brought us in, and there it was….all the photos you've seen are accurate, but nothing prepares you for the real thing. It was stunning, large, lush and green. A fog rolled in which obscured the view, but made it all the more magical. For the next 4 hours, we strolled around taking it all in.

There was a light rain which helped to dissipate the crowds. Llamas grazed in the tiered garden sections and everything was peaceful. You're pretty much free to roam Macchu Picchu as you wish; very few areas are restricted to visitors. It's a relaxing experience, so different from other popular tourist attractions with large crowds, lines and strict security guards. It gives you time to reflect and really appreciate the beauty of what you are seeing. I'll never forget it.

After several hours, we made our way to the café area outside the park and toasted the day with some ice cold Cuzquena beers. It was the perfect end to the perfect experience. We hiked back down and made it just in time to catch our train back home, saying a sad farewell to this beautiful place.

(retail therapy, Peruvian style)

Cuzco was next. And we were pumped. Pumped, and a little nervous…I've always had issues with altitude, and of all the high and mighty places I've been, Cuzco was the highest clocking in it an impressive 11,200 feet.

Lucky for me, our hotel was oxygen enriched. This plus altitude sickness meds from the pharmacy helped to ease the pain.

We stayed at two different hotels, located side by side. One a former Monastery, the other formerly a Convent. The convent was my favorite :)

(enjoying some Coca tea in lobby bar)

Our suite was beautiful and complete with an on-call butler who whipped up Pisco Sours on request. THIS is living, people! When we weren't enjoying our hotel, we were out and about exploring Cuzco.

The narrow cobblestone streets are picturesque, opening up onto courtyards. One such courtyard was home to Map Café, a tasty spot we discovered for lunch. The food was modern Peruvian and so delicious. We also enjoyed Limo for it's impressive list of sours and other cocktails using traditional Peruvian roots and herbs. Eucalyptus Pisco Sour? Yes, please.

Located a short, but staggering walk uphill was Sacsayhuman, another lesser known Incan ruins site. It offers impressive views of Cuzco and is worth checking out. Like Macchu Picchu, the ruins are open and visitors are free to wander as they wish. More llamas, more peacefulness. Peru is good at both.

We walked back downhill and just in time…clouds heavy with rain had rolled in. It was suddenly a monsoon. Itching to go back out and explore the city, we braved the rain and made it across the way to Inkazuela, a cozy little place with fusion stews and curries. There was a roaring fire in the corner, and a chalkboard menu with inexpensive wine and food. It was a mellow way to end such an amazing trip.

The next day, we headed home feeling energized by our trip to Peru. A beautiful country with an amazing history and rich culture, we feel blessed to have experienced it. Mission accomplished.

easy as pie

Whoa. The holidays really snuck up on me this year (don't they always?). Hard to believe Thanksgiving is almost here! Last weekend I did some menu planning and a bit of prep work. I'm making the pie crust for this bad boy just to try and save myself a little time. I usually stick to the forever classic apple pie, but this year, I'm expanding my repertoire. If the pie doesn't work out, I'll be forced to eat more stuffing. oops.

comfort food

This weekend I woke up with a sore throat and a runny nose. This coconut chicken soup is just what the doctor ordered. I'm making it tonight with an extra side of Siracha. Recipe here if you're feeling so inclined.

Southern Spell

This is what 24 hours in Charleston looks like, complete with dinner here (excellent) and a speeding ticket (not pictured). Southern Hospitality? Sort of.

Even Artichokes Have Hearts

Do you like artichokes? I love them, but they seem to difficult to prepare at home. This NY Times article shows you how to make the most of an artichoke, and has me reconsidering my view. I'm dying to try the pine nut and ricotta stuffed artichoke…YUM!

30 British Minutes

On our most recent adventure to Switzerland, I decided to take a day off from skiing to lounge around the chalet and be as lazy as humanly possible. During that time, I managed to operate the remote control and stumbled upon a Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals marathon. Maybe I was scarred from too many episodes of Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals, but I was skeptical. That is until about 2 minutes in when skepticism changed to obsession. Jamie's quick suppers are not only ridiculously easy, they feel fresh and different, even when using mundane ingredients like chicken breast. Since it doesn't air in the US, the complete meals and recipes are available online. I made the quick dauphinoise for Easter and felt decidedly British. Plus, it was really freaking tasty. You'll thank me later.

Carb Load

I may be shedding for the wedding, but that doesn't mean YOU shouldn't get to enjoy this tasty looking Spring pasta dish. Refinery 29 has three delicious and simple recipes for easy weeknight suppers. If you need a little culinary inspiration, check them out here.

Mid-Winter Pick Me Up

This Winter has been a tough one; brutal wind, bone-chilling temps and icy rain (or snow!) have made February a hellish month for someone lucky enough (?) to walk to work. So it's a good thing I stumbled upon this Pumpkin Muffin recipe over on Smitten Kitchen. To be fair, I actually discovered it using one of my new favorite apps, Evernote Food. Either way, the recipe was discovered and the result was a delicious reminder of why cold weather can be good. A muffin this cozy just wouldn't make sense in mid-July.

If you're feeling a bit sick of the cold, make these muffins and then eat as many as you want, preferably in front of a fireplace. That's what I did. You can find the recipe here, and if you wanna get weird, add in dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. I did it. And I'm not sorry.

Is it Soup yet?

Can we talk about this photo? It arrived via Bon Appetit mag in my mailbox after a long day nursing a cold, when a bowl of hot and spicy soup was all that mattered. Unfortunately it has like, one million ingredients, so Thai delivery may be a more realistic option. If you're brave enough to try the recipe, find it here.

2012: A Year in Review. A Year in FOOD.

So hard to believe another year has flown by and 2013 is almost here! As I was thinking about what kind of year in review post I wanted to write, and flipping through my images from the last year, one thing became apparent. I. Love. FOOD. Maybe more than the average person? Or maybe not, but god, I take a ton of annoying food pictures. So to prove that whipping out my big DSLR camera in a crowded, trendy restaurant wasn't all for naught, here is my year in review. Dish by dish.

JANUARY

Kicked the year off right with skiing and famous Turkey Chili in Deer Valley, Utah. Probably still one of the more memorable bowls of chili I've devoured this year.

FEBRUARY

More skiing, this time in Switzerland. And it wouldn't be Switzerland without a steaming hot skillet full of bubbling cheese and grilled meats. Plus, the egg.

MARCH

One of my favorite nibbles from 2012 was this Tuna Crudo with avocado, vanilla and pineapple, eaten at one of my all-time favorite restaurants Union Square Cafe. The combo sounds weird, but I hope you trust me enough to know that it was not weird. It was EXCELLENT.

APRIL

An anniversary/birthday weekend Out East was made complete by the introduction of this incredible salad to my life. Now, I eat it pretty much every weekend. Fried things on salads are OK in my book.

MAY

Wanna know a good idea? Eating a massive, delicious cheeseburger in a bikini. I found this one in Anguilla and it died shortly after having it's photo taken.

JUNE

This photo makes it seem like I started eating all healthy in June, but these berries were either for a cocktail, or a pie. It's a little foggy. Either way, it was surely delicious. Calories well spent.

JULY

Quite possibly my favorite Southern Delight is this little pink perfection. She's a peppermint sundae all dressed up with hot fudge and we meet every sticky July, same place, same time. Ain't she a beaut?

AUGUST

A wedding in Vermont was the perfect excuse to stop at one of my favorite places in the world, Simon Pearce in Quechee, VT. Those were some pretty stellar late-summer heirloom tomatoes. And that white stuff smeared all over the perfect hand-made earthenware plate? It's just some whipped local goat cheese. NBD.

SEPTEMBER

I just refused to let summer die, so there was seafood being eaten. Constantly. These lobsters were so huge and there were leftovers for omelets. I mean! P.S. This photo has not been doctored in any way. They were beet red. For reals.

OCTOBER

This morsel of organic goodness was eaten while in attendance at a black tie affair. I declined to wear spanx that evening, so there was plenty of room to grow, and for that reason, I ate more than one of these. I'm not sorry.

NOVEMBER

If ever there was a favorite moment in someone's life, it would be when a platter of freshly shucked oysters are lowered onto a table and all is right with the world. That is my moment, people. These were my oysters. Fresh as a teenager, and more delicious than you can imagine. I live for those damn things.

DECEMBER

I have 3 words for you. STONE. CRAB. CLAWS. I have zero photographic evidence, so just take my word for it. I ate as much of it as I could.

So, here's hoping 2013 is just as delicious! Happy New Year!!