B is For Birthday

Monday marked Bryan’s 28 birthday and I helped him celebrate it in his fashion. He is not much into the big birthday bashes or getting wasted at the bar so we did it his style.

On Sunday we had our 2nd to last Mad Men night and it was a dinner in his honor. I picked up a 10 lb prime rib roast, made au jus, roasted potatoes and shallots, and green beans sauteed in olive oil and garlic. Mikayla generously made a fabulous dried cherry, goat cheese and avocado salad with homemade dressing and Polly made roasted carrots and a fantastic cake/trifle (recipe I sent her) of layered angel food cake, bananas and strawberries, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream. Mark and Jeff brought over some Snoqualmie ice cream pints, Luis brought guac and chips and grilled jalapeno poppers and we had lots of wine and good beer. The girls thoughtfully donned the cake with a letter “B” made out of cut strawberries and got candles to sing him Happy Birthday. We spent a good long time drinking and listening to music on the deck and catching up on everyone’s 4ths. We had a great group of 12, our largest in a long time and of course they pick the most expensive dinner on my end (lol). We were all stuffed and happy and it was a great celebration.

Half of the 10lb prime rib. Thankfully Bryan sliced it and I didn't have to. — Half of the 10lb prime rib. Thankfully Bryan sliced it and I didn’t have to.

These golden potatoes and shallots I cooked under the roast and rack. They were perfectly tender and flavorful from the drippings of the roast.

Simple green beans sauteed in garlic and shallots.

The bomb dessert (I was saying if this was chocolate cake and pudding it would be Glop). Completely finished by the end of the show. I asked for a spatula to clean the sides.

On Monday I was going to make him eggs benedict but we were both still so stuffed that I waited until Tuesday morning to make them. He still really enjoyed them and I enjoyed making them for the first time ever. Monday afternoon we both left work a little early to go on an evening hike at Bandera Mountain. It was about 3000′ vertical and 3.5 miles to the top. I wore my daypack (1st time use) to carry the picnic that I had planned. I made us prime rib sandwiches on baguettes with pesto (he loves sandwiches and roast beef especially), caprese salad (one of Bryan’s favorites), and locally grown cherries.

We dined like royalty on the top of the mountain with breathtaking views of Seattle, Rainier and surrounding areas…with 1000 bugs. The bugs were so bad we both were so annoyed and angry with them by the time we were done. We took our time at the top, I gave him a small present and card (a collage of us that I got framed), and then we hiked down as dusk was setting in, that was really pretty. It was really awesome and a really fun way to spend a night after work.