Our Honeymoon in Maui

Let me take you on a literary trip to the most beautiful place my eyes have ever seen. Every turn of the head looks like a scene from a postcard. 

We have been on a lot of trips together, but this trip topped the scales. We were originally considering going to Japan and Thailand but we changed our mind. I still have those vacations on our roadmap for future trips to take together, but after weighing all the pros and cons we decided on Hawaii. In our opinion, a honeymoon should be relaxing and romantic. We felt being in a foreign country that moves at a fast pace like Tokyo might be a bit stressful. Where oh where could we go that feels like a wonderland, where natives speak English, and that is relatively close to home? There was really only one option in our mind: Maui.

Can you hear the ukulele music now?

I went to Maui with my parents and sister as a gift my senior year of high school. I remember it like it was yesterday. My family has always visited tropical destinations during the winter months to escape the cold, if even for just a week. We love the heat. I've carried that love with me to this day. 

My husband had never been to Maui. While discussions of our honeymoon transpired, I raved about my family's trip. The volcano, the whale watching, the luaus...what's not to like? 

My husband and I are both love being adventurous. For most of our trips we have decided what to do once we get to our destination. Call it crazy, but we have found that we have a better time when we travel like this. No itinerary, no reservations. We do what we feel like doing each day rather than being tied to a schedule. Most of the time, we ask the locals what to do once we arrive and gather a plan from there. They are the best itinerary money can't buy!

I understand not everyone is like us, and for those of you that like a plan or simply want a few ideas on what to do and where to eat in Maui, I wrote this for you.

This is a picture from my iPhone 6 that I took on the side of the road. Maui is that beautiful.

View from the airport

Where We Stayed 

My husband and I booked our hotel through Priceline and got a great deal at the Hyatt Regency in Lahaina. The resort has two pools, a grotto bar, two restaurants, live exotic birds, and excellent service. They also host their own luau. If you walk along the ocean and walk far right, you will find a great spot for snorkeling. We were also told about a snorkeling spot by a woman that worked at the pool. If you go to the park across from the post office (2 miles from the hotel) you are almost guaranteed to see a sea turtle. Don't touch them, though - the law doesn't allow it and the locals will be outraged. 

The Pool

{ Picture from the Hyatt Regency Website }

Grotto Bar

{ Picture from the Hyatt Regency Website }

View from our room

Our balcony view

View along our walk to our morning coffee spot

What We Did - Road to Hana

We started our first day early. Mainly because we flew in at 5:00 am, which wasn't too difficult because it was 3:00 pm our time and we slept on the plane. We were told that the Road to Hana can be dangerous because there are a lot of thieves along the way...the jury is still out on that one. Rather than risk it, we checked into our hotel early and put all of our things away before our journey.

First stop on the road - Paia Town

We started at the Hana Picnic Lunch Company. I read tons of great reviews about the place and it did not disappoint. They were open at 6:00 am for hikers and drivers to grab a meal for the day. I highly recommend packing a lunch because there are not many meal spots along the way.

We each got a breakfast sandwich, sandwich for lunch, all-natural mosquito spray, an insulated bag and giant water bottles. Bring water! You will definitely need it hiking in the heat. The mosquito spray was a godsend. There were so many people complaining about bites. The all-natural spray we picked up worked like a charm and smelled amazing.

Oh, and did I mention they have amazing gelato? We stopped by on the way back and pigged out on their cookie crunch.

Second stop - Twin Falls

I hope you wore good shoes. This trail is what they would call "advanced." If you have bad balance, weak legs, or a small child, move on to the next stop. This one is not for you. The beginning of our hike was scattered with light rain showers and falling leaves. Hiking about a half mile in, there was a large gate that read "experienced hikers only beyond this point." We looked at each other and shrugged. How hard could it be? The rest of the trip was fairly simple except for one spot - the rushing waters. There is a creek in the middle of the walkway that is about 10 feet wide. The creek had a very strong current the day we trekked it. We held hands and decided to try it out. The only problem was falling. If you were to fall in the creek you would promptly be carried across jagged rocks and down a small rapid into an area that I would imagine to be very difficult to crawl out of. We were both nervous. We moved slow. Painfully slow. If one went down, the other one was coming, too. Once we crossed successfully, it was all gravy. We found the jade green pool of water that the twin falls collected in. The water was ice cold and there were jungle vines hanging down everywhere. It was really romantic until a huge group of tourists came to join us. Time for our next stop.

Third stop - Garden of Eden

This is the view from the opening sequence of Jurassic Park!

The Garden of Eden was so beautiful! As soon as we entered, there were ducks and peacocks running up to our car like little puppies. We decided we would stop for lunch at this stop because of the beautiful views and picnic tables. Word to the wise - don't leave your food for a second. The peacocks are aggressive when it comes to food. One of them literally sat next to me on the picnic chair while I ate...and right when I thought I'd have a break from an animal staring at my every bite (our dog, Laila). This is the one stop along the way that requires payment before entering. We paid $15.00/person. 

Oh, and here's your chance to go to the bathroom, too.

Can I take him home?!?

Fourth stop - Halfway to Hana

Want to have the best banana bread you've ever eaten? Stop here. This stop offers a little snack shop from 1982 that offers banana bread, ice cream, hot dogs and various other refreshments. Other than that, there's really nothing to see here, folks.

Final stop

We were so exhausted from our previous stops and our flight that we skipped the other stops along the way until we got to the little town right before Hana. They had tons of cute food trucks, set up like a fair. Predominately they sold asian food, seafood and tacos. After being on the trail for 5 hours, this place smelled delicious. 

What do you fancy?

We're so punny.

Would this surf board fit in our luggage?

Aren't these the cutest things you've ever seen?!

Where We Ate

There are several great restaurants on Front Street. Our favorites were Frida's Beach House, Fleetwood's on Front Street, and Lahaina Fish Company. One spot we were told about after our trip (bummer) that is supposed to be excellent is Mama's Fish House. From what we were told, this spot has fresh-caught fish daily at a more affordable price than the more touristy restaurants. 

This salmon sandwich was heaven.

After the Road to Hana, we spent our days lounging by the pool, snorkeling and walking down the beach. I would have loved to go whale watching, but the season was over when we arrived. 

Please let me know if you have any questions about your upcoming trip to Maui! You will have an amazing time, I guarantee it!

Master Bedroom Plans

{ Designer: Ella Lee Interiors / Pillows: Leontine Linens }

When we got married, we decided to upgrade our bed to a King. My husband is 6'4" and an ex-football player (he thick, okay?). Sharing a queen wasn't really working out, needless to say. I would wake up in the middle of the night with his elbow on my forehead and he would complain about me hogging all of the sheets. Anyone who is married to a tall man can relate. I had this fear that he was going to elbow me in the temple in the middle of my sleep and kill me. Is that normal? Call me a drama queen, but it was a fear that kept me waking up throughout the night. A queen just wasn't going to make the cut any longer.

Right in time...I had literally just completed decorating our bedroom before we decided to switch (go figure). So here I am, back at the drawing board. The good news is we now have a gorgeous and well-furnished guest room.

Thanksgiving at our house! 

(I'll be sharing our guest room reveal soon!!)

{ Designer: Munger Interiors / Pillows: Leontine Linens }

{Designer: Leta Austin Foster}

My style is fairly traditional, but I am working on modernizing it a bit. I've been switching out some of our dark wood furnishings with light and adding natural rugs to each room. One traditional look I just won't budge from is monogrammed pillows. I have always loved the way they look in a master. 

I'd say most women are with me when I say I stalk Leontine Linens' instagram feed with drool running down my face. Their work is beautiful! Linen provider to the stars are several well-kept southern homes, their appliqué embroidery is exquisite. I recently inquired about a pillow price, and let's just say that the pillows would be more than our new bed and headboard combined. 

I have been known to spend absurd amounts of money on silly home items, but these pillows are where I draw the line. I just can't justify upwards of a thousand dollars for a gorgeous piece of fabric that I know will shortly become soiled by dog hair and wine stains. 

On the hunt to find a similar and more practically priced option, I've been doing my research. Thank goodness for the talented and creative seamstresses on Etsy! I found several similar looks for a fraction of the price. 

We just received our custom headboard from Ballard Designs. I purchased the Bella Headboard from the Suzanne Kasler line in Linen French Blue. It is gorgeous. I was very apprehensive on choosing a blue headboard rather than a neutral color because I tend to change my mind with the wind. I started doing some research on Pinterest (follow me here) and found several beautiful rooms with blue headboards.   I decided blue could be a timeless choice and I went with it. I am so happy I did!

Here are my plans for our master bedroom:

As I purchase similar items, I will share with you how I accomplished this polished and upscale look for less. Stay tuned for our master reveal in the next few weeks!

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ready for the easiest meal you've ever made? These lettuce wraps are here to please. They look pretty impressive to a group when you serve them on a platter, too. This dish is practically just prep work which makes it a fast go-to weeknight meal or even a striking appetizer for a dinner party.

I developed this recipe when I had a girl's night at my house. All of my friends were on diets for the summer and were eating low carb. I tried to think of the most satisfying meal that used practically no carbs and lots of veggies. Around the time, my family and I had just returned from a trip to Disney World where I ate at Animal Kingdom's Yak and Yeti (I highly recommend). There, I ordered asian lettuce wraps that came prepared very similar to this dish. 

I went to the grocery store and put my own spin on the delicious dish I had. To keep things simple, I purchased the sauces from the store rather than making them from scratch. I used butter lettuce instead of iceberg because it is easier to peel and each piece forms itself into a cup, making it less messy than other types of lettuce.

Serve these pre-made or on a platter like I did at your next event or dinner. 

Lettuce Wraps

Preparation:  15 min

                  Cook Time: 20 min  Total Time: 35 min                       

Ingredients

        

          3 chicken breasts

          1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (bought from grocery store)

          3 tbsp crushed peanuts or cashews
          1/2 cup rice

          1/2 cup shredded carrots

          1 head butter lettuce, peeled into individual pieces

          3 tbsp cilantro

          1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (bought from grocery store)

           2 tsp sesame seeds

          Japanese Cucumber Salad*

Instructions

*Make ahead - Japanese Cucumber Salad (optional - cut cucumbers and add raw instead)

         1. Cook rice according to manufacturer's instructions. Rinse rice before use.

         2. Cut raw chicken into strips or chunks. We cut ours into strips.

         3. Cook chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat with teriyaki sauce. Turn occasionally until cooked 

              thoroughly. (About 8-10 minutes)

         4. While chicken is cooking, begin preparing all side items. I placed all of the accouterments on a large 

               plate so that people could build their lettuce wrap however they desired. I put the sweet chili sauce in 

               a small prep bowl. You could also use peanut sauce.

         5. Once chicken is finished cooking, add the sesame seeds and crushed nuts and toss. 

              Place the chicken on the platter and serve.

Sesame Chicken

Winner winner chicken dinner! 

Continuing with my asian recipe kick, I whipped up a batch of this sesame chicken. Decadent, satisfyingly chewy, and lower in sodium than the stuff from your favorite take-out place, I think this dish will rest in my collection of favorite recipes.

Growing up in the south, you'd think that I would have perfected the art of frying chicken...false. I've only made it one other time before this. The first time, none of the flour mixture adhered to my chicken, leaving us with all the 'good stuff' on the side. For this dish, I did my research. Turns out if you add cornstarch to the mix, not only will everything adhere to the chicken, but also you don't have to put as much flour on every individual piece. Win! I decided to try this out on my sesame chicken dish.

I usually make this without using any breading, but I figured, hey - let's make this dish look legit. 

Excuse me while I stuff my face...

The chicken came out perfect! I made just the right amount of sauce. I hate when restaurants add so much it pools into everything on your plate. It's just enough to cover the chicken and add a little flavor to your rice. The great thing about this dish is that it also kept well. We were able to eat leftovers for 3 days with this dish and it tasted just as great each time we reheated it. What does that mean for you, ladies? No more hangry husbands or kiddos. Even better? More time to relax on the couch with a glass of wine. 

Keep this recipe in your bag of recipe tricks as a quick, long-lasting weeknight option. 

Sesame Chicken

Preparation:  15 min

                  Cook Time: 15-20 min  Total Time: 30-35 min                       

Ingredients

        

        Chicken:

          3 chicken breasts

          10 tbsp flour
          3 tbsp cornstarch

          2 eggs, beaten

          1-2 cups broccoli (depending on your preference)

           Vegetable oil
           1/2 tsp salt & pepper

           2 tsp paprika

           1/2 tsp garlic salt
           1 tsp sesame seeds

           Chopped green onion for garnish
           1/2-1 cup rice (depending on portion - we used 1/2 cup for 2 people)          

          Sauce:

          1 tbsp sesame oil

          2 cloves garlic
          1 tbsp rice vinegar

          2 tbsp honey

          1 tbsp sweet chili sauce (bought at the grocery store)

           2 tbsp brown sugar
           4 tbsp soy sauce

           3 tbsp ketchup

           

Instructions

         1. Cook rice according to manufacturer's instructions. Rinse rice before use.

         2. Cut raw chicken into strips or chunks. We did ours in strips.

         3. Prepare three bowls for chicken. One with the eggs, one with the cornstarch, and one with flour, 

              salt, pepper, garlic salt and paprika.

          4. In a deep pan, pour vegetable oil until high enough to fry chicken and heat over medium heat.

          5. Take chicken strips one at a time and dunk into the cornstarch,  then eggs, then flour. Then  

               place each piece of chicken into the oil.

           6. After all the chicken you can fit is in the skillet, turn occasionally over medium/low heat and allow to 

                brown (golden brown). About 8-10 minutes.

           7. While chicken is frying, begin making sauce mixture. Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan and 

                 heat over medium-low heat until combined. Once the sauce begins looking caramelized, remove it 

                 from the heat.

          8. Once chicken is golden brown, remove a piece and cut into it to make sure the chicken is cooked 

              thoroughly. If cooked, remove each piece and place onto a plate with paper towels under to collect oil.

          9. While the oil is still hot, turn heat off and add in broccoli and allow to cook until steamed. 

               About 2 minutes. Add broccoli to plate with chicken.

         10. In a large bowl, combine chicken, broccoli and sauce and toss until well coated. Serve the mixture 

                 over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Shrimp Stacks

When we sat down to begin planning our honeymoon, we had a million ideas of where to go. If you've read my previous posts, you know I have been dying to go to Italy for years now! I'm a bit of a travel nerd, so I am constantly watching travel documentaries on Netflix. One of my favorite people to watch is Anthony Bourdain. He has an amazing series called Parts Unknown, where he travels to countries all over the world and dines out. 

One particular destination he travelled to that caught my eye was Japan. I've heard wonderful things about Japan from friends of mine that have been. I started researching places to go and things to do and fell in love. It is so unique and simply beautiful! The Japanese culture was particularly attractive in the food department to me. Most of their meals are very simple. Pickled vegetables, a bowl of rice and a fish or meat. As I was thinking about their culture and food, I felt my stomach grumble. I was all of the sudden starving and craving something simple like I had just watched.

This simple and delicious meal was born that night. The ingredients you find here are similar to what you'd find in a sushi roll. I've made homemade sushi before, and I can tell you, it's better to go out for sushi than to make it yourself. Trust me... I make my own breads and pastas from scratch! Sushi is very time consuming and doesn't keep for long in the fridge. 

Think of these shrimp stacks as an inside-out sushi roll without the seaweed. 

I decided to use brown rice for this meal, but I think white rice would work better. If you rinse your rice in a colander before you boil it, it will become sticky. I did this and then packed some rice into a ramekin, about halfway full. Turning it over onto the plate, I tapped the bottom of the ramekin until the rice loosened from the sides and stuck to my plate. If you don't have a ramekin, simply shape the rice with a round cookie cutter or your hands. 

Here's how to make this delicious meal:

Shrimp Stacks

Preparation:  10 min

                  Cook Time: 25 min  Total Time: 35 min                       

Ingredients

        

          1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

          1-2 avocados, mashed
          1 tsp lemon juice

          1/2-1 cup rice (depending on portion - we used 1/2 cup for 2 people and 3 stacks each)

           Eel sauce (purchase from the grocery store)
           Salt & pepper

           Japanese cucumber salad*

           Chopped cilantro for garnish (about 2 tbsp)
           1 tsp sesame seeds
           (optional: top with Sriracha for a kick!)

Instructions

        

         *make ahead - Japanese Cucumber Salad

         1. Cook rice according to manufacturer's instructions. Rinse rice before use.

         2. Marinate shrimp in a bowl with 1 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper for 5 min.

         3. While rice is cooking and shrimp is marinating, cut your avocados and mash them in a bowl.

          4. Sautee shrimp over medium heat in a skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil or butter until pink
          (less than 5 minutes).

          5. Take cooked rice and form into discs on a plate. Top with mashed avocado, shrimp, cucumber salad,
           and lemon slice. Garnish with eel sauce, cilantro, and sesame seeds.

Japanese Cucumber Salad (sunomono)

This salad is tangy, crunchy and a little sweet. 

Great as an appetizer, side dish or accoutrement to a meal!

Use this salad with my recipe, Shrimp Stacks:

Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

Preparation: 10 min

                  Cook Time:  0 min  Total Time: 10 min                       

Ingredients

        

          1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

          2 tbsp rice vinegar

          3 tbsp sesame oil

          1 tsp soy sauce

          1/2 tbsp honey or sugar

          1 tsp sesame seeds

          1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

        

          1. Slice cucumber into discs and then quarter the slices. Toss the cucumber in salt and then drain them 

               using a colander under cold water. 

          2. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl until well blended. I allow my vinegar to break down the  

             sugar/honey before I add the other ingredients (2-3 minutes).

         3.  Add the cucumbers into the mixture and toss until well coated. Serve immediately or make ahead of 

            time and refrigerate.

     

Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad

I have been having a huge asian food craving recently. I'm blaming it on my withdrawals from our favorite Chinese/Japanese fusion restaurant. When we moved to the 'burbs, we left behind some fantastic go-to restaurants. This place had it all - ambience, great service, large portions and a low price. 

 I sat down to make a grocery list this week and decided to make every meal some variation of an asian-inspired dish. As a sort of follow up to my Meals Under $10 post, I thought this week's meals wouldn't hurt the bank considering they use several of the same ingredients. Don't you hate it when you buy a special sauce for a meal and then it sits in your pantry until it expires? No, no, not this week...you can keep it on the countertop.

 My favorite asian dressing from the grocery store is usually a ginger salad dressing. Ginger dressing just seemed too heavy for this dish so I decided to make my own. Mu dressing recipe for this salad is light, savory, and really makes all of the ingredients pop. Don't worry - it is super quick and simple to make...and don't forget about bragging rights. 

Even better, it will keep for about 2-3 weeks in your fridge. { happy dance! }

For a satisfying crunch I decided to add some cashews and crushed ramen noodles. A little bit of butter and a toss in the skillet makes these two the stars of the salad. 

I tailored this salad to keep it healthy and satisfying with a little bit of everything. Crunchy, soft, sweet, salty - this bad boy packs it all. 

I think this dish is a great start to our asian-fusion recipe week. Hopefully you won't be tired of asian food by mid-week. I think I have enough ideas up my sleeve to keep you coming back for more. Enjoy!

Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad

Preparation: 10 min

                  Cook Time: 15 min  Total Time: 25 min                       

Ingredients

        

          Dressing:

          2 tbsp white vinegar

          5 tbsp sugar

          4 tsp soy sauce

          1 tsp garlic powder

          1 ramen seasoning packet (chicken flavored)

           2/3 cup vegetable oil

           1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

           Salt & pepper to taste

          

          Salad:

          1 bag of garden mix salad (or iceberg lettuce)

          1/4 bag of coleslaw (the stringy kind)

          1/4 cup chopped green onion

          1/8 cup chopped cashews

           1-2 tbsp butter

           1/2 block of ramen (I use the chicken flavored)

            Cooked chicken breast

            Edamame (optional)

Instructions

        

          Dressing:

           In a bowl or glass measuring cup, add sugar and vinegar. Allow the vinegar to break down the sugar     

           until it is dissolved, stirring occasionally (about 2-3 minutes). Once the sugar is dissolved, add the 

           rest of the ingredients and whisk with a fork. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

          Salad:

          (I cooked my chicken ahead of time with a small amount of soy sauce and some olive oil in the skillet and 

           cut them into strips. Then set aside to allow to cool.)

           

           Blend the salad mix with the coleslaw in a large bowl. Set aside. With the ramen still in it's 

           packaging, break up the noodles by hitting it with a rolling pin or large spoon. In a large skillet, melt the 

           butter  over medium heat and add half of your container of ramen and chopped cashews. Bring the 

           temperature down to medium-low heat and stir occasionally, making sure that no pieces of the ramen 

           burn. Once they are golden brown remove from heat and place in a bowl to allow them to cool.

           Add your chicken, crunchy mixture, chopped green onion, and edamame to your salad mixture. 

           Top the salad with the homemade dressing and toss.