Food For Thought Thursdays: Grilled Jerk Chicken

You know how food/smell can transport you to a different place and time? Well, I'd love to be magically transported to the Caribbean, I won't even be choosy as to which island, while preparing this Jerk Chicken recipe. Maybe I can twist my brother's arm into firing up the grill this weekend. Happy cooking!

INGREDIENTS - JERK MARINADE:
3 scallions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 to 5 fresh Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, stemmed and seeded
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
INGREDIENTS - CHICKEN
4 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (3 lb), halved crosswise
2 1/2 to 3 lb chicken thighs and drumsticks

A Bride For All Seasons & Atlanta Re-cap

Happy Tuesday, Everyone! So I made it back from Atlanta safe and sound in one piece. I had such a good time on my trip. This visit to Hotlanta was part business and part pleasure as I was scouting locations for a destination wedding as well as celebrating my birthday. We had the opportunity to tour some of the most beautiful venues in the city; The InterContinental Buckhead, Biltmore Ballrooms, Peachtree Club and the Four Seasons. We also paid a visit to the studio of the hit wedding tv show Get Married. I'm a huge fan of the show (and it's new host, Colin Cowie). The Four Seasons produced a bridal show, A Bride for all Seasons and it turned out beautifully! I met one of my favorite photographers on the planet, Ross Oscar Knight and his wife/partner Brandy. I promised I would stop stalking their blog anonymously and sign my comments;) There is no one better than Ross to capture your special moments. (And yes, I'll be interviewing him very soon!)
The Spring Table
Aren't the flowers so fresh and capture the feeling of Spring beautifully?
Love this chair treatment
One of my upcoming weddings will have a chuppah and I'm still working out the design details. This one was breath-taking, you should have seen it in person.
I can just imagine it at an outdoor evening wedding. The fabric billowing in the gentle night breeze...heaven.
The hanging lanterns look so dreamy.
I so think I could make this! It's all about the fabric choice.
The gorgeous Brandy Knight of Ross Oscar Knight photography
The fab Eliana of By Your Side Events Dana and I on the Get Married stage, watch out Colin and DeAnna!

Looking Ahead

On this historic Inaugural Tuesday, no matter your political lane, I encourage everyone to look ahead. Ahead to the renewed possibilities of our country and the world, our immediate communities and families and the hard work necessary to make that vision become a reality.

In Rememberance

Martin Luther King, Jr had an incredible dream and vision for our country, what's yours?

Friday's Escape: Hayman Island

It's about 15 degrees here in Richmond and while I love the winter, I could use a little warm weather daydreaming. A perfect ultra-extarvagant honeymoon: Hayman, a beautiful private island in the Great Barrier Reef called to me like the sirens did Homer. From the island's site:

"Hayman is a magnificent private island resort, nestled amid a lush tropical paradise in the breathtaking Great Barrier Reef. Beautifully appointed rooms, suites, penthouses and a villa overlook gardens, pools, ponds, beach and the Coral Sea. Hayman offers privacy, tranquility, natural beauty, adventure, luxury, international dining and exciting resort and reef activities." Sounds like perfection.

Food For Thought Thursdays: Giant Duck Salad

Just please don't tell Daffy;) Happy Eating!

Giant Duck Salad
Inspired by Le Relais Gascon

1 teaspoon Five Spice Powder
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 dried chipotle
1 duck leg (or try a breast, cooking time will vary)
2-3 medium waxy potatoes
1 head frisee and 2 heads endive (or substitute greens of your liking)
vegetables for salad: red peppers, cucumber, etc, sliced
vinaigrette (your favorite recipe)

1-2 hours before cooking, break chipotle in to three pieces or so in a small bowl. Pour a half cup of warm (not boiling) water over, let sit five minutes. Rub duck leg with Five Spice and garlic. Place in a sealable plastic bag, add orange juice, soy sauce, balsamic, and honey. Add chipotle with its soaking liquid, seal bag and shake a bit to mix ingredients and distribute the marinade. Marinate an hour or two, turning to coat the duck leg if you remember. Preheat oven to 350. Remove leg from marinade, let excess drip off. Heat an ovenproof skillet (I used cast iron) to low-medium heat, and place leg, skin side down, in it. No grease is needed since the duck will give off fat. Let brown for 10 minutes, then turn and cook five minutes more. Meanwhile, slice potatoes about 1/8" thick, leaving skin on. Add potatoes to pan when browning is complete, turn duck leg skin side down, move skillet to oven. Cook 40 minutes, flip potatoes and turn duck, then cook another 40 minutes or until duck is cooked. Meanwhile place salad and salad vegetables in a bowl, and make the vinagrette. When duck is cooked, let rest a minute. Remove skin and cut meat from the bone into small pieces. Add to salad and toss with vinagrette. Place crispy potatoes on top and serve.

If You Feed It, It Will Grow

In an effort to evolve into a better Dawn, I've been listening to Deepak Chopra's daily meditations. Each topic corresponds to the alphabet, N for Nurturing caught my attention today. Mr. Chopra spoke about opening up and nurturing your relationships. Telling the people you love and care about what they mean to you. Letting them know what is so very special about that person, acknowledging them. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I proceeded to send notes, alright text messages, to my inner circle. What I noticed is I felt good doing it! My mood instantly lifted, my heart became lighter and I laughed, out loud when I thought of each person reading their notes. And the thank-you's I received in turn, oh so worth it.

So whether you're newly engaged, married for 15 years, been best friends since 2nd grade or tortured by older brothers since birth, nurture those relationships. A little appreciation goes a long way!

That Golden Glow

When I saw Eva Mendes in this fabulous Christian Dior gown at the Golden Globes last night, I immediately thought how perfect it would be for a wedding. It's sculpted, feminine and exceedingly flattering...what every woman wants to be in her gown. For the newly engaged among us, Dior has provided the perfect gown-shopping-trip inspiration. Notice how the necklace highlights and draws attention to Eva's face. While you may not want to go as dramatic for your wedding (but then again, maybe you do), the idea is easily translatable. Enjoy the day!

Happy New Year!

2008 was an incredible year for me, both personally and professionally. I had the opportunity to meet some of the most brilliant people, learn new things (about this industry and myself), work with fabulous clients, create lasting memories with family and friends and reconnect with someone very special. All in all, I had a wonderful time and would not change a second of it. My wish for 2009? The same as it was for 2008, to experience continued growth, abundance and most importantly be grateful for everything and everyone along the way. Here's to an exciting and overflowing 2009!
Be blessed,