I've been so excited to blog about this event! You guys... I can't even. This was so fun for me, and I'm glad my friend, Jeff, asked me to be apart of his special day to celebrate three years with his wife, Emily! I also got to work with one of my best friends, Jen Buehrer, of Luna Dulce Photography who captured the event and took every single one of these photos in my post. I love Jeff and Emily, so this was a true honor!

​Back in February, Jeff asked me to help create a relaxing outdoor space that he and Emily could enjoy on their anniversary at their home. At first I was shocked because seriously... what guy plans such an elaborate event? How romantic! He asked for a bachelor-esque setup and he asked me to prepare the food. 

I wanted to keep things simple because... hello, that's just me ha. But, I wanted to keep it romantic and charming. Jeff and his friends setup beautiful twinkle lights around the trees in the backyard, and he also had a lounge area for them to relax in before dinner. We hung paper lanterns, sparkly paper garlands, and added lots of candles.

This is where Jeff and Emily enjoyed a charcuterie board made by yours truly before dinner.

After their apps, Jeff and Emily headed to the dining table. I LOVED that table. Jen brought it from her own home for us to use, and it was perfect. I added a rustic jute runner, added some votives for sparkle, and included a wedding day photo for a sweet touch. Jane at Smith's Flowers created the centerpiece, and Emily Potes created the beautiful menus. I served them a classic dinner salad with my homemade herbed ranch.

I served my paleo meatballs and zoodles as their main. I used local grass fed and finished beef from Greener Grass Farms and spiralized organic zucchini. I tossed it all in my homemade pesto and grass fed butter. Oh! I also served everything on their China! Ah! Emily... I adore your China. I really need my own set.

Jeff told me that they enjoy cheesecake, so I whipped up my gluten free cheesecake for them. I used gluten free graham crackers with lots of butter as the crust. I used a TON of organic cream cheese and butter to make the filling. I topped the cake with paleo chocolate ganache. 

I think one of the sweetest gestures of the evening was when Jeff built an outdoor bed. YES. AN OUTDOOR BED! I had did not lay a finger on this setup because this was for Emily from Jeff. I giggled at the blankets that didn't match the rest of the setup, but Jeff's touch was needed here! :)

Thank you, Jeff and Emily, for letting me be apart of your day! And, thank you for trusting me, Jeff. I really enjoyed this event, and would love to do similar events like this in the future! Things like this fill my heart! Thanks to Jen who was my my sidekick all evening. We make an awesome team. And your photos are always a treat. 

Happy anniversary, Jeff and Emily! <3 I think this turned out beautifully!

Hello! How are you guys? I've been a little MIA from this space because... life. But, today I'm back in the kitchen and I'm cooking one of my favorites - country style ribs. Country style ribs. These are a super meaty cut of ribs. When Matt and I were first married he talked about these country style ribs he ate while growing up. The ribs were covered in onions and a ketchup, vinegar sauce. Today, I'm making you a paleofied version with flavor and simple goodness. Perfect for a Sunday dinner!

INGREDIENTS

• ​4-5 pounds Greener Grass Farms country style ribs
• Paleo ketchup
  • Fresh tomatoes, or canned tomato sauce - about 3 cups
  • Butter or coconut oil to saute onions and garlic - about 1-2 tablespoons 
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup organic white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup organic white vinegar - you may need more
• 2-4 onions, depending on how much onion you love. I love all the onion!
• everyday seasoning (your preference): salt, pepper, onion, garlic

METHOD

• If you don't have a smoker, you can skip this step, but I personally love all smoked meats and enjoy the extra flavor. Smoke the ribs for about 2-3 hours.
• Transfer the ribs to an oven safe pan and cover with raw, sliced onions. 
• Top the ribs and onions with the ketchup/vinegar sauce. I'd start with two cups of ketchup and a 1/2 cup of vinegar. 
• Finish baking the ribs at 225-250 degrees until they reach 200 degrees, or until tender - about 2-3 hours or longer if you did not smoke the ribs.
• Enjoy!