Whoa! (Broccoli Salad)

I live in Nashville! I just turned 30! This is my first post on my new blog!

Whoa!

It's been quite a week... starting with my decision to drive to Nashville rather than fly, as originally planned.  And let me tell you, driving to Nashville, TN from Santa Cruz, CA is no joke. Navigating that trip with two Rat Terriers is even less of a joke. Josie, the bigger of my two little dogs, was not so keen on a 5 day road trip. Normally car ride friendly, she had a little doggie melt down just before Bakersfield, CA. A mere 4 hours into our trip, mom and I had to stop at a veterinarian and Josie was prescribed a little something to take the edge off. Four additional hours into our trip, I considered dipping into her stash.

Precious cargo

When I informed my mother of my plans to drive across the country alone with my two little dogs, she offered her aid (ok, she insisted upon) being my escort. Having already had the time off from work, the timing couldn't have been better for her to tag along for the ride. Every mile marker we passed reminded me how grateful I was that she was with me.

We drove and drove, stopping to let the girls out every few hours. I quickly learned that while driving across this giant country you are certain to see more McDonald's than trees. I was prepared to leave the Pacific ocean behind, but I was not prepared for the sea of golden arches that wait in my future.

Miles from Santa Cruz to Nashville: 2268. Number of McDonald's you pass along the way: 2268.

Personally, I would rather eat a tree than anything from McDonald's so I was super stoked to take advantage of Urbanspoon, a website that lets you choose a city and tells you everything you want to know about the local restaurants: reviews, foodie blog posts, and recommendations from critics. We found that most of them were not far off the beaten path but would have never found them without help from Urbanspoon. Our cross country road trip was turning into quite the foodie adventure. This made me very happy.

 

We had breakfast at The Slate Street Cafe in Albuquerque, NM. Mom and I each had a mimosa with fresh squeezed OJ while we waited for our breakfast burrito which we ordered to-go. Back on the road, we shared a delicious burrito filled with fluffy farm fresh eggs, smokey bacon and green chilies.  

Waking up the following morning in Oklahoma City, I was tempted to forgo breakfast and just get out of there. Our experience trying to find a hotel the night before was less than pleasant. But, the Urbanspoon highly recommended a little place not far off the interstate called Big Truck Tacos. Redemption came in the form of a vegan spinach taco with black beans and avocado. The place was adorable, crawling with locals raving about the house-made chorizo and melody of sweet and spicy sauces. 

Day four of our road trip called for a little break. The dogs needed it and so did mom and I. It just so happens that my Grandfather lives in Mulberry, Arkansas and we were headed directly through there. We arrived in Mulberry late Friday afternoon. Grandpa and his wife, Sissy, were ecstatic to host the weary travelers. Sissy made a pot of Arkansas beans, potato salad, and generous potions of grilled rib-eye steak for dinner.

Grandpa made us omelets with ham and parmesan for breakfast. Turns out he is quite the cook!

The next morning, we said goodbye to Grandpa and got back on the road. Well rested and fed, we were ready for the final eight hour stretch to Nashville.

Mom and I pulled up to Monica and Ryan's house Saturday night just before 9pm. The exact time I would have arrived had I got on the plane in San Francisco that morning. Monica and Ryan greeted us with champagne and we spent the evening around the kitchen table sipping cocktails and chatting about our journey. As much as I was relieved to finally be there, I was saddened with the realization that my mom was leaving in two days. It was so hard saying goodbye to my friends in Santa Cruz, I didn't know how I was going to say goodbye to my mom.

But, I did. And now I'm here, in this big 'ole city, and I know it's exactly where I am supposed to be.

Press play and begin...

Before she left, mom made us her version of broccoli salad with raisins and bacon. It's one of my favorites! Monica and I have been eating it for days!

Broccoli Salad with Raisins and Bacon

  

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches broccoli, florets and stems, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 10 to 12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews 
•  Dressing:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation:

Combine salad ingredients; top with dressing mixture. Chill and serve.  

This salad can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the bacon. Also, you may use a full cup of yogurt in place of the mayonnaise to lighten the dressing.