The Greenbrier Gun Club

On Saturday morning during our Greenbrier Birthday Weekend, Katie and I headed to the mountains and shot some guns. Girls Gun Club went on the road while the guys went on a history tour of the hotel. How cute is that? 

Katie and I chose to shoot on the sporting clay course vs. skeet shooting. Sporting clays, as you may remember from the 2016 original GGC, are basically like golf with guns. You walk to each trap, get 25 shots total for the whole course, and go to five traps. We were the ONLY TWO PEOPLE ON THE WHOLE COURSE. It was amazing and we love, love, loved our instructor Jimmy Fraley. I can't even begin to explain the difference between the Greenbrier Gun Club and the Point at Pintail, but you know I'm going to try. Bear with me. You know by now that you need a passport to get through these posts. 

Jimmy set us up, reviewing the safety rules and going over the basics with us. Katie and I were both outfitted with our own guns, to carry, and practice gun safety from the get go. Truly, it changed everything. We loaded our own guns, emptied our own guns, and opened the guns when we walked to each trap, practicing gun safety at each step. It made me so much more confident around the guns to be honest. In 2016 our instructor had one gun for five women, loaded the gun each time which felt vastly different than this noble time in West Virginia. 

Katie hadn't shot since she was in camp. I hadn't been since 2016. 

Jimmy was really proud of Katie's stance and wanted me to make sure I got a video of her shots. 

He was a patient coach.

He also was hilarious, in his Jimmy'isms. I can't remember ever laughing so much in a two hour period. Re-watching some of these videos has me cracking up. He warned if the clay was a bear, we'd have problems...because we missed. He poked fun in the most delightful way. But he did not in any way baby us, because we were women. Even more than my first experience, he really trusted us. It was awesome.

Jimmy and I bonded over our arthritic matching fingers!

And it was colder than you know what. He was also proud that we didn't complain how chilly it was. We were also taught how to catch the shells against our torso. One day I'll get good at catching them mid-air, like Olympians.

photo credit

We used a 20 gauge Beretta, over under, which I think is called a Silver Pigeon. Katie made a great point that there really should be a candle made to smell like gun powder. 

I got 16 out of 25. And this time I shot two double traps. I was so proud I texted my uncle and cousins to brag. And had to tell my Girls Gun Club travel buddies on a group text.

This is a video of one of my double traps. 

Jimmy was our biggest cheerleader.

Back at the lodge, the fire was blazing and our favorite Garden & Gun magazine with the southern women feature, was on the table. Alcohol is not allowed before shooting, for obvious reasons, but I really should have brought my flask to warm up afterwards. We were wind burned for an hour after, and it was the kind of cold that keeps your legs red for a few hours too. Snuggling up by the fire was such a treat after the chilly morning. 

If this is your jam, follow my Girls Gun Club board on Pinterest. One of my dreams is to start a destination travel company for women who like to shoot, love art, cooking, artisan flours, local flowers and studing history. Can you imagine touring Ireland or Scotland, then settling in for the night in a black tie gown for dinner, a la Monarch of the Glen? Getting an artist to speak about working with the First Lady? Arranging flowers in the morning, and using house milled flours in the afternoon to bake bread? A girl can dream right? 

For those who want more inspiring stories about women, go to Second Life. I just found this podcast and have been binge listening to it on my way to work. I started with Kerry Diamond, Ellen Bennett, and Nancy Silverton. 

Thank you so much Greenbrier Gun Club for taking such good care of us. Seriously, it was such a good time. Being with friends and feeling empowered by something you enjoy is such a simple pleasure. I called the Greenbrier to get the names to thank the great staff. The precious woman Kim, who answered the phone was delightful. She said, "Oh Jimmy Fraley? He and I were in the same home room." Jim Thomas was the manager of the gun club and was also quick to respond to my questions about what kind of guns and bullets we were shooting. Jimmy, we can't thank you enough for treating us like competitive Olympic champions. Can't wait to come back again.

Valentine's Day African Ground Nut Stew

This is how much I love my Charlie. I researched lots of African Ground Nut Soups and came up with a recipe that would be perfect for us on Valentine's Day. I was inspired by Carla Hall's win at the US Open Top Chef "match". I skipped her bay leaves, parsley, lime and bean things but think a little lime at the end would be awesome too.

African Ground Nut Soup

• 2 Tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 large yellow onion
• 3 large fingers of Ginger, about two inches each, peeled and minced
• 8 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 3 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch chunks
• 1 1/2 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 1 cup fresh peanut butter, no sugar (I got ours from Whole Foods)
• 1 Tablespoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and black pepper 
• fresh cilantro, garnish
• roasted peanuts, garnish

I truly think the ingredients made all the difference in this soup. Start with roasting raw peanuts. I got these in the bulk section of Whole Foods. This is about two cups. I used the whole nut as a garnish. The homemade peanut butter sans sugar at Whole Foods is also perfect for this dish.

The peanuts will burn in a second if you aren't careful. I took a silicone spatula and pressed down on the cooked nuts to remove the skins. Set aside to cool.

We love a ton of ginger here at Stone Hill. It simply is the star of this recipe. Use a teaspoon to peel ginger. It is easier than the peeler and you don't loose the nibs and knuckles of this delightful root.

I love a good mise en place and always try to get my non-crying items chopped before I dive into the onion and garlic chopping.

Saute the onion and garlic in the peanut oil. Add the ginger once the onion is translucent. Use your Valentine's Day spatula to stir. See the little hearts? I've had this baby so long and I can't remember if it was McCall or Kristen who gave it to me when I was a singleton. They probably both gave it to me. Kristen gave me the best heart shaped cupcake pan one year. And these California divas even gave me lingerie another year! God bless the best friends who love you enough to give you lingerie when you are alone and single. Thank you sweet girls. 

Add the chopped and peeled sweet potatoes and the vegetable stock. One box of the Kitchen Basics green box worked perfectly.

Use one full can of diced or crushed tomatoes. I used a half can extra and stored my remaining tomatoes in this awesome Ball Jar with fridge lid. These lids are so useful for leftovers. I have to give credit for the find to Darby over at Fly Through Our Window. We gave our family left over gravy in these babies at Thanksgiving.

Add a cup of peanut butter. This was thick as all get out. Mix it well.

Add your spices.

Simmer for 60 minutes on the stove covered. 

Empty your dishwasher during your hour and think of Darby who made this beautiful dish mat for the counter. It's for the wet stuff that never dries all the way. I seriously felt like I won the lottery buying this at o'dark thirty on New Year's Eve after a glass of wine and E. fast asleep on the sofa. I love how joyful it is and wish I had a fabric store in Baltimore with way cool patterns. Baltimore friends, can you help me find an awesome fabric store up in these parts? The one on Falls is no bueno.

Check the soup after suggested cooking time and make sure the sweet potatoes are tender. I contemplated pureeing the soup. I think either way it would be good but I think the texture was better unpureed. 

E. said it was the best meal I've ever made him. That was worth ever bit of chopping for this excellent, spicy, romantic, adventurous soup. Maybe next year I'll add a few beets to make it bright red. 

I hopped over to Hampden to find a treat for my sweet man earlier that evening. Ma Petite Shoe was packed on Valentine's Day with men, women and children all sporting pink and red. It was a scene to behold in this tiny little shop on The Avenue. I even ran into a Stone Hiller.

Charlie got my favorite Mouth Party Salted Caramels.

He also got the deepest, darkest chocolate bars with sea salt and coffee, cayenne pepper and almonds.

He devoured the Salazon bar with sea salt and crushed coffee nibs.

He even shared his caramels with me. Such a sweet man!

To all my vegan pals out there, cheers! Please tell me how you like the recipe and if you would do anything differently. E. Lover, I'm sorry you've been so slammed sideways to Saturday at work. One of these days we'll get to enjoy that firewood and snuggle soon. I love you more than Sea Salted Caramels.