Gruyeres: Cheese, Castle, Chocolate

Sunday in Switzerland we went on a day excursion up to the town of Gruyères. Our aims were threefold (and delicious):

 

1) Visit the Gruyère cheese factory

2) Visit the Castle at Gruyères

3) Visit the Cailler chocolate factory

 

We all piled into David and Callie's car and got on our way.  Besides Friday (when they picked us up at the airport) I hadn't been in a car for a long time!  It was kind of nice.

 

I also experienced something else that I hadn't seen in awhile.

 

 

Snow.

 

 

I can't say I've really missed it.  All in one day, we experienced sun, rain, snow, sleet and hail.  Just like home!  Except I was in Switzerland.

 

No worries, though!  We still had a good time.

 

 

Stop 1: La Maison du Gruyère

 

 

First, I would like to point out that the name of the town/region, Gruyères, ends with an "s." The name of the cheese, Gruyère,  does not.  They are pronounced the same way, and the cheese is named after the town (or region), but I still am not sure about the reason behind the spelling discrepancy.

 

 

 

Mindy's Chicken and Noodles

If you're trying to "eat clean"...just walk on by.

If you're wanting to cook from scratch, this is not the recipe you're looking for.

If you have high blood pressure, kidney problems, or are limited your sodium intake for any other reason, read no further, and come back another day when I am back to gardening.

If you're looking for a super-yummy, comforting, easy, short-cut meal...WELCOME!

My roommate office mate, Mindy, made my day a few weeks ago by bringing me a bit of her leftover chicken and noodles.  Total.  Bliss.  To make matters worse better, she told me how to make them.  So I did.  And now I am spreading the joy to your home.

A few of my favorite things

Can you see what this is?  Probably not... let's zoom in a little closer.

Chicken Bistro

I feel strongly about many, many things.  I will spare you the full list (for now) and only mention one belief I hold to strongly.

Miracle Whip is from the devil.

That "tangy zip" is one of the most offensive tastes attached to something that is allegedly edible.

Macaroni & Cheese

As I read and follow other blogs, I often feel inadequate.  How is everyone else's life so picture-perfect and cute?  How do they find the time to do all of that crafting, decorating, and cooking while taking awesome pictures of the whole process and then find the time to blog about it?!  Satan has somehow snuck the idea into my mind that in addition to having a clean, perfectly and stylishly decorated home, cooking fabulous (yet nutritionally balanced) meals, as well as doing my best to look attractive myself, being wifish also requires me to be an excellent blogger as well.  I am fighting this lie, and God continues to remind me that He wants me to be me, not someone else.