A Successful Birthday Celebration

I am speaking entirely for Ryan, but I would say he had a successful and happy, birthday celebration.  He received cards from family, and Macy too (thanks to my Mother's cleverness).  Co-workers were very sweet, and gave him gifts.

As the loving wife, I took it as a great labor of love (awww) and planned his surprise birthday dinner.  The fact we were going to eat dinner was not the surprise, but what we were eating, Ryan had no idea.

His birthday was on a Wednesday, so Tuesday I baked his favorite (recently promoted to favorite) cookie, Peanut butter, M&M, oatmeal cookies.  They were his work, birthday treats.

I sent Ryan off to work Wednesday with his cookies, and began my dinner preparations (after a trip to the gym, of course).

My planning and gathering of necessary ingredients began over a week prior to his birthday.  I have said many times before, but cooking in Russia is a sport, with many necessary game plans.  I had my game plan:

Determine Ryan's favorite meal? 

 Not an easy question to answer, the man loves many kinds of food, but I had to narrow it down to one choice.

Confirm decision was correct.

This was done during a dinner conversation, where Ryan and I were discussing our favorite food, favorite meal, favorite ethnic food, etc.

Collect necessary recipes.

Thank you internet, you make life grand.

Collect necessary ingredients.

Not so easy, but I did my best with what I could find.  All items from scratch, no shortcuts in Russia.

So you are probably wondering, what did I make for dinner?

Appetizer: Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce and Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Main Course: Vietnamese Chicken Pho (basically Vietnamese chicken soup)

Dessert: Jack Daniels Cupcakes

The meal idea came from one of Ryan's favorite lunch restaurants in Houston, not to mention he ate spring rolls and pho any chance he could while in Singapore.  The Jack Daniels, well, his signature drink, Jack and Diet. :)

One super cute, happy, hungry, birthday boy.

Birthday dinners were always a big thing, growing up.  On your birthday, you chose the restaurant the family would go to.  On a separate day, my Mother would prepare a home cooked birthday dinner, based on the birthday boy or girl's request.  I loved this tradition, and I wanted to continue.  The hours of prep, planning, and creating were worth it, to see Ryan's excitement.  

He has also made use of his birthday gifts.

The last time we were in Moscow, I went to Nespresso and bought their newer coffee cups.  Everyone knows Ryan is obsessed with his coffee, and Nespresso machine. :)  

Randomly, I found these cappuccino stencils.  Ryan was very sweet, and made a design on my coffee.  :)

Again, Happy Birthday, Love!