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Night with the girls:

If ever there was an opportunity to introduce your weapons-shy girlfriends to the fine art of firepower, tonight is the night. Call up your girls and let them know that this will be a Valentine’s Day they won’t soon forget. Inform them that you’re on your way to an oasis of gunpowder and lead and they absolutely must attend. If they resist, throw in a mani/pedi for their trouble. Trust me, they’ll be thanking you for the introduction to their new favorite past time, not to mention the new men in their lives… Otis, Leupold, Winchester and Glock (he’s Austrian). After this night is over, they’ll be more relaxed and invigorated than if they had just sweated it out in a marathon session of Power Yoga. And for the record, the opportunity for flirting skyrockets at testosterone-filled locales such as the firing range, so make sure your sisters in arms get all dolled up for this particular shooting lesson.

Night with your honey:

For those of you who do have a significant other with whom to share a little romance, why not heat things up with a fully automatic firearm? …assuming you are in a state that allows such weapons, of course.  Ask your man to “teach you how” (as if you didn’t already know) to shoot such a hefty new gun.  It will be like the pottery scene from Ghost, only with projectiles and steel instead of clay.  As the bullets fly, so will the sparks between you and you mister.

Another idea- Tell your guy that carving your initials in a tree is sweet, but you know what’s cool? Shooting your initials in a target. This feat will likely require a scope and a bipod, but if y’all can pull it off, it will be a treasured memory for years to come. Plus it gets you all sorts of bragging rights among your firearm friends. Including me.

Spending it alone:

If you’re longing to escape all the lovey dovey couples (barf) to whom this day technically belongs, it’s a pretty good bet that you’ll be safe from them at the gun range. Unless, of course, they’ve read this post. Rather than sequestering yourself in your room with a copy of Pride and Prejudice or spending the evening on a double date with Ben and Jerry, why not head out for a night on the town with two more active and less calorically cruel gents… preferably a pair of bachelors by the name of Smith & Wesson? Again, the male/female ratio swings largely in your favor at any gun store or firing range. If you happen to be in the market at the moment, I say take advantage of these locations, sister! You never know when a flirt fest will begin between yourself and that lonely 6-foot-4 Clooney clone in the next lane.  Once you squeeze off a few rounds rather than drowning your sorrows in ice cream, you’ll feel like the fabulous femme that you are. Don’t be surprised if out of the corner of your eye you watch all those boys behind you pick their jaws up off the floor when you turn around to reload.  But then again, that’s just another day at the range for you, isn’t it? You gun toting minx, you.

Clooney Clone!

Send me reports on how you spend your V-Day at the range. I heart you very much! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Looking to start the New Year with a bang? Take a cue from the fine folks in Savannah, Georgia, who have been whipping up a notorious champagne cocktail known as Chatham Artillery Punch since, some say, the colonial period. The punch, originally concocted by Georgia’s oldest military unit, the Chatham Artillery, was mixed in large horse buckets and served at celebrations, including a presidential visit from James Monroe in 1819. With a recipe that calls for a mix of champagne, rum, brandy, and bourbon, it’s no wonder the punch has been called a “suave and deceitful brew.”

Over the years, many variations and additions have been made to the drink, but Damon Lee Fowler, author of the Savannah Cookbook, has put together a recipe that’s very close to the original (no horse bucket required). But be warned, Fowler says that the “innocent tasting but lethal” Chatham Artillery Punch has some morning-after recoil. Best cook up a batch of Hoppin’ John and collard greens.

Chatham Artillery Punch
Makes 25 servings

2 ounces of green tea leaves
4 large lemons
1/2 pound turbinado or light brown sugar
1 quart dark rum
1 quart brandy
1 quart rye or bourbon whiskey
3 bottles champagne

1. Soak the tea leaves 8 hours or overnight in a quart of cold water. Strain the liquid from the leaves into a large container that will hold all the spirits (use wooden, porcelain, or glass; do not use plastic or metal). Juice 3 lemons through a strainer into the tea and add the sugar, stirring until it is dissolved.

2. Stir in the rum, brandy, and whiskey, cover, and let stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours or for up to a week. It’s pretty well indestructible at this point.

3. When ready to serve the punch, thinly slice 1 lemon. To serve the punch, allow 6 cups of the base for every bottle of champagne. First pour the brew over an ice ring or large block of ice in a punch bowl. Add the sliced lemon and swirl in the champagne, being careful not to disturb its effervescence. Serve with caution.

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We’ve scoured the shelves and have a few recommendations for you.

First and foremost, every gun lover should to keep a firearm close to her heart. What better way to do so than with the “Sig Necklace” from Addie Mia, who has been our favorite independent jewelry company since they were featured on The Bachelor Wedding Special on ABC. (Ok… and Natalie just happens to design the pieces. )

Next, check in with our friend Regis Giles over at GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns.com for some loot that Regis herself has created, not to mention the fine posts she writes which are often featured in the NRA’s junior magazine. Pick up a mug or two as a stocking stuffer and while you’re at it, grab a t-shirt for yourself!

Speaking of mugs- if you or your gun loving gal pal needs a beverage utensil or two, these are handy little novelty gifts that double as quick conversation starters. The trigger-handle mug from Trendhunter.com is definitely on our wish list, as is the liquor “shot” dispenser.

For our tech-savvy friends, we have the Uzi USB drive seen at Gizmodo.com:

Got a green thumb on your Christmas list? Why not plant a pistol from treehugger.com?

And don’t we all need a hairdryer that doubles as a self defense weapon from geekologie.com:

For the Fashionistas among us, all hail the Prada rifle at Apparelalamode. Though not for sale, it sure is fun to admire:

Pretty, right?

And again, for the gun-totin’ gal who cares about her manicure, these Chanel shades should also fit nicely in a stocking, don’t you agree?

Just in case Christmas finds you in the market for a new mailbox (because who isn’t from time to time) we’ve found the perfect fit for the skeet and trap shooters and hunters among us over at thisnext.com:

Got any ingenious firearm related Christmas/New Years/Other random holiday gift ideas? Let us know in the comments section below. And have a very Merry Christmas from all of us at Girl’s Guide to Guns!

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My name is Julie and I am addicted to pho.  I could eat it every day.  For those of you who haven’t had it, pho is a Vietnamese rice noodle soup.   There are lots of variations but my favorite is a beef broth version with a shavings of sirloin.  So, I know what you’re thinking.  Beef noodle soup?  She’s a beef noodle soup junkie?  Ah, but there is so much more to it than that!  Pho is to the Vietnamese like a secret marinara sauce is to an Italian family.  Recipes are guarded and competition is fierce among pho restaurants.

Living in northeastern Montana does not allow me to fulfill my pho cravings unless of course I make it. Even then I don’t have all the necessary ingredients or time to make authentic pho.  Still, I’ve been on a mission to make the best faux pho I can with what I happen to have quite a bit of — venison!  This week I made my best bowl EVER with pronghorn steak!  Here’s the recipe…

Broth:
In a large pot add 2, 32 oz cartons of 98% fat free beef broth.  To give it that authentic flavor add 4 star anise “stars”, 1 inch of ginger root, sliced thinly and 1 packet of Gia Vi Nau Pho spice.  You can find the spice at Amazon. A bit of advice on these packets – DO NOT OPEN.  I learned this the hard way and had some gritty soup the first time.  I have found I get enough flavor if I just drop it in as is.  Cover and cook on high. When it boils, drop the heat down so that it’s still very hot but not at a full on boil.

Rice Noodles:
I like to cook these while the broth is heating.  I use the flat, fat ones that look like fettuccini.  You can find them in Asian grocery stores or if you are super lucky your local store has them.  I have also used ramen noodles when desperate but this is NOT ideal.  The directions on the package for the noodles are pretty simple.  When finished just strain out the water and let sit.

Garnishes:
Chop up a bunch of fresh cilantro.  Mint and Asian basil are often common as pho garnishes, but I can never get them at my grocery store so it’s cilantro for me.  Next chop some green onions.  Red onions also work well but be sure to slice thinly if you use these.  Quarter a lime and then set all this aside.  If you can get fresh bean sprouts (rare for me) I suggest washing/rinsing a pile and placing them on a plate with the limes.

Meat:
Once the veggies are done it’s time to slice the meat.  The goal is to slice it as thinly as possible so that it cooks in the broth upon first contact.  Due to the high protein content, venison is most tender when it’s cooked hot and fast which is one of the reasons I really like it in pho.  How thin is thin? Paper is ideal but nothing over 1/16 of an inch.

Plating:
This recipe makes 2 large bowls (think medium size mixing bowls) or 4 appetizer size servings.  Divide rice noodles and place at the bottom of each bowl.  Next in the bowls, distribute the cilantro and onions.  The meat goes on top of all this.  I like to spread the meat out so that it all cooks evenly upon instant contact with the broth.  Finally take a soup ladle and add very hot broth (key word: VERY) to each bowl.  Fill with enough broth to cover the meat to fully cook it.

Personalizing your pho:
Bean sprouts, limes to fresh squeeze and additional herbs like mint and Asian basil are common add ins.  Putting these on a plate in the middle of the table allows everyone to make a bowl of pho just the way they like it.  Oh, and don’t for get the Sriracha!

Enjoy!

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