Tag Archives: wine

FRUIT COOLER and APPLE AND PEAR SANGRIA and SWEET TEA SPRITZER

29 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by in Cocktails, Recipes

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The friends we vacation with every summer on the houseboat are always willing to try a new cocktail – which I am thrilled about and appreciative of, as I love to find interesting recipes and mix, blend and stir them up to share.

FRUIT COOLER

fruit cooler

1 (10-ounce) box frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed

3 cups ice

1 cup blueberries

1 banana

1/2 cup vodka

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup cream of coconut

Puree strawberries in a blender until smooth. Add ice, blueberries, banana, vodka, pineapple juice and cream of coconut. Process until smooth. Pour into glasses.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, July 2007

www.southernliving.com/

APPLE AND PEAR SANGRIA

apple and pear sangria

2 (750ml) bottle Pinot Grigio

1 cup pear flavored vodka

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

sparkling wine

In a large pitcher, stir together Pinot Grigio, vodka, mint and apple slices. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. Pour into glasses and top with sparkling wine.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Entertain Celebrate Decorate magazine

www.celebratemag.com/

SWEET TEA SPRITZER

sweet tea spritzer

Stir together 2 cups cranberry juice, 1 cups sweet-tea flavored vodka, and 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice in a large pitcher. Stir in ice cubes. Pour into glasses and top with seltzer.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, June 2012

www.southernliving.com/

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PEANUT BUTTER PAISLEY BROWNIES

10 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by in bars and cookies, Recipes

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While mum was visiting, we thought it would be fun to conduct a blind tasting between a wine from America and one from France, after a dinner we had recently attended following the same format, celebrating the 1976 “Judgement of Paris”

Two wines were concealed within bags, and we sipped a sample of each in glasses side by side, with appetizers, dinner, and then while watching the movie “Bottle Shock”. We found it difficult to establish where the individual wines were produced, and each taste changed depending on whether it was with food, or taken by itself.

wrapped bottles for tasting

 

– the wrapped bottles before the blind tasting

Both were lovely, and once the bags were removed, it was determined that chocolate pairs very well with red wine, no matter the country of origin.

bottle shock tasting

– the wines revealed

PEANUT BUTTER PAISLEY BROWNIES

peanut butter paisley brownie

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter chips

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-by-13 inch pan.

Beat butter and peanut butter in a large bowl. Add sugar and brown sugar, beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix into peanut butter mixture, blending well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread batter in pan, spoon syrup over top and swirl with a knife for a marbled effect.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Hershey’s Kitchens

https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/en_us.html

 

 

SPARKLING POMEGRANATE PUNCH

24 Friday Jun 2016

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I met friends at our neighborhood park for a Friday afternoon yoga class, with cocktails and a catch up afterwards.

yoga in the park

SPARKLING POMEGRANATE PUNCH

yoga with tracy1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1 bottle sparkling wine

1/2 cup sweet wine such as Riesling

2 blood oranges, thinly sliced

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

In a punch bowl, gently mix the pomegranate juice, sparkling wine and sweet wine, then add the orange slices and diced pineapple (I mixed the cocktails in individual glasses, so the proportions may have been a little different). Serve over ice cubes.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, November 2009

www.foodandwine.com/

 

PORK AND BEEF BOLOGNESE

04 Monday Jan 2016

Posted by in Beef

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Hearty and warming – perfect for a chilly winters evening!!

PORK AND BEEF BOLOGNESE

beef and pork bolognese

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground beef

2 pounds ground pork

2 onions, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 cup red wine

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 pound cooked pasta

parmesan cheese

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan, swirl to coat. Add beef and pork, cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.

Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add carrot and celery, cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes (draining 1 can), wine, oregano, salt, pepper and bay leaves, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves and discard. Stir in chopped parsley and 1/4 cup chopped basil.

Serve bolognese sauce over pasta, top with shaved parmesan and remaining chopped basil.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, December 2015

www.cookinglight.com/

 

POMEGRANATE ROSEMARY SPARKLING COCKTAIL

27 Friday Nov 2015

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We continued our treasured and warmly anticipated tradition of gathering with family during the Thanksgiving week, packing two cars this year as my husband wanted to take his four wheel drive off-roading in the surrounding forests. I shopped for groceries before we left town, and as always, packed sharp knives, and the ingredients and kitchen tools needed for the various recipes I planned to make. However, tradition also dictates that things get left behind and forgotten, and additional ingredients are always needed as recipes invariably change. Once settled, my Sister-in-Law was making the drive to the nearest well-stocked supermarket and graciously and generously offered to pick up anything needed – which for us included champagne flutes for that evenings cocktail.

POMEGRANATE ROSEMARY SPARKLING COCKTAIL

pomegranate rosemary sparkling cocktail

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

sparkling wine

Combine 1/4 cup water and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add rosemary, let stand 30 minutes to an hour. Remove rosemary.

Pour 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice and 1 tablespoon of rosemary syrup into champagne flutes. Top each serving with sparkling wine.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Freixenet

www.freixenetusa.com/

TOMATO, PROSCIUTTO AND GRUYERE SANDWICHES

03 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by in burgers and sandwiches, Recipes

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I have passed by this recipe for Tomato, Prosciutto and Gruyere Sandwiches many times – each time thinking how wonderfully delicious it would be

I finally assembled the ingredients and prepared the sandwiches for my Mum and Aunt for lunch out on the back porch one warm and lovely day. A delightful bite in an otherwise wonderfully ordinary, uneventful day.

TOMATO, PROSCIUTTO AND GRUYERE SANDWICHES

tomato prosciutto and gruyere sandwich

four slices of bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon white wine

1/2 teaspoon kirsch

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, oven roasted

1 tomato, thinly sliced

salt

1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced

freshly ground black pepper

sweet paprika

Heat oven to 400F. Brush the bread slices on both sides with the olive oil and transfer to a baking sheet. Toast for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp but sill soft inside. Rub the toast on one side with the garlic. In a small bowl, combine the white wine and kirsch and sprinkle lightly over the garlic-rubbed sides of the toast. Top with the roasted prosciutto and tomato and season lightly with salt. Top with the cheese.

Heat the broiler. Broil the sandwiches as close to the heat as possible for about 3 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika and serve hot.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, July 2009

www.foodandwine.com/

ROAST CHICKEN

17 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Chicken, Recipes

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A beautifully seasoned, aromatic roasted chicken.

ROAST CHICKEN

roast chicken

Heat oven to 450F. Season a whole chicken with salt and pepper. Rub a mixture of 1 stick of room temperature butter, chopped capers and fresh oregano, on and under the skin. Stuff the chicken with a mixture of chopped celery, carrots and onions, place chicken in roasting pan. Mix together chicken broth, honey and wine and pour in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast for an hour, or until a thermometer registers 155F to 160F, occasionally spooning the liquid over the chicken while it cooks. Remove chicken from oven, let sit uncovered for 10 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

www.rachaelray.com/

CREAMED CORN and NAUGHTY CREAMED CORN

14 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Vegetables

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My daughter loves creamed corn, and would eat it straight from the can if allowed – so with the abundance of fresh corn this time of year, I thought I would attempt to recreate one of her favorite dishes. However, she has become accustomed to the canned kind and kindly let me know that she preferred the typical, familiar sort, straight from the can.

CREAMED CORN

creamed corn

3 ears fresh corn, husked and cooked

1/4 to 1/2 cup cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt and pepper

minced chives

Cut kernels from cobs. Place in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until warmed through, about 5 minutes (add water as needed, to prevent corn drying out). Stir in cream and butter, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until mixture reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, June 2014

www.southernliving.com/

NAUGHTY CREAMED CORN

naughty creamed corn

3 tablespoons shallots, diced

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup cream

2 cups fresh corn kernels

dash of salt

Melt butter in saute pan on medium heat. Saute shallots until translucent. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add corn, cream, and cream cheese, season with salt. Reduce and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Hive

www.thehivebentonville.com/

SALMON WITH MASHED PEAS AND TARRAGON BUTTER

27 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by in Fish, Recipes

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After spending an afternoon in the garden planting herbs, I had three small, adorable rosemary plants left over. They looked so pretty, I decided to put them in pots on the back porch to enhance our tablescape.

back deck table

I cleaned off the outdoor furniture and dusted off the pillows and we sat down that evening to a wonderful spring dinner of Salmon with Mashed Peas and Tarragon Butter. Since then, we have been out on the back porch as much as possible, for every conceivable meal and occasion, whether enjoying a cup of coffee and reading the paper in the morning, entertaining friends or having a glass of wine before dinner.

SALMON WITH MASHED PEAS AND TARRAGON BUTTER

salmon with mashed peas and tarragon buter

12 ounces to 1 pound of frozen peas

7 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, plus 6 tablespoons cubed

1/2 cup cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup white wine

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

4 6-ounce salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the peas until tender, 3 to 4 minutes, drain. In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the cream. Add the peas and mash with a potato masher until chunky. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat oven to 400F.

In a small saucepan, simmer the wine with the lemon juice over moderate heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, one cube at a time, until the sauce is thickened. Whisk in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and keep warm.

Rub the salmon with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven until browned and just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Spoon the mashed peas onto plates and top with the salmon. Spoon the tarragon butter sauce around the peas and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, April 2014

www.foodandwine.com/

CHICKEN MODIGA

20 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by in Chicken, Recipes

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While on a trip to Colombia, Missouri (https://recipedoodle.com/2015/05/19/travel-tuesday-columbia-missouri-2/) I tried provel cheese for the very first time. Then, while shopping at the local supermarket, which is something we like to do when in a different town, I saw the provel in packets and was excited to bring some home.

This white processed cheese, was invented 50 years ago, and although popular in the St Louis area, particularly on pizza, it is rarely used other places, which made the cooking experience even more adventurous and fun.

CHICKEN MODIGA

chicken modiga

3/4 cup butter, divided

2 tablespoons flour

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 cup bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

2 tablespoons chopped proscuitto

juice of half a lemon

1/4 cup white wine

8 ounces shredded provel cheese

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a sauce pan, set aside. Cut remaining 1/2 cup butter in half. Put butter and flour in mixing bowl. Mash with fork to make a creamy mixture. Set aside. Cut each chicken breast in half, to make 4 pieces of chicken. Dredge each piece in bread crumbs and drizzle with reserved melted butter.

Broil chicken about 5 to 10 minutes each side, or until fully cooked. Set aside. Bring chicken stock to a boil in large ovenproof skillet. Add reserved butter flour mixture to stock. Bring to a boil, stirring until mixture is thickened. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add mushrooms, proscuitto, lemon juice and wine. Let simmer about 5 minutes. Place chicken pieces in sauce, top with equal amounts of cheese. Place in 350F oven just until cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to plates, spoon mushrooms and proscuitto over chicken, pour sauce over top.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooks.com

www.cooks.com › Recipes › Main Dishes