DJW's Food, Wine & Fun

Meatball Stroganoff

2012-03-13T16:28:00.001-07:00

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
Salt and pepper for seasoning
21 spice blend (such as Mrs. Dash, no salt added) for seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups egg noodles (I used no yolk egg noodles)
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup white wine
2 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth/stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp course grain mustard
1/4 cup garlic, cooking cream (or sour cream)
1 tbsp minced cilantro
10 to 15 bacon meatballs (see previous blog entry - thawed if frozen)

Bring a large pot to boil for the noodles.

Drizzle oil in a large non-stick saute pan over med-high heat. Add onions, paprika, cayenne and season with salt, pepper and 21 seasoning blend for about 5 mins.

Add butter and melt completely. Add wine and simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated. Sprinkle flour over onions and stir in completely.

Stir in broth, add lemon juice, must and simmer until thick about 8 to 10 mins. Add meatballs and cook until heated through, reduce heat while cooking pasta.

Cook pasta according to pasta directions.

Add pasta to saute pan and increase heat to med-high and mix completely. Turn off heat. Plate pasta with meatballs on top and garnish with cilantro.

Wine pairing....Rose or Pinot Noir.

Bacon Meatballs

2012-03-11T17:21:00.001-07:00

All done...ready for snacking!

Resting....waiting for the freezer!

Packed with flavor and are great for appetizers or stay tuned for a couple of recipes to follow within the next week that will use these meatballs. They are delicious all by themselves too! They can be frozen to use at a later date since this makes a big batch.

1 lb bacon, diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup panko
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork (spicy if you want more of a kick)
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper for seasoning
21 seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash - no salt) for seasoning
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook bacon until fully cooked. Let rest on a paper towel.

Drain bacon fat until about 1/2 tsp is left in the pan. Drizzle pan with olive oil and heat over med-high heat. Add onion and season with salt, pepper, 21 seasoning blend and add parika. Saute for about 5 mins. Add garlic and saute until onion begins to carmelize. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, add beef, pork, cilantro, bread crumbs, panko and egg. Add onion mixture and mix all the ingrediants together until fully blended.

Roll small amount of meat mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a broiler pan. Once the broiler pan is full of meatballs, place in the oven and bake for 10 mins. Remove and flip meatballs and continue to cook for an additional 10 mins. Continue until you have made meatballs with all of the meat mixture.

Remove meatballs and place on a wire rack to cool. Once completely cooled you can place them in a freezer zip lock bag and freeze for future use.

If you use as a appetizer, serve warm and with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.

ENJOY!

Caesar Chicken Florentine

2012-03-09T15:11:00.001-08:00

I served this with sauteed fresh green beans. Got great reviews from the husband.

2 cups shredded paremsan cheese
2 cups caesar salad croutons, pulsed to a crumble in a food processor
1 cup of baby spinach
1 cup creamy caesar salad dressing
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast - slice a slit down the side of each one creating a pocket
1 cup of marinara sauce for garnish (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375.

In a large bowl combine 1 cup of cheese, 1 cup of crushed croutons, spinach and 1/2 cup of salad dressing. Fill chicken pockets with the cheese mixture.

Place remaining dressing and crushed croutons in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in dressing and then coat in croutons. Be careful to keep the pocket closed and stuffing from falling out.

Transfer to a greased baking disch and bake uncovered for 30 mins. Sprinkle with remaing cheese and continue to bake for 15 mins of until chicken is cooked completely through.

Serve with marinara sauce (optional) and ENJOY!

Wine pairing.....Pinot Noir or Pinto Grigio.

Broccolini and Sausage Risotto

2012-03-02T10:04:00.001-08:00

This is a hassle free risotto because you bake it in the oven.

3 tbsp unsalted butter
Olive oil
1 bunch of broccolini, roughly chopped
1 lb spicy or mild bulk italian sausage
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup white wine
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock/broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded parmesan
Salt and pepper for seasoning
21 seasoning blend (such as no-salt mrs. Dash)
Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 450.

Heat 1 tbsp of butter and drizzle with olive oin in a dutch oven (or oven safe dish that has a lid) over med-high heat. Add broccolini and season with salt, pepper, seasoning blend and italian seasoning. Saute until tender, about 5 mins. Stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add onion and carrot to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, seasoning blend and italian seasoning. Saute for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add sausage, break up meat to a crumble and cook until sausage is browned. Add rice and garlic and continue to saute for about another min.

Add wine and cook until evaporated, stirring occasionally. Add broth/stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until it is boiling. Turn off heat, cover with lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 25 mins or until rice is tender. You will want to check after the first 15 mins and give it a stir. If it needs more time, continue to bake. Mine needed about 25 mins total.

Once rice is tender, remove from oven (don't worry if risotto seems wet, it will thicken when you add the cheese and as it cools). Vigorously stir in remaining 2 tbsp of butter and cheese until full blended. Stir in broccolini. Serve in pasta bowls and ENJOY.

Calories are about 569 per serving (about 4 servings in this dish).

Wine pairing: this is great with a dry riesling or an italian white wine.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2012-02-27T16:47:00.001-08:00

You can purchase a rotisserie chicken from the store or you roast your own. I went the easy route and purchased a rotisserie chicken. If roasting your own, consider a rub spice mixture consisting of chili powder, cumin, garlic and salt and pepper. This soup would also be great with turkey too. An amazing soup for the day after Thanksgiving, something to keep in the back of your mind.

1 roasted/rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded (bones and skin discarded)
Olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper for seasoning
21 spice blend, such as mrs. Dash no-salt
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with chiles
6 cups chicken stock/broth (or vegetable)
Tortilla chips for garnish
Shredded pepper jack cheese for garnish
Cilantro, chopped for garnish
Avocado, sliced for garnish

Heat a large dutch oven (or sauce pot) over med-high heat. Drizzle with olive oil. Add onions and bell pepper. Season with salt, pepper an 21 seasoning blend. Saute, stirring ocassionally until soft. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin. Saute for about 5 mins, stirring ocassionally. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper and 21 seasoning. Continue to saute for about 5 mins, stirring ocassionally. Add tomatoes and broth/stock. Season with salt, pepper and 21 seasoning blend. Bring to a boil, stirring ocassionally. Once at a boil, turn off heat. Laddle soup into a soup bowl. Garnish with tortilla chips, cheese, avocado and cilantro. Serve and ENJOY!

Wine pairing....I say serve it with a nice cold Mexican beer or a Margarita, but if you want to have it with wine, I suggest it with a Rioja.

Lobster with Pappardelle, Tomatoes and Saffron

2012-02-23T11:07:00.001-08:00

Every now and it is nice to treat yourself to a special meal and it is even more special when you make it yourself. This is a pretty easy recipe, despite the amount of steps and the end results are a WOW factor. I went all out and each serving had a whole lobster tail, the pasta portion can serve up to 4 with a lobster for each. For me, i was only serving two, so the rest of the pasta was used for lunch the next day.

Lobster tails (as many as you would like to use or based on how many you are serving)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning
21 seasoning (such as no salt mrs. Dash)
Powdered garlic for seasoning
Italian seasoning
1 onion, diced
2 celery ribs, split down the middle and then diced
2 medium waxy potatoes, diced into small pieces
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 14.5oz can of diced italian style tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
Pinch of saffron
1 package of pappardelle noodles
1/2 cup chopped chives

Preheat oven to 450.

Cut away the soft shell of the under side of the lobster tail. Remove the lobster meat from the shell leaving the very bottom closest to the tail still attached. Push the meat back into the shell (this makes it very easy for you to remove the cooked lobster meat from the shell when you are eating). Place lobsters, hard shell down into and ovensafe baking pan. Drizzle lobster with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, 21 seasoning, garlic powder and italian seasoning. Set aside for now.

Bring large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

In the meantime, heat a large saute pan over med-high heat. Drizzle with olive oil. Add potatoes, season with salt, pepper, 21 seasoning and italian seasoning. Saute for about 5 mins while stirring occasionally. Add onions and celery, season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute for another 5 mins, stirring occasionally.

Place lobster in the oven. You want to cook the lobster all the way through. Should take about 15 mins or so. You do not want to over cook or the lobster will turn out rubbery. Keep an eye on it, the texture should be firm when you push on the meat. Continue the rest of the steps while the lobster is baking.

Add wine, tomatoes and saffron to the saute pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. You will want to stir every now and then.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.

Check your lobster, if it is done, pull it out and set aside. If it is not done, continue to bake.

Once pasta is done, draind and place in the saute pan. Turn up the heat to a med-high. Add half of the chives. Toss to coat. Turn off the heat.

Place pasta in a pasta bowl, top with lobster tail and garnish with the remaining chives. Serve and ENJOY!!!

Wine pairing.....Chardonnay!

Chicken Posole

2012-02-19T16:20:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from my dear friend Andrea. I am definitely going to give it a try. Looks super easy and delicious. She gets rave reviews from her Mother-in-Law, so it must be great! Andrea suggests serving with avocado.

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion thinly sliced
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 32oz container low sodium chicken broth
1 28oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 dried ancho chili, thinly sliced, or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cups shredded chicken (already roasted at the store...or roast your own)
1 15oz can hominy, rinsed
1 lime, sliced for garnish

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown. About 10-12 minutes.

Add the broth, tomatoes, and chili and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken and hominy and simmer until heated through, about 3-4 minutes.

Serve with sliced lime and avocado (optional, but recommended).

I suggest serving with a nice Mexican beer, but if you want to have it wine, I would recommend an un-oaked Chardonnay or a crisp Pinot Gris.

Thyme Cheese Straws

2012-02-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

Great for appetizers along with some cheese or anything really, or even a nice change to garlic bread. Easy to make! The kids can help and it makes a fun addition to just about any meal.

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (defrost in the refridgerator overnight)
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded or grated parmesan
1 cup shredded or grated gruyere cheese
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Preheat oven to 375.

Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface until it's about 10 by 12 inches. Beat egg with 1 tbsp water. Brush surface of puff pastry with egg. Sprinkle each sheet with parmesan, gruyere and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. With rolling pin, lightly press the toppings into the puff pastry. Cut each sheet into strips. Twist strips by using a rolling twisting action and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn each straw over and bake for another 2 minutes. Do not overbake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature. ENJOY!!!

Tomato Vodka Soup

2012-02-08T10:53:00.000-08:00

This was really easy and very delicious. Brandon and i have been on a soup kick for a while now and so i thought i would give this a try. Never made a tomato soup before, but this was really good, so i will definitely make it again. Don't be fooled by the vodka in the name. You use vodka, but all the alcohol burns off, so you are just left with some great flavors.

There are a couple of ways you can serve this, some being healthier than the others. Serve it straight up all by it's self. Serve with a nice mixed green salad. Serve with some nice crusty bread or garlic bread. Or if you want to go all out, serve with a bacon grilled cheese sandwich. Let me just tell you, all of those flavors are completely awesome...proceed with caution.

1 32oz vegetable or chicken stock/broth
1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes (not in oil)
Olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated or finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper for seasoning
21 seasoning or no-salt Mrs. Dash for seasoning
1 cup vodka
1 28oz can of Italian styled crushed tomatoes
A few fresh basil leaves (chopped, but do not chop until you are ready to use, they will go brown if you chop too soon)
1 cup heavy cream

In a small sauce pan, bring 1 1/2 cups stock/broth and sun dried tomatoes to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, drizzle in olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf and season with salt, pepper and seasoning blend. Cook until onions begin to caramelize. Stirring occasionally. Add vodka and cook for about 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add crushed tomatoes and continue to cook until thicken (about 15 minutes). Stirring occasionally. Add remaining 2 1/2 cups broth/stock the sun dried tomatoes and their liquid and the basil. Remove bay leaf. Puree with a immersion (hand) blender. Return to a slow simmer and stir in cream.

Serve in a soup bowl and garnish with chopped basil. Serve and ENJOY!

Wine pairing....sauvignon blanc.

I'm back!

2012-02-08T10:17:00.000-08:00

Wow, it sure has been a long time. Many events have taken course since my last blog insert. Let's see...our daughter graduated from High School. We packed her up and dropped her off a college. Where did she go you ask. Too far away, is what i say. Taylor is off at Oregon State University. She is off starting many new adventures and i am adjusting quite well (finally). Oh, one more really big life changing event. We started our own new business. A wine bar and wine retail shop. So, you can see, we have been quite busy. I am looking forward to blogging again and sharing all of my recipes and adventures with you. Also, please remember, this is an open blog, so please be sure to share all your great recipes and adventures with me. I would love to post them all.

Cheers to many more delicious recipes, adventures and simply sharing all the good stuff in life.

Hawaiian Chicken

2011-02-28T10:49:00.000-08:00

After a very cold Saturday, I jumped at the opportunity to grill on Sunday. The sky was clear, blue and not a cloud in the sky. Just perfect for grilling! I served this with a pineapple salsa. Purchase pineapple chunks in a can with 100% pineapple juice.

Chicken:
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper for seasoning.
boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pineapple Salsa:
1 can of pineapple chunks (in 100% pineapple juice)
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper for seasoning

Combine pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and garlic and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate chicken with this sauce for about an hour or longer if possible.

Combine pineapple chunks, cilantro and red onion. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Pre-heat grill.

Grill chicken until completely cooked through. Serve with pineapple salsa and ENJOY!

Wine pairing.....Pinot Grigio or Cabernet Franc.

Lobster Risotto

2011-02-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Lobster is readily available these days at a lower cost than you may think. You can pick lobster up in the freezer section of most markets. Or you can also sub the lobster for shrimp or do what I did and use langoustines. I found these in the freezer section of Trader Joes. I used half for this recipe and kept the other half frozen to use for another recipe (lobster/shrimp pot stickers).

3-4 cups chicken broth (you can also use vegetable broth)
1/2 cup white wine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 lobster tail, coarsely chopped (or see sub options above)
3 tbsp butter
1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)
3/4 cup frozen peas (I like to use frozen petite peas)
olive oil
salt and pepper for seasoning
crushed red pepper flakes for seasoning
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

In a large non-stick sauté pan, drizzle with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add onions, season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Cook onions until they begin to caramelize, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for an additional couple of minutes. Add butter and melt completely. Add risotto rice and season with salt and pepper. Allow rice to start to toast and then add white wine. Allow wine to evaporate completely (be sure to keep stirring). Then begin to add broth, about a cup at a time. Allow broth to evaporate before adding the next round of broth. Keep stirring frequently throughout the process of adding the broth. Keep testing risotto and when the rice is just about tender, add the peas and parmesan cheese, stir to completely mix. Keep testing risotto and once the rice becomes tender, reduce heat to the lowest setting.

In another non-stick sauté pan, drizzle with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add lobster and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until cooked through.

Add lobster to the risotto, stir to completely mix. Serve and ENJOY!

Wine pairing.......Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Champagne.

Weekend Events for February 18th – 20th

2011-02-18T12:00:00.001-08:00

Friday:
Big, Bold Reds – Bacchus Wine Market – 4:00 – 8:30pm
http://www.bacchuswinemarket.com/events.html

Paso Robles Tasting – La Costa Wine Co. – 5:00pm – 8:30pm
http://lacostawineco.com/store/content/12/Tasting-Events/

Prix Fixe 3 Course Menu and Wine Flights – Wine Vault & Bistro – 5;30pm – 10:00pm
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/calendar.html

Saturday:
Big, Bold Reds – Bacchus Wine Markey – 2:00pm – 8:30pm
http://www.bacchuswinemarket.com/events.html

Chef’s 5 Course Tasting Menu Paired with a Wine Flight – Wine Vault & Bistro – 5:00pm – 10:00pm
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/calendar.html

Sunday:
Winemaking Demonstration – Curds and Wine – 1:00pm – 2:30pm
http://www.curdsandwine.com/

Sausage and Basil Cream Lasagna

2011-02-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

1 lb ground italian sausage (I used spicy ground italian sausage, but you could also go with mild)
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper for seasoning
italian seasoning
26 oz. bottled marinara sauce of your choice
1 bunch of basil, stems discarded
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded mozzarella
lasagna noodles (for a quicker/easier meal, I used no boil lasagna noodles)

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large sauté pan, drizzle with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown, crumbling into pieces while cooking. Add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and continue to sauté until onions are soft and cooked through. Add marinara sauce and allow simmering for about 10 minutes.

While sauce is simmering, place basil in a food processor and add heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper. Process until it whips up into a think cream.

In a 9x13 baking dish place some of the sauce on the bottom and smear around. Lay a layer of lasagna noodles, and then spread a layer of basil cream, followed by a layer of sauce and then top with shredded mozzarella. Keep repeating and finish layers so that the top ends in sauce and then mozzarella. Season the very top with some pepper and italian seasoning.

Cover with foil and back for 45 minutes. Increase heat to 400 and remove foil. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so, just until cheese begins to bubble and brown. Remove from oven and allow resting for about 10 minutes. This helps the lasagna set so you can easily remove slices without creating too much of a mess.

Serve and ENJOY!

Wine Pairing........Pinot Noir.

Kale Pesto Pasta with Sausage, Peppers and Onions

2011-02-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

Kale has great health benefits and is rich in calcium, iron and vitamin C to name a few.

1/2 bunch kale (stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped)
Germelli pasta
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 toasted garlic clove
1/2 cup of grated parmesan (plus some for garnish - optional)
salt and pepper for seasoning
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
italian sausage links (about 4 or 5)
red onion, sliced length wise and then cut in half (about 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices)
yellow bell pepper, sliced length wise and then cut in half (about 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices)
red bell pepper, sliced length wise and then cut in half (about 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook kale for about 4 to 5 minutes, until tender. Drain kale in a colander and rinse with cold water.

Squeeze kale to remove excess water. Place kale in a food processor and add walnuts, garlic, parmesan and olive oil. Process until almost smooth and season with salt and pepper.

Begin bringing a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

In a large non-stick sauté pan, drizzle with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown on all sides. Remove sausage and cut into medium-thin slices. Add the sliced sausage back to the sauté pan and add onions and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions and bell peppers begin to soften and just starting to brown (caramelize).

While cooking sausage, bell peppers and onions, cook pasta according to package directions.

Once pasta is done, drain and add to sauté pan. Toss to mix ingredients. Add pesto and mix thoroughly and then turn off heat.

Serve garnished with shredded parmesan and ENJOY!

Wine Pairing......Merlot.

Catalina Island

2011-02-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

We spent Saturday on Catalina Island celebrating Gail's 60th Birthday. Brandon, Gail, Maion, Carolyn and I met in Long Beach at the Hotel Maya. They have a great restaurant that sits right on the water called Fuego. We started our day with a wonderful breakfast and Champagne. Then we headed over to Catalina Helicopter Tours. All of us were super excited for the opportunity to get to Catalina Island via a helicopter. It was an awesome experience and definitely the way to go. A 15 minute helicopter ride is all it takes. Once on Catalina Island we cruised around checking things out and stopping for some great drinks and appetizers. About mid way through the day, we boarded a Jeep and was given a 4 hour tour of the Island stopping along the way to enjoy Champagne, chocolates and crackers. The sights were so awesome. From the sea views, native plants, buffalo, a winery, horses and even a fox. The weather could not of been better for us too. About 75 degress and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. After our Jeep adventure, we headed back to the helicopter and then this is when we said goodbye to beautiful Catalina. Back to Long Beach is where we headed. To end the day, we all had dinner on the waterfront at Gladstones. Then back home all exhausted from our thrilling day!

Enjoy the pictures below of our experiences.

Weekend Events for February 11th - 13th

2011-02-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Friday:
Valentine’s Prix Fixe Dinner – Meritage Restaurant/Callaway Winery – 5:00pm – 9:00pm
http://www.callawaywinery.com/callaway-restaurant-specials.html

Valentine’s Wine & Food Tasting Tour – La Jolla Wine Tours – 3:00pm – 6:00pm
http://www.lajollawinetours.com/

My Bloody Valentine by Alesmith Event – The Cask Room – 6:30pm – 7:30pm
http://www.caskroom.com/when.html

Valentine’s 4 Course Dinner and Wine Paring – Bistro 39 – 4:30pm – 10:00pm
http://www.bistro39sandiego.com/2011/01/valentines-4-course-menu/

4th Annual Cupid is Stupid Wine Tasting Party – Bacchus – 5:00pm – 9:00pm
http://www.bacchuswinemarket.com/events.html

Valentine’s Opaque Dining in the Dark – Opaque US Grant – 5:30pm – 11:30pm
http://sd.darkdining.com/

Bottle of Champagne and Chocolate Covered Strawberries – The Cask Room – 5:00pm – 9:00pm
http://www.caskroom.com/when.html

3 or 5 Course Valentine Dining Paired with Wine – La Valencia Hotel – 5:30pm – 11:00pm
http://www.lavalencia.com/documents/events/valentines-2011.pdf

Italian Tasting – La Costa Wine Co. – 5:00pm – 8:30pm
http://lacostawineco.com/store/content/12/Tasting-Events/

Wine & Craft Beer Tasting and/or Cheese & Chocolate Pairings – WineStyles Coronado – 5:30pm – 8:00pm
http://www.winestyles.net/impdates.asp?page=1&id=128428

3 Course Menu and Wine Paring – Wine Vault & Bistro – 5:30pm – 10:00pm
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/calendar.html

Valentine Weekend Pairing – Country Cellars – 11:00am – 4:00pm
http://www.countrycellars.com/events.php

Saturday:
Vino d’Amore Valentine’s Dinner – Callaway Winery – 6:00pm – 9:00pm
http://www.callawaywinery.com/callaway-winery-events.html

Valentine’s Wine & Food Tasting Tour – La Jolla Wine Tours – 3:00pm – 6:00pm
http://www.lajollawinetours.com/

Valentine’s 4 Course Dinner and Wine Paring – Bistro 39 – 4:30pm – 10:00pm
http://www.bistro39sandiego.com/2011/01/valentines-4-course-menu/

Valentine’s Opaque Dining in the Dark – Opaque US Grant – 5:30pm – 11:30pm
http://sd.darkdining.com/

Bottle of Champagne and Chocolate Covered Strawberries – The Cask Room – 5:00pm – 9:00pm
http://www.caskroom.com/when.html

3 or 5 Course Valentine Dining paired with Wine – La Valencia Hotel – 5:30pm – 11:00pm
http://www.lavalencia.com/documents/events/valentines-2011.pdf

Valentine Weekend Pairing – Country Cellars – 11:00am – 4:00pm
http://www.countrycellars.com/events.php

The World of Wine 101 – La Costa Wine Co. – 3:30pm – 5:00pm
http://lacostawineco.com/store/content/12/Tasting-Events/

Bubbly, Port & Chocolate – Bacchus – 2:00 – 8:30pm
http://www.bacchuswinemarket.com/events.html

5 Course Valentine’s Day Dinner paired with Wine – Wine Vault & Bistro – 5:00pm – 10:00pm
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/calendar.html

For the Love of Chocolate and SweetArt Festival – Escondido Grand Avenue – 1:00pm – 5:00pm
http://www.downtownescondido.com/chocolate.html

A Valentine’s Wine Tasting with Russel Joyce of Joyce Vineyards – The Wine Lover – 4:00pm – 6:00pm
http://www.thewinelover.us/

Gondola Wine Tasting Cruise (Coronado) – The Gondola Company – 6:30pm – 7:45pm
http://www.gondolacompany.com/

Wine & Craft Beer Tasting and/or Cheese & Chocolate Pairings – WineStyles Coronado – 5:30pm – 8:00pm
http://www.winestyles.net/impdates.asp?page=1&id=128428

Sunday:
Romantic Rose Wine Tasting – Callaway Winery – 11:00am – 4:00pm
http://www.callawaywinery.com/callaway-winery-events.html

Valentine’s 4 Course Dinner and Wine Paring – Bistro 39 – 4:30pm – 10:00pm
http://www.bistro39sandiego.com/2011/01/valentines-4-course-menu/

Valentine’s Opaque Dining in the Dark – Opaque US Grant – 5:30pm – 11:30pm
http://sd.darkdining.com/

Bottle of Champagne and Chocolate Covered Strawberries – The Cask Room – 5:00pm – 9:00pm
http://www.caskroom.com/when.html

3 or 5 Course Valentine Dining paired with Wine – La Valencia Hotel – 5:30pm – 11:00pm
http://www.lavalencia.com/documents/events/valentines-2011.pdf

Valentine Weekend Pairing – Country Cellars – 11:00am – 4:00pm
http://www.countrycellars.com/events.php

Valentine’s Brunch – The Westgate Hotel – 10:00am – 2:30pm
http://www.westgatehotel.com/public/files/Westgt_Valentine'sDayBrunchMenu'11.pdf

5 Course Valentine’s Day Dinner paired with Wine – Wine Vault & Bistro – 5:00pm – 10:00pm
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/calendar.html

Gondola Wine Tasting Cruise (Coronado) – The Gondola Company – 6:30pm – 7:45pm
http://www.gondolacompany.com/

Sweet and Spicy Salmon

2011-02-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

This is great served with roasted potatoes, bell peppers and onions. Or for a lower carb option, serve with just roasted bell peppers and onions (minus the potatoes). Paired with a salad would be great too.

2 tbsp cajon seasoning
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp orange marmalade
1 tsp lime juice
salt and pepper for seasoning
olive oil
salmon filets, skinless

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix cajon seasoning, brown sugar, orange marmalade and lime juice together.

Place salmon in an oven proof baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Cover salmon with cajon marmalade mixture. Drizzle with some olive oil.

Place in the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then increase oven to broil and allow salmon to get a nice and browned crust, for about 5 minutes.

Serve and ENJOY!!

Wine pairing......Sauvignon Blanc

Chicken Piccata

2011-02-08T08:48:00.000-08:00

This recipe was made with lemons from Carolyn and Scott's lemon tree. Thank you to the both of you, they cooked up nicely in this recipe. I love using fresh ingredients from family and friends. I cannot wait until spring is here so I can get my garden planted and in progress. Serve this with some asparagus.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, butter flied and then cut in half
salt and pepper for seasoning
all-purpose flour, for dredging
2 tbsp unsalted butter
olive oil
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock/broth
1/4 cup white wine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup brined capers, drained and rinsed
parsley, chopped for garnish

Season chicken both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in the flour, shaking to remove excess flour.

Drizzle a large non-stick sauté pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place flour dredged chicken in the sauté pan and brown to a crisp on both sides. Remove chicken and place on a plate covered with foil to keep warm. Add garlic and wine. Slightly brown garlic and cook until wine is almost evaporated. Add chicken stock/broth and butter. Melt butter completely. Arrange lemon slices on the bottom of the sauté pan in a single layer. Add chicken back to the pan. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, turning chicken occasionally to coat. Add capers and cook for a couple of minutes just until they are warmed.

On a plate, lay chicken down and drizzle the top with caper lemon sauce and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!!!

Wine Pairing....Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay or Pinot Gris.

Weekend Events for February 4th – 6th

2011-02-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

Friday:
Lots of Malbec – Bacchus Wine Market - 4:00pm – 8:30pm
http://www.bacchuswinemarket.com/events.html

Dunn Cabernet Vertical Tasting – Alternative Wines – 6:30pm – 8:00pm
http://www.alt-wines.com/index.htm

Prix Fixe 3-Course Menu and Wine Flights – Wine Vault & Bistro – 5:00pm – 10:00pm
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/calendar.html

Cali Blends Tasting – La Costa Wine Company – 5:00pm – 8:30pm
http://lacostawineco.com/store/content/12/Tasting-Events/

Saturday:
Just Malbec – Bacchus Wine Market - 2:00pm – 8:30pm
http://www.bacchuswinemarket.com/events.html

Wine Dinner – Orfilia Winery – 6:00pm – 8:00pm
http://www.terrasd.com/pdf/specialeventflyer.pdf

100 Mile Dinner 2011 Fund Raiser for Temecula Slow Foods – 6:00pm – 10:00 pm
http://www.temeculavalleyslowfood.org/

Chef’s 5-Course Tasting Menu and Paired Wine Flight – Wine Vault & Bistro – 5:00pm – 10:00pm
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/calendar.html

Sunday:
Super Sunday – Salerno’s – 12:00pm – 6:00pm
http://www.salernowinery.com/index.htm

Valentine’s Wine & Food Tasting Tour – La Jolla Wine Tours – 3:00pm – 6:00pm
http://www.lajollawinetours.com/

Shrimp with Chili Garlic Sauce

2011-02-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

This is not for the weak, these shrimp pack some heat. Serve these up for the big game!

1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
cilantro, chopped for garnish

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients (chili garlic sauce through sesame oil). Whisk together until mixed completely. Add shrimp and place in the refrigerator and marinate for about an hour.

Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Once sauté pan is hot, place shrimp (do not add sauce). Shrimp will cook quickly, so you will need to keep an eye out so you do not overcook the shrimp. During the last couple of minutes (right before shrimp are done), add the sauce and mix together.

Serve shrimp and sauce garnished with cilantro.

Enjoy!!

Wine pairing.....Pinot Gris.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

2011-02-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

Think Super Bowl!! Super easy and would be great as a snack for the big game.

tortilla chips (I used Gluten free chips from Trader Joes)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper for seasoning
olive oil for drizzling on the chicken
3/4 cup buffalo sauce (store bought or homemade)
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (I used a combo of cheddar, jack and pepper jack cheeses)
3 green onions, sliced/diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced (remove seeds if you want less heat)
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1 avocado, diced
salsa for serving

Preheat grill. Season chicken with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil and buffalo sauce (about half of the buffalo sauce).

Grill chicken until cooked completely through. Wrap grilled chicken in foil and allow resting for about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. Spread a layer of tortilla chips on a sheet pan and then top with half of the cheese.

Chop cooked chicken and place in a bowl. Pour the rest of the buffalo sauce on the chicken and mix well.

Top tortilla chips with chicken, the remaining amount of cheese and jalapeno.

Place in the oven and bake until cheese is melted (about 10 minutes or so, but keep an eye on it because you do not want to burn the tortilla chips).

Remove from oven and top with cilantro, green onions and avocado.

Serve with salsa and ENJOY!

Wine pairing......Chardonnay or a nice cold Mexican beer or even throw together a quick Margarita.

Weekend in the Desert - January 29th, 2011

2011-01-30T19:54:00.000-08:00

Hogs, camels, and jeeps.....ohh my!
Artful rust....

Welcome to the Borrego Springs zoo!

This is a must see. We were delighted to find these hidden treasures. Although, they were not exactly hidden, you just need to keep your eyes open and you are sure to see them.

http://www.galletameadows.com/

All of this sight seeing made us thirsty and a bit hungry. We came up on a busy Mexican restaurant called El Borrego. The outdoor patio was filled with more of these free standing art statues. We knew we had to check this out. Ordered a margarita for each of us and some taquitos to share. I have to say, they serve a pretty darn good margarita and the taquitos were great too.

Back to Vallecito Stage Coach (where we were calling home for the weekend).

The Desert is so beautiful this time of year. Weather was perfect, mid 70's. Check out some of the sights we enjoyed during our weekend in the Desert.

Bacon and Spinach Frittata

2011-01-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

This makes a great dinner paired with a salad.

Olive oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning
8 slices of bacon, chopped and fully cooked
1 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. chopped spinach (you can use frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed to remove excess moisture)
8 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded asiago/parmesan blend cheese (or Italian blend)

Preheat oven to 425.

Use a 10" oven proof non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp and fully cooked. Turn off heat and remove cooked bacon and allow to rest on a plate covered with paper towels. Let bacon fat cool. Disgard bacon fat.

Using the same skillet, drizzle with olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and sauté onions until they begin to caramelize. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes (stirring frequently). Add chopped spinach, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring to mix well. Remove from heat. Allow spinach mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.

While spinach mixture is cooling, in a meduim sized bowl, add eggs and milk. Beat eggs and milk with a whisk.

Once spinach mixture has cooled, pour eggs in the skillet. Gently mix eggs and spinach mixture. Add the shredded mozzarella and gently mix together. Top with the shredded Italian blends cheese and ground pepper.

Place in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until top starts to brown and eggs are fully set.

Slice, serve and ENJOY!!!

Wine pairing.......Try some sparkling wine (who says you need a special occasion to enjoy this).

Chicken Sandwiches with Onions and Peppers

2011-01-19T09:26:00.000-08:00

This kind of like a Philly cheese steak sandwich, but using chicken. Serve with French fries or roasted potatoes. For a lighter meal, serve with a salad.

Olive oil
1 red onion, halved and then sliced thinly
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
1 garlic glove, minced
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Italian seasoning
Cayenne pepper, for seasoning
1 slice of Swiss cheese (low fat if you want to try and cut back on the fat or skip it all together)
boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
Sundried tomato pesto (I purchased this at Trader Joes - you could use mayonnaise, but this was a healthier and tastier option)
whole wheat buns

In a non-stick sauté pan, drizzle with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add onion, bell pepper and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until just half way caramelized. Add garlic and sauté until cooked through and caramelized. Be sure to stir frequently. Once they are done, remove from heat.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and cayenne. Grill both sides of the chicken until the chicken is cooked through. A couple of minutes before chicken are done; place cheese slices on the chicken.

Toast buns and spread sundried tomato pesto on top and bottom half of the bun. Top with chicken and then with the caramelized onion and pepper mixture.

Serve and ENJOY!!!

Wine pairing..........Chardonnay or even a Pinot Noir.