Ms. Meza

Lemon Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes and a California Vermentino

2011-11-30T13:45:00.000-08:00

Considering its been months since I have posted anything, it seems appropriate that my post today is one of my quickie, throw together meals for busy weeks. We are in that slump after Thanksgiving - going straight from over excessive cooking for that one big meal, to being busy at work and barely having time to cook. We have been working on one pot of chili for the past two nights, and since my 3 year old won't even consider trying it, it came time for a dinner we could all enjoy, and one I could make without having to run out to the grocery store for at least another day or two.
Depending on what you have in your pantry you can substitute kalamata olives or capers for sun dried tomatoes, we just happened to have half a jar left so I thought they would add a ton of flavor.
Other than that all I needed was chicken breasts that I had frozen and thawed out, some lemons, and parsley.
I made this in the am and let the oven finish it off while I got ready for work. All we have to do late is re heat and serve with some rice or couscous. Now all we need is wine!

Lemon Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes

2-3 chicken breasts - pounded out slightly
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons sliced
1 small jar sun dried tomatoes in oil - drained and chopped
3/4 cups chicken broth or white wine

Place chicken breasts into a large re seal able freezer bag - pound out slightly so that the chicken thins out just slightly
Add flour, salt and pepper to bag , reseal, and shake until chicken is coated
Heat olive oil on medium -high heat. Place chicken into skillet and allow to brown - about 4 minutes per side
remove chicken to a plate
Add chicken broth or wine and scrape up brown bits off bottom of the pan.
Add chicken back in along with lemons, and sun dried tomatoes
Place in oven on 350 for 25 minutes
Finish with parsley - lightly chopped

Wine Pairing Suggestion:
2009 Uvaggio Vermentino (Lodi, California) - Light and fragrant with nice citrus notes. Great wine for only $10 - nice compliment to the lemon in the dish

Michelle Obama's Turkey Burgers and a Crisp Spanish White

2011-06-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Talk about time flying - I think I made this for the first time a few weeks ago and am just now getting around to post!

Saw this recipe for "Michelle Obama's Turkey Burgers" in Food and Wine Magazine a while back and have been dying to try it out. I love recipes like this - lighter options that are packed full of flavor so that you really don't miss anything. Plus I love Mrs. Obama's whole take on encouraging people to eat healthy, non processed foods (I also am slightly obsessed with her amazingly toned arms). I made a few changes to the ingredients based on what I had on hand. Instead of the Lemon Aioli I did a Roasted Red pepper Aioli that was so delicious. I just took some jarred roasted red peppers and put them through the food processor and then mixed that in with some olive oil based mayo and used that to top my burgers along with some sauteed onions.
We had this with a white Spanish blend of Verdejo and Viura - 2009 Basa Rueda Blanco. Tart, crisp, citrusy with a nice minerality and a touch of lime zest. Very clean and crisp on the finish. Great wine to do with lighter meals like this, turkey, chicken or any type of seafood.

Michelle Obama's Turkey Burgers (adapted from Food and Wine Magazine)

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno - finely diced
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey breast(white meat)
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
loose leaf lettuce
tomato slices

Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in the skillet. Add the celery, apple, jalapeno and scallions and cook about 8 minutes.; let cool. Stir in the turkey, parsley, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

Shape the mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.

Heat the remaining canola oil - add patties to the pan and cook, turning once for about 10-12 minutes.

In a small saucepan, sautee onions in canola oil and season with salt and pepper lightly.

Toast buns in oven on low heat until slightly warm and crisp

Serve turkey burgers on buns with a tablespoon of Aioli, some sauteed onions, a tomato slice and lettuce

Fried Zucchini

2011-05-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

This dish couldn't be simpler - and more delicious, so I felt that it really did deserve its own post regardless of how fast and easy it is. I am slightly obsessed with zucchini lately and have literally found a way to incorporate it into at least 3 meals a week (and even in our dessert too between making zucchini bread and zucchini muffins.

This was a quick side that I served up with some grilled chicken breasts and a little tomato salsa. Perfect for summer, and I am hoping to soon be buying all my fresh zucchini at my local farmers market!

Fried Zucchini

olive oil for frying
2-3 small zucchinis cut into 1/2 in thick rounds
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil (medium-high heat) in a medium sized frying pan - have enough in there to coat the bottom of the pan well.
In a medium sized bowl combine flour, salt and pepper.
Dredge each pieces of zucchini in flour mixture and as they are coated, place in frying pan. Allow to brown on each size.
Fry zucchini in batches.
Once plated, top with Parmesan cheese.

Sausage and Summer Vegetable Saute and a Sauvignon Blanc/Viognier Blend

2011-05-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

We've been having a gorgeous week, warm days and lots of sun. Nothing sounds better to me in the summer then sitting outside or throwing the windows open and enjoying a chilled glass of white wine. Which is exactly what I have been doing this week. I opened a bottle of Little James Basket Press White the other night and I am very excited about this find. This is a new wine for us at the shop - from Sainte Cosme winery in the Rhone Valley. A blend of Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc at a great price point - this is exactly the kind of wine you want to have as a standard white in your fridge for when you have guests, or just to pop open on a warm night. Bright, aromatic and refreshing; this wine will pair with so many food from anything off the grill to light pastas to spicier food which is exactly what we had it with.

I picked up some chicken sausage with roasted red pepper this weekend which always makes for a healthier alternative with a lot of flavor. The rest was just a saute of vegetables that I had on hand and some spices. I love doing things all in one pan (or pot). Fast, simple and lots of flavor.

Sausage and Summer Vegetable Saute

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package chicken sausage with roasted red pepper ( or plain) - 5 links; cut on the diagonal into 1 inch pieces
2 small zucchini - diced
1 cup fresh corn kernels (already cooked)
1 red bell pepper - cut into chunks
1 yellow bell pepper - cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Heat oil in deep skillet on medium heat.
Place sausage pieces into skillet and allow to brown - stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes
Add in vegetables, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cook until zucchini is slightly tender - about 5-7 minutes.

Spinach, Pancetta and Shallot Quiche and a crisp, dry Rose

2011-04-25T11:27:00.001-07:00

The past three years my contribution to Easter lunch has been quiche. Prior to this I hosted
(when I was pregnant with Laila) and while it turned out nicely, we decided hosting one holiday would be sufficient and I was quick to chose Thanksgiving due to the abundance of culinary possibility. So off to Cleveland we go each year for Easter Sunday with a quiche in hand ( and wine of course). It is definitely a little something different amidst the ethnic dishes that my mother so beautifully serves up. This is one of my favorite transportable dishes to make - I cook it the night prior and then simply heat in the oven once we have arrived to our destination. The pastry crust is a very simple recipe I use time and time again from...you guessed it, Martha. She recommends using a food processor but to deal with less mess I use a hand held pastry blender.
The filling possibilities for quiche are endless....spinach, asparagus, leeks, roasted red peppers, corn, zucchini, or any other veggie for that matter. I love adding in some savory elements like pancetta or prosciutto. Good cheese is sort of a must to really enhance the flavor, but again, there are endless possibilities from goat cheese ( love this with just fresh herbs), blue cheese, gruyere, white cheddar and so forth.

For wine we brought a bottle of 2010 Mas de la Dame Rose. I love this wine for brunch type meals. Some pretty strawberry flavor, mixed with an herbal tone ( think fresh sage). Crisp and dry on the finish. But more on this later - I will be doing a separate post on Rose in the very near furture.

Spinach, Pancetta and Shallot Quiche (adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 package pre diced pancetta
2 shallots - diced
2 large handfuls baby spinach
4 eggs - lightly beaten
1 1/4 cup half and half
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup shredded gruyere ( or a similar type of cheese)
1 pie crust - fitting into a 9 inch pie dish and chilled for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position.

In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced shallots and pancetta and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in spinach and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper and allow spinach to wilt - about another 5 minutes. Remove from stove top.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Place pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with spinach/pancetta mixture. Pour egg mixture on top.

Bake until center of quiche is just set, about one hour.

Pie Crust (courtesy of Martha Stewart)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling dough
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons ice water, plus 2 more, if needed

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add in cold butter and cut through with a pastry blender by hand - continue doing so until butter begins to form a coarse little balls size of peas.
Sprinkle in half the ice water and continue working with the blender. Add in more water.
Finally using hands, pull together into a dough ball - adding a bit of flour if need be.
Form ball - wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for one hour.

Spiced Flank Steak Tacos with Chunky Guacamole and a Robust Syrah

2011-04-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

We had a glimpse of sunshine and warm weather this past Monday so I decided to fire up the grill. I marinated some flank steak in the afternoon for my spiced flank steak tacos and then just did a little chunky style guacamole as the side, to be added to the taco. Topped with a bit of sour cream and that's that. We had this with the 2007 Zaca Mesa Syrah ( which was on day two of being open). This is a pretty big wine so once it had a little time to breathe it really mellowed out and was great with the steak. Lots of blackberry and rich mocha flavors to this wine and a really long finish. It was delicious with steak but would be really a great pairing with lamb.

Spiced Flank Steak Tacos with Chunky Guacamole

1 large piece of flank steak
2 cloves garlic - minced finely and smoothed into a paste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons smoky paprika

Place steak in a large resealable bag.
Sprinkle in all seasonings and add in your finely minced and crushed garlic
Add olive oil and seal bag.
shake bag and roll around in your hands until the seasonings and olive oil are evenly distributed on and around the steak. Place in fridge and allow to marinate for several hours.

Once ready to grill - place steak on a hot grill and discard marinade.
Grill, turning once, for about 8-10 minutes until medium well. (less for medium)
Allow to rest for several minutes under aluminum foil so that the steak retains its juices.

Chunky Guacamole
2 Hass Avocados - core removed and diced into small cubes
2 tomatoes - diced
1/2 large red onion - diced finely
1 teaspoon olive oil
juice of one lemon.
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
flat leaf parsley, small handful finely chopped

Toss together avocado, tomato, and onion.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon and parsley.
Season and lightly toss.

Warm small Mexican tortillas ( we used whole wheat) in the oven on 300 for 4 minutes.
Slice steak into thin strips. Top each tortilla with 3-4 pieces of steak, a spoon full of guacamole and a bit of sour cream to serve.

Leek, Spinach and Red Pepper with Ricotta and a dry Sicilian White

2011-04-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

This post is a few weeks over due, but definitely one I had to get to because this is one of my favorite ways to dress up breakfast or brunch, and to engage in the whole "breakfast for dinner" concept. Frittatas are easy and delicious and can be colorful and chock full of super good for you ingredients. For dinner I like to serve a frittata with just some simple mixed greens drizzled with Olive Oil and a squeeze of lemon. The best thing is you can really come up with a variety of combinations of what to put in your frittata based on what is fresh and available.
For wine the options are pretty wide open. I would opt for a white with this dish - I had this with a dry Sicilian white wine that has some nice crisp acidity - 2009 Firriato "Chiaramonte" Ansonica. This is not the first appearance this wine has made at our table. It is a house favorite, because it is so versatile and appealing. Some nice almond - y notes, floral on the nose.....delicious!

Leek, Spinach and Red Pepper Frittata with Ricotta

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 good sized leeks - white portion diced
2 red peppers - diced
2 handfulls baby spinach, washed
5-6 eggs - lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
mixed salad greens

Dice up leeks and red peppers. Coat a non stick skillet with olive oil and heat on medium heat.
Add veggies and allow to cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add spinach - stir until spinach is coated in olive oil as well, and wilted.
Beat eggs in a bowl lightly. Add in milk, salt and pepper and stir.
Pour mixture over vegetables in skillet.
Dollop ricotta cheese onto the frittata. Allow to cook on stove top until the eggs are set up - about 3 - 4 minutes.
Place in oven on 375 - 400 degrees for another 12 minutes. Add shredded mozzarella to top of the frittata and place back into the oven for another 5 minutes.
Cut into wedges once cooled and serve with mixed greens.

Thai Takeout and Crisp, Dry Rose'

2011-04-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

We ended a busy week with take out from one of our favorite places - Thai Grille. A little, family owned and run Thai restaurant down the street from our house that focuses on authentic Thai cuisine with fresh, organically grown ingredients. We love the food, it is fresh and not greasy and always delicious. If you are in the Columbus area we highly recommend that you check them out!

We took advantage of the beautiful spring weather and decided to pair out food with a Rose'. I absolutely love dry, crisp Rose' like this for warmer weather and particularly with fresh, light meals like ginger shrimp with sauteed vegetables I ordered for dinner. The wine was the perfect compliment to the dinner which was flavorful but light.

We had the 2010 Chateau du Lancyere Rose' - all I can say about this wine is that it is gorgeous! Strawberry and watermelon flavors up front with some herbal notes and the finish is dry and crisp. Seek this one out in your local wine shop!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

2011-04-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe has nothing to do with wine pairing of fancy dinner parties - sometimes it's all about the little ones and getting them to eat what they may not eat normally. With my daughter going through a weird stage with certain vegetables I love to sneak them in where I can. This zucchini bread recipe started off as a recipe from Martha Stewart.com for Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes which I have made before and are a birthday party standard for us. With the bread, I made a few substitutions and tossed in chocolate chips which sure fire way to get Laila to try anything. After all, what woman doesn't love chocolate?
No wine pairing to this as I was seeing it as more of a breakfast dish but hey, feel free to polish off a piece as a dessert or with your glass of wine in the evening.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread (adapted from a cupcake recipe on marthastewart.com)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large or 2 small zucchini - grated coarsely
1/3 cup vegetable oil ( you can also substitute this with applesauce)
2 eggs - beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extra
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil (or applesauce), eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix).
Fold in chocolate chips.
Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

"Almost" Spring Soup

2011-03-15T15:00:00.001-07:00

I am so ready for spring i can barely stand it. I think I have officially hit my wall for the season - I cannot eat any more root vegetables or roasts. I received inspiration for this dish from a great blog called Running with Tweezers and tried it out and ended up making it again the following week. I love recipes like this that you can make ahead (like on a Monday - my day off) and then serve mid week when you are busy and don't have time to cook. Perfect timing for this, now that I am starting to see more veggies like zucchini and yellow string beans coming back in stock. I would serve this with some sort of clean white wine, in honor of spring. Maybe a Sauvignon Blanc or an Italian Soave. Either way, it has me thinking about sunnier days to come, so that's a plus!

Almost Spring Vegetable Soup

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 shallots - finely diced
1 cup green beans - cleaned and cut into thirds
1 cup yellow string beans - cleaned and cut into thirds
2 small zucchini - chopped
1 cup baby carrots - chopped into small pieces
1 cup cherry tomatos - halved
4-5 cups chicken broth ( or vegetable broth)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can cannellini beans - rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon pesto and grated parmesan to serve

Heat oil in a stock pot. Add in garlic and shallots and cook for about 5 minutes stirring.
Layer in vegetables one at a time, stirring to coat all vegetables with oil. Continue to cook vegetables for about 10 minutes
Add salt, pepper and thyme
Add broth and allow soup to simmer on low to medium heat for about 20-30 minutes, covered
Add in cannellini beans and stir - cook for another 8-10 minutes

Serve with pesto and parmesan

Apple and Raisin Stuffed Pork Loin and Viognier

2011-03-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

I have been dying to do this post since I made this dish but was searching around all week for the cord to download pics off of my camera. Anyway, finally found it and had to post. I had purchased a pork loin that I was going to make for Sunday dinner with a simple herb rub - nothing fancy just some olive oil, rosemary and thyme. Total change of plans after watching an episode of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef with Anne Burrell who was making a stuffed pork loin that looked to die for and she used the most genius method of stuffing. She made her stuffing then poured it onto a piece of plastic wrap, shaped it into a log the length of her pork and then froze it! Once she was ready to stuff, all she had to do was cut a slit through her pork and put the stuffing through. No mess! I of course did not plan ahead and didn't have time to freeze my stuffing so I did it the old, messy way. Still came out delicious! I made a varied version of her stuffing and it was the perfect Sunday meal - last hurrah for winter kind of dinner.
We had this a little French Viognier from Tortoise Creek. Not a over the top wine, it was light and had some nice fruit and acidity and paired really nicely with this dish.

Apple and Raisin Stuffed Pork Loin (adapted from Secrets of a Restaurant Chef - Cooking Channel)

2 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 pieces of bacon - diced
2 shallots - finely diced
2 apples - peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup raisins
2 springs rosemary - finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup brandy or cognac
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 medium pork loin

In a saute pan, add one tablespoon olive oil and heat on low to medium heat. Place bacon in pan and cook for about 15 minutes.
Add in shallots and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes.
Add in apple and raisins
Remove pan from the heat and add the cognac or brandy - tipping the pan away from you. Place
back on burner. Cook for another ten minutes or so until the stuffing is slightly thickened.
Season with salt and pepper ( a good pinch of each) and 1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped.

Remove from heat and allow stuffing to cool
(here is where if you pre plan - you can make the stuffing ahead of time and place in shape of a log on a piece of plastic wrap - roll it up and freeze. )

Cut a slit into each end of the pork loin so that you are able to stuff all the way through. If you are using frozen stuffing you can insert into the pork loin. Otherwise, you can take the loose stuffing and push it into each slit, making sure it is stuffed all the way through.

Rub pork loin with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Season both sides with salt, pepper and remaining rosemary.

Place roasting pan over medium high heat on stove top. Place pork into roaster and allow to sear and brown for about 3 minutes each side.

Add chicken stock to the pan and then place into the over at 325 for about 30 minutes.

Walnut/Panko Crusted Halibut and a Crisp Italian White

2011-02-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

This post has taken me a while to get up - lots going on lately so I guess it is fitting that this recipe was super fast and easy.
I made a simple panko crumb/herb crust to by pulsing a handfull or so of walnuts and herbs in the food processer and adding in panko crumbs after that.
The whole thing was light and fresh - we had this with a beautiful white wine from Sicily (2009 Firriato "Chiarmonte" Ansonica, which was a beautiful compliment to the light, fresh taste of the fish and the nutty component of the walnuts. This is one of my new favorite white wine options - those who crave a little something more interesting than your standard Pinot Grigio should seek out this wine.
The recipe itself is fast and easy - assemble the topping that morning and finish off the cooking right in time for dinner.

Walnut/Panko Crusted Halibut (adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetite)

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh basil
4 halibut fillets
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Pulse walnuts an herbs in food processor lightly. Mix walnuts, panko, and all herbs in small bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Brush each fish fillet with 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place fish on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle mixture atop fish, dividing equally and pressing to adhere.
Roast fish about 8 to 10 minutes. If crisper topping desired, preheat broiler and broil fish about 1 minute
squeeze lemon over top of each fillet before serving

Pork in a Mushroom Sauce an Pinot (Part 2)

2011-02-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

I was trying to occupy myself while running on the treadmill ( a task I find necessary but a bit mind numbing) when I came across a recipe in a section in Good Housekeeping entitled How to Cook Like A Chef that I just had to take for a test spin. (For those of you that are snickering - yes, now that I am a mom, I read magazines like Good Housekeeping and find myself clipping articles pertaining to things like tips on stain removal....somewhat of a departure from my previous obsession with In Style.)

I made a few adaptations to the recipe ( almost had to scrap the whole idea but we found a grocery store where we could buy Cognac on a Sunday!) A pretty decedent dinner, and one that I planned as I continue to explore Burgandy. Mushroom sauce and Pinot Noir seemed to make sense and after we tried the pork and mushrooms with the Louis Latour Marsannay we decided it was a pretty excellent match. The mushrooms brought out some of the earthiness in the Pinot Noir that we really enjoyed. Maybe that was where we had faltered before. Food can really bring our some of nuances and flavors of wine so this was a great way to explore that.

Pork in Mushroom Sauce

10 ounce(s) cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
8 ounce(s) fresh white button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
2 clove(s) garlic, very thinly sliced
1 teaspoon(s) sugar
1 tablespoon(s) white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon(s) white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
4 (each 6 ounces, 1-inch thick) boneless, center-cut pork loin chops
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup(s) cognac
1/4 cup(s) half and half

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a long baking dish, spread mushrooms in even layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic on top. Roast on upper rack 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender,

Meanwhile, in 9-inch pie plate or other shallow dish, mix sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add pork and turn to evenly coat.

Heat a deep skillet on the stove top that has been drizzled with olive oil. When oil shimmers, add pork. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until browned, then turn pork over and cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer pork to another dish and place in oven to cook through.

Roast 7 to 10 minutes or until barely pink in center. Transfer to plate; let rest.

To same skillet, add shallot. Cook on medium 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add cognac and remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar and cook 30 seconds.
Add mushroom mixture with any juices and reduce heat to low.

While stirring, add half and half in slowly.

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook another minute or so and remove from heat.

Divide pork chops and their juices among serving plates. Spoon mushroom mixture over pork.

Our Adventures in Wine Geekdom - Exploring the World One Bottle at a Time

2011-01-21T12:26:00.000-08:00

My New Years post this year was about my "wine resolutions" for the upcoming year. I realize most people don't think about resolutions in regards to their wine consumption but what can I say? Its a great way to learn and grow and well...drink wine!
The thing is, its not just about wine. I think no matter what your interests are, whether its a hobby or passion, constantly learning and pushing yourself to get out of your comfort zone can be really rewarding. My husband and I both have our preferences. I love rustic Italian wine and Chardonnay with a creamy finish. Jason loves bold, fruit forward Shiraz and cleaner, lighter whites. The point is, we tend to chose wine for our personal consumption that we are most comfortable with. The greatest thing in my opinion about wine is that there is an endless world out there....different varietals, different wine regions, etc.... so why not explore. Tastes change and evolve and you get the opportunity to experience different regions, traditions and stories.
We enjoy drinking wine for various reasons. To be honest, we aren't exactly out on the town, hitting up the best new restaurants very often now that we have a 2 year old. We feel like we can create our own little evening away with sharing a good bottle of wine. Nothing fancy here, most of the time we are in our pj's on the couch sharing a bottle of wine but in any case, it's a little escape from his days filled with spreadsheets and meetings and my days spent sweeping up goldfish and cleaning crayon off of the wall.
So when I told Jason about my new "wine resolutions", he thought it would be fun to go through the exploration together ( and to get us out of our winter funk). In any case, we decided it was time to add some fun back into this long, COLD, month of January and to hop on our resolutions by tasting some new bottles. Our first venture was a bottle of Burgandy (red = Pinot Noir) from Domaine Besson called Givry Le Haut Colombier (2008).
Our initial impression was good. Light in color and body and we got some nice raspberry flavor.So far so good. Our impression as we continued to drink the wine kind of fizzled out. The raspberry flavor had kind of a "fake" raspberry flavor too it. It didn't seem to have much too it. It was elegant in a way - light, fruity, soft. I was just hoping for some....I don't know. Umph. We weren't looking for big and bold, but we were wanting more complexity.
In any case, this is just a road bump. Did we hate the wine? No. Did it 'wow' us and get us excited. Not so much. However I will credit this bottle of wine for a fun, kind of wine geeky evening that we really enjoyed. We are slowly putting together a list of new wines to try - everything from Chateauneuf du Pape to Pinotage. They may not all be winners but there is definitely something to be said for stepping out of your comfort zone - even if it is in the comfort of your own home.

Must Try Meatballs and Italian Raboso

2011-01-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

I had some down time at the shop the other day when Laila was home for the day and got to catch an episode of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef on the Food Network (no Wonderpets on for once!). So glad I did! I had to immediatly try out this recipe for meatballs. Super simple, with one addition that seemed so ridiculously easy I couldn't believe I hadn't done this previously - water. I can't believe I have not done this before!
The addition of a half a cup of made a world of difference in terms of the softness of the meatballs.
I made these with a quick marinara sauce ( 3 cloves garlic, handful of fresh herbs, a pinch of hot pepper flakes, salt, pepper and two cans whole tomatoes which i then blended with my hand blender to the right consistency.

We had this with a delicious Raboso from Italy.....medium in body with some pretty dried fruit/raisin flavor. Great with the richness of the meatballs and the earthiness of the pasta.
This dish would easi

Excellent Meatballs (from Secrets of a Restaurant Chef)

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
Salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
two packages meatloaf mix (veal/pork/beef)
2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmigiano
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (flat leaf)
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat.

Season the onions generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley and bread crumbs.

Using your hands - combine all ingredients.

Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt and continue to mix together.

Add the water and mix to incorporate. The mixture should be quite wet.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Shape the meat into desired size. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides.

Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through.

Once cooked, place meatballs into marinara sauce and serve over whole wheat spaghetti!

Spiced Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas and Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2011-01-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a quick and simple way to make chicken for a Monday night dinner that would be a little different - I feel like I am running low on inspiration right now for new recipes and I need to recharge. I did stuffed chicken breasts with herbed goat cheese and baby spinach - slice into the side of the chicken breast and create a pocket but don't slice all the way through. Stuff each breast with a tablespoon of goat cheese and a small bunch of baby spinach and secure with a toothpick. I Seasoned them with salt and pepper and simply pan seared them in olive oil until they browned up a bit on each side and then transferred to a baking dish. To add a little more texture I just topped each piece of chicken with some panko bread crumbs that I toasted up in the skillet for a few minutes.

The side of spiced chickpeas and sweet potatoes was adapted from one of my favorite food blogs, Cooking After Five. I did a much more simplified version of this dish but it was different and the flavors really great and perfect for this time of year when I tend to get bored with the selection of vegetables to cook with.

Spiced Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can chickpeas - rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon spicy paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Combine all the seasonings in a small dish.

Peel and cube potatoes and place in a baking dish. Add rinsed chickpeas and toss together.
Sprinkle seasonings evenly over all of the potatoes and chickpeas
Drizzle all with olive oil an toss to coat.

Place in the oven at 375 ( on our oven this is what works - you may want to up this to 400)

Cook about 35-40 minutes until potatoes are tender and browned up

Season before serving with just another light pinch of salt.

My New Years "Wine Resolutions"

2010-12-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

I have a new love affair with a book I read recently by wine columnists Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher called 'Love by the Glass - Tasting Notes on a Marriage'. It was wonderfully written book about their lives and great love for each other, their marriage, their trials and tribulations with having children which they finally were able to have, and most of all their passion, which was wine and about how wine was a driving influence in their lives and in the memories that they have built. I was so intrigued by their writing style and the way that they view wine, I purchased a book they wrote about enjoying wine for every occasion, that talks about everything from food pairing to what wine to give as a gift. The over riding theme in their writing was not just about the wine itself, but in what context it was shared and what memories they captured while they were tasting it. They did this all without any discrimination - they tasted bottles that were high end, from winery visits and special occasions, to $6 bottles of Bordeaux they found discounted at a small wine shop around the corner.
The highlight of their wine column was a themed evening called Open that Bottle Night. They encouraged readers to dust off that bottle they had been saving for a future wedding, engagement, anniversary, and to pop it open, and make that night a night to remember.
The whole thing had me thinking about my own personal desire to learn more, explore more. One of the things I enjoy so much about working in the wine industry is there is so much to learn, and so many interesting wines to taste from every corner of the world. Wine really does form a tie between different cultures.
So inspired by this, as I am writing out my personal and professional goals for the new year, I am also writing out my Wine Resolutions for the year as I further my own wine education. Here is a stab at mine - feel free to share what yours are!

2011 Wine Resolutions

1. Start a personal wine journal - Even though I taste many wines and keep notes for the shop, I never seem to keep an actual record of wines that we have enjoyed personally, what vintage, etc... I remember often times the wines we had for different occasions but have a hard time finding that exact wine later so my goal is to keep track of what we enjoy personally.

2. Lay down a bottle from Laila's birth year - I am totally stealing this idea from the book I read and I sort of can't believe I haven't thought to do this before. We spent our honeymoon IN Napa Valley and have enjoyed a trip since - so maybe I could chose a wine from our favorite winery or possibly a Serbian wine or a wine from Virginia, where we got married. Or both. But I want to find a special bottle to set aside for Laila from 2008, that we can open maybe for her graduation from college or for when she gets engaged, to commemorate the occasion.

3. Drink French wine and Learn, Learn, Learn - While I have come to realize that I greatly enjoy Rhone reds and that my palate leans towards French Chardonnay at times over California Chardonnay, I have less of a comfort level when it comes to French wine; a country that produces some of the worlds finest wines. So my wine education this year will be focused on learning and expanding my palate.

4. Drink Bubbly (not just for special occasions ) - It seems so extravagant but Champagne and sparkling wine can be so interesting to taste side by side; there are so many subtle differences among each that you chose.

5. Start a Wine Club - ok so this is sort of seeping over into 2011, even though I took a stab at this during the last few months. It is such a fun way to expose myself, and my friends to new wines, and to learn a lot more myself while teaching others. Of course the best part is sharing with people who are interested in learning, and wine lovers too!

Christmas Eve Dinner

2010-12-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

We continued on my family's traditional seafood dish for Christmas eve dinner. It was a bit of a splurge, but after all, that is what holidays are for and it was a special one. We got a beautiful fresh sea bass fillet and served that with truffled mashed potatoes and baby broccoli. The wine was a two part deal since we chose a red for that evening. We had the 2008 Bridesmaid White with our meal ( a delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon) and then enjoyed the 2007 Leonetti Cellars Sangiovese while we wrapped gifts and ate one too many Christmas cookies. This was a splurge wine for us, not even one we carry at the shop, but it was a great way to kick off the holiday.

Pan Seared Sea Bass in White Wine

1 large fillet of sea bass -fresh
1 tablespoon olive oil

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1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 bottle dry white wine (pinot grigio)
handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, tarragon, oregano) - finely chopped

Coat a deep skillet with olive oil over medium heat.
Dredge the fillet with flour and shake off excess. Season both sides of fish fillet with salt and pepper.
Place in oil and sear until lightly crisp on both sides.
Remove fish to a platter. Add butter to pan and then white wine, scraping up and brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, allowing sauce to reduce.
Place fish in sauce and squeeze lemon half over fish.
Cook fish in sauce over low-medium heat for about 20 minutes, the bass should be soft and flaky.
Add fresh herbs right before serving. Place fish on a platter, spoon sauce over and add herbs.

Truffled Mashed Potatoes

8-10 golden yukon potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons truffle butter
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Boil a salted pot of water. Add potatoes and allow them to cook over medium-high heat until tender.
Drain potatoes and put through a potato ricer into a bowl.
Add salt, pepper, and butter(s) while potatoes are hot and stir until all butter is melted.
Add half and half and stir.
Season with salt and pepper until you reach the desired taste.
Place potatoes in a serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil ( or truffle oil if you have it) and sprinkle with some rosemary.

Panko Pork Chops with Caponata and Nero d'Avola

2010-12-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

We are quickly approaching Christmas which means this week will be a fury of shopping, wrapping, baking, working like a mad woman at the shop and getting together with friends. So I thought I would take advantage of a nice Sunday at home to make a big family dinner and to sort of decompress before the week gets in full swing.

We had a glass of the Firriato 'Chiarmonte' Nero d'Avola with our pork chops - a Sicilian wine that was lighter, bright fruit, and great with Italian inspired meal.

Panko Pork Chops with Caponata and Parmesan Polenta

For Caponata:
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 medium eggplant - diced
2-3 roasted red peppers, diced

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add eggplant and stir to coat. Add peppers, and all seasonings. Lower heat, and cook for 20-25 minutes until eggplant is softened.

Pork Chops
3-4 center cup pork chops
1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet on medium-high heat
Bread porkchops - first dredge in flour, then in egg and then in panko.
Place in skillet and cook for about 3 minutes or until brown on one side, then flip. After about 3-5 minutes per side, place in a baking dish and into the oven at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

Serve with quick cooking polenta, mixed with about 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and top with caponata.

Braised Beef in a Red Wine Sauce

2010-12-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

I don't subscribe to the whole idea of now that I am a mother and on a budget, that I have to only make dinners that are bland or boring, or that come from a box. It's just not my mantra.
Cooking for me is a a hobby and something I enjoy doing but I am as most working moms out there, pressed for time. I make my share of frozen steam-able veggies and easy soups through out the week, but on the weekends I like to kick things up a notch and cook something a bit more special.
Cooking with wine is a go to for me. I think wine can impart great flavor to the food and it can really add a richness to the dish. I usually use an inexpensive bottle for cooking ( and no this doesn't mean something that tastes bad - the first rule of cooking with wine is only cook with wine you would drink!). I usually use a bottle of my dad's home made wine which is excellent, or another inexpensive dry wine that is good. Whites such as Pinot Grigio typically for fish or chicken and Cabs or Merlots for beef.
The intent of this recipe in particular was for short ribs (which I couldn't find at the grocery that day) so I instead substituted beef tender chuck steaks. The prep was pretty fast and simple and I let the oven do the work. The sauce from the wine was pretty rich so I ended up just serving it with a simple saute of baby spinach in olive oil.
Easy and a bit more sophisticated fare for our "on a budget" home made meals.

Braised Beef in a Red Wine Sauce

3 - 4 pieces of beef (tender chuck steak)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots peeled, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 large shallot - minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bottle dry red wine (Cab or Merlot)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup water or beef stock

Heat the casserole or dutch over on medium high heat - heat oil
Add carrots, celery, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper to pot. Cook until vegetables are softened - about 5-7 minutes

In a separate skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil and place seasoned steaks on the skillet. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning once, until steaks are slightly browned.

Add tomato paste and flour to veggies - stirring to incorporate
Add bottle of wine and stock or water

Place steaks in pot or dutch oven. Place in over at 325. This will cook for about 2 hrs until the sauce reduces and thickens.

Dinner at Basi and a Delicious Washington State Cab

2010-11-23T19:26:00.001-08:00

I wanted to throw in this short post about our dinner out the other night - a late anniversary dinner of sorts ( really it was just a much needed night out), so we used this excuse to head to our favorite restaurant, Basi Italia.
A great little hidden gem in Columbus! We even got lucky with the weather, and thanks to the heaters on their sealed patio, we snuck in one last evening outside!
I ordered the Thai Chile Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage and Jason stuck with his usual strategy of ordering the special. Mondays are great because one of the specials is a pre set meal of salad, spaghetti and meatballs with Italian sausage and a cannoli for dessert for just $20. His meal was delicious - we got to split the dessert of course. My ravioli was great and very interesting - not too spicy and the sage was crispy and added a delicious crunch.
We had some amazing gorgonzola biscotti to start and ordered a bottle of a wine we had never tried before - the 2007 Revelry Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State. We fell in love with this wine - beautiful, chocolaty notes, rich with a smooth finish. Instant new favorite. You will be seeing this one on the shelves at Meza this week!
Great place - one to try! The wine was another winner off of their wine list.

Wild Rice Stuffed Carnival Squash and Columbia Valley Syrah

2010-11-12T08:51:00.001-08:00

My husband was very amused by this dish.....I think it looked more intricate than it actually was and he is a bit more food cautious than I am. I do need to give him credit though, he has been pretty open to trying new things. I got these beautiful carnival squash at the market a few weeks back and decided to try something new. The flavors were great together, and I served this with some sauteed spinach which was nice and light. I added in some baby portobello mushrooms since this is a meatless dish to add a little punch to it, and that really did the trick.

The dish ended up being a serious explosion of fall flavor - and it was really good with this Syrah we had that evening from Columbia Valley called Lenore. It has some beautiful dark fruit on the palate and is pretty juicy with a little bit of spice on the finish.

Wild Rice Stuffed Carnival Squash ( adapted from Martha Stewart Living)

1 carnival (or acorn) squashes (1 1/2 pounds each), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, minced
1 package pre sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 box (6 ounces) wild-rice blend
1 cup white wine(dry)
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange squash cut side down; cover sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium. Add shallot and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add in mushrooms and stir to coat with olive oil. Cook until mushrooms brown up slightly. Add in sage and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
Add in rice, and then white wine.
Cook about 10 minutes, until rice is softened, adding more liquid if necessary.

Remove from heat, and stir in cherries and pecans; season stuffing with salt and pepper. Season the inside of each squash half with salt and pepper.
Divide stuffing between two shells ( you will have some remaining to use later on)

Anniversary Dinner

2010-11-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

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So looks like my 100th post fell right in line with our third wedding anniversary! We were on the go all weekend, visiting family in VA, so my plan for my second attempt at home made sweet potato gnocchi did not work out time wise. I worked all day Wednesday and had an hour to get dinner ready since we already don't get home until 7.
Ironically enough, this is a recipe I have made and blogged about before - Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta and Sage. Well, a version of. It is one of my favorite fall meals, and very decedent which makes it a wonderful meal on its own or with just a small salad.
We brought back a bottle of wine from the winery where we got married, the 2007 Jefferson Vineyards Meritage. A blend of Cab Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot, this is definitly a food wine, balancing some rich, ripe fruit with bright acidity on the palate. Funny thing though about food and wine pairing - with the risotto it was not a good match. So we enjoyed a different wine with dinner. The creamy texture and sweeter flavors of the risotto were actually a better marriage with a more fruit forward style of wine. The Jefferson Meritage however was delicious the next night with beef stew!
I served the risotto with a small salad made up of mixed baby greens, blue cheese crumbles, walnuts and roasted pears ( i simply tossed them in canola oil, sprinkled them with brown sugar and roasted the slices in the over for about 25 minutes on 375.)

Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta and Sage

1 medium butternut squash
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil ( for squash)
1 tablespoon olive oil for the pot
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup diced pancetta
5 to 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pinch and a half of nutmeg, freshly grated
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Peel and cube squash - discard seeds. Place in a baking dish and coat with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in oven at 375 for about 30-40 minutes until squash is very tender

In a deep skillet heat olive oil. Add shallots and pancetta, and cook on medium heat until shallots soften and pancetta begins to brown lightly

Add in arborio rice and butter, Stir so that butter is melted and so the rice is coated with the olive oil and mixed with the shallots and pancetta. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add wine to the pot, and cook until the rice begins to absorb the liquid.
In a separate pot, heat the chicken stock. Once the wine is absorbed, begin to ladle in the stock one ladle full at a time and stir as the rice absorbs the stock.
Continue this process for about 15 minutes, until the rice is no longer hard and the dish turns to a creamier consistency.
Remove roasted squash from the oven and with a potato masher, mash down all the squash until its close to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Mix into risotto.
Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and parmesan and stir until all the cheese is melted.
Garnish with fresh sage and serve hot.

Spiced Skirt Steak and Butternut Squash with A California Zin

2010-10-26T14:47:00.001-07:00

This turned out to be a nice, kicked up version of a style of meal I make a lot. I seriously think I have made roasted butternut squash and sauteed Swiss Chard every Sunday now for the past month. I am obsessed! I love the contrast of flavors and I am trying to take advantage of the fresh produce available right now - although I am so sad to say that our last outdoor farmers market of the season is this week.

I made a spice mix using some contrasting ingredients - a little spice and a little sweetness. The steaks we grilled to about medium well, and the rest was done on and in the oven. The Swiss Chard was simply sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper. The squash was done in the oven using the same spices.

We had this fall inspired meal with an Old Vine Zinfandel from St Francis Winery in Sonoma. I thought it was such a nice compliment to the brown sugar kick in the spice mix. Some nice black cherry flavors, a hint of dustiness, some cocoa and spice on the finish. This was definitely a fall feeling wine choice that I would love to try again maybe with spiced sweet potatoes or turkey.

Spiced Skirt Steak and Butternut Squash

2 medium pieces of skirt steak
1 medium butternut squash - seeded and cubed
1/2 red onion, minced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 dash cinnamon

Mix all spices together. Separate into 3/4 of the mix in one dish and a 1/4 in the other.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the dish with 3/4 of the mixture and create a rub or paste. Rub on both sides of the steaks and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.

Grill steaks until done (to desired level). Once you remove them from the grill allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes.
Slice thinly to serve.

Place squash and onion in a baking dish. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining spice mixture. Toss to coat. Place in over at 375 for about 35-40 minutes until squash is very tender.

Spicy Sauteed Broccolini and a Sangiovese Blend

2010-10-19T11:12:00.001-07:00

Super simple dinner with one of my favorite side dishes - Spicy sauteed broccolini. I do a lot of bitter greens this way as well in the fall - escarole, swiss chard, etc... and you can certainly combo them with the broccolini if you chose. I love the flavor the greens get when they get a slight char to them....crispy and savory. You can't find it all the time but I was at Whole Foods in the am and grabbed up two bunches - it was a super easy and really flavorful side to serve along with this Feta and Spinach stuffed Chicken Sausage we got from a little deli back home - they make it there and it is wonderful. With the sausage I simply pan seared it on both sides with a touch of olive oil and then transferred into the oven at 350 to allow it to cook through and served it sliced up over some whole grain couscous.

I have posted on this wine before but truth be told.....we DO drink some wines more than once:) This is a favorite of mine if I am looking for something with some bright red fruit flavor that pairs well with lighter dishes, poultry or pasta. From Morris Farms, Morellino di Scansano is a Sangiovese blend with the addition of Syrah and Merlot. Up front you get a lot of the red cherry flavor but then as it breathes you get some nice raspberry flavor and a touch of earthiness. A nice, easy to sip wine for this sort of meal.

Spicy Sauteed Broccolini

2 bunches broccolini
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of sea salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
grated Parmigianno Regianno to top

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium - high heat.
Add in broccolini and stir to coat. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Allow to cook about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
I like to allow some of the tops to crisp and brown slightly.
Serve with freshly grated Parmigianno Regianno.