Sassy Wine Belly

Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Prao) Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:07:00 +0000

This is one of our favorite Thai dishes, and I found a simple recipe that seemed easily doable at home. My version is below, and the original can be found here.

Time: 1 hour
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

rice of your choice, amount of your choice - I usually make 1 cup organic brown basmati rice, which is good for 2 servings
2 organic chicken breasts
10 cloves organic garlic, minced
2 Thai chilies, or 1 teaspoon dried cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons organic EVOO
2 teaspoons oyster or hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon organic coconut aminos
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 handfuls of Thai holy basil leaves

Instructions:

Start cooking the rice.
While rice is cooking, mince garlic and add chilies.
Prepare basil by pulling leaves off the stems.
Cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces.
Heat wok on high and add
EVOO to the pan.
Add garlic chilies, and stir fry for 20 seconds or so until they get fragrant - do not let them burn or crisp.
Toss in chicken, stirring continuously for around 2 - 3 minutes, adding water if it gets too dry.
Add oyster/hoisin sauce, coconut aminos, and soy sauce, frying for around 30 seconds.
Turn off heat, then toss basil into pan, folding it in with chicken. The basil will continue to wilt and cook from the existing heat of the chicken. If the basil is cooked too long, it loses its flavor and texture.
Place some rice in a bowl and top with basil chicken.

Enjoy!

Kalua Chicken with Cabbage - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:59:00 +0000

So ʻono! Made this recently for a work lūʻau and folks gobbled it up! Based my Instant Pot recipe on these:

My version is below!

Ingredients:

organic EVOO
3 lb organic boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp Hawaiian or sea salt
1 tbsp liquid smoke, preferably hickory
1 cup water
½ cabbage head, chopped
brown rice for serving

Instructions:

Select “Sauté” on the Instant Pot. Drizzle some oil into the pot and brown all sides of the chicken. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add water, liquid smoke, and half the salt to the pot. Stir and scrape the brown parts from the pot.
Place chicken back into pot, sprinkle with remaining salt, stir, and cook on high pressure for 15 mins.
While chicken is cooking, wash and chop cabbage.
After 15 mins, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and let rest for 10 mins.
Meanwhile, add cooking liquid from chicken to a large pot or Dutch oven and heat to a boil. Sauté cabbage in the liquid until tender.
Shred chicken with two forks then mix into cabbage.
Serve hot on a bed of brown rice.

ʻOnolicious! ENJOY!

Pasta Puttanesca Without Anchovies - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:44:00 +0000

I remember the first time I heard the word "puttanesca" uttered aloud - it was on Sex and the City, and Charlotte seemed incensed about it! I've never made it before because anchovies aren't a favorite in our home. However, this recipe, Pasta Puttanesca WITHOUT Anchovies, spoke to me immediately! My version is below, and you can find the original recipe here.

Ingredients:

1 pound organic pasta
¼ cup organic EVOO, plus more for drizzling
4 - 6 organic garlic cloves, minced
½ – 1 teaspoon organic red pepper flakes
¾ cup organic pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
28 oz can organic crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon organic tomato paste
1 teaspoon organic dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
½ cup organic fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
Kosher or sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
~ 1½ cups reserved pasta water
1 teaspoon organic white or yellow miso paste (stir into a little warm water before adding to the sauce)

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente with a generous pinch of salt. While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Heat ¼ cup EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring frequently for up to 1 minute, when garlic is fragrant and lightly golden (do not burn the garlic as it will taste bitter), and the red pepper flakes have bloomed.
Add olives and stir for 2 minutes.
Add tomato paste, and cook for 1-2 minutes until it darkens slightly.
Add miso paste dissolved in water, and stir to incorporate.
Add the crushed tomatoes and oregano. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 10-15 minutes while pasta finishes cooking - stir occasionally. If sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
When pasta has finished cooking, drain but do not rinse it, and reserve ~ 1½ cups of pasta water.
Stir most of the parsley into sauce, reserving some for garnish. Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
Add the drained pasta into the Dutch oven with the sauce. Add ½ cup pasta water and toss everything over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until all pasta is coated. If sauce seems too dry, add pasta water until the sauce looks glossy and clings to the pasta (be careful not to add too much water - you don't want a watery sauce).
Serve the Pasta Puttanesca in bowls or on plates, garnishing with the remaining parsley and a drizzle of EVOO, and grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4 to 6.

Bread Machine Focaccia (Bake in Oven)

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:19:00 +0000

Tried out my new bread making machine today. Because the bread pan has a nonstick coating, I’ll most likely use the dough program and bake the bread in the oven in a parchment-lined pan without a nonstick coating.

This is the recipe I decided to try. The recipe with my modifications and notes are below.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Additional Time: 1 hr 50 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 cup lukewarm water
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
2 teaspoons organic garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 cups organic bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast

Instructions:

Place water, 2 tablespoons EVOO, salt, 1 tablespoon rosemary, garlic, and yeast into a bread machine in the order listed. Run Dough Program/Dough Cycle. Remove dough from the machine after the program is done, around 90 minutes.
Pat dough into a 9x13-inch baking pan or a 12-inch pizza pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough every inch or so. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO and sprinkle with remaining ½ tablespoon rosemary. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest while the oven preheats, around 15 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove plastic wrap and bake focaccia in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Baked Salmon with Tomatoes, Spinach, and Mushrooms - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 02:53:00 +0000

I always love a baked salmon recipe, especially when you can make it in one pan! As always, my version is below, and the original can be found here.

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillets (around 4 pieces, skin-on preferred)
2 cups organic baby spinach leaves
1 medium organic sweet onion, chopped
8 oz organic baby bella mushrooms (AKA cremini), sliced
1 medium organic tomato (chopped) or 1 pint organic cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/3 cup homemade balsamic vinaigrette

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees, and lightly oil a 9" x 11" baking dish (or a Dutch oven)
Place fillets, skin-side down, in prepared dish
Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over fish, reserving a drizzle of the vinaigrette for serving
Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness of fish
Divide onto 4 plates, drizzle on remaining vinaigrette, and serve. Makes 4 servings.

This recipe is easy and light, and perfect for quick weeknight meals! Enjoy!

One-Pot Chicken and Brown Rice with Caramelized Lemon - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 23:24:00 +0000

Adapted this recipe from NYT Cooking. The original version can be found here.

This recipe looked amazing, and the claim that it could be prepped and cooked in just 55 minutes sounded incredible! Unfortunately, I must be much slower at gathering and prepping ingredients than the chefs at NYT. 😁

This simple and comforting dish is full of flavor! Instead of using bone-in skin-on thighs and white Jasmine rice, I used skinless boneless chicken breasts and long grain brown rice. The chicken turned out slightly dry, as I expected it would. I also pre-soaked the brown rice for 8 hours so that it would cook in the same time that white rice would in this one-pot recipe. And even though the lemon was caramelized, its pith was still so bitter that not all of it was eaten - not sure how to address that in the future.

Time:

8 hours for brown rice prep, 50 minutes for all steps through putting the pot in the oven, then 30 minutes for cooking while I prepped the remaining lemon and parsley.
Hands-on time - Estimated 1.5 hours from start of actual cooking to dinnertime - not bad for a weeknight, but definitely not 55 minutes total (10 minutes of prep than 45 minutes of cooking) as estimated by NYT Cooking.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic long-grain brown rice, rinsed well and soaked for 8 hours in fridge
1.5 pounds organic skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons freshly-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried organic oregano
crushed organic red pepper to taste
2 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons - cut 1 into ¼-inch-thick slices, save the other for serving
½ medium organic onion, chopped
1 cup organic Kalamata or Castelvetrano olives, pitted, drained, and roughly chopped
6 organic garlic cloves, minced
6 cups organic veggie or chicken broth
sea salt or kosher salt to taste, for serving
¼ cup chopped fresh organic parsley, for serving

Instructions:

At least 8 hours before cooking, rinse brown rice until water runs almost clear, and soak in filtered water in the fridge for 8 hours.
When you begin cooking, heat oven to 400 degrees.
Season chicken with 1 teaspoon each of pepper and dried oregano, and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat for two minutes, then add oil. Add chicken to pot, and let cook undisturbed until it self-released from the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
Cut 1 lemon into ¼-inch-thick slices. Add to pot and cook until caramelized and softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
Add onion, olives, garlic, and 1 teaspoon each pepper and dried oregano to pot. Cook over medium-low heat, scraping browned bits from bottom of the pan, until garlic is fragrant, around 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Turn heat to high, add rice and broth to pot, stir to combine, and cover until it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Remove pot from heat, add browned chicken, skin side up, on top of rice, then cover chicken with lemon slices. Place covered pot into oven and bake until rice and chicken are fully cooked, 25 to 30 minutes.
Salt to taste, then serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Enjoy this delicious dish!

Brown Rice, Power Greens, Mushrooms, and Veggie Broth - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 02:20:00 +0000

Got a little bit of food poisoning this weekend, and needed something a little plainer to eat today. Tried this recipe because I had leftover brown rice, fresh power greens, and fresh baby Bella mushrooms in the fridge. It utilizes a lot of pantry and fridge staples as well. Here's the recipe with my modifications:

Ingredients

3 tablespoons organic avocado oil
1 organic medium onion, finely chopped
8 oz. pkg. organic baby bella/cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 cups organic brown rice, already cooked
2-4 cloves organic garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried organic oregano
6 cups veggie broth (I used Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base Reduced Sodium)
1 pound fresh organic power greens
2-4 tablespoons organic lemon juice (I used the juice of 2 small lemons)
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Sauté onions and mushrooms in the oil on medium low until onions are translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
Add garlic and oregano, and stir for 2 minutes.
Add the broth and bring to a boil.
Stir in the power greens and cook until wilted.
Add the rice and stir until combined.
Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust to taste.
Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

So delicious and filling, but not heavy. Enjoy!

Day Wines 2023 Lemonade Rosé, Dundee, Oregon - $25

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 02:51:00 +0000

I purchased this Day Wines 2023 Lemonade Rosé for $25 at The Austin Wine Merchant. It contains 12.75% ABV.

To the eyes - Light clear salmon pink
On the nose - light and citrusy, slight grapefruit
In the mouth - bubble gum and grapefruit

I like it! Very refreshing. This would be nice wine to bring to someone’s house.

Clos La Coutale 2021 Malbec, Cahors, France - $17.50

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:36:00 +0000

I purchased this Clos La Coutale 2021 Malbec for $17.50 at The Austin Wine Merchant. It contains 13.5% ABV.

It was a bit astringent, which I didn’t love. I've liked other vintages, but will skip this one. Will definitely try other vintages in the future.

Ottolenghi's One-Pan Crispy Spaghetti and Chicken - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Fri, 17 May 2024 01:52:00 +0000

Yotam Ottolenghi's One-Pan Crispy Spaghetti and Chicken is a favorite dish in our home! My version with modifications is below, and you can find the original version here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2½ pounds boneless skinless organic chicken breast
Kosher salt and black pepper, divided

¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper

1 large organic yellow onion, diced
3 tablespoons organic tomato paste
3 organic garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 cups boiling filtered water
8 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds
⅓ lightly-packed cup finely-grated Parmesan (about ¾ ounce)
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1½ teaspoons freshly-grated lemon zest

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Heat a large Dutch oven on high for 2 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon EVOO.
Season chicken with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then add to pot. Cook for 7 minutes without turning until well-browned.
Turn the heat down to medium-high, then stir in the onion and turn over the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onion has softened and is lightly browned.
Add the tomato paste, garlic and 1 tablespoon thyme. Stir the paste into the onions and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant and everything is nicely browned.
Add the boiling water, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and spaghetti, stirring to submerge and evenly distribute.
Use tongs to lift the chicken pieces so they sit on top of the spaghetti. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
While the pasta is in the oven, in a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon zest and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme.
After the pasta has baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and reset the temperature to a high broil setting. Sprinkle the Parmesan bread crumbs over the pasta and chicken, drizzle with the remaining EVOO and return to the center rack to broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until nicely browned and crisp.
Leave to settle for about 5 minutes before serving warm, directly from the pan. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy - so delicious and easy!

Scacciadiavoli Sagratino di Montefalco 2016, Umbria, Italy, $37.50

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Fri, 05 May 2023 04:27:00 +0000

I purchased this Scacciadiavoli Sagratino di Montefalco 2016 for $37.50 at the Austin Wine Merchant. It contains 15% ABV, which is at least one percentage higher than what I usually purchase. I wish I had looked more carefully at that before buying.

I liked this wine okay. It wasn’t as smooth as one we just had with DB. I’ll keep looking for the other one.

Foaming Soap - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 20:22:00 +0000

In an effort to reduce our impact on the environment, we’ve been looking for ways to reduce the amount of product we use in everyday life. One product we use constantly is hand soap.

Until recently, I’ve been purchasing refills of liquid hand soap for our dispensers. However, in researching how to make my own waterless shampoo for dogs (to wash their paws after a walk outside), I realized that I could use a similar recipe for foaming hand wash, and it would save a lot of product and water with each use. I’d never purchased foaming hand wash at the store because I could tell that it was mostly water - such a waste to transport en mass. However, if I could make my own foaming hand soap, I could further reduce our impact on the environment.

Materials and Ingredients

Foaming hand soap container with pump dispenser
2 tablespoons natural liquid hand soap
1 cup warm or hot water

Instructions

Fill a measuring cup with one cup of warm or hot water
Add the liquid hand soap
Gently stir until completely combined
Fill your container with the mixture
When using the foaming soap, don’t wet your hands first - just use a pump or two of the foaming soap, rub hands together for 20 seconds, and rinse clean

For making foaming dish soap, I use the same ratio of natural liquid dish soap to water.

For foaming waterless dog wash, use 1 tablespoon of natural dog shampoo to 6 ounces of water.

One Pot Pasta with Mushrooms in White Wine Sauce - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 02:46:00 +0000

I was looking for a pasta sauce recipe that did not include tomatoes. This one seemed promising. I included the version with my modifications below:

Ingredients

3 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz organic baby bella/cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
4 oz fresh organic arugula
2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
2 medium-sized organic yellow onions, chopped
4 medium-sized organic garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 pound short organic pasta, such as penne or pipe rigate
3 cups filtered water
1 1/3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup organic unsweetened plain soy milk
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons fresh organic thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh organic flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon grated organic lemon zest plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh juice (from 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until all liquid has evaporated, about 12 minutes.
Add oil and stir.
Add onions, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in pasta, water, stock, wine, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until about 4 minutes short of the minimum cook time on the package.
Stir in soy milk and simmer until sauce evenly coats pasta, about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and pepper.
Divide pasta evenly among shallow bowls and serve topped with cheese.

So delicious - enjoy!

Vanilla Cake - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:03:00 +0000

I wanted to make a simple birthday cake for our nephew, as well as some cupcakes from the same recipe for a colleague's birthday. This recipe seemed like it would work well. I've included my version below.

Ingredients

2 cups organic flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large organic brown eggs at room temp
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
1 cup plain unsweetened organic soy milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F for 20 minutes before starting the batter. Place shelf in the middle of the oven.
Spread two 8” cake pans with coconut oil, then line with parchment paper.
Combine the dry ingredients, whisking the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Beat the eggs until aerated (30 seconds on speed 6 of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or longer by hand)
With the beater still going (if possible), pour the sugar in over 45 seconds, then beat for 7 minutes on speed 8, or until tripled in volume and white.
While egg is beating, place the 1/2 cup of coconut oil and the soy milk in a heatproof measuring cup and microwave 1 minute or until oil is melted. Do not overheat or boil this mixture. Do this right before the next steps so that the mixture doesn’t cool too much - it will affect the rise.
When the egg/sugar mixture is whipped, scatter 1/3 flour across surface, then beat on Speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add another 1/3 of the flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 sec. Add remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 – 10 sec until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can’t see flour, stop mixing immediately.
Pour the hot milk mixture, vanilla and the 1 tablespoon of melted oil into the now empty flour bowl. Add about 1 1/2 cups (2 ladles or so) of the egg batter into the milk-butter. Use a whisk to mix vigorously until smooth and foamy.
Turn beater back on Speed 1 then pour the milk mixture into the remainder of the egg batter over 15 seconds, then turn beater off.
Scrape down sides and base of bowl. Beat on Speed 1 for 10 seconds – batter should now be smooth and pourable.
Pour batter into pans. Bang each cake pan on the counter 3 times to knock out big bubbles.
Bake 30 minutes in two 8” cake pans, or 22 minutes for 12 cupcakes. When done, they should be golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Remove from oven. Cool in cake pans for 15 minutes, then gently turn out onto cooling racks. If using as layer cakes, cool upside down – slight dome will flatten perfectly.
Top with a light dusting of powdered sugar and fresh berries, or the frosting of your choice.

Everyone loved it! Turned out denser than expected, but I don’t have a mixer so I did everything manually, and also needed to supplement with brown sugar as I ran out of organic cane sugar.

Mushroom and Barley Stew - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 05:24:00 +0000

I think I found this recipe via Instagram. My version of it is below.

Time: 2.5 hours

Servings: 5 to 6

Ingredients:

1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, or 1/3 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms
3 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces turkey bacon, diced
2 organic yellow onions, chopped
4 medium organic carrots, chopped
4 medium organic celery stalks, chopped
4 organic garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup uncooked organic pearl barley
1 pound organic cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Pinot Noir wine with a splash of brandy
4 cups organic low-sodium stock (I used organic low-sodium Veggie Better than Bullion)
1 1/2 teaspoons organic dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 more tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons organic all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Rehydrate shiitake mushrooms if using dried - place the dried mushrooms in a small pot and cover with four cups of water. Bring to a boil, then shut off heat, cover pot, and allow to soak for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven.
Add the turkey bacon, onions, carrots, and celery and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender.
Add the garlic and barley and sauté for 2 minutes, then add cremini mushrooms and wine mixture and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
Strain the shiitake mushroom soaking liquid directly into the soup pot. Add the broth and the thyme.
Rinse the shiitake under cold water, then coarsely chop them and add to the soup.
Add the salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, bring soup to a boil, then partially cover and lower the heat. Simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Just before serving, mix 2 more tablespoons of EVOO and flour together, and add to the soup. Swirl until combined.
Add another tablespoon or two of wine mixture, and more salt to taste if needed. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Tomato Barley Soup - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 03:35:00 +0000

This soup turned out so yummy! The original recipe is here - my version is below.

Time: 2 hours
Serves: 6-12

Ingredients:

2 cup organic onion, diced
2 cup organic carrot, diced
2 cup organic celery, diced
4 teaspoons organic garlic, minced
4 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
2⁄3 cup organic pearl barley
28 oz organic crushed tomatoes
4 cups organic chicken broth
4 cups water
2 organic bay leaves
sea salt or kosher salt and black pepper to taste
fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions:

Heat a large Dutch oven for 2 minutes, then add the EVOO.
Sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic for about 10 minutes, until they start to soften.
While the veggies are cooking, pour the barley into a dish and cover with water.
Add tomatoes, broth, water, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Drain the barley and add it to the Dutch oven.
Reduce heat and cook at a low boil for about 45 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Add more water or broth if the soup thickens too much.
Add parsley if using, and serve while hot.

Enjoy!

Babà Rustico - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 17:28:00 +0000

Original Babà Rustico recipe here. I made some substitutions because it was just after a winter storm, and there were some ingredients I couldn’t find at the store. Also, was trying to make it just a little healthier.

Makes 1 (10-cup) loaf

Ingredients:

2½ cups organic bread flour, divided into 1½ cups and 1 cup
½ cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh organic parsley
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 cup warm (110°F to 115°F) organic soy milk
0.25 ounce package instant yeast
1 teaspoon organic sugar
4½ tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
2 large organic eggs, room temperature
¾ cup aged cheddar cheese, cut into ⅜ inch cubes
1 cup chopped reduced-sodium salami
organic fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1½ cups flour, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.
In another bowl, whisk together warm soy milk, yeast, and sugar by hand. Stir in remaining 1 cup flour until well-combined. Add EVOO and eggs, and beat until well combined.
Constantly stirring, gradually add flour mixture, beating until well combined and stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed. Mix faster until dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. (Dough will still stick to sides and bottom of bowl.)
Stirring more slowly, gradually add cheese and salami until combined. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Oil a 10-cup Bundt or ring cake pan. Using a bowl scraper or spatula, spoon dough in small amounts evenly into prepared pan. Using wet fingers, evenly press dough evenly into pan. Tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter a few times. Cover and let rise in a warm (75°F), draft-free place until dough has risen about 1 inch from top of pan, 30 to 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Bake until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°F to 200°F, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert bread onto a wire rack, and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
Garnish with parsley if using. Serve warm or at room temperature. Best served same day.
Leftovers: Cover and refrigerate remaining bread and reheat at 350°F for 5-10 minutes before eating again.

Fun and delicious! Enjoy!

Lewis Wines 2016 Tempranillo, Texas - $22

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 03:20:00 +0000

I purchased this Lewis Wines 2016 Tempranillo from Central Market for $22. It contains 12.7% alcohol by volume.

This wine was fine, but a little on the astringent side for my taste. It wasn’t satisfying to me, so I won’t purchase it again even though I love this winery.

If you like astringent wines, you may want to try this one!

Maison Valdesay Vin de Borurgogne Pinot Noir 2021, France - $12

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 00:43:00 +0000

I purchased this Maison Valdesay Vin de Borurgogne Pinot Noir 2021 Appellation D’Origine Protégée from Costco for $12. It contains 13% ABV.

The wine is light and dry with moderate tannins. It’s fine, but there is a slight taste that I don’t prefer - maybe a little too much wood? In any case, it’s a maybe for me.

Probably won’t purchase it again, but others may like it.

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 01:15:00 +0000

I’m so in love with this pumpkin bread recipe! The original version is here. My modifications are below. The best part of this pumpkin bread is the combination of yummy spices - they smell so good even before baking!

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour (I used a combo of 1 cup organic unbleached flour and 3/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 organic large eggs, at room temperature (I use organic free-range or cage-free brown eggs)
1 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 1/2 cups organic pumpkin puree (I used canned)
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Place the oven rack on the lower third position, then preheat the oven to 350°F. This prevents the top of your bread from browning too much. Prepare a 9”x5” loaf pan (I use a silicon pan, but if you use metal or glass be sure to oil it).
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and sea salt together until combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together.
Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, and orange juice.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and gently stir together using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. There will be a few lumps. Do not over-mix.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil to prevent the top from getting too brown.
Bake for another 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small, moist crumbs.
Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing.
Cover and store leftover pumpkin bread at room temperature for up to 3–4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Note: Pumpkin bread can be frozen up to 3 months - simply thaw in fridge overnight before serving.

This bread is so good! Enjoy!

Smith & Perry Oregon Pinot Noir 2017, Dallas, Oregon - $10

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 04:21:00 +0000

Was excited to try this well-priced Smith & Perry Oregon Pinot Noir 2017, which I purchased for $10 at Costco. It contains 13.4% ABV.

To the eyes - translucent ruby red

On the nose - bright red fruit and spice

In the mouth - bright red fruit, spice, nice mineralogy, soft tannins, balanced acidity

Really like this wine - a nice everyday option!

Turkey Soup with Stuffing Dumplings - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 02:16:00 +0000

I have always loved Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner leftovers. The turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, gravy – I could eat it all year!

I also love making different recipes from Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner leftovers. This one is a total winner! Just take your turkey bones and trimmings to make a very rich broth, strain the broth and add the turkey meat, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, a little bit of thyme, salt, and pepper, and then mix your stuffing with some whipped eggs and flour, and you have a fantastic soup for a cold night!

The turkey soup portion of this recipe is based on my Old Man’s Turkey Noodle Soup recipe - just omit the noodles. The stuffing dumplings part of the recipe is based on this recipe that I found online.

Ingredients

EVOO
2 organic onions, chopped
4 organic carrots, chopped
4 stalks organic celery, chopped
4 cloves organic garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried organic thyme
2.5 quarts homemade or store purchased turkey stock
1 pound turkey breast
2 large organic brown eggs
6 tablespoons flour, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups leftover stuffing

Instructions

In a large pot, sauté onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme in EVOO.
Add turkey stock and bring to a boil.
Add turkey breast and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the turkey meat is heated through (if already cooked - about 20 minutes) or very tender (if starting from raw - about 2 hours).
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper together until smooth. Add the stuffing and mix until well combined; cover and reserve.
Remove the turkey and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then shred with 2 forks. Return turkey to the soup.
Roll level tablespoons of the dumpling mixture into balls with fork and spoon and drop into the simmering soup. Cook until dumplings float, around 3-4 minutes.
If needed, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until heated through.
Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Homemade Hot Cocoa - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 23:30:00 +0000

We were headed to see some holiday lights tonight, and I thought it would be nice to sip on some homemade hot chocolate while we saw them. I looked up this really easy and delicious recipe online, and it worked out great! Of course I made some changes, and my modifications are below. The one thing I would add is some marshmallows, or a little vegan whipped topping on top!

Ingredients

4 cups non-dairy milk (I used organic soy milk - sweetened, no vanilla)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if you want a more chocolatey drink, increase this slightly)
¼ cup granulated sugar (I used 1/8 cup of sugar, since the soy milk I used was already sweetened)
½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, or a chopped chocolate bar of your choice
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (if you use a vanilla-flavored non-dairy milk, omit this)

Instructions

Combine milk, cocoa powder and sugar in a small pot.
Heat gently over medium-low heat, whisking frequently until warm but not boiling.
Add the chocolate chips/pieces and whisk constantly until the chocolate chips melt and are distributed evenly into the liquid.
Whisk in vanilla extract, if using.
Serve immediately.

The lights were fun, too!

Copain Rosé of Pinot Noir 2021, Mendocino County, CA - $16

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:17:00 +0000

I purchased this Copain Rosé of Pinot Noir 2021 is $16 at Costco.

To the eyes - pale clear salmon
On the nose - light cantaloupe
In the mouth - light cantaloupe, grapefruit finish, dry, slightly acidic

I really like this wine. A nice choice!

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cellarius II 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 03:51:00 +0000

This Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cellarius II 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon was a Cask 23 Wine Club offering. Wow, how I miss being a part of that wine club.

To the eyes - opaque deep red purple
On the nose - blackberries and spice
In the mouth - blackberries, spice, dark chocolate finish, dry, firm tannins

Love love love this wine! A perfect celebratory bottle for a milestone at work!