Sassy Wine Belly

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 or white button 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.

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 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.

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!

Leitz Zero-Point-Five Alcohol Free Pinot Noir, Germany - $20

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 01:39:00 +0000

I purchased this bottle of Leitz Zero-Point-Five Alcohol Free (de-alcoholized) Pinot Noir from Whole Foods for $20.

To the eyes - hazy garnet
On the nose - slate, grape juice
In the mouth - grape juice, slate, moderate acids, dry finish

This is the first de-alcoholized wine that I’ve tried which actually has a dry finish. It’s not bad, but is just a step above grape juice. I do not like that the ingredients include sucrose.

Just another maybe for me.

Bernard Baudry Les Granges 2020, Chinon, France - $22.50

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 03:43:00 +0000

I purchased this Bernard Baudry Les Granges 2020 Cabernet Franc from the Austin Wine Merchant on Henry’s recommendation. It rituals for $22.50 a bottle and contains 12.5% ABV.

To the eyes - dark cherry red
On the nose - spicy cherries
In the mouth - cherries, earth, dry, chocolate, a tiny bit floral

This wine is okay would prefer no floral notes. It’s a maybe for me.

Clos d’Isoré Red Loire Wine 2019, Chinon, France - $18.75

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 02:24:00 +0000

I purchased this Clos d’Isoré Cabernet Franc 2019 at the Austin Wine Merchant for $18.75 a bottle. It contains 14% ABV, which is higher than I generally prefer.

To the eyes - deep dark red purple
On the nose - a little floral, black fruit
In the mouth - somewhat floral, dry black fruit, dark chocolate, soft tannins

This wine is okay, but I prefer no floral notes at all in my red wines. This wine is just a maybe for me.

Tofu Crumble Stir Fry - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 03:25:00 +0000

This dish is so good! I made it up off the top of my head, so I don’t have any exact measurements, especially for the sauce.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. fresh organic shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 slices of organic red onion, quartered after slicing
12 organic baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
8 oz. Banyan Tofu Crumbles
2 tablespoons natural, gluten-free soy sauce (I used Kikkoman)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (I used Kikkoman)

Instructions

Prep the vegetables.
Heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the vegetable and tofu crumbles, and lower the heat slightly. Stir around once a minute and partially cover when not stirring. Cool for 2 minutes.
Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and stir. Cook for 2 more minutes.
Serve with organic brown rice.

Enjoy!

Altas Cumbres Torrontés 2016, Salta, Argentina - $10

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 05:13:00 +0000

I received this Altas Cumbres Torrontés 2016 as an apology from Buenes Aires Restaurant in Austin, TX one evening when I was kept waiting outside in the cold for a takeout order that ended up being over 1 hour later than promised. The wine retails for $10.

I ended up opening it to use as an ingredient in my Ligurian Fish Stew. I decided to do a quick tasting of it as well, since most of the bottle still remained.

To the eyes - pale cool yellow

On the nose - strong honey, floral

In the mouth - honey and flowers, kind of a bitter grapefruit finish, mouth-watering acidity and somehow creamy-tasting at the same time

I’m admittedly not a white wine person, but I do enjoy a good crisp Sauvignon Blanc once in a while so I’m not completely against them. However, I definitely would not purchase this one in the future.

Carpenters Hall, Austin, TX - Restaurant Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 04:09:00 +0000

This is the second time we've eaten at Carpenters Hall. The first time was pre-pandemic with some friends. We couldn't remember very much about the experience, so we decided to go back to try it out again. It happened that our visit fell on Valentine's Day 2022.

Overall, a very lovely staff - the service was not rushed, and at times it was actually slow - we had to wait 10 minutes until someone walked by who could turn on the heater as the chilly weather set in.

For Valentine's Day, they offered a 3-part pre-fixe menu for $58 per person. The food was so delicious, albeit on the salty side (prawns, beef short ribs, halibut). The apple tart for dessert had an amazing crust, and I think I could taste almond extract. In addition to the very excellent wait staff, the chef allowed me to replace dessert with rosemary pecans. That was absolutely perfect.

For my wine, I ordered the Can Sumoi 2020 La Rosa SP ($13/glass, $52/bottle). I enjoyed it, and it went well with the amuse-bouches and my first course of prawns.

Amuse-bouches: Foie Linzer Cookie - savory shortbread, red currant jam, foie mousse, foie snow.

This amuse was delectable - light, a tad sweet and a tad savory - just right to prepare us for the courses to come.

First Course:

Me: Prawns with pickled onions, upland cress, smoky tamarind
Him: Smoked beets salad with feta, pickled fennel, garden greens (not pictured)

The prawns were just cooked, which I loved, but hubby did not (he likes his seafood cooked very thoroughly). Very tender and sweet!

Second Course:

Me: Braised beef short ribs wit chermoula, roasted root vegetables, potato puree
Him: Cashew-crusted halibut with celery root salad and chorizo broth

My beef ribs were amazing. I had vacillated between the ribs and halibut, but eventually went with the ribs when hubby decided on the halibut. Both were so amazingly good! I honestly love these equally!

Third Course (not pictured):

Him: Apple Streusel tart with vanilla bean ice cream

This 3-course pre-fixe menu was $58 per person, and worth every penny! Try it out anytime, pre-fixe menu or regular!

Ligurian Fish Stew - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 02:58:00 +0000

Stew sounded great tonight, a chilly winter evening. However, I didn’t feel like eating chicken or beef. This recipe seemed like the perfect solution! The original recipe by Giada De Laurentiis is here, and the recipe with my modifications is below.

Stew Ingredients

1/3 cup organic extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 medium organic carrots, scrubbed clean and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 organic onion, chopped
4 cloves organic garlic, chopped
Sea salt
3/4 cup white wine (I used Torrontés)
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds wild-caught cod, no skin, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup chopped fresh organic flat-leaf parsley

Stew Instructions

Heat 1/3 cup of EVOO in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots, onion, and garlic.
Season with salt and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir frequently.
Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, around 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, water, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly to prevent burning (you may also want to lower the heat even more if the mixture splatters). Cover and cook until the veggies are tender, around 18 to 20 minutes.
Season the fish lightly with salt and add to the stew. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, around 5 to 8 minutes.
Season the stew with salt to taste.
Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with the parsley. Serve with crostini (see crostini recipe below).

Crostini Ingredients and Instructions

1 loaf ciabatta or another type of rustic bread, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
organic EVOO spray
1 organic garlic clove, halved

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and spray with EVOO.
Bake until light golden, about 12 minutes.
Cool for 2 minutes.
Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic.

Enjoy!

Torre Zambra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2017, Italy - $8

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 05:27:00 +0000

I purchased this Torre Zambra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2017 at Costco for $8 a bottle. It contains 13% ABV.

To the eyes - deep ruby garnet
On the nose - black fruit, black pepper
In the mouth - black fruit, black pepper, dark cocoa, dry, soft tannins, slightly acidic

Delicious, especially for this price point. A nice everyday wine.

William Chris Wanderer Series Relief Project II, Texas High Plains - $25

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 05:37:00 +0000

I purchased this bottle of William Chris Wanderer Series Relief Project II for $25 at Central Market. It contains 12.6% ABV.

This wine is a blend of 92% Cinsault and 8% Carignan. It’s a light, lovely wine and I am looking forward to purchasing it again. We paired it with a cheese plate - yum!

Healthy Chicken Cassoulet - Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy Wine Belly) — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 03:00:00 +0000

I've always wanted to try making a cassoulet. My recipe is a combination of Martha Stewart’s recipe and this one.

Ingredients

5 organic garlic cloves, minced and divided into 2 and 3 cloves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoons organic dried thyme
4 organic boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and as needed
1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke
1 organic yellow or sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4-15.5 oz. cans organic cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 organic carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks organic celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 dried organic bay leaf
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
4 cups low sodium organic chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh organic Italian Parsley, diced

Instructions

In a covered bowl large enough to hold the chicken, combine 2 garlic cloves, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, vinegar, and chicken. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the EVOO and cook the chicken for 5 minutes on one side, then flip and cook 5 minutes on the other side.
Remove the chicken from the Dutch oven.
In the Dutch oven, place the liquid smoke and onions, cooking the onions over medium until they are translucent. When you add the onions, let them sit for a minute to soak up the juices in the pan before stirring.
Add the beans, carrots, celery, bay leaf, salt, organic chicken stock, parsley, and remaining remaining 3 garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon thyme.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or 350 degrees convection oven) with rack in upper third.
Remove chicken from marinade, and arrange into layers in Dutch oven, covering the chicken with the vegetable mixture. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.
Remove dish from oven and serve hot.

Note: French bread is a nice accompaniment.

This isn't my favorite stew, but it's nice to be able to make a cassoulet when needed.

Enjoy!