A Drinkable Feast

Flambé Chicken with Mustard and Mushroom Cream Sauce

2012-01-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

To round out our 2011 holiday vacation and welcome 2012, tonight, I made one of my all-time favorite dishes. This is a dish that I refer to as my "comfort-food-craving-go-to-dish." It's a dish that also confirms that true friends make lasting memories. It is: Chicken flambéed with Brandy, then baked with a mustard and mushroom (fresh button and dried porcini) cream sauce. I served it with steamed Jasmine rice and baby carrots, which I first steamed and then baked with a dash of molasses, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It's a fun dish to make because the kids love to watch us flambéing the chicken -- they always get excited about the flame.

I must have made this dish more than 30 times. As my husband says, "too many times to count." But, every time I make this dish, it reminds me of two very important people in my life -- two people I consider to be not only lifelong friends, but also like sisters to me. They are my friends Veronica and Tara. This dish reminds me of Veronica because she first made this dish for Patrick and me when we were in college -- oh, 16-17 years ago. She made this dish for us during one of our regular Friday night dinners that we used to have in college. Veronica and I met on our first day in college at UC Berkeley. She is one of my lifelong friends, and one of my culinary inspirations. She loves cooking, and she loves experimenting with food. This was one of the special meals she made for us. This dish is absolutely divine. I have made this dish so many times that I don't even look at the recipe anymore. I can make it in my sleep. Veronica is now working on assignment in India for a non-profit consulting firm. I miss you so much, V!

This dish also reminds me of my friend Tara. Tara and I met in college when we both went to work at the EEOC in Washington, D.C. She and I also used to enjoy cooking together when we were both living in the Bay Area. (She is now getting her LLM -- Masters in Law -- in London.) I think about Tara when I make this dish because once we almost burned down her apartment in San Francisco when we were flambéing the chicken. We had a good laugh about it, though! And, we enjoyed the dish and some great wine too. I miss you too, Tara! I am so glad we were able to see each other when you visited for Christmas.

Tonight, as Patrick and I savored every bite of this dish, I dedicated this meal to you ladies -- two truly amazing women I know. With this dish, we enjoyed a glass of a delectable Cabernet Sauvignon (Louis M. Martini 2007). The great thing about this dish is that you can enjoy it with any wine that you wish. The flavors are incredibly versatile.

Here is a toast to 2012 and to lasting friendship!

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Lemon, Onion, and Fresh Herb Stuffed Striped Bass Roasted to Perfection

2011-11-14T22:47:00.000-08:00

On a day light today -- where you wish you had 5 extra hours in the day or wish you were on some tropical island somewhere sipping on pina coladas -- having a comforting meal makes the whole day seem like a blurr. But, having a delicious meal that is easy to make, simple, and packed with flavor, is icing on the cake.

Tonight, I made one of my favorites: Roasted fish. This time, I roasted a whole Striped Bass. No worries. . . It's on the "Green List" of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, as my environmentally-conscious daughter often reminds me. This fish was simple and fast to make, and mouth-wateringly delicious. As a side dish, we had some mashed yams/sweet potatoes that I made last night -- another easy to make and to store side dish. As my husband thankfully commented on at least two occasions during his meal: "This fish is buttery and really tasty. Thank you Babe!" See the recipe below next time you are in the mood for a fresh and healthy, yet comforting, meal:

Ingredients:

1 whole Striped Bass (~ 2-3 lbs). Have your butcher clean and scale the fish, with head on, and cut a few slits through the skin on each side. [I got my fish at Berkeley Bowl, and the butchers there are pretty helpful. All I do at home is rinse the fish under cold water with some lemon juice.]
1 whole yellow onion (sliced in 1/4 inch rounds).
1 lemon (sliced).
4 garlic cloves (peeled).
A few sprigs of fresh parsley and thyme. (I like the flavors of lemon thyme; use dry herbs if you don't have fresh ones.]
1 Tablespoon of butter (cut into small cubes).
Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste).
1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º.
Rinse fish under cold water (with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice).
Place some aluminum foil in a glass baking dish (or cookie sheet).
Drizzle some oil on top of the foil, and about 1/2 of the cut-up cubes of butter.
Place fish on top of the foil.
Season the fish with salt and pepper (inside and out).
Place the onions, lemons, garlic, and herbs inside the fish. [Try not to over stuff it. If you have too much, arrange them around the fish in the dish.]
Drizzle the rest of the olive oil on top of the fish.
Sprinkle the rest of the butter on top of the fish.
Place in the oven (uncovered) and bake for about 20-30 minutes until the fish is flaky and white.
Serve with rice, vegetables, or your favorite side dishes.

NOTE: There may be some small bones, so be careful if giving it to children.

For the mashed sweet potatoes/yams, just bake the yams in a 350º until soft (just like you would bake regular potatoes). Wait until they are cool enough to peal, and mash. Place the peeled yams in a large bowl. Mix in some cinnamon powder (to taste), vanilla extract (the real stuff, not imitation), and brown sugar (just about a Tablespoon). Stir in some unsalted butter (about 1 Tablespoon). Or, for something real decadent and a little creamier, stir in about 1/4 cup of Mascarpone Cheese (available in the specialty cheese section of most grocery store including Trader Joe's). Voilà!

Here is to a happy week.

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Altano Douro: A Delicious Red Wine from Portugal

2011-10-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

If you are near a Cost Plus World Market, and are in the mood for trying a new wine, I highly recommend that you pick up a bottle of the Altano Douro (Reserva 2006). This is a wine from Portugal. I picked up a bottle last weekend while I was at Cost Plus just because I wanted to try something new. It was normally $15, but it was on sale for $10.

Tonight, Patrick and I opened it up and we had it with some pizza (Fennel sausage and Portabella mushrooms). It was very delicious -- Just what I needed after my draining, energy-sucking, and mentally exhausting two days I had at my deposition in Sacramento. This wine is medium bodied, smooth on the palate, dark ruby colored in the glass, and has a very inviting aroma. I actually want to go back to Cost Plus and pick up a few more bottles. It's a wonderful and inexpensive red wine to keep on hand for those "end of the week" dinners, mid-week dinners, and casual get-together/catching up with friends.

The New York Times did a story on the Douro a couple of years ago. Check it out: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/dining/reviews/14wine.html

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Roasted Rock Cod: A Delicious, Healthy, and Fun Fish Meal for The Whole Family

2011-09-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

I have a binder on my kitchen counter, labeled "Adelmise's Favorite Recipes." I also have a couple of online recipe books that I keep so that I can easily find my favorites when I feel like making something that I love. Some of the recipes that I consider my favorites are my favorites because they are simple and easy to make. Some are my favorites because they are convenient, but packed with flavors. Others are my favorites because they are healthy and kids like them (those are true keeps!). Still others are my favorites because they are fun to make. Life is stressful as it is. I think any chance you have to make cooking "fun" you should take it. Some of the recipes make their ways to my "Favorite Recipes Binder" because, well, they are all of the above. This recipe from Wolfgang Puck is one of those recipes that I consider my favorites: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/wolfgang-puck/roast-rock-cod-with-fennel-and-beurre-blanc-recipe/index.html

The recipe calls for a whole fish (Rock Cod). http://fishcooking.about.com/od/standardfish/p/rockfish_profil.htm. Some people may be intimidated by the idea of cooking a whole fish. But, here is what I did, which may help reduce the intimidation. Today, I wanted to make and enjoy a nice meal for my family (tough busy week already and it's only Wednesday, but at least we're all healthy). While at work today, I called the San Francisco Fish Company in the Ferry Building (San Francisco) and asked them what sorts of fresh wild fish they had on hand. Well, they had a lot! So, I walked over and brought in the recipe. They scaled the fish for me. They also cleaned and cut the pockets into the fish for me. So, all I had to do when I got home was rinse the fish out, pat it dry, and season it. Easy! It was really fun showing the kids the whole fish. They absolutely loved it!

I modified a couple of the ingredients in the recipe. I did not use the alcohol the recipe called for - I used a tablespoon of brandy, which I already had in my pantry. I also did not use the red pepper flakes because I wanted the kids to eat the fish. Also, I used only 1 fennel bulb, and used more fingerling potatoes because I personally like potatoes more than fennel because of the texture, but fennel has an essence and flavor that you can't replace with anything else. I also omitted the garnish (lemon and parsley) because it's a weeknight, kids were hungry, and I wanted to get the food on the table.

This dish can be made as a weeknight meal or a weekend meal, depending on what you have on hand. For me, I had everything at home except for the fish, potatoes, fennel, and tomatoes. So, constructing the dish was easy, convenient, fun, and super flavorful! From start to finish, it took about 1 hour to enjoy a delicious, flavorful, healthy meal.

To thoroughly enjoy the dish, and wind down from a looooong day at work, Patrick and I enjoyed a glass of one of our favorite wines (Ferrari Carano's Siena 2009). http://www.ferrari-carano.com/trade/pres-bldr/images/Siena09btg.pdf This wine is a truly amazing blend of red wines (Sangiovese blended with Malbec and Syrah). We first fell in love with this wine during a romantic anniversary visit to Sonoma a few years ago. I love the winery's description of this wine as: "A remarkably harmonious and well integrated red, smooth, ripe, rich and concentrated, with complex black cherry, raspberry, anise, sage and spice flavors. Finishes with a long, fruity aftertaste." This wine pairs extremely well with the fish dish because of the fennel and onion flavors in the dish. You can buy it at Safeway for $19.00.

Next time you are in the mood for a delicious fish dish, I hope you download this recipe and enjoy!

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Who Says Chicken Is Boring? This Portuguese Chicken Dish Is Anything But!

2011-08-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Today's post is about a little bit of planning ahead and a lot of flavorful ingredients packed into a pot to enjoy a delicious weeknight meal for your family at the end of a long, hard day at work.

Today, I had one of those non-stop, never-ending, adrenaline-rush types of days. Anyone with small kids knows that the house may not always be the most peaceful place to be after you've had a crazy day at work. But, I usually find that my evening's tempo changes during the first five minutes when I walk into the door. No matter how bad of a day I have had, the reception I get form my children usually changes my mood instantly.

Tonight, when I pulled into the garage, I was welcomed by the most amazing aromas emanating from fresh herbs (such as Bay leaves and parsley), pearl onions and garlic, sweet paprika, Tawny Port, and dijon mustard. Then, I opened the door, my three little kittens gave me the best welcome hugs that any mom could ask for. I then lifted off the foil covering the platter of the most enticingly beautiful-looking chicken. I, of course, took a little taste. I literally felt that I somehow had been transported into heaven on earth. In my mouth was the most delicious chichen dish that I have ever tasted. This was courtesy of a Bon Appetit recipe that I found over the weekend: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/02/portuguese_chicken

I prepared all the ingredients this morning before I went to work. I put everything in a dutch oven pot and placed the pot in the refrigerator. Our fabulous Au Pair, Ten, put it in the oven for us 2 hours before I got home. The dish was so flavorful. We served it with steamed rice and a roasted corn salad. Our daughter absolutely loved the chicken, especially the sauce (which she kept saying was tasty). For an 8-year-old picky eater to say something was "tasty", that was a successful dish in my book.

NOTE: This is also a perfect dish to make on a Sunday, and save the leftovers for the week.

Patrick and I enjoyed a glass of a Reserve Malbec from Argentina (Graffigna Centenario 2008), which I had picked up from Costco for $9. It was a delicious pairing with the chicken. It tasted like a Merlot-type blend - easy to drink, smooth, with mild tannins, and not overpowering. For this hearty chicken dish, you could pair any wine that you like, including a Cabernet.

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Right In Your Slow Cooker: A Delectable Bolognese Sauce With Spinach Pasta

2011-08-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

If you have school-aged children, you probably are very aware that the summer is about to come to an end. You probably either have already purchased, or are in the process of, purchasing school supplies, uniforms, school clothes, etc. Well, today was "back to school reality" day for us. We spent the day shopping for not one, but two sets of school supplies/uniforms. Yep, we have one peanut going into 4th Grade, and another peanut starting Kindergarten in the Fall. Hard to believe!

Although I was determined to get some of the back-to-school shopping done today, I also wanted to make a delicious/comforting meal for my family. The kids love it when we do Sunday dinners. Frankly, so do we! It's a great way to end the busy weekend by sharing a relaxing meal together, and get ready for the workweek ahead. So, before we left the house to tackle the much-delayed school shopping, I wanted to throw something in the slow-cooker (a busy-woman-who-loves-cooking's best friend!). I wanted something delicious and comforting. I recently came across this Bolognese Sauce recipe from OregonLive's website: http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2008/06/recipe_detail.html?id=7580. Bolognese sauce is a meat-based Italian sauce typically served with pasta. It's called Bolognese because it originated in Bologna, Italy. Patrick and I fell in love with this type of sauce when we went to Italy on vacation a few years ago. It is one of our favorite sauces. It appears that the author of this recipe also got her inspiration from a trip to Italy. Take a look at her story: http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2010/11/beef_pork_make_richer_bolognes.html.

Well, we put the sauce in our slow cooker when we left this morning. When we return, the first thing that greeted us at the door was the aroma of the sauce from the onions, celery, bay leaf, Parmesan rind, and garlic (I added some garlic for extra flavor). As we entered the kitchen, and I lifted up the lid to the slow cooker, I found a pot full of delicious, fragrant, and savory sauce. I finished the sauce with some fresh chopped parsley and basil. Then, I stirred the heavy whipping cream. When I tasted the finish product, my mouth literally exploded with flavor.

I cooked some spinach pasta that I had in the pantry from Berkeley Bowl market. With a heavy meat sauce, I find the spinach pasta a little lighter and healthier than regular pasta. It's also a whole grain pasta. The whole dish really was about comfort. We had a wonderful family dinner.

NOTE: If you have picky eaters (like we do), this is a great meal to make because, well, I don't know too many kids who don't like pasta. Plus, with the diced carrots in the sauce and the spinach whole grain pasta, you get them at least a serving of vegetables. Even if you use regular pasta, it's still a good dish for the whole family to enjoy.

As an accompaniment to the dish, Patrick and I had a glass of one of our all-time favorite Italian wines -- Villa Antinori Toscana 2006. This is a Super Tuscan-type red wine, which is a blend of various grape varietals consisting of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah http://www.winespectator.com/wwdn/show/id/44307. If you like Italian wines (or if Italian food is on your next dinner menu), I highly recommend this wine. It's reasonably priced (I found it for $13 at Costco, and Safeway typically has it for $16).

I hope you had an enjoyable weekend with your family. Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

From the Farmers' Hands to Our Dinner Table

2011-06-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

With our busy schedules - work, kids, chores, errands, occasional exercise -- it surely is difficult for us to take the time and enjoy what mother nature has to offer. For me, Saturdays are always one of my favorite days. It's a day that I stop and breathe after a long week of work.

Whenever possible, here is how I love to spend my Saturdays: Being woken up by the kids (well, I wouldn't say that's necessarily our favorite part since the kids don't seem to comprehend the concept of sleeping in!). A scrumptious breakfast with the kids. Going to the Lakeshore Peet's Coffee Shop to get a Cappuccino (a Latte for my hubby!). Going for a run around Lake Merritt. Taking the kids to the playground by the Lake. Walking to the Farmers' Market where we can sample all kinds of fresh fruits and picking out the freshest produce in season. Having lunch with the kids (sometimes after Nelianne's ballet class). Running errands (those little things that we intended to take care off during the week, which somehow we were never able to do). Thinking of what to make for dinner, based on what I picked up from the Farmers' Market. Preparing a delicious dinner for my family (sometimes, with friends!). And, sitting at the dinner table and eating together as a family. Nothing compares! Well, today was one of those Saturdays when my heart was filled with some wonderful memories of spending an exceptional day with my family. It was, as it always is, a busy day for us. But, it ended with a delicious dinner.

I wanted to share some of the highlights with you. For dinner, we had some New York steaks (pan seared and finished in the oven, thanks to my steak master husband). The side dishes consisted of these beautiful and incredibly delicious sweet multi-colored carrots that I picked up from the Farmers' Market, simply prepared (see below for recipe). I also sauteed some Swiss Chards (recipe also below).

Carrots Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash and peel the carrots. Peel and slice some red onions. Place the carrots and onions on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle some extra virgin olive oil on the carrots. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of Italian Seasonings.
Bake the carrots in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Swiss Chard Recipe:

Wash Swiss Chard under cold water (very important to wash well and remove any dirt). Cut off the tip of the bottom and discard. Chop chard into bite size pieces. Dice 1 clove of garlic. Heat up about 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add the chopped Swiss Chard. Saute until softened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and serve.

Okay, for those who know me well, you know that I don't usually make dessert. Every once in a while, I'll make some simple dessert. Tonight, I decided to make a Peach Cobbler with some crunchy and sweet white peaches that I picked up from the Farmers' Market. I used this simple recipe from the Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-specials/peach-cobbler-recipe/index.html). The result was pure heaven!

Of course, a dinner at the Warner household wouldn't be complete without some great wine. Tonight, we tried an incredible Cabernet Sauvignon (unfiltered) that we picked up from BevMo's $.05 sale. It's Arrowood's Cabernet (Sonoma, CA 2004). With the $.05 sale, it came to about $24/bottle. Not necessarily cheap, but OMG, that was an amazing bottle of wine. Perfect accompaniment to the New York Steak.

I hope your Saturday was an enjoyable one.

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Beer Braised Chicken: An Easy and Comforting Homecoming Meal

2011-03-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy Saturday in our house. The day began with all of us going to the Boys' preschool for Spring Cleaning Day, which started at 8:30 a.m. Following that, Patrick and I split up: He took the Boys to a birthday party at Pump It Up, and I took Nelianne to her Basketball game in Alameda. After that . . . lunch, laundry, grocery shopping, and housecleaning. With a busy day like this, and given that it's been raining all day, dinner in our household was all about simplicity and comfort. But, with Patrick coming home from his business trip, I wanted to make something comforting and delicious to welcome him home.

I found this great recipe on the Food Network: Beer-Braised Chicken (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/beer-braised-chicken-recipe/index.html). This recipe is easy because my shopping list consisted of buying a bottle of beer, a few red potatoes, and some frozen pearl onions. How easy is that! I had everything else either in my freezer (like chicken thighs and bacon) or pantry or fridge.

I served the chicken with steamed rice and gratin of corn kernels. To make the corn, I boiled some water in a deep pot. Then, I added a bag of frozen corn in the boiling water. I let it boil for about 2 minutes or so. Then, I drained the corn. Then, I stirred about 1 tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper, cheddar cheese, and a Tablespoon of milk. I put the corn mixture in a oven-proof baking dish, and baked it in the oven for about 15 minutes (or until the cheese is all melted).

Patrick and I had a glass of Estencia Pinot Noir (Monterey, CA 2009) with this dish. Pinot Noir is a good wine pairing because it is a little lighter and not overpowering. It's also a slightly fruity and dry red wine, which goes well with the beer and mustard flavor of the chicken dish. If you like white wine, I would suggest a nice Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.

For my hubby (and my children!) who love chocolate, I decided to make individual Molten Chocolate Cakes With Raspberry Filling in mini ramekins. The kids helped with this. Well, Nelianne helped me melt the chocolate. The Boys just licked the spoons -:) This recipe is courtesy of Food and Wine Magazine (http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/molten-chocolate-cake-with-raspberry-filling). This dessert was a great excuse for me to try my Iced Riesling that Patrick brought back for me from Germany.

Well, the day may have started out a little hectic. I wouldn't trade it for anything (except maybe a day at the spa!). But, it ended out with an amazing family dinner, a warm fireplace, and spending quality time with my loving family.

I hope your day was all you wanted it to be!

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

A Warm Comforting Beef Stew On A Cold Rainy Day

2011-02-19T21:45:00.000-08:00

I don't think there is anyone who likes it when it rains all day. Especially those of us who have kids who need to be running around outside and burn off some energy so they can be as tired as they can be when bed time comes. Rain all day usually means that we're cooped up inside the house all day. But, there is an "up" side to rainy days, believe it or not. On rainy days, it means that I can actually make dishes like stews or braised meats because, well, I got nothing but time!

Today, I took advantage of this rainy weather that we're having in the Bay Area. I made one of the most delicious beef stews I have ever had: Food Network Start Tyler Florence's "The Ultimate Beef Stew". See this link for the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-beef-stew-recipe2/index.html. It was the perfect dinner for our family. Patrick has had a stuffy nose. And, I woke up this morning with a slight sore throat. It was so cold today we actually had the fire burning all day. So, this was exactly what the doctor ordered for us. Even Nélianne raved about how tasty it was. She even had a second serving, which in our house means a successful dish.

This stew would be a perfect meal by itself with the carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, and peas. But, I made a side of Orzo pasta to serve with it because (1) I like having something to soak up the juicy stew broth and (2) the kids love the "special rice pasta" and are more likely to eat the stew if it's mixed with some rice or pasta topped off with some cheese. It actually paired up very nicely. If you don't have orzo, rice or some egg noodles would be perfect too.

Of course a meal in our household wouldn't be perfect without a glass of a delicious wine. For this beef stew, Patrick and I had a glass of a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon by Benziger Family Winery (Sonoma County, CA). That Cabernet is superb. It actually received a 90 point rating by Wine Enthusiast and was picked as an Editor's Choice in December 2010 (check out this link: http://www.benziger.com/assets/client/File/Sell%20Sheets/07_cabernet_sauvignon_sonoma_county.pdf. The wine is a full-bodied Cabernet with aromas of dark fruit such as blackberry and wild cherry, and rich earthy notes of cedar and chocolate. Although it is an intense and complex wine, it is smooth and balanced on the palate with a lasting finish. It paired incredibly well with the beef stew. You can find this wine at Safeway for less than $15.00.

Well, I hope you stay warm and dry this long holiday weekend. If you are looking for some delicious and comforting food to make this weekend, I hope you try this dish.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Delicious Braised and Glazed Pork Spareribs

2011-02-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

If you are like me and don't know how to, or don't like to grill (that's what my husband is for!), or even if you are a grill master, the recipe of "Rubbed, Braised and Glazed Pork Spareribs" from Food and Wine Magazine (http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/rubbed-braised-and-glazed-pork-spareribs) is sure to impress! And, to me the best part (besides the fact that it is mouth-watering good) is braising, which means that you have time to do other things while the food is cooking like play with your kids, do chores around the house, run errands, or (as I did today) work! The honey glaze on the spareribs gives it a delicious sweet flavor that even my little picky eaters tried a few bites. And, the roasting at the end (in a 500° oven) gives it a wonderful smoky flavor that one could never tell you didn't stand over a hot grill all afternoon.

As a side dish, we a homemade red potato salad -- dressed with a homemade Meyer lemon and honey vinaigrette instead of ranch dressing.

For the cooking wine, I used a bottle of Kenwood Vineyards Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley, Sonoma, CA) to braise the ribs with -- Yep! A whole bottle. Don't worry, the alcohol totally cooks off during the 3+ hours of cooking. This Pinot is full-bodied and a little fruity, which is a great option for braising the ribs.

To drink, we had a glass of Toasted Head's Untamed Red. This wine is a really good every day dry, full bodied, red red wine blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, and Petit Sirah. This wine pairs well with the spareribs that are both sweet and savory. The characteristics of each grape varietal complement the ingredients in the ribs really well. The Syrah adds a subtle peppery spice to the palate. The Zinfandel contributes a somewhat jammy dark fruit character and sweet, fragrant spices like cinnamon. The Petit Sirah grape adds some beautiful color (deep, dark, inky purple), more rich ripe fruit and silky character. As for taste and flavors, you will find hints of deep fruits such as blackberry, black cherry, and plum; earthy and fragrant spices such as cinnamon, cloves, thyme; and a little smoky aromas like cedar planks and hints of dark chocolate. Although this wine is inexpensive (about $10 at Safeway), it is a deliciously intense wine with a long finish.

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Rutabagas: Who Knew This Root Vegetable Was So Versatile and Delicious!

2011-01-29T21:27:00.000-08:00

Today, I was inspired yet again at the Farmers' Market. I was standing in front of one of the stands at the Lake Merritt Farmers' Market this morning. In front of me were all kinds of green, leafy vegetables -- different varieties of kales, collard greens, chards, etc. Next to them were different colored beets (reds, yellows), parsnips, turnips and something that I was not too familiar with -- Rutabagas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutabaga). I asked the Farmer what the difference was between the turnips and the Rutabagas. A lady next to me said that Rutabagas are a little sweeter than, and not as bitter as, turnips. She said that she sometimes mixes the Rutabagas with potatoes and makes au gratin rutabaga and potatoes. I thought to myself: "Interesting!" She said give it a try. I said "I will."

Well, tonight I decided to give it a try. I gotta say, that is a very healthy alternative to pure potato au gratin, which can be overly starchy. Knowing me, I experimented with something else. I decided to add some chopped purple Kales that I also got from the Farmers' Market to the au gratin dish for some added color and texture.

Rutabagas in raw form.                                                  Purple Kales . . .
                                                                                       Really cheap at the
                                                                                      Farmers' Market

Here's the way I prepared it:

Ingredients:
2 Rutabagas (unpeeled, with roots and leaves removed, sliced thin)
1 pound of mixed Yukon gold and red potatoes (sliced thin)
1/2 cup of chopped red onions
1 cup of shredded Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
4-5 branches of Kales -- about 1/3 of a bunch (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Butter the bottom of a Pyrex or ceramic baking dish. Arrange a layer of sliced Rutabagas on the bottom of the dish. Spread some onions on top of the Rutabagas. Arrange a layer of sliced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper (to taste). Add some more onions. Add some shredded cheese. Add 1/2 of the chopped Kale. Repeat the layering (Rutabagas, onions, potatoes, salt and pepper, onions, [this time] Kale, then cheese). Add the cream. Cover with foil. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes (or until vegetables are soft).

Serve with your favorite protein. Enjoy with your favorite wine. For us, we had it with some stuffed pork chops (stuffed with a mixture of dried prunes and blue cheese). Patrick and I enjoyed a glass of Duckhorn's 2008 Merlot that our friends, Chris and Karla, gave Patrick for his birthday. This Merlot is thoroughly enjoyable. It's actually a blend of 86% Merlot, 9.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. If you thought you didn't like Merlots (Patrick and I didn't think we did), you're in for a big surprise!

If you haven't visited Duckhorn winery in Napa, we highly recommend it. Until you get a chance to enjoy their wines at the winery, you can always buy a bottle of their Decoy wine (which is delicious and can be purchased at Safeway). Decoy is a Bordeaux style red wine blend containing 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot that you can purchase for under $20.00. I don't believe you can purchase their other varietals in the stores.

Have a wonderful weekend. Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Break is Over! Veal Chops w/Garlic Mashed Purple Potatoes and Sauteed Green Beans

2010-10-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

It has been about 9 months since I have updated my blog. Well, this year has been a bit crazy for me. In January, my family and I were coping with the Haiti earthquake. Then, in February, my mother was hospitalized and had to have emergency surgery. Then, in March, one of my best friends Evelyn was diagnosed with Leukemia and immediately began chemo treatment. Feeling helpless (but surely not hopeless), I decided to join Team in Training to train for the Nike Women's Marathon and raise money to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). I trained from May to October.

While training, I certainly cooked and had some wine (I couldn't give wine up all together until a few weeks before the Marathon). But, unfortunately, with work, kids' school and extracurricular activities, official team training runs 3 times a week, well, you know, updating my blog had to take a little bit of a back seat. Anyway, I completed (successfully!) the full Marathon on October 17, 2010. I also raised close to $4,200 for LLS.

This week, I had a chance to go the Farmers' Market and I got some beautiful purple potatoes and fresh green beans. This update is nothing fancy, but I wanted to highlight some of nature's best and healthiest side dishes. I made garlic mashed purple potatoes and sauteed green beans. To go with those, I picked up a couple of veal chops from one of my favorite butcher shops (Ver Brugge on College Avenue in Rockridge/Elmwood neighborhood).

To make the veal chops, I seasoned them with salt/pepper and steak seasonings. Then, I browned them on each side for about 3 minutes on medium-high heat, and then finished cooking them in a 350º oven until medium for me (and medium/rare for Patrick).

For some extra delicious flavor to go with the veal chops, I made a mint-pine nut-garlic puree. Basically, I took about 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves(another Farmers' Market favorite!), 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts, and about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. I blended everything together (you can use a small food processor if you have one). I stirred about a tablespoon of feta cheese in it. I topped each veal chop with a desired amount. Ummm. . . delicious!

For dessert, I baked some pumpkin bread using a box from Trader Joe's (hey, I am not a baker!). I made my own whipped cream though using 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of amaretto. I garnished it with a sprig of mint. Voilà!

To drink, Patrick and I had a glass of one of our favorite meritage wines, which I had already written about in this blog back in September 2009: Nine Points Meritage (Sonoma, CA 2006). Safeway had it on sale a couple of weeks ago for about $11 with the purchase of 6 bottles. It's normally about $25.

Nine Points Meritage is a Bordeaux-style blend and a cheaper version of Stags Leap wines, for those of you who enjoy Stags Leap but can't afford to have a few bottles on your wine rack. The Meritage is smooth on the palate when you first taste it. Then, you get some nice berry flavors and it leaves a wonderful dry (some may say jammy) aftertaste. It goes well with everything, but I particularly liked it with the veal.

Well, Patrick and I had a very relaxing evening at home -:) Cozying up by the fireplace made us forget that it was pouring rain outside. I am glad that it's raining this weekend since I am fighting off a little cold (postponed from the week of the Marathon!). The rain forces me to rest at home.

Until next time . . . Cheers! ZinAdel

Pork Legume with Black Beans and Rice: A Haitian Tradition

2010-01-17T22:57:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I was in the mood for some delicious and comforting Haitian food. So, I decided to make black beans and rice and legume. Legume is a traditional Haitian dish that I make with succulent pork meat that is first marinated for 1/2 hour in lots of aromatic and delicious spices (such as thyme, cilantro, parsley, garlic, cloves, fresh ground black pepper, Essence or Creole seasoning), onions, and tomatoes, then braised for about 2 hours in a dutch oven, and then cooked for another hour with a medley of vegetables that include fresh spinach, cabbage, eggplant, coyote squash, and carrots. Once the vegetables are cooked, I mash them (except for the carrots, which I slice) and mix them back in the pot with the pork and simmer for about 1/2 hour. The result is a mouthwatering piece of heaven on earth. I don't make this dish often because it takes about 5 hours to make, including preparation time. But, when I make it, I feel so warm inside and so comforted. It reminds me of Sunday dinners that my family used to have in Haiti when I was growing up.

Well, I had planned to post the pictures of this dish online early this week. But, on Tuesday (January 12), my world came crashing (literally and figuratively) with the devastating earthquake in Haiti that took the lives of so many people, including some family members and friends, and left so many more homeless and helpless. For 3 days, we had no idea if any of our family members had survived. I went through so many emotions. We were most worried about my grandmother. Luckily, she is alive.

I am posting the pictures of this dish because this dish is a reminder of the great memories that I still have of my homeland. No matter how chaotic or sad things may be right now, I want to keep the good memories alive through things that I enjoy such as food.

Until next time . . . Cheers

ZinAdel

A Plea for Help Locating My Family in Haiti

2010-01-15T00:10:00.001-08:00

News on Haitian relatives trickles in to Bay Area

Posted using ShareThis

Rutherford Hill Cabernet: A Surprising and Enjoyable Start to the New Year

2010-01-03T23:17:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, when I go to the grocery store or to a wine shop, I just walk up and down the wine isle, browse the wine selections, and see what looks interesting to me. Every once in while, I find a bottle of wine with a label that looks very inviting. Then, when I read the Winemaker's description, I think to myself: "I should try this wine." Well, that's what happened this past week. I was doing some grocery shopping at Safeway. I decided to browse the wine section, not looking at any wine in particular. Then, I came across a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon by Rutherford Hill (Napa, CA 2002). What is interesting about this discovery, besides the fact that it is a 2002 vintage, is that the bottle of wine was in the Zinfandel section (totally out of place). The label was really eye-catching. Then, I read the description, which I found very humorous and just fun. So, I decided to try it out. I tried to find the price label for the wine, but could not find it. A manager helped me look, but could not find it either. He rang it up at the Register, and it came up $26. I told him that, although I want to try the wine, I did not wanted to pay $26 for the bottle. Besides, I told him, we could not find the price label. So, how did I know that it was not on sale. I reminded him that Safeway has this advertisement that states most of their wines priced at $20 or more are automatically 30% off. After thinking about my "reasoning" for a while, he said he would give me 30% off. Then, I told him "this is your last bottle, as far as we can tell. What if I don't like it?" He said: "okay, I'll take $2 more off, plus I can get the 10% off for buying 6 bottles of wine/spirits (mix and match)." So, I ended up getting the wine for about $16. Plus, the manager challenged me a bit. He said, if I did not like it, I could return it for a full refund.

When I got home, I looked up the wine online, and found out that the retail price is about $36. Patrick and I tried it on New Year's. It was amazing. This Cabernet is a full-bodied Cabernet, with beautiful garnet red color. It explodes with aromas of fresh ripened berries and black cherries. When you taste the wine, it resonates flavors of juicy fruits (such as juicy ripe blackberries), vanilla, fresh roasted espresso, chocolate, nutmeg and cinnamon. It has smooth and silky tannins, with a lingering finish on the palate. This Cabernet was a great way to ring in the New Year!

The Winemaker's Tasting Notes read:

Rutherford Hill produces a rich and well-balanced example of what Napa Valley Cabernet can be at its best. Ripe, sleek and elegant with intense aromas of berry, cedar, ripe black cherry and cassis flavors. Ample acid and soft broad tannins provide both fullness of mouth and longevity.
[http://rutherfordhill.com/winecatalog/cabernet-sauvignon-2002.htm]

One wine merchant describes this Cabernet this way:
This superb wine is the full expression of Napa's finest vineyards. This is achieved by allowing the grapes to reach even and full ripeness. This added "hang time" enabled this wine to become a classic Napa Valley Cabernet. This wine has a bright concentrated blackberry and cassis fruit core enveloped in aromas and flavors of dark chocolate, vanilla, French roast coffee, and cedar that fills the palate with both flavor and texture. The fruit flavors linger after you swallow and slowly melts into the elegant layers of flavor provided by the finest French Oak barrels. The abundant mature tannins are rich, making this wine enjoyable now, and balanced with the fruit insuring this wine will drink well for over a decade. Enjoy.

[http://www.worldsgreatestwines.com/index.cfm?method=storeproducts.showDrilldown&productid=59e857a2-1b78-7bfc-760f-51cf0d93058b&ProductCategoryID=82b5e78e-f0aa-c8a2-e44b-485b43d5a7c7&OrderBy=PXPC.DisplayOrder+Asc,+P.Price1&B=10017818&C=97811408&A=f0304fb984f743558bb77844482942485c78&CFID=10017818&CFTOKEN=97811408&jsessionid=f030f7f03253e5649ef41d1a22163a78652d ]

We had this wine with a simple Pesto Tortelloni dish that I made with mild Italian sausage and a vodka sauce. The Tortelloni is from Trader Joe's (you can find it in the fresh pasta/cheese section). So is the vodka sauce (which you can find in the dry pasta/sauce section). After a hectic schedule leading up to Christmas, and traveling to Disneyland with the kids after Christmas, by the time New Year's came around, we just wanted to make dinner easy and simple, but delicious. The pesto filling in the Tortelloni is superb - full of flavor. And, paired with the vodka sauce and the Italian sausage, that was a very hearty and comforting meal.

Cooking Instructions
To make the sauce, I browned 1 package of sausage (about 4) in a sautee pan, with about 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (I seasoned it in the pan with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, some fresh ground black pepper, and about 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning). Then, I drained it on a paper towel, and discarded the grease from the sausage. Then, I sauteed 1/2 red onions and 1 clove of garlic with about 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (I also seasoned it with some salt and pepper). Then, I added the vodka sauce, stirred it while it heats through. Then, I added the sausage back into the pan, and simmered the sauce for about 5 minutes.

In the meantime, I cooked the Tortelloni according to the package instruction (it takes about 5 minutes once your water is boiled). When the sauce was heated through, and the seasoning was right, I stirred in the Tortelloni directly into the sautee pan. I grated some Parmasan cheese in the pan. Then, I served it with a side green salad.

Here are pictures of the sauce and the Tortelloni (in case you want to try them):

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's celebration with your family. And, I hope the weeks ahead are calmer and life gets back to normal for you after the holidays, which can be hectic at times. Next time you are at the grocery store, just take a few minutes to (leisurely) browse the wines. Who knows? You may discover something amazing. Remember: To know wine is to discover what tastes good to you. So, don't be afraid to try new wines.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Herb-Horseradish Crusted Prime Rib Roast - A Holiday Feast!

2009-12-31T21:19:00.000-08:00

My favorite holiday is Christmas. Growing up in Haiti, Christmas to our family was about the "3 Fs" - Faith, Family, and Food. Even being here - thousands of miles away, and now having children of my own, Christmas still means the same thing to me as it did when I was growing up.

This Christmas is no different. On Christmas Eve, we all went to mass. My daughter sang with her school choir (I was so proud of her). On Christmas morning, I was so overjoyed watching the children's faces when they ran upstairs to the fireplace and saw that Santa had eaten the cookies, drank the milk, and the reindeer had eaten the carrots and drank the water the kids had left for them on Christmas Eve night. Then, they reached into their stockings to see what Santa had left for them. The purity of their innocence brought tears of joy to my eyes.

For Christmas dinner, I wanted to make something special for my family. I made this amazing and delicious herb-and-horseradish-crusted Beef Prime Rib Roast, roasted with red onions and root vegetables (a recipe that is inspired by a dish made by Tyler Florence from the Food Network). I served the Roast with pecan-crusted mashed sweet potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, and a green salad with my own homemade balsamic vinegar dressing.

You may think that a prime rib roast may be overwhelming or expensive. Actually, it is fairly simple to make. And, if you buy it at Costco, the USDA Choice cut (the second best cut of beef, with Prime being the first) is about $6 per pound.

For dessert, I made this delicious apple and maple syrup bread pudding (courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine, January 2010) [http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Apple-and-Maple-Bread-Pudding-356873]. I modified this slightly. Bon Appetit recommends using 2 Tablespoons of apple brandy. Well, a bottle of Apple Brandy was about $25. I couldn't justify buying a whole bottle. So, I just used regular brandy that I had in my pantry. Doesn't the picture alone make you want to try it?

As for the wine, we tried two special bottles of wine. One was a bottle of Portalupi Pinot Noir (Russian River, Sonoma, CA). One of my dearest and closest friends, Tara -- whom I met in College at UC Berkeley years ago -- was visiting from New York for the holidays, and gave us this bottle of wine as a Christmas present.

This Pinot is pure sophistication! The winemakers describe it perfectly when they say: "Aromas of strawberry/rhubarb mingle with allspice and tea. Flavors of milk chocolate covered cherries along with strawberry/vanilla cream intertwine with intriguing truffle-like nuances. The body is medium weight yet expansively full across the palate. The finish, clean, with lingering call for ..... MORE!!!" I have never tasted a Pinot this well-structured and elegant.

Tara, Patrick, and I have made so many wonderful memories when we lived in Berkeley, especially those that revolve around cooking dinners together and experimenting with different types of wine until we found some that we really liked. It was so wonderful to share Christmas dinner with you, Tara. We can't wait until you move back to the Bay Area so we can continue our dinner parties and sharing more wines together. We've missed you!

The other bottle was Joel Gott "815" Cabernet Souvignon (Oakville, CA 2006) that I bought at Safeway for $13. This Cabernet was really good with the roast. It is very elegant, well-balanced and simply enjoyable. It has a nice, deep ruby red color, and evokes aromas of ripened fresh berries, with a hint of mocha. Its flavors are structured, reflecting tastes of blackberries, mocha, a hint of vanilla and mild peppercorns. On the palate, it is very silky, smooth, with soft tannins and a nice finish. What does the "815" stand for? The winemakers' homepage says that it commemorates the birth of their first child, who was born on August 15, 2003 [http://www.gottwines.com/wines/CA_CS/2006/06CACS.htm]. This statement from the winemakers so perfectly captures the essence of my blog: "Why 815? During the 2003 harvest our first child was born. The 815 moniker is our way of commemorating Lucy's birth on August 15th. At four years old, each continue to thrive and evolve reminding us of the importance of celebrating family and enjoying life."

For the "decor", my very artistic and stylish daughter helped me set the table. She did a fabulous job writing the place cards, putting the napkins in the napkin rings and setting the knives and forks. [She loves to help set the table.]

I hope next time you and your family are celebrating something special (or maybe next time you want to make something special for your family to enjoy), you will try these recipes and these wines. And, if you do, please do write a comment and let me know what you think.

Until next time . . . Happy Holidays!

ZinAdel

CHRISTMAS DINNER RECIPES

HERB-AND-HORSERADISH-CRUSTED BEEF PRIME RIB ROAST
Ingredients
Roast
1 bone-in prime rib beef roast (3 ribs, about 6 pounds)
1/2 cup of combined fresh Italian Parsley, Thyme, and Rosemary (finely chopped)
5 cloves of garlic (crushed or finely minced)
1/2 cup of Prepared Horseradish
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 Tablespoons
About 2 Tablespoons of Kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon of butter
3 Carrots
2 Parsnips (or any other root vegetables you like similar to Parsnips) (peeled and sliced length-wise in 1/4
2 Red onions (peeled and cut cross-wise in 1/2)
4 Purple potatoes (you can use red, or Yukon gold potatoes)
1 whole head of garlic (cut crosswise in 1/2)

Gravy
1 cup of Beef stock (or broth)
1/2 cup of good red wine (use from the bottle you about to drink with the roast)
1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour
pinch of kosher salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions
Take the Roast out of the refrigerator and let it stand for about 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix together the herbs, garlic, horseradish, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 Tablespoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Butter the roast to keep in the moisture. Season the roast generously with about 1 Tablespoon of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Rub the herb mixture all over the roast. Place the roast (bone side down) on a roasting pan.

Season the vegetables with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Mix them all together to coat the seasoning. Arrange the vegetables, except for the potatoes around the roast in the pan (you will add the potatoes during the last 30 minutes of cooking).

Place the roasting pan in the oven. Cook at the 450-degree for 15 minutes. (Rule of thumb: No matter what size of roast you have, it's important to cook it at 450 degrees for the first 15 minutes.) Then, reduce the heat to 325 degrees and roast to your desired temperature/doneness, which is between 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours, depending on how you like your meat done (make sure you baste the roast every 1/2 hour). Here is a great website that has suggestions for cooking prime rib roast and how to tell when it is done: http://www.primesteakhouses.com/how-to-cook-prime-rib.html.
According to this website, rare meats measure in at 120° to 125° with a bright red center that grows slightly pinkish towards the exterior. Medium rare meats measure between 130° to 135° and are characterized by their extremely pink center portion that grows brown towards the exterior. Medium meats have a light pink center, brown outer portions and readings of about 140° to 145°. Medium well is not pink at all and is achieved at 150° to 155°. Well done is reached at 160° and above and is characterized by a uniform brown color. Remember: when the meat is done, pull it out of the oven, cover it with a foil, and let it sit for about 20 minutes. It will continue to cook up to about 10 degrees.

When you are ready to make the gravy, move the roast and vegetables from the pan onto a platter, and cover the roast with the foil. Remove some of the top grease from the pan, but leave the browning bits on the bottom of the pan. Turn on the stove to medium-low heat. Add the wine to de-glaze the pan. Stir in about 1 teaspoon of the broth in the flour to liquify the flour. Pour it into the pan. Then, pour the rest of the stock into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer until the sauce is slightly thicker (not too thick). Pour the gravy into a gravy bowl, and serve with the roast after you carve the slices. Enjoy!

PECAN-CRUSTED MASHED SWEET POTATOES
Ingredients
4 Large sweet potatoes (or yams)
4 ounces of mascarpone cheese (about 1 small container)
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 cup of chopped candied pecans (Trader Joe's has some that are delicious)
1/2 Tablespoon of unsalted butter

Cooking Instructions
Grease a baking dish with the butter on all sides. Bake the sweet potatoes, with skin and wrapped in foil, while the roast is cooking for about 45 minutes (or until soft). Remove the potatoes from the oven, and let them stand for 30 minutes (or until cooled). Peel the potatoes, and mash them. Stir in the mascarpone cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Pour mashed potatoes in the greased baking dish. Top it with the pecans. Bake for about 1/2 hour, and remove from the oven. When the roast is out of the oven, turn on the broiler to medium. Broil the top of the sweet potatoes until the pecans have a nice golden brown color (about 3 minutes; watch out so you don't burn the pecans). Serve the potatoes with the roast.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Ingredients
About 1 pound of brussels sprouts (washed)
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions
Steam the brussels sprouts for about 5 minutes (just until they are softened up a bit, but still firm). Place the steamed brussels sprouts in a shallow baking dish. Season them with salt and pepper, and the olive oil. Mix them so they can coat with the seasoning. Bake them in the oven (with the roast in) for about 30 minutes or until they have some nice grill/golden color, and are soft when you insert a fork in them.

APPLE AND MAPLE BREAD PUDDING (Bon Appetit, Jan. 2010, as modified)
Custard:
6 large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons apple brandy [NOTE: I used plain Brandy to save $$, and it was still delicious]
1 1-pound loaf pain rustique, all crust trimmed, bread cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (6 1/2 to 7 cups)
Apples:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples (about 5), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices (about 7 cups)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup plus additional for brushing (preferably Grade B)
1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
Cooking Instructions

For custard:
Whisk eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt in large bowl. Add milk, cream, and brandy and whisk until well blended. Add bread cubes and press to submerge into custard. Let soak at least 30 minutes, occasionally pressing on bread cubes to submerge.
For apples:
Meanwhile, position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter 9x5-inch glass or ceramic loaf pan with at least 3-inch-high sides. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple slices and sauté until deep golden and beginning to soften, stirring and turning apple slices frequently, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup maple syrup, then brown sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens to syrup, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Mix half of apple slices into bread custard mixture. Transfer bread pudding mixture to prepared pan. Arrange remaining apple slices atop bread pudding in 2 lengthwise rows. Spoon any remaining syrup from skillet over apple slices. Place loaf pan on rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills during baking).

Bake bread pudding until puffed and cracked on top, apples are deep brown, and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pudding registers 170°F to 180°F, about 1 hour 30 minutes (pudding will rise high above top of pan). Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature 45 minutes to 1 hour (pudding will fall). Brush apples on top of pudding with additional maple syrup. Spoon pudding into bowls and serve warm or at room temperature.

ENJOY!!!!!

Pesto Chicken w/Roasted Potatoes and Sweet Corn and Petite Sirah

2009-12-21T00:12:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know it's been a while since I have written up something. You know, the holidays are a little crazy. So, tonight I made one of the easiest, simplest, and most delicious dinners ever: Trader Joe's Pesto Genovese (basil-based) Chicken Breast (from the fresh meat section); roasted Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Red Potatoes; and Roasted Fresh Sweet Corns with Onions and Bell Peppers. And, as a wine pairing suggestion, we tried a glass of the 2006 Concannon Petite Sirah Limited Release. As a special treat: I made these yummy chocolate chip cookies, recipes are courtesy of one of my clients ("Mary"). Check out the Recipes below.

Pesto Chicken
Ingredients
A package of Trader Joe's pre-marinated Pesto Genovese Chicken Breasts [you can find it in the fresh chicken section].
2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Cooking Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick, oven-proof sautee pan. Sautee the chicken breasts for about 3 minutes per side (or until they have a nice golden brown color). Then, place the whole pan in a 350-degree oven, and cook a little longer for about 5 minutes (until the chicken has no pink when cut through; make sure you don't overcook it). That's it!

Roasted "Teeny Tiny" Red Potatoes
Ingredients
1 package of Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Red Potatoes (which can be found in the produce section).
1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Cooking Instructions
Rinse the potatoes under cold water, dry them out with a paper towel, place them in a cookie sheet, season them with salt and pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Then, I drizzled the extra virgin olive oil on them, and mix them well. Place them in a 375-degree oven and cook them for about 20 minutes or until they are all tender, but still whole.

Roasted Sweet Corns and Bell Peppers
Ingredients
4 corns on the cob (Trader Joe's has a package of 4 in the salad section)
1/2 each of a red, orange, and yellow bell pepper
1/2 red onion
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Cooking Instructions
Remove the kernels from the cob, using a knife while the cob is standing upright in a bowl. Slice and dice the bell peppers about the same size as the corn kernels. Dice the red onion about the same size of the kernels. Place the corn kernels, bell peppers and onions in a baking dish or sheet. Season the corn mixture with salt and pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Then, drizzle the corn mixture with the extra virgin olive oil. Mix everything well. Then, place the corn in a 375-degree oven, and bake for about 20 minutes.

[NOTE: This is one of my favorite side dishes. It's easy, delicious, and good for you.]

2006 Concannon Petite Sirah-Limited Release (Livermore, CA)

This wine is a surprisingly enjoyable and versatile wines for a very reasonable price (on sale at Safeway for $6, $14 regular price). Petite Sirah is not a wine that I typically buy and drink by itself. Usually, it's part of a blend. But, tonight I wanted to try something different -- branch out a bit. Well, I am glad I did.

This Petite Sirah is a full-bodied, intensely flavorful wine. It has deep ruby red color and inviting aromas of ripe and scrumptious berries, smooth and toasty oak and a hint of spice. Even at the first sip, it leaves on your palate flavors of delicious berries, oak, and vanilla. For this price, the wine is surprisingly well-balanced, leaving a long-lasting and finish on the palate.

One of the reasons I bought this wine was the description on the label. It reads (partly): "Concannon is the world's first winery to bottle Petite Sirah, and has been doing so for over 40 years. This Limited Release Petite Sirah is the essence of Concannon, displaying fantastic depth and character. It is full-bodied, rich with cherry flavors and has a hint of toasty oak for a smooth, silky finish. Enjoy your Limited Release Petite Sirah with dishes like filet mignon or your favorite lamb dishes."

Give it a try and write a comment to let me know what you think.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
Finally, for dessert. My daughter and I made these chocolate chip and walnut cookies. I got the recipe from one of my clients ("Mary"), which she got from her friend "Elicia." Here is the recipe, as given to me by Mary and modified slightly by me. Give them a try. . . they are to die for!

Cream Together [use an electric mixer if you have one)]
2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 Cup of brown sugar
3/4 Cup of granulated sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 teaspoon of vanilla

Sift together and then add to the wet ingredients:
3/4 Cup of cocoa powder (Mary uses dutch processed cocoa, but I just used Hershey's from my pantry)
1 3/4 Cup of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda

Then mix in:
1 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Cup of white chocolate chips
1 Cup of milk chocolate chips and
1 1/2 Cup of chopped nuts [I used walnuts]

Drop spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet [make sure they won't touch when they bake]. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for about 11 minutes. When done, remove the cookie sheet from the oven, let the cookies stand for about 1 minute. Then, remove them from the cookie sheet, and place them on a rack for cooling. Enjoy!

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Baked Turkey Cutlet w/Spinach Fettucine: A Healthy and Delicious Meal in Under 45 Minutes

2009-12-01T23:28:00.000-08:00

Do you normally only think of Turkey on Thanksgiving day? Well, here's a recipe for an amazingly easy, delicious, and healthy turkey meal that you can make for your family (or your special someone) throughout the year. The ingredients are relatively simple (most are things you have already in your refrigerator and/or pantry, the rest you will find at your local grocery store).

Ingredients
Baked Turkey Cutlets
1 package of Turkey cutlets (about 6 pieces) [I bought mine at Trader Joe's in the fresh meat isle]
1 cup of Italian-style bread crumbs
1 cup of buttermilk
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of paprika for flavor (if you have it; if not don't worry)
1/2 cup of parmasan cheese
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Pasta
1 package of spinach fettucine (I used a dried package I got from Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon of freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions
As you prepare the ingredients, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and boil a pot of water for the pasta.

Season the turkey cutlets with some salt and pepper. Pour the buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Season the buttermilk also with some salt and pepper, and the paprika, if using. Mix the bread crumbs with the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese in another shallow bowl or dish.

Dip the cutlets in the buttermilk to get them slightly wet on all sides (shaking off any excess milk). Then, coat the cutlets with the bread crumb mixture, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick sautee pan over medium heat. Sautee the cutlets until they are slightly brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Place the browned cutlets in a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven (uncovered) for about 10 minutes (or until cooked through - turkey should be white, not pink). Remove from heat when cooked, and place in a platter. Cover it with aluminum foil to keep warm.

In the meantime, boil the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, toss with the olive oil,
parsley, and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta. Serve the pasta alongside the Turkey cutlets. For some vegetables, serve it with a side green or ceasar salad.

Wine Suggestion
An absolutely delicious wine that I would recommend with this dish is Toasted Head "Untamed Red" 2007 (Woodbridge, CA). This wine is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, and Petit Sirah. I bought this wine on sale at Safeway for $10 (it's usually $15). It was one of those wines that I bought just to try it out because the blend of grapes and the description sounded very inviting. The description on the label states: "Uninhibited, even slightly unruly, this signature blend combines rich juicy berry notes, a touch of spice and a commending backbone. Ignite your free spirit!" The label features a bear breathing fire through its mouth. Well, the wine bottle looked fun.

When Patrick and I tried this wine, we instantly loved it. It is a medium-bodied but powerful wine, with a beautiful deep red color. On a first sip, it hits you with a wonderful taste of fresh ripened blackberries and raspberries, and touch of spice. It has a nice, but not overwhelming, finish. So, it is perfect with this turkey dish. Another cool thing about this wine is that it has a removable back label, so you can tear it out and save it so you can remember it next time you go shopping for wines. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

My Birthday Dinner . . . Just Perfect!

2009-11-05T22:58:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to Mommy, Happy birthday to Mommy, Happy birthday to Mommy, Happy birthday to Mommy!

Today is my birthday. The kids, Patrick, and our Au Pair Ten celebrated my birthday tonight with a very special dinner and my favorite cake. The dinner was breaded veal chops with a tomato ragu sauce, served with mushroom risotto and baby arugula salad. The cake was an Almond Vanilla cake from Katrina Rozelle Bakery on College Avenue in the Rockridge District of Oakland - one of my favorite bakeries.

Patrick got a great bottle of wine from Paul Marcus Wine located inside Market Hall in Rockridge: Rosso di Montalcino (2006) by Talenti. This wine is from Tuscany, Italy -- my favorite part of the world. It is made from Sangiovese grapes. It has bright red colors, with enticing aromas of ripened red fruits, and mild acidity. It is well-balanced, full-bodied, with a lingering finish on the palate. I have learned that this wine is a younger version of the classic Brunello from Tuscany, which is a full-bodied, strong, and powerful wine also made from Sangiovese grapes. The San Francisco Chronicle recently reviewed this Rosso (see http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/20/FD8616G78T.DTL). I really enjoyed this wine with the veal.

Thank you, Baby, for a wonderful birthday dinner. I love you! Thank you, kids, for my cards, camera, butterfly (made by my baby girl in her ceramics class) and for reminding me every day of how blessed I am to have you in my life. Your smiles and constant "I love you Mommy" melt my heart every day. I love you so much! Ten: Thank you for my "oh so cute" purse and for celebrating my birthday with me.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

A Halloween Weekend To Remember: The Kids' Smiles; Great Wines; and The Company of Friends

2009-11-03T23:24:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was Halloween. The kids had a blast trick or treating around our neighborhood. It is amazing how many children were running around trick or treating. The grown-ups also had a fun weekend.

Day 1 - Halloween Night
On Halloween night, our friends Evelyn and Rene (and their daughter) came over for dinner before we all went out trick or treating. They brought over this absolutely amazing bottle of wine that they had picked up from Napa during a recent visit. It is the Decoy blend (2007). When Rene showed me the bottle, the first thing I said was I loved the label. Then, he and Evelyn described the wine to us, and their recent tasting at the winery (Duckhorn). All I can say is: I wanted to pack up a bag right there and head to Napa for the night. Well, I can dream, right? I could not go to Napa that night. But, we had a great time enjoying the bottle of wine with pizza, while watching "Babe" before going trick or treating.

This wine is a blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot grapes. It is produced by Duckhorn Winery in Napa Valley, CA (http://www.duckhorn.com). The aromas of this wine reminded me of ripened raspberries and freshly baked cherry pies with a hint of spices on the nose. The wine was so smooth to drink. It had flavors of fresh cranberry, cherry, and raspberry, with a hint of coffee and chocolate, and traces of white pepper on the tongue. It had supple tannins, and a very long and enticing finish on the palate. This wine would be a perfect wine to drink with a holiday meal. Evelyn and Rene: Again, thank you for an absolutely amazing bottle of wine, and even better company! Let's go to Napa soon for another wine tasting trip.

Day 2 - Day After Halloween
On Sunday (day after Halloween), we had a guest over for dinner (Michael) and he brought us a delicious bottle of Malbec from Argentina. It was Tierra Brisa Malbec (2007). This wine was really good. I love Malbecs, and the Argentinians really know how to make a good Malbec. And, Michael: You really knew how to pick a great bottle of Malbec.

This particular vintage was full-bodied, smooth and elegant. It had deep red color, aromas of fresh ripe cherries and some spice (like cloves). It contained flavors of black currant, some raspberries, and a hint of spice.

For dinner that night, we started out with some roasted bell peppers, tomatoes, basil and Feta cheese Tapenade that I made. Then, for entree, we had Lamb Shank braised for 4 hours in a medley of carrots, celery, onions, garlic, chicken broth, served with whole grain spaghetti. I don't have a good picture of the complete dish, but I'll be sure to update this entry next time I make it.

For dessert, Rene made this amazing "dessert pannini" made out of pound cake, nuttella, and fresh strawberries pressed until the pound cake is slightly crispy. Rene said this recipe was inspired by Giada De Laurentiis (from the Food Network show Everyday Italian). That was delicious. Thanks Rene!

Overall, the weekend was absolutely amazing: Great fun with the kids and enjoyable time with friends. My perfect weekend -:)

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Soup; Fig and Blue Cheese Stuffed Red Snapper

2009-11-02T23:18:00.000-08:00

While I was on the BART train coming home from work last week, I was reading Parents Magazine. In their Healthy Eating section was a very simple recipe for a broccoli and cheddar soup. It sounded pretty simple to make, and best of all it is loaded with great vitamins and nutrients, and it's a creative way to get our kids to eat vegetables (hey: Kids love anything sprinkled with cheese, right?). I made the soup last week as an appetizer, and it was pretty tasty. My 7-year-old actually liked it. You can actually double this recipe and make a meal out of it by serving it with a nice salad. I have posted the recipe below in case you want to try it.

That night, I also had some fresh Red Snapper fillets (boneless/skinless) from Ver Brugge (our local butcher). I decided to do something different and interesting with the fish. I stuffed each fillet with chopped dried fig and goat cheese, sauteed the fish in a sauce pan for a few minutes to brown the sides, and baked the fish in the oven. I made a quick white wine and cream sauce to serve on top of the fillets.

As side dishes, I made some potato au gratin (see the recipe below) and steamed green and yellow beans.

Given the slightly sweet and naturally buttery taste of the fish, we decided to try a glass of another Riesling (Columbia Crest Grand Estate 2007). This wine is medium-sweet, but well balanced. It has refreshing and inviting aromas (it just smells like a nice tropical fruit salad). It offers tastes of fresh, ripe fruits such as juicy peaches, apples, and honey-suckle. Normally, it is $10, but BevMo has it as part of its $.05 sale: Buy one for $10.99, and get another for $.05).

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups of broccoli, chopped
3 cups low-salt vegetable stock (I used chicken stock as this was what I had in my pantry)
1 cup reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I used regular white cheddar cheese)

Cooking Instructions
In a large stockpot, heat oil and saute the onion for 5 to 7 miutes over low to medium heat. Add potatoes, broccoli, and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove the mixture from the stove top; allow to cool a bit. Pour mixture and cheese into a blender, puree. (Alternatively, you can use a handheld blender to do it right into the stockpot, which is what we did).I also sprinkled some cheese on top of each bowl.

Fig and Goat Cheese Stuffed Red Snapper
Ingredients
3 Snapper Fillets (about 1/2 pound each)
1 cup of finely chopped dried fig
1/2 cup of crumbled goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
some twine or string to tie the fish so the stuffing doesn't come out

Cooking instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the fish, and pat dry. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Lay the fish down on a flat even surface. Divide the chopped fig evenly down the middle of the fish. Then, devide the goat cheese evenly on top of the fig. Roll the fish with the stuffing from one end to the other. Tie the twine or string across (lengthwise) so the stuffing stays nice and tight inside the fish.

Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the stuffed fish on all sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). When lightly browned, place the whole skillet in the oven. Bake for about 10-15 minutes (depending on how big your fillets are). Make sure the thickest part of the inside of the fish is white (no pink) and the fish is flaky.

When done, remove from skillet and set aside in a plate (cover it with some aluminum foil). Put the skillet on a burner on the stove top. Turn the heat on to medium-low. Add the wine, and scrap all the bits from the pan. Season with some salt and pepper (if needed). Add the cream and stir for a minute until heated through. Serve the sauce on top of the fish.

Potato Au Gratin
Ingredients
1 pound of mixed Yukon gold and red potatoes with skin (can use russet potatoes if that's what you have, but I would discard the skin).
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions
1 cup of shredded Gruyere cheese (or white cheddar cheese, or whatever hard cheese you like)
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of butter

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a baking dish with the butter, and set aside. Boil the potatoes in a pot of water so they are slightly soft, but not mushy (they will cook in the oven, so don't over boil them). When they are softened up a bit, remove them from the heat, rinse them under cold water, and slice them diagonally into 1/4-inch pieces. Arrange the potatoes on the baking dish, one layer at a time. On top of each layer, season the potatoes with salt and pepper, sprinkle some onions and the cheese on top, then add some of the whipping cream. Make sure that you've split the ingredients evenly among the layers. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes appear soft when you insert a fork in them (the time may be shorter or longer depending on how thick your slices are and how cooked the potatoes are). When done, remove from heat, let cool for 5 minutes or so, and then serve.

Green and Yellow Beans
I just blanched a small bag of green/yellow beans from Trader Joe's in a medium pot of boiling water for about 3-4 minutes. I drained the water out. Then, I added about 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, seasoned the beans with some salt and fresh ground black pepper. Voilà! It's done.

I hope you try one of the above recipes, or the wine. If you do, please be sure to write me a note in the Comments section, and let me know what you think.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Baked Penne Rigate with Roasted Chicken and Broccoli

2009-10-24T23:33:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what to do with that half of the left-over roasted chicken you have in the refrigerator besides just eating it plain? How about the bunch of broccoli that is in the bottom drawer of your refrigerator that your kids don't want to have anything to do with? Well, wonder no more! I have an easy-to-make, delicious baked penne rigate pasta with roasted chicken and broccoli for you that will make everyone in your family scream for seconds -- even the kids. Chances are you already have pasta and pasta sauce in your pantry. And, with this dish, you can make enough to have two dinners during the week. So, here it goes!

Ingredients
1/2 roasted chicken, shredded (or a couple of chicken breasts, boiled, then shredded)
1 package of fresh organic broccoli (or about 2 bunches of broccoli)
1/2 red onion
1 clove of garlic
1 box of penne rigate pasta (or ziti pasta, if you don't have penne)
2 jars of Tomato/Basil pasta sauce (or whatever flavor pasta sauce you have in the pantry)
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped (or use 1 tablespoon of dried parsley)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a large Pyrex baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Cook pasta according to package instructions for about 1/2 the time so the pasta is very al dente as it will continue to cook in the oven. During the last minute of boiling, add the broccoli in the pot with the pasta to soften just a bit. Drain the pasta and broccoli immediately after the time is up, run under cold water, and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, saute the onions in a large sauce pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic for about 1 minute. Add the chicken to the pan, stir to mix in with the onions and garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and stir. Add the pasta sauce and stir. Let the sauce simmer on low heat for about 5-10 minutes to warm up and flavor the chicken.

Once the sauce is heated through, add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the pot (or use a large mixing bowl to mix the pasta and the sauce). Spread evenly 1/2 of the pasta in the greased Pyrex baking dish. Spread evenly 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, and 1/2 the parmesan cheese onto the first layer of pasta. Sprinkle 1/2 of the chopped parsley on top of the cheese. Then, repeat with the remaining pasta, cheeses, and parsley. Cover the dish, and bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the cheeses are melted. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, uncover. When done, remove from the oven and serve.

Wine Pairing Suggestion
For this hearty, red pasta sauce dish, I have two wine recommendations: One is a more sophisticated wine (a bit pricier). The other is a little more casual, and less expensive. Take your pick and enjoy!

The first wine recommendation is Villa Antinori Toscana -- a Super Tuscan wine (from Tuscany, Italy) that sells for about $17 at BevMo or Safeway. It is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Syrah. This wine used to be labeled as a Chianti Classico. But, the Antinoris recently started using a different blend of grapes than those allowed by the region of Chianti Classico in Tuscany. So they can't call it Chianti Classico anymore.

This wine is medium-bodied, smooth and elegant. It has flavors of blackberry and raspberry, with soft tannins and a nice persistent finish on the palate. Its has intense deep ruby red color.

This wine is one of my and Patrick's favorite Italian wines. We first became acquainted with the Villa Antinori wines when Patrick and I visited Italy more than 8 years ago during my last year of law school. We went to a wine-tasting event in Florence, Italy where we tried the wine. Then, we went to dinner one night at a restaurant in Florence called Buca Mario (http://www.bucamario.it/restaurant). We had a bottle of Villa Antinori there. Oh my gosh! We had the best meal of our lives there and one of the best nights ever! In fact, we were the last ones to leave the restaurant there. The waiters kept bringing us food and wine samples. That is where we first tasted Limoncello, which is an Italian lemon liquer made out of lemon zest, alcohol, water, and sugar. It is delicious. Well, I'll save that for another blog entry when I feature some yummy dessert.

The point is, I still dream about that meal at Buca Mario even now. As you can imagine, Patrick and I fell in love with each other all over again in Italy during that vacation. Since then, each time we have a bottle of Villa Antinori, it brings us back to that vacation. I hope you try this wine and make your own special memory.

Another wine that I would recommend is Novella Synergy, which is produced by EOS Winery in Paso Robles, CA. You can normally buy this wine at Trader Joe's for about $7. This wine is a blend of 56% Petite Sirah, 39% Zinfandel and 5% Sangiovese. It has deep purple color. Once you taste it, it has flavors of raspberries and blackberries, with some notes of dried fruits, oak, and spices (such as fennel and pepper). It has an excellent finish that leaves your mouth with a hint of chocolate. It is a great wine to have during the winter or on cold nights, with a nice plate of comfort food like the penne above. I also hope you try this wine and let me know what you think.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

A Tribute to Friendship

2009-10-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

“The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

For those of you who know me, you probably know that I love to have friends over to my house just to hang out, share a meal, and enjoy one another's company. Well, tonight my friends Evelyn and Rene (and their 9-year-old daughter) and my friend Keith came over for dinner. The five of us try to have dinner, along with the kids, about once a month, and we take turns cooking the meal. This time, Keith was the Chef in the kitchen. He made this amazing braised chicken with artichokes and peas from Gourmet Magazine. This dish is very scrumptious and comforting. It is ideal for sharing with friends, and to save as left over for dinner during the week. I have copied the recipe below, if you'd like to try it. Keith served this dish with angel hair pasta.

To accompany this delicious dish, Keith brought over an absolutely wonderful bottle of wine: Bogle Phantom (2006). This wine is a blend of Petite Sirah, Old Vine Zinfandel, and Old Vine Mourvedre grapes. The 2006 vintage was released in August 2009. This wine is a full-bodied wine that has bold, spicy and complex flavors. Its rich and deep color makes the wine an inviting wine when you pour it into a glass. On the nose, the wine hits you with aromas of vanilla, anise and sweet fig. From the moment you take your first sip, you can taste traces of lush blackberries, vanilla, and black pepper. Apparently, this wine is of limited quantity. So, if you have a chance to try it, I strongly recommend it. This wine sells at BevMo for about $17. Here is a link to the winery: "http://www.boglewinery.com/bogle_phantom_facts.htm".

Keith: Thank you for a wonderful meal. I am sorry I gave you a hard time about making a mess in my kitchen when you cook. But, you know I am just messing with you. I love you! Hey: With great dishes like this, you can make a mess in my kitchen any day.

Braised Chicken w/Artichokes & Peas Gourmet | January 2007
Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 large chicken thighs with skin and bone (2 pounds total)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and halved lengthwise
1 cup frozen baby peas (not thawed)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation and Cooking Instructions
Put flour in a shallow bowl. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then dredge, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper as coated.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chicken, skinned sides down first, turning over once, until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate (chicken will not be fully cooked).

Add onion with remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden brown around edges, about 6 minutes. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute. Stir in broth, artichokes, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return chicken to skillet along with any juices from plate and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover skillet and reduce heat, then simmer until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in peas and simmer, covered, 5 minutes.

If you try this recipe and/or the Phantom wine, please do write a comment and let me know what you think.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Mustard-Cream Roasted LingCod Fish, Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, and Steamed Baby Carrots

2009-10-17T23:08:00.000-07:00

Friday was a typical San Francisco Bay Area October Day -- sunny and warm! For our family movie night, I wanted to make something a bit light, but ultra tasty for dinner. The day just screamed fish. When I was growing up in Haiti, I ate fish a lot and I just love fish. So, I made a mustard-cream roasted Lingcod fish, served with rosemary roasted fingerling potatoes and steamed baby carrots. This dish was inspired by an episode of Barefoot Contessa when Ina Garten -- one of my favorite chefs on the Food Network -- made a similar dish using red snapper. But, our local Butcher -- Ver Brugge on College Avenue in Oakland -- recommended the Lingcod. They had just gotten the whole fish delivered yesterday from a local supplier, and they cut me the pieces that I needed when I got there. You can't buy fish fresher than that. I love Ver Brugge. Thanks, Guys!

Lingcod is a saltwater fish that has lean, flaky white meat and is mild flavored. When cooking Lingcod and you want to check whether it is done, you should use the tip of a sharp knife and cut through the thickest part of the fillet. If the fish has been properly cooked, the meat will appear opaque but will still be moist.

This dish is absolutely delicious. The fish came out moist and buttery. It soaked up the mustard-cream topping so wonderfully. The fish, coupled with the rosemary potatoes, and the sweet baby carrots left an explosion of flavor in my mouth. And, you know what the best thing was? This dish is so quick and low maintenance to make, it gave us plenty of time to enjoy Finding Nemo -:) with the kids.

For dessert, I made something simple, fresh, and delicious. I mixed 1/2 small container of Mascarpone cheese (about 4 ounces) with some light whipped cream, 1/2 a teaspoon of lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mascarpone is a tripple cream cheese, and is the main ingredient in Tiramisu. I layered the cheese mixture in between a medley of fresh berries (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry) in a martini glass. I topped it off with a couple of pieces of thin milk chocolate crisps that I got from Trader Joe's. My daughter had a blast making this dessert with me.

Along with this yummy meal, we had a glass of Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington, 2008). Riesling is a white wine that originated in Germany. This particular Riesling has a nice scent of orange and peach blossoms, honeysuckle, and sweet lemons on the nose. When you taste it, it has a refreshing taste of juicy peach, ripe pears, apricot and citrus flavors. This Riesling leaves a nice unexpected lingering finish in the mouth. It complemented the Lingcod dish very well. Surprisingly, this Riesling is inexpensive (usually sells for $9, but Safeway now has it for about $6). I strongly recommend it if you are looking for a light, refreshing, semi-dry white wine to serve with fish.

If you would like to try any of these dishes, here are the recipes:

Mustard-Cream Roasted Lingcod Fish

Ingredients

4 fillets of Lingcod boneless, but with skin (or other flaky, mild-flavored fish you like)

1 small (7 to 8 ounces) container of Crème fraîche (Crème fraîche is fresh cream, similar to sour cream)

3 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard, which gives the dish some flavor

1 Tablespoon of whole-grain mustard for texture (whatever brand you have in the refrigerator)

1 small shallot, minced

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season fish generously with salt and pepper. Place the fish skin side down in a shallow ovenproof baking dish.

Mix in a small bowl the Crème fraîche, mustards, shallots, and lemon zest. Add to the cream some salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the cream mixture evenly on top of the fish. Bake the fish in the oven uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish fillets. [If you use red snapper, it takes about 5 minutes less to cook. Lingcod takes a few minutes longer because it is a bit thicker.] Serve the fish with the potatoes and carrots (below) or your favorite side dishes. Make sure you spoon over the fish the extra sauce from the baking dish.

Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Ingredients

1 pound of fingerling potatoes, rinsed but not peepled or cut

2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter (melted)

Salt (about 1 teaspoon) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 1/2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 Tablespoon of dried rosemary)

Cooking Instructions

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Mix all the other ingredients with the potatoes. Bake in the 425-degree oven along with the fish for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

Steamed Carrots

Ingredients

1 small package of fresh baby carrots

1 Teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

Steam the carrots in a sauce pan on the stove top (or in a steamer). Once cooked, drain the water, and return the carrots to the pan. Add the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Mix well, and cook on low for about 1 minute.

I hope you try this meal next time you are in the mood for fish. And, next time you are at the store looking for an inexpensive bottle of white wine, pick a bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle's Riesling. And, please be sure to post a comment and let me know what you think about the fish and/or the wine.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Heirloom Tomato and Basil Bruschetta; Grilled Salmon Fillets w/Cherry, Red Wine Vinegar, and Honey Glaze

2009-10-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite appetizers is a Tomato and Basil Bruschetta that I love to make every once in a while for my family. This weekend, I made this old-time favorite as a special treat. Along with that, I grilled some salmon fillets with a sherry, red wine vinegar and honey glaze. I served that with a side of brown rice with some chopped fresh parsley stirred into it. Here are the recipes below. Give them a try!

Bruschetta
Ingredients
2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/4 cups of fresh basil, finely chopped (or use about a teaspoon of dried parsley)
1/4 cup of Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the bread
1/4 cup of crumbled Feta Cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Goat cheese (as much as you want for the bread)
1 sourdough or sweet baguette

Instructions
Put the tomatoes, garlic, and basil in a medium bowl
Add the balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, and feta cheese
Stir everything well to mix
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
[Add more balsamic vinegar/olive oil, if you need more flavor]
Cover and let sit for 10 minutes (this gives the ingredients a chance to blend in together)

In the meantime, slice the baguette into 1/4 inch thick slices (use as many as you want)
Brush the bread slices with the remaining olive oil
Toast the bread in a 350-degree oven for about 5 minutes
Top each slice of bread with a dollop of goat cheese
Spoon the tomato mixture on top of each slice of bread, and serve as appetizer.

Grilled Salmon Fillets w/Sherry, Red Wine Vinegar, and Honey Glaze

Ingredients
1/4 cup of Sherry (may leave out, add more vinegar)
1/4 cup of Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (or use soy sauce, if you don't have Worcestershire sauce)
1 Tablespoon of minced shallots (or onions)
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 salmon fillets

Instructions
Rinse salmon fillets with cold water, pat dry, season with salt and pepper, and set aside
In the meantime, combine all the ingredients (up to the pepper flakes) in a small bowl
Add some salt and pepper, and taste
Grill the salmon fillets on the grill (skin side down first, if they have skin), for about 4-5 minutes per side
Brush each side with the glaze, as the fillets grill
Remove from grill and serve with the rice below

Brown Rice w/Fresh Parsley

Ingredients
1 cup of Brown rice (Brown rice is a bit healthier than white rice)
2 Tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Cook rice per package instructions (I use a rice cooker; 2 cups of water for every cup of rice; I also add 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the rice cooker to season the rice as it cooks)
Once cooked, stir in the chopped parsley
Season with salt and pepper, to taste (if you add the salt in the rice as it cooks, don't add again)
Serve rice with the salmon fillets

Suggested Wine Pairing
Sangiovese
With this meal, Patrick and I tried a glass of a Sangiovese our friends Evelyn and Rene brought over to our house recently. It is made by the Rios-Lovell Estate Winery in Livermore, California [http://www.rioslovellwinery.com]. This wine is medium-bodied, with fresh strawberry bouquet. It has flavors of cherry with soft tannins on your pallet.

Evelyn and Rene are members of the Winery's wine club. They recently took us wine-tasting there. It was fun and the wines were delicious. If you are in Livermore, we recommend a visit to this winery. Thank you, Evelyn and Rene! Let's go wine-tasting again real soon.

Zinfandel
Another great wine that would go really well with this meal is a Zinfandel that our friends Michele and Bill brought over to our house this weekend. It is Cline's Ancient Vines Zinfandel. This winery has special meaning for Michele and Bill because that is where they got married. We had dinner with Michele and Bill this weekend, and we tried this wine for the first time with pizza, served with a green salad and a home-made red wine Vinaigrette dressing. But, I think it would pair wonderfully with the salmon.

This Zinfandel is just wonderful. It is full-bodied, with flavors of raspberry, blackberry, with hints of white pepper, spice, as well as traces of coffee and chocolate. The ripe fruit flavors are married with a taste of vanilla in your mouth. The soft tannins make it a very easy wine to pair with most food. The Ancient Vines Zinfandel is also special because it is made from grapes grown on 100-year-old vines. Give it a try next time you are shopping for wine. Here is a link to the winery's webpage: (http://www.clinecellars.com/index.cfm?method=storeproducts.showDrilldown&productid=390f8ac0-fe3c-48a0-54a1-40fba3bfbc81&ProductCategoryID=75119e30-c7d7-cba6-5bf3-611315a990c6&OrderBy=PXPC.DisplayOrder+Asc,+P.Price1).
Thank you, Michele and Bill!

I hope you try some of these (and all of my) recipes, and the wines. Please be sure to post a comment and let me know what you think. Also, please post a comment to add on some of your favorite recipes or wines. Remember: Food and wine are more enjoyable when shared with friends and family.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Pannini w/Tomato and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

2009-10-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

It's Friday night, you are tired from a long week, and it's cold outside. What's for dinner? Here is a feel-good, easy-to-make, and delicious comfort meal for the whole family.

Friday nights are "Movie Nights" at our house. For our "movie night" dinner tonight, I heated up on the stove top one carton of Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup from Trader Joe's. This soup is delicious. The tomatoes give the soup a nice tangy taste, while the red bell peppers give it a semi-sweet taste. Even the most picky eater in my family -- my 3-year-old son -- had a few spoonfuls. Of course, it was after he asked me why he had to eat tomato soup. My response? It is good for you and you will like it. He agreed after he tried it.

With the soup, I made some "Panninis." For the Panninis, I put slices of Havarti and Fontina Cheeses and Rosemary Ham in between two slices of Sweet French Bread. I sprayed a counter-top griddle with cooking spray, placed the sandwiches on the griddle and pressed them until the cheeses melt and the bread is slightly crispy. That's it! We had a whole meal.

Patrick and I paired our Pannini-soup combo with a glass of a wonderful Cabernet that I bought at BevMo during its 5-cents sale. It is from Argentina, and it is by a winery called Finca Lalande. This Cabernet is similar to a Bordeaux varietal. The wine is elegant in style, rich in flavor and very aromatic. When you drink this wine, your palate is loaded with concentrated flavors of cherry and currant fruits, with a hint of black pepper in the aftertaste. The tannins leave a nice long finish in your mouth. The wine is regularly $16.99, but when you buy one bottle, you get the second one for $.05.

Although it is a Cabernet, this wine served very well with the tomato and red bell pepper soup, and the Panninis allow you to enjoy all the flavors of the wine.

If you don't want to go out to dinner, and you're tired of take-out for your family's movie or game night, try this simple, but delicious meal and a glass of this fantastic Cabernet. And, enjoy your movie with the family!

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast w/Roasted Bell Peppers and Polenta Cakes

2009-10-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

Think chicken breast is boring? Well, think again. There is nothing boring about this Chicken meal recipe that I made for my family tonight. It is easy and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

4 Chicken Breasts (slice them vertically, but without going all the way through so filling can stay in)

1 Cup of chopped frozen spinach (thawed)

1/2 Cup of shredded Gruyere cheese (or whatever Swiss-type cheese you have at home)

1/2 Cup of Feta cheese

1 small shallot or 1/4 cup of onions (minced)

1 Clove of garlic (minced)

1 Tablespoon of lowfat milk or whipping cream

3 Bell peppers sliced (whatever color you like)

1/2 Red onions (sliced)

1/2 a log of pre-cooked polenta (Trader Joe's has them in the pasta isle)

About 4 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of Italian Seasoning

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Bell Peppers

Place sliced peppers and onions in a baking dish

Season with salt and pepper

Add Italian Seasoning

Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

Mix well so the vegetables get coated with the seasonings and oil

Bake in the oven until soft, about 30 minutes (depending on how big the peppers are)

Chicken Breasts

Mix spinach, cheese, shallot, garlic, and milk in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste

Stuff chicken breasts with the spinach mixture

Fold the stuffed chicken breasts so the stuffing doesn't come out

Tie the chicken breasts with a twine or insert a couple of toothpicks in them to keep the stuffing in

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium high heat

Brown the stuffed chicken breasts on all sides (about 2 minutes per side)

Then, put the skillet in the oven, and cook for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breasts)

Polenta

Slice the polenta into 1/4-inch sizes

Cook according to package [I browned them in a pan over the stove top, and then sprinkled them with some Parmesan cheese]

Serve everything together with a nice glass of your favorite wine. When I made this dish, we tried a glass of Challis Lane Old Vine Zinfandel (2007). I got this wine at BevMo, which is currently having its 5-cents sale. When you buy this wine for $7.99, you get a second bottle for $.05. This wine is medium body, loaded with delicious berry fruit flavors, and has a nice finish. It goes really well with this dish. It received a 90-point rating by Wilfred Wong. And, at about $4 a bottle, it is a true deal. Check out BevMo's website:http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?D=challis&Ntx=mode%2bmatchall&Dx=mode%2bmatchall&Ntk=All&Nty=1&Ntt=challis&N=0&ProductID=31270.

If you try the recipe and/or the wine, be sure to write a comment and let me know what you think.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Grilled Molasses and Orange Glazed Pork Chops, with Roasted Root Vegetables, and Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Slaw

2009-09-28T23:28:00.000-07:00

Wondering what to make for dinner tonight after a long, hard day of work and on a night when your kid's school project is due? Well, wonder no more. Here's a great meal idea that is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious. It's my grilled molasses and lemon glazed pork chops, served with baked sweet potatoes, beats, and carrots, and a side of slaw with a lemon and honey vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Pork Chops:
What You Need (for 4 servings):

4 Pork Chops (bone-in, thin cut recommended)
1/2 a cup of Molasses (or use honey if you don't have Molasses)
Juice from 1/2 an orange
Zest of 1 orange
1 clove of garlic (crushed)
1 Tablespoon of Sesame Seeds (not necessary, but adds extra flavor)
1 Tablespoon of light soy sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary (use dry rosemary, if you don't have fresh)

1-2-3 Step Before Grilling

Rinse, pat dry and season the pork chops with salt and pepper
Combine all the remaining ingredients to make a glaze
Pour the mixed glaze onto the pork chops

Voila! Grill the pork chops (you can use the oven if you don't have a grill or if it's cold out)

Roasted Vegetables (you can substitute any vegetables you like roasted)
What You Need:

Sweet Potatoes (w/skin cut into bite size pieces)
Fresh/Raw beats (peeled and cut into bite size pieces)
Carrots (peeled and cut into bite size pieces)
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (just to coat vegetables)

Place cut-up vegetables onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, mix some olive oil on vegetables. Then, roast in a 375-degree oven until tender (about 20 minutes)

Slaw w/Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette
What You need:

1/2 a package of shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 package of shredded carrots
1/2 package of shredded red cabbage
Juice from 1/2 of lemon
1 Teaspoon of honey
1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

What To Do:

Mix the shredded vegetables in a medium bowl
Combine remaining ingredients in a jar w/lid (old jelly jar works great; or whisk in a bowl)
Pour the vinaigrette on the vegetables
Mix and serve

Recommended Wine? Frei Brothers Reserve Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, CA 2007). This wine is has a deep purple color. Its flavor components are berries (maybe Blackberries and Cherries). It is a wine that is ready to drink now, but can be saved for a couple of years. It is complex on the tongue with each sip, but has a long-lasting finish. This wine is typically $22 at Safeway, but I bought it recently for $11. Enjoy!

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Farfalle w/Italian Sausage, Vegetables & Tomato Cream Sauce

2009-09-26T23:46:00.000-07:00

Some people think Farfalle (Bow-tie pasta) is boring. Well, if you are one of those people, I have a recipe that, once you try it, you will change your mind. It's my Farfalle pasta with mild Italian Sausage, fresh broccoli and bell peppers, and a light tomato cream sauce. [Feel free to use whatever vegetables you and your kids like, if you have kids.]

When I made this pasta dish this past Saturday, Patrick and I had a glass of a Meritage wine by Nine Points from Sonoma, CA. I bought this wine at Safeway for $12 (it is regularly $23). It is a medium-bodied wine, that is smooth to drink, with notes of berries. Nine Points is a line of wine from Stags' Leap Winery.

To start the meal (as an appetizer), I served an amazing salad of purple cherry tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, diced avocados, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. I have never had purple tomatoes before, but they are delicious. They are crunchy, and when they pop in your mouth, they are sweet and scrumptious. My daughter actually asked for them every time as a snack. She said: "These tomatoes are great, Mom!" Who would have thought a 6-year-old would have found something that is actually good for her "great." It makes me so happy-:) I only wish I had bought more than one basket of the tomatoes.

To finish the meal, I served a refreshing and very simple dessert of fresh sliced peaches dropped into a glass of muscat (a sweet dessert wine from Paso Robles, CA). Saturday was very hot, and after running around running errands, and cheering my daughter at her soccer game, this dessert was a great way to cool down. I found this particular muscat (Castoro Cellars) at Trader Joe's for $5.

Here is what you need for the pasta (the rest of the meal is already described above):

Box of Farfalle pasta cooked according to the package instructions; ADD the vegetables into the pot of boiling pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking [Barilla's PLUS brand is great: it is whole grain and enhanced with omega-3]
1 package of mild Italian Sausage (casings removed, crumbled, and browned on in a non-stick skillet on the stove top; once cooked remove from skillet and place on paper towel to drain out some of the excess oil)
1 medium can of diced tomatoes (with Italian seasonings)
1/2 red onions (chopped)
2 small garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of red wine (or white if that's what you have on hand)
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning (or some dried basil and oregano, if you have)
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Throw away the excess oil from the skillet that you cooked the sausage in.
Add olive oil to the pan
Add onions, and saute for about 2 minutes
Add garlic and saute for 1 minute (don't burn the garlic)
Add the diced tomatoes with the liquid
Add the Italian seasoning
Add some salt and pepper to taste
Add the wine and stir
Let it simmer on low for just a couple of minutes (to cook out the wine)
Add some water from the pasta pot or some pre-made pasta sauce, if you have some
Then, add the whipping cream
Stir, simmer for about a minute, then turn off the heat
Add cooked pasta from the pot directly into the skillet
stir; add salt and pepper, if necessary; then mix in the Parmesan cheese
Season with salt and pepper and serve

I hope you try this recipe one day. If you do, I would love to hear what you think. So, don't forget to write a comment.

Until next time . . . cheers!

ZinAdel

A Well-Balanced and Versatile Zinfandel

2009-09-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

If you are in the mood for a great bottle of wine, but don't want to spend an arm and a leg for it, I have a wonderful suggestion for you: Beaulieu Vineyard's 2006 Zinfandel (Napa Valley). Right now, Safeway has it on sale for $9.98 from $16.99.

This wine has a deep dark ruby color. It is full-bodied, and somewhat nutty, with rich and concentrated flavors of black pepper and berries. You can enjoy this wine with a variety of foods, including hamburgers, chicken, barbecues, or simply enjoy it by itself.

If you are in Napa Valley, Beaulieu is a great winery to visit. Here is a link to the Winery's website: http://www.bvwines.com/home.aspx.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Cookies & Milk

2009-09-16T22:56:00.000-07:00

QUAKER OATS' OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

I recently came across the best recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies on Quaker Oats' website (http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/content/recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeId=474). They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. As a special ingredient, I add about 1 teaspoon of honey in the mix when I am adding the eggs and vanilla. I think the honey gives it a little extra flavor and also makes the cookies more chewy.

My family loves these cookies. But, the best part about this recipe (and baking generally) is that the kids enjoy making the cookies with me. They get so excited taking turns pouring the ingredients into the mixer and watching everything mix together. They also love to sit in front of the oven watching the cookies bake. Talk about quality family time! It's the best feeling when your kids and you can enjoy cooking things together. Check these cookies out some time with a glass of milk (or for the adults, maybe a glass of Sherry -- dessert wine). One of my favorite bottles of Sherry is Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry. This Sherry is a smooth and elegant, somewhat nutty in flavor with a hint of vanilla. Trader Joe's often has sells it for less than $10.

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

PASTA! PASTA!

2009-09-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

HERB-LEMON SHRIMP W/SPAGHETTI AND ARUGULA

On Monday nights, dinner at our house is all about simplicity and speed, without compromising taste, of course. Here is an awesome Herb-Lemon Shrimp with Spaghetti and Arugula recipe that I made last night (My daughter's comment was "Yummy!").

This past weekend, Whole Foods had these fresh gulf shrimps on sale for about $7/lb.; regular price is $15/lb. Since my daughter loves shrimp, I picked some up. I added Arugula to the pasta because it has an earthy and peppery taste, which gives the dish richer flavor. Arugula is also rich in Vitamin C and Potassium (think bananas and oranges rolled up in a lettuce).

Last night, I used a Barefoot Pinot Griggio (I cooked with it and also had a glass of it with dinner). It is an inexpensive wine, but it pairs well with seafood and light pasta dishes. This wine is light-bodied, but packed with flavor. It tastes similar to fresh, tart green apples paired with delicious white peaches, with a hint of citrus. It also has an aroma of fresh floral blossom, which is so refreshing on the nose. Check it out some time. Safeway currently has it on sale for about $5.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think. As with almost every dish I recommend, you should feel free to substitute any of the items for things you have on hand or that you like. For example, you can use frozen shrimp if you have some in the freezer. I'll try to suggest alternatives as much as I can.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of fresh large Shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cleaned
1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
1 Teaspoon of fresh thyme, chopped
3 cloves of garlic crushed
2 tablespoons of shallots (or 1/2 a cup of chopped red onions)
Juice from 1/2 lemon (use the zest too for extra flavor)
4 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper (to flavor/taste)
Pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste; you can leave out if you do not like peppers)
1/2 Cup of cooked bacon (the bacon gives the dish extra flavor, but is not necessary]
1 Cup of dry white wine
1/2 Package of dry Spaghetti (feeds a family of 4, depending on how hungry everyone is)
1/2 Cup of fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Package of pre-washed Arugula or spinach (substitute cooked peas or broccoli if want, but get some vegetables in there to round out the meal)

Marinade For Shrimp

Combine 1/2 of the crushed garlic, 1/2 of the chopped parsley, all the chopped thyme, 3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the lemon juice and zest, pepper flakes, salt & pepper to taste
Add shrimp to the herb mixture and mix well to coat the shrimp
Let the shrimp sit in the marinade for about 30 minutes if you can (in the meantime, you can help the kids with bath or homework, take a bath yourself, or fold a load of laundry)

Cooking Instructions:

Boil a large pot of water for the pasta
Add some salt to the boiling pasta water, add the pasta to the water and cook according to package and until your desired consistency

While the pasta is cooking, cook the shrimp without the marinade in a sauté pan over medium heat until they are pink
Remove the shrimp from the pan, place them in a bowl, and set them aside
Add remaining olive oil
Add shallots (or onions) and cook until softened (about 3 minutes)
Add remaining crushed garlic and cook (about 1 minute)
Season with salt and pepper
Add the cooked Shrimp back into the pan
Add the bacon (if you are using some)
Add the wine
Simmer on low heat for about 4 minutes (until the wine cooks off a bit)
Add the cooked pasta (without the cooking water) directly into the pan of shrimp
Stir in the remaining chopped parsley
Stir in the arugula (or spinach)
Stir in the Parmesan cheese
Season with salt and pepper
Serve with a glass of the white wine you used to cook (or your favorite red wine)

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Eggs Please!

2009-09-07T23:10:00.000-07:00

If you are in the mood for some delicious eggs for breakfast, but are tired of plain old scrambled eggs, I've got a great egg dish for you. Your family will ask for seconds, so make extras.

This week, I made these individual-size egg casseroles and my family loved them. So, I hope you give this recipe a try. It is easy to make, and will give your family a fulfilling breakfast (lunch or dinner) at home.

Individual-Size Egg Casseroles w/
Chicken Breakfast Sausage and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1/2 package of Chicken Breakfast Sausage (about 10 ounces); removed from casing and crumbled into smaller pieces [You can use any other type of sausage]
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup of roughly chopped Crimini Mushroom (you can use button or any other mushroom)
1/4 red or yellow onions (chopped)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/2 cup of shredded GruyèreCheese (or any other hard cheese you like)
6 Large Eggs
4 Large Egg Whites
1 cup of low fat milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 6 small ramekins (if you don't have ramekins, use a muffin pan to make 12 muffin-size quiches).

Cook the sausage in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until brown and cooked through. Drain the cooked sausage on a paper towel and place it in a bowl to cool.

Add the olive oil to the skillet.
Add the chopped onions to the skillet and cook until soft (adding salt and pepper to taste).
Add the mushrooms to the skillet with onions and cook them until they are soft and brown, stirring often.
Add the cooked mushrooms to the drained sausage.
Add the green onions, cheese, and pepper to the mushroom and sausage mixture, and mix well.

Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a bowl (with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste).
Divide the egg mixture evenly among the greased ramekins.
Divide the sausage mixture among each ramekin with the eggs.
Put the ramekins on top of a baking sheet, and place them in the oven.
Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes.

Remove the ramekins from the baking sheet and place them on a cooling rack. Cool for about 5 minutes.
Serve in the ramekins (or on a plate by flipping and turning them over on the plate) with a side of fruit, some Orange Juice (or better yet, a refreshing Mimosa). Piper Sonoma's Brut Sparkling Wine is one of our favorites and most reasonably priced ($13.99 at BevMo). Enjoy!

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Steak & Potato Kind of Night

2009-09-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I was in the mood for some easy-to-make steak. Here's a recipe of my version of a "Steak and Potato" dinner. It is very easy to make, but packed with delicious flavors. Serve that with your favorite wine, or try the Carménère below, and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Appetizer - "Melon Wrapped w/Prosciutto & Mild Goat Cheese"
I got a small cantaloupe-type melon at the Farmers' Market on Saturday that tasted so sweet and refreshing. I had some prosciutto from Trader Joe's and some goat cheese in the refrigerator. I sliced up 1/2 of the cantaloupe. I took 3 slices of the prosciutto, and split them in 1/2 (you do not need a lot; save the rest for lunch). I placed a small amount of goat cheese inside the prosciutto, and wrapped them around each slice of the cantaloupe. Voilà! A delicious and light appetizer. [For the kids, you can use ham or turkey.]

Entree - "Grilled Steak Topped w/Blue Cheese, Served w/Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans"

"Roasted Tri-Color Fingerling Potatoes"

I got some purple, red, and yellow fingerling potatoes at the Farmers' Market. After washing them, I cut them up (bigger ones in 1/4, smaller ones in 1/2). I placed them in a baking sheet. I seasoned them with salt and pepper. I added the stems of 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, about 1/4 red onions sliced, and extra virgin olive oil. I mixed everything with my hands. Then, I placed the potatoes in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes (temperature and cooking time may vary depending on your oven). The aromas of the rosemary and onions emanating from the oven are absolutely amazing. I took them out and kept them covered until the steak is ready.

"Grilled Steak" (use whatever kind of steak you like)

While the potatoes are cooking, I took a couple of steaks (I had some Loin Top Sirloin from Costco), and seasoned them with salt and pepper, and some grilling spices. After grilling them to our desired temperatures, I placed some blue cheese on top of each, and melted the cheese. I let them sit for about 5 minutes before serving (that helps keep the juices in).

Vegetables - "Sauteed Green Beans w/Garlic"

In the meantime, I boiled a pot of water. I took some fresh green beans from the Farmers' Market, rinsed them under cold water, and cut the ends off. (Remember my green beans that were accidentally taken last week? Well, the Farmer replaced them for me.) I boiled them for about 4 minutes. I drained the water out, then placed them back in the pot. I seasoned them with some salt and pepper, and added some extra virgin olive oil. I crushed a clove of garlic, and put it in the pot. I stirred the beans until the garlic is cooked, but not burned (about 2 minutes). Then, I served the beans with the steak and potatoes.

Wine - "Carménère" (Reserva; from Chile)

This wine is different from the traditional wines that you may find at the market. But, it goes really well with meat dishes that are cooked with fresh herbs and spices. Carménère is a member of the Cabernet family of grapes, and was originally planted in the Bordeaux region of France. It is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon in that it has a deep red color, and has a rich aroma of spices and fruit. At the same time, it is somewhat different from Cabernet Sauvignon as the tannins in Carménère wine are often much softer, and the wine is drinkable at relatively young ages. Check out Wikipedia's website for a nice description and more information about this grape: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carm%C3%A9n%C3%A8re

I bought this particular vintage (Montgras, Reserva 2008) from BevMo about a month ago when BevMo was having its 5-cents sale. I bought 1 bottle for $16, and got a second bottle for 5 cents. It is a great deal.

Dessert - "Fresh Strawberry Salad w/Cinnamon-Lime Syrup"

In a small saucepan, I put about 1 cup of water, with about 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the zest of 1 lime. (I often eyeball this, and you can use lemon if you like.) To that, I added 1 cinnamon stick (you can also use cinnamon powder). I brought everything to a boil until the sugar is melted and the water is reduced a bit (by about 1/2), giving an almost syrup-like consistency.

In the meantime, I rinsed some fresh strawberries that I got from the Farmers' Market, cut off the stems, and sliced them up (smaller ones in 1/2; larger ones in 1/4). I put the sliced strawberries in a bowl. I poured the syrup over the strawberries, and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Then, I served them in a martini glass (for the grown-ups) with a small amount of whipped cream. Sooooooo delicious, and a nice refreshing end to a wonderful meal!

If you try any of the above, please write a comment and let me know what you think. If you have a recipe using similar ingredients, please do share by posting a comment!

Until next time . . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Gourmet On A Budget

2009-08-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

I love cooking on Saturdays because I have more time to "play" with my menu unlike during the week when I am rushing to put dinner on the table before the kids have to go to bed. On Saturday mornings, we usually take the kids to Oakland's Lake Merritt (we go for a run around the Lake with the kiddies in strollers, then we go to the playground and let them burn off some energy, and finally we go to the Lake Merritt Farmers' Market).

This Saturday, we had a couple of events to attend during the day. So, after I went on a solo run around Lake Temescal early in the morning (running helps me relieve stress), the whole gang loaded up in the car, and we went to the Farmers' Market. The kids love the market because they get to sample all kinds of things (peaches, strawberries, watermelon, etc.).

One of my favorite desserts in the summer time is grilled white peaches with either vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It is so easy, you will want to go make some right now (if you have peaches or nectarines or apricots). While I was at the Farmers' Market, I had a desire to make grilled peaches (at the Market, they are $2 per pound). Then, when I saw all the fresh produce and herbs, I wanted to make something "gourmet" for dinner, but of course on a budget.

So, here is what was on the menu on Saturday night at our house. NOTE: You can substitute any meat you want, any starch you want, and for the dessert, you can also use nectarines, apricots if you have them in the house. For this dinner, we only had to buy the wine, lamb, bacon, and of course, peaches (total: ~$30). We had everything else in our refrigerator or pantry.

Dinner: Roasted Rack of Lamb, with Risotto and peas (see how to make these below, very easy, except for the risotto that requires some attention. You can substitute orzo or any small grain pasta if you want; it takes less time).

Lamb: Since I "splurged" on the wine a bit, I got a great rack of lamb from Trader Joe's for $12. The Lamb was a juicy, high quality lamb from New Zealand. I prepared it by first rinsing it off, I patted it dry, seasoned it with salt and pepper, and rubbed some butter on the ends to prevent drying. Then, I prepared an easy, but tasty, rub for it: chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, and Italian Parsley. I mixed that with some horseradish (which is always great with roast meat), olive oil, salt and pepper. I rubbed the mixture all over the meat. I placed it in a roasting pan (bones down), then into a 400 degrees oven and roasted it uncovered for about 18 minutes (medium rare but with a nice yummy crust). Then, I let it sit for 5 minutes (covered). I sliced and served it with the side dishes.

Risotto: For the risotto, I put a box of chicken broth in a pot on the stove to warm up. In the meantime, I chopped up 1/2 red onion and a clove of garlic. I also diced a couple of slices of Applewood Smoked Bacon that I got from Trader Joe's (it's smokey and flavorful). First, I cooked the bacon in a non-stick pan until crispy. I set the bacon aside on a paper towel. I drained the bacon fat out, put some olive oil in the same pan, and sauteed the onions (about 5 minutes). Then, I added the garlic and sauteed it for about 1 minute (don't burn it). Then, I added about 1 1/2 cup of risotto (I always just eyeball it, I like leftovers), and stirred the risotto to mix with the onions and garlic. Then, I added about a cup of the chicken broth at a time in the pan to cook the risotto. I stirred it often so it does not stick to the pan. I repeated the process of adding the broth 1 cup at a time until the risotto is cooked. Then, I added the drained bacon pieces, with some grated Parmesan cheese, and some chopped fresh parsley. I served it with the lamb.

Vegetable: As our green vegetables (I always try to have some vegetable with dinner), I boiled some frozen peas for about 3 minutes (I don't like mushy peas). Then, I drained the peas, and mixed in a teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, and served. [I had intended to use fresh green beans that I got at the market, but some guy took my beans by accident and I did not realize that until that night. So, I substituted frozen peas.]

Wine: An absolutely amazing bottle of wine (Beaulieu Vineyard's Dulcet Reserve 2004). It is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Syrah (can you tell I love blends?). I was at Safeway on Saturday, and I saw that it was on sale. It is normally $43, but Safeway has it on sale for $19. If you have a Safeway Club Membership, and you buy 6 or more bottles of wine or other drinks, you get an extra 10% off. This wine truly is a special wine.

Dessert: Grilled Peaches, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. After washing a large peach, I cut it in half and took the seed out. Then, I buttered a grill pan and placed the peach halves on the pan with the flesh down. I grilled them on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until lightly brown and with grill marks. Then, I placed the grilled peaches on a baking dish (grilled sides up), I sprinkled some cinnamon, nutmeg (you don't have to use this if you don't have it), vanilla extract, some sherry (you can use brandy or whatever flavored liqueur you like or no alcohol), then I topped them with brown sugar. I placed them in the oven and baked them for about 1/2 hour. I took them out when done, let them cool slightly, and served them with a scoop of ice cream (you can use a spoonful of whipped cream if you like). For a nice color contrast, add a mint leaf on the side (or a basil leaf, if you have some).

After dinner, Patrick and I relaxed and watched Slumdog Millionnaire that we rented from Safeway for $1 (what a great and thought-provoking movie!). A delicious and budget-friendly dinner, with quality time with each other -:)

Hey: If you have a good recipe for summer fruits like my peaches or for a roast, post them in the Comments Section. I would love to try it!

Until next time. . . Cheers!

ZinAdel

Family Time

2009-08-27T22:50:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I am most passionate about (things, not people of course) are: Delicious food and a well-balanced bottle of wine. Tonight, as I was sitting at the dinner table with my family, I felt so happy. I was happy because the food was delicious. It was not anything fancy.

The menu? Gnocchi with red sauce and Italian sausage, a side of Caprese salad made of fresh and crunchy heirloom orange and yellow tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, fresh sliced avocados, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

The wine? A bottle of Raffinto red table wine (Ramazzotti Vineyards, 2006, Cloverdale, CA) that I picked up from the Grocery Outlet Store in Berkeley a couple of weeks ago for about $5. It's a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7% Syrah, and 5% Cabernet Franc. It's an inexpensive bottle of wine, but was easy to drink after airing out for a little bit.

But, I was also happy because everyone at the dinner table (including the kids) were laughing and enjoying a beautiful Thursday night with a view of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges and the beautiful sunset in the background. I mentioned how much I love cooking and having people enjoy my food. My husband (Patrick) had a great idea: I could start a blog as a forum to share my passion with others.

So, here we are! The birth of the "Drinkable Feast" blog.

I know there are lots of blogs out there. So, at first, I was a bit hesitant. But, when I thought about it some more, I realize that this was a great idea. I have designed this blog with the following purpose in mind: to connect with people who are as passionate about food and wine as I am.

So, if you have an enjoyable food recipe and idea, please post it here and share. I am open to all types of food from all over the world. The only criterion: You truly enjoyed making and eating the dish.

If you recently had a great bottle of wine that you truly enjoy, pass along the name, winemaker, and vintage. And, if you bought it for a bargain, do share!

Finally, if you have a favorite restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area or winery in Northern California, pass that along too.

Okay, I made it through my first post. Until next time, cheers!

ZinAdel