Eat Dessert First

I'm basically new at food blogging and I haven't posted enough as yet for you to know that desserts and chocolate are my passion. Whoever coined the phrase "eat dessert first" knew how to prioritize! At this time in my life I'm finally comfortable having dessert first without being a bad example to my kids.

Now for the part that is challenging -- keeping dessert low in sugar, fat and cholesterol. Can that be good?

For a variety of reasons I try to find alternatives to butter and eggs. This can be difficult at times, but I'm always looking for new recipes that fit my criteria or I make adjustments to recipes that I think can handle the butter and egg makeover.

I've been working at this for several years and found substitutions that can make the cut. I've successfully revamped a few recipes that have become family favorites.

I'll be sharing my recipes in future posts including one of my new favorites that is an old standby, "Rice Pudding," and hope you enjoy them as much as my family and I do.


Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Wine Review Monday

On this Memorial Day it is with respect that we salute the brave men and women who gave their lives for our country and to remember them always never to be forgotten.

This particular weekend also marks the calendar as the unofficial start of summer fun whether we are at the beach, planning a picnic at the park, camping, or entertaining in our own backyard. So let the summer fun begin!

Even though the weather is still cool we are out in our sweatshirts firing up the grill. Except for heavy rain and strong winds we will be grilling almost anything we can. I just read an article describing how to grill a fruit pie. That's one I will be trying this summer. Stay tuned for that.

This weekend we found a couple of wines that are under $15 which we enjoyed with our resident grill master's "nothing fancy but always favorite" chicken legs, steak, and grilled shrimp along with a couple of my salads.

RED

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from Australia is a blend of grapes from Barossa, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. Penfolds is known for producing quality wines that are very affordable. This is a blend of 70% Shiraz and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon that has black currant, and blackberry and blueberry aromas. The flavors are intense and very well balanced. This wine can be enjoyed through 2022.

If you enjoy red wine, you can't go wrong at this price of under $15. Keep it for a few years for an upcoming special occasion.

WHITE

Ravenswood Vintners Blend Chardonnay 2007 is one Chardonnay that just might bring together the old world Chardonnay lover of crisp minerality with lots of fruity character and the California Chardonnay lover of oaky, buttery flavors. Partially fermented in barrels as well as stainless steel, this Vintners Blend has bright apple, lemon and melon flavors with a touch of oak and notes of butter. It is crisp and lively and just might be for every one who enjoys a Chardonnay.

This was great with the grilled shrimp and the orzo salad I made from a recipe I tried from Rich's site at Not Just Recipes.

Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc 2007 is a white wine that has rich fruit flavors and aromas of grapefruit, citrus and honeydew and a subtle hint of grassiness. This wine was fermented in stainless steel and old French oak barrels which gives the wine both a crispness and subtle oak character that adds complexity. The winery labeled this Fumé Blanc rather than Sauvignon Blanc which is their way of hinting to us the wine was aged in oak barrels.

This is a delicious wine that I enjoyed drinking on its own as well as with the grilled chicken.

Wine tasting tip: "Good friends and good food are the best pairing with wine. Drink what you enjoy, it's just a matter of taste!"

Salute!
Winelady Cooks

"Ravi's" on Sunday

We had raviolis for dinner this past Sunday and for some reason my thoughts took me back to my childhood when my dad bought fresh "ravis" for Sunday dinner.

Our traditional Italian/American Sunday dinner was always macaroni with lots of meatballs, sausage and pork braciole in sauce (though in our family it was called gravy) but our favorite was raviolis.

I don't know how or why we gave raviolis' a nickname. I just remember how much fun my sister and I would have with the nickname "ravis" and how much we enjoyed our favorite Sunday dinner though it was only on special occasions, usually someone's birthday, that we had ravis. Lucky for us we had a large family so we had a special ravioli dinner quite often.

Cheese or meat raviolis were the only two varieties available "back in the day". Today there are more varieties of ravioli than you can imagine. Besides ravioli, there are many other types of stuffed pastas that are great in soups, or cold pasta salads.

"Variety is the Spice of Life" - the perfect motto for all that food has to offer.

Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Wine Review Monday

This weekend's weather was just not up to par. It was too wet for golf so we decided to relax at home and focus on vegan wines. A recent Wine Review Monday listed organic wineries which produced some wines that are suitable for vegetarians or vegans. This list is a is more comprehensive.

Many wine producers around the world make Vegan wine in white, red, sparkling, and dessert wines as well as French Champagne. Check your local wine shops for vegan wines. The store managers should have the information you'll need to be sure the wines are vegan/vegetarian. You can also find wines on-line.

WHITES:

Ventura Chardonnay (Vegan) 2008 -- From Chile, this is for the Chardonnay lover. It has aromas of tropical fruit and flowers, and a creaminess on the palate with butterscotch and hazelnut on the finish. Pair this will mac and cheese with tofu and broccoli. Non-vegans can pair with lobster bisque or grilled scallops over lemon risotto.

Chiusa Grande Trebbiano D'Abruzzo DOC (Vegan) 2008 -- This Italian wine has a golden color with soft notes of flowers and alfalfa. It has ripe stone fruit flavors and a light almond note on the finish. It is moderately light in body and will pair well with pasta dressed in traditional olive oil and garlic.

Holmes Sauvignon Blanc (Vegan) 2008 -- This New Zealand wine won a Silver Medal at the 2008 Los Angeles International Wine Competition. Traditional aromas of fresh herbs and ripe melon and it has a crispness to it with peach, gooseberry and a nice touch of minerality. Pear with pea risotto. Non-vegans can pair with seafood bisque, frittata.

RED:

Holmes Pinot Noir (Vegan) 2006 -- From New Zealand this Pinot Noir is aged in French oak barriques. It has savory spice, plum and oak aromas with flavors of raspberry and cherry with just a hint of violet and spice. This pairs with tofu with seared sesame kale. For non-vegans pair with grilled or poached salmon or lamb.

Organic Vintners Pinot Noir (Vegan) 2007 -- From the Redwood Valley in California this is the perfect food friendly Pinot Noir. It has a sweet spiciness on the nose. On the palate, earthy, black fruit and smoky spice flavors. Pair with portobello burgers. Non-vegans pair with grilled salmon, tuna.

Organic Vintners Merlot (Vegan) 2007 -- This Merlot from California has tea, roses and berry aromas. It has ripe prune and plum with baked cherry fruit, spice and herb flavors. Pair with spinach lasagna and vegetable soups.

SPARKLING WINES FOR EVERYDAY AND SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS

Giol Prosecco IGT (Vegan) 2008 -- A semi-sparkling Prosecco from Italy is just right for everyday drinking. It has aromas of green apple, hints of peach and apple blossom. This wine is crisp and light which makes it a great match for herb risottos, spinach crepes. Non-vegans can pair with shellfish and seafood, smoked salmon appetizers.

Can Vendrell Cava Brut Reserva (Vegan) NV, Penedes -- Spanish Cava is the perfect celebratory wine. This cava has notes of floral and citrus. It is lively and fresh with creamy lemon and peach that is accented with a nuttiness and yeast notes on the finish.

Fleury Fleur de l'Europe Brut (Biodynamic, Vegan)NV, Champagne -- Celebrate with Champagne. This is a full bodied and complex Champagne with aromas of yeast, toast, apple and floral. It has a creamy palate, with yeast and nutty flavors and layers of ginger, berry and a hint of coconut on the finish.

Wine tasting tip: "Good friends and good food are the best pairing with wine. Drink what you enjoy, it's just a matter of taste!"

Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Wine Review Monday

Finally, a terrific rainless weekend with lots of sunshine which was a perfect fit for our weekend festivities. We had a family celebration on Saturday with lots of company and great food. On Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day with a brunch that was quick and easy so we could spend the day outside in the sunshine playing with the kids, both young and "old".



Erath Pinot Noir 2007 from the Willamette Valley in Oregon has aromas of black cherry, mandarin orange, and spiced vanilla with a hint of caramel and delicious flavors of black cherry. We really enjoyed this with the pasta and chicken. This wine bottle has a screw cap.

2005 Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied with notes of black berry fruits with a hint of chocolate and spice. It has cherry and blackberry fruit flavors with a hint of vanilla and spice. Perfect with the steaks.

Sparkling wine is a favorite in our house which was perfect with our Mother's Day brunch. Since we have a several underage drinkers we always make "kid friendly" sparkling drinks.

Our "Sparkling Sunrise" is a blend of sparkling apple cider or sparkling water, orange juice and cranberry juice. Our recipe is made to order for each of the kids based on their juice preferences. It makes the younger set (under 14) feel special, and "fagedaboudit" for the over 14 group - sparkling water is just perfect for their discriminating palate! This group is not into the sugary juice drinks. I think we can learn a bit from their take on healthy eating and drinking but that's a post for another day.

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut sparkling wine was our choice for brunch. It has floral and pear aromas and a touch of toasty almond. It is rich and creamy on the palate with flavors of black cherry, vanilla and just a hint of lemon. This food friendly sparkler was just right with our brunch. It is great with shellfish or crab cakes as well as roasted chicken.

Rosa Regale Brachetto d'Acqui 2007 was just the right touch for our sweets. It has a slight fizziness that is soft and creamy on the palate with flavors of ripe cherry and strawberries. This wine is our moms' favorite especially since it is lightly sweet and was delicious with our fresh fruit plate, dessert and dark chocolate.

Saluté
Winelady Cooks

Preponderance of Artichokes

I don't know if it's just me, but I have seen quite a few advertisements for artichokes than in past years. Coming from an Italian/American family we always had stuffed artichokes prepared by both my mother and grandmother.

I've been making them for my family not only in spring, but whenever I see them in the market. I try to always make them in the late fall which is when I remember my mom would always make them.

My recipe is a basic breadcrumb mixture that can vary depending on what I have in the fridge. I do not use exact measurements. I use my judgment and hope for the best, just kidding, I've been making them for so many years I can tell by eye and I do taste the crumbs.

Here are the ingredients I use which are basic and you probably will have them in your pantry.

INGREDIENTS
Bread Crumbs -- seasoned or unseasoned
finely chopped garlic
chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Fresh lemon
White wine

OPTIONAL: Choose Any One of the following as desired:
4-5 thin slices of Genoa salami diced
3-4 chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
1-3 TBLS. grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

BREADCRUMB MIXTURE

I usually make 4 or 6 artichokes and use about 1 1/2 cups of breadcrumbs, 1 small garlic clove finely minced, add chopped parsley and salt and pepper.

Then I add the olive oil, 1 TBLS. at a time, to the crumbs and stir until the crumbs are moistened with the oil, sometimes it needs more sometimes less. Add the lemon juice and stir until all is blended.

If you use one or more of the optional ingredients you should not add too much salt as these ingredients are already quite salty.

PREPARE THE ARTICHOKE

Cut off the bottom stem so that the artichoke is flat, then pull off some of the bottom leaves and discard. With a serrated knife, cut about 1/2 inch off the top of the artichoke and cut off any pointed tips if any on remaining leaves.

Pull the leaves apart with your thumbs and rinse in cold water with lemon. Remove the sharp center leaves with a grapefruit knife which is the "choke". The leaves are pointed and fairly sharp which you don't want to eat. Under that choke is the heart which is usually very sweet.

Now that you have a little cavity in the center of the artichoke, you can spoon the breadcrumb mixture into the center and around the leaves. You will have to use you hands to open the leaves to push in the breadcrumbs.

COOK

Place the artichokes to fit tight in a saucepot with a cover, drizzle a little olive oil on top of each artichoke. To the bottom of the pot add 1/2 cup broth, either vegetable or chicken, 1/2 cup dry white wine (an inexpensive soave, or pinot grigio -- as long as it is not an oaked Chardonnay); and juice of 1/2 lemon.

The liquid should cover the bottom third of the artichokes in order for them to steam properly. Add more or less of any of the liquid ingredients according to your preference.

Cook on medium/low simmer approximately 45-60 minutes or until tender with a tightly covered lid on the saucepot. The best and fastest way to cook the artichokes is to have them steaming in the liquid.

If the liquid evaporates from your saucepot you should add more and keep covered. The cooking time will take a bit longer if this happens (the cover on the sauce pot is not tight enough and the steam is evaporating).

You can check for tenderness by placing a very sharp knife into the side of the artichoke and it should pierce the artichoke easily, or the leaves will start to fall off.

Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Wine Review Monday

The weekend weather is still not quite spring-like but we didn't let the continuing spring showers dampen our enthusiasm. We fired up the grill, opened the golf umbrella and grilled some fish and steaks. One of my favorites is grilled salmon with an Asian marinade and grilled shrimp on skewers. Our guests also enjoyed grilled steaks and burgers and they brought with them a couple of wines to try.

White:

2006 Chateau de Goulaine Muscadet Sevre & Maine Sur Lie -- a crisp white wine with notes of citrus and just a hint of the sea and flavors of lemon zest, melon and a touch of pear. Very good with the grilled shrimp basted with a marinade of olive oil and lemon and was a nice compliment to a simply dressed tomato salad.

Muscadet is not to be confused with Muscat. It is a white wine that does not get reviews and press as given to most other commercially popular wines, and is a wine you should try especially if you enjoy shellfish and seafood and if you also enjoy Sauvignon Blanc.

Muscadet is grown in the western area of the Loire Valley near the Atlantic Ocean. The wine can have intense minerality. It is the "house" wine in many of the region's restaurants and is served with oysters from the local waters. The best wines are from the Sevre et Maine area. (See future post for more details on Muscadet.)

Sauvignon Republic Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2007 -- has subtle tropical aromas with hints of passion fruit and some minerality which are elements from its "terrior" or its surroundings and climate. It has the usual herbaceous nuances and a crisp acidity. Can't go wrong with food friendly Sauvignon Blanc especially in Spring and Summer.

Red:

Frog's Leap 2006 Petite Sirah Napa Valley -- has a deep dark color with notes of blueberry cassis, tobacco smoke and a bit of damp earthiness to it. It has nice acidity and supple tannins with a long finish. You may not believe this, but it was really great with the dark chocolate cake we had for dessert. "If you like it, that's all that matters!" is one of my favorite pairing styles.

2007 Col di Sasso is a Tuscan cuvee of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese from Banfi. It has red berry, cherry and a hint of violet aromas with bright acidity and mild tannins.

Friday Is Pizza Night

Making a big meal on Friday is just not happening after a busy week. One of my easy favorites for Friday is to roll out a pizza dough, pour some homemade sauce on it and sprinkle with cheese, and sometimes there is a special request for add-ons.

O.K. so it's not really homemade since I don't actually make the dough, let it rise and then roll it out. I buy fresh dough from my favorite Italian restaurant. But I do make my own pizza sauce which is really easy. Here is my recipe.

Quick Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 garlic cloves (whole or chopped)
  
• 1 Tbls. olive oil
  
• 1 15 oz. can of Muir Glen organic tomato sauce
  
• salt and pepper (to taste)
  
• basil or oregano(optional/to taste)
  
• 1 Tbls. red wine (optional)

Directions

• 1. Heat olive oil in a 1.5 quart sauce pan with cover. Add garlic and let it simmer until the flavor blends into the oil, about 3-4 minutes. Try not to let it burn or it will taste bitter.
  
• 2. Add in the tomato sauce and simmer for a few minutes then add the red wine if you choose. Cover and simmer gently approximately 20 minutes. Add salt,
  and pepper, basil, oregano as desired.

For those who are new to making pizza at home here are my suggestions. You really only need a round pan (approx. 14"-16") with holes in the bottom which helps the pizza bake and brown without using a pizza stone or brick oven.

I line the pan with parchment paper and rub the paper with olive oil before I place the dough on the pan. This prevents the pizza from sticking. I have forgotten to use the parchment paper and oil and the pizza was stuck to the pan.

Next roll out the dough until it fits into your pan. (I use a rolling pin, rotating the dough 1/4 turn to keep the dough in a round.) Place the dough in the pan and then spread the sauce. Add the cheese and any other toppings you like. This week I added a few sliced olives. You can add any kind of toppings you like: sausage, onions, peppers, olives, pepperoni . . . the possibilities are endless.

Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for approximately 12-18 minutes, depending on your oven, until it is browned on the bottom. I make sure I use my timer -- I've been known to get involved in something else and forget I have the pizza in the oven. Lesson learned, I start the timer for 12 minutes, if it is not ready add a minute or two as needed.

Mangia!
Winelady Cooks