Please join me for Knives Out #FoodnFlix

 

 

I'm excited to be hosting FoodnFlix for the month of November.  FoodnFlix is a fun little group that gets together each month and watches the same movie at their leisure.  Once we watch, we create a dish that was inspired by the chosen film.

Have a Hauntingly Bootiful Weekend; Here's the Weekly Menu

We celebrated our Halloween earlier this week with a Pirate Bite Food and Wine Pairing Dinner.   It was a great time with good friends. 

I won't be serving anything quite this fancy for dinner this week but I do have some fun meals to share with you.....

Enjoying the last Grilled Steaks of the Season with a Glass of Duckhorn Merlot #MerlotMe

 Hard to believe that October is already over.  Soon we will be going into a New Year.  God willing it will be a year with less turmoil, strife and devestation than 2020.  

Not that there haven't been any bright spots in 2020, but in this household most of those bright spots were born of mishaps.  My husband is alive, walking and expecting a full recovery after a very serious accident.  That is a great miracle.  An even greater miracle is that our Angel Face who was with him in the accident didn't suffer a scratch.

Our children are all back to work and doing well financially after having been displaced during the onset of the pandemic.  The Teen is doing well in school this year albeit distance learning.  And while some of my family and friends contracted COVID19, I didn't lose anyone to it.  We did, however, lose several friends and family members who passed away for various reasons.

Good things happened as a result of the qaurantining too.  We spent a lot of time working around the yard, enlarging our deck and adding a patio.  This meant when the world reopened we were able to easily social distance and spend time with family and friends. 

I also got a lot of reading in, I built some puzzles and I spent a wonderful summer in the pool.  We went on lots of hikes in the spring and are back to hiking again now that the weather has cooled and the mosquitos have disappeared.  And we grilled.....

This month was spent celebrating #MerlotMe.  That is sure to brighten up anyone's life.  I was given several bottles for tasting purposes from various wineries and have been writing about my tastings all month long. 

This last tasting is a Merlot from Duckhorn.  We opened this bottle on an Indian Summer day when we were grilling up some steaks.  I had saved this bottle just for an evening like this, when Frank and I had a night alone and were able to relax and catch up over a nice dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  

I'm very familiar with Duckhorn wine and love their product.  While I did get this bottle as a sponsor gift and I appreciate it very much, all opinions are 100% true and my own.  I purchase their Decoy quite often for an everyday wine and have purchased the Duckhorn when having dinner parties and want to serve something special.  

I hope you have enjoyed celebrating #MerlotMe with me this month.  I have enjoyed sharing my tastings with you.  If you missed any of them you can find them at Wooohoooo It's #MerlotMe month and Good Friends, Good Food, Good Wine, Good Times x 5.

Arrrrgh Matey....It's a Pirate Bite Wine and Food Pairing

We had such a great time last night with our friends Bob and Cathy.  If you are regular readers you might remember that Bob and Cathy live in Houghton Lake about a 3 hour drive north of us.  We join them several times a year for wine and food pairing dinners held at Springbrook Inn in the neighboring town of Prudenville.

Savory Zucchini Muffins #MuffinMonday

These savory muffins are chock full of zucchini, cheese and flecks of oregano.  They are a perfect pairing for whatever is being served for dinner.

Welcome to Muffin Monday.......

Classic Glorified Chicken #OurFamilyTable

 This dish immediately transported me back to my childhood.  It is easy and delicious. Chicken pieces, drizzled in butter and baked, topped with cream of mushroom soup and baked a little longer until you have tender, juicy chicken and a wonderful gravy for your mashed potatoes.

We are sharing Vintage Recipes today over with the From Our Dinner Table Group......

The Weekly Menu leading up to All Hallows Eve

October is coming to a close.  Next Saturday we will be celebrating Halloween COVID19 style.  It won't be too different for us.  We live in the country and never get any beggars to our house.

Courtesy of Google Images.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili #ChiliCookOff

This chicken chili chock full of southwestern flavors is easy as can be.  Just place everything into your slow cooker and walk away.  When you are ready for dinner it takes only a moment to cut up the chicken and add the creamy cheesy surprise that makes this dish so amazing.

The Festive Foodies are having a Chili Cook Off today.......

Palacsinta and a Book Review #FoodiesRead

Tender pancakes made in the Hungarian fashion of adding carbonated water as the liquid, rolled and topped wtih fresh berries and powdered sugar.

These Hungarian Crepes called Palacsinta were inspired by the novel The Dutch House by Ann Patchett.

Good Friends, Good Food, Good Wine, Good Times x 5 = an amazing #MerlotMe Month

Disclosure:  I received samples of wines with which to celebrate #MerlotMe.  All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

October is the month dedicated bringing awareness to the often misunderstood and maligned Merlot wine.  Merlot is a noble grape that unfortunately became so popular that mass production became more important than quality.  

This, along with a movie called "Sideways",  created a situation where consumers were hesitant to buy Merlot.  The wine industry, recognizing the error of their ways, set about to rectify the problem.  They have been extremely successful.  

Cinnamon Apple Scones inspired by The Secret, Book and Scone Society #CooktheBooks

Flaky dough studded with apples and flavored with cinnamon, these fresh apple scones are a delicious way to start the day.

I was inspired to make these scones after reading our Cook the Books Selection for this period......

Malted Chocolate Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache #CakeSliceBakers

This cake is very deceiving with it's look of elegance.  It goes together very quickly and is just as rich and decadent as it looks.  

It is my selection for this month's edition of The Cake Slice Bakers......

Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli #MultiCookerMonday

The next time you are looking for a vegetable side but are tired of the same old steamed veggies and didn't leave enough time to roast your veggies, turn to the air fryer.  This broccoli was roasted in the same amount of time it would have taken to steam them.   So very delicious.

It's time for Multi-Cooker Monday.....

Frank is back to teaching and the Weekly Menu

Howdy Folks.  Good news around here.  Frank continues to heal up beautifully, in fact he is feeling so well that he is giving a CPL class Sunday.  Not bad when you consider only 2 months ago we weren't sure he was going to live or ever walk again.

Marissa's uncle Mark's father passed away last week. Friday night we stopped  by to celebrate his life before heading over to Amy's to celebrate her birhday.

Here are the Teen and the Angel Face serenading Amy for her birthday.  It was a fun evening with tons of love filling the house.  Amy brings out the best in everyone she meets.

Yesterday spent getting ready for the class  so we threw hot dogs on the grill, opened a can of baked beans and made a blue box of mac and cheese.  The Teen was in heaven!!

As always, we are serving breakfast and lunch to Frank's students today.  Afterwards, we will grab dinner out before we head over  to John and Kirsten's for a visit.  Their son Mike and his wife, Amy who blogs over at Amy's Cooking Adventures, came into town for a Wedding.  I always look forward to seeing them when they are here.

The rest of the week is pretty quiet so I will be sharing some more #MerlotMe posts sharing the wines I received and the recipes I made.  Stop by and hang out for a while.

Saturday

Hot Dogs

Baked Beans 

Mac and Cheese

Sunday-CPL class

Breakfast

Apple Cinnamon Scones

Yogurt bar with granola and berries

Juice

Coffee

Lunch

Chicken Chili

Zuchinni Cheddar Muffins

Malted Chocolate Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Ganache

Dinner-out

Dessert at John and Kirsten's.

Meatless Monday

Poached Eggs on Toast

Taco Tuesday

Taco Pasta Skillet

Wednesday

Grilled Steaks

Potato Planks

Steamed Green and Yellow Beans

Thursday

Meatballs in Mushroom Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Corn

Fish Friday

Roasted Salmon with Orange Butter Glaze

Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Bloody Night Soup (Roasted Beet Soup) #SoupSaturdaySwappers

 This soup made with roasted beets is not only delicious it is also a great Spooky Soup to warm you up on a chilly Halloween night....

We are sharing Spooky Soups to celebrate Halloween with the Soup Saturday Swappers.......

Bourride served with a Chardonnay from Jura #FishFridayFoodies #Winophiles

 Fall weather always makes me crave comfort foods.  Unfortunately, for me, that brings to mind rich, hearty soups and stews as well as pot roasts and pasta dishes.  Delicous but not necessarily healthy.  This Fish Stew soothed me and settled that craving.  Delicious and Healthy.  That is a big win!!

Fish Friday Foodies are serving up comfort food today.  I paired this lovely fish stew with a bottle of wine from Jura to include the French Winophiles group as well........

Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt #BundtBakers #Choctoberfest

 Chocolate, pumpkin and warm fall spices combine to make a wonderful seasonal dessert.

Join me today as Bundt Baker collides with Choctoberfest.......

Fall Salad with Chocolate Vinaigrette #Choctoberfest

This salad is chock full of all the flavors of Fall and then dressed with a wonderful chocolate vinaigrette.

Welcome to Day 3 of Choctoberfest......

Copy-Cat Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread #BreadBakers #Choctoberfest

I haven't been to a Cheesecake Factory in years.  I think the last time may have been when we took an impromptu trip to Chicago probably 8 years ago now.  Frank loves going to the Cheesecake Factory.  I think it's a fun place to visit but I am overwhelmed by the menu that is pages upon pages upon pages.  Too many choices gives me anxiety. That's why I'm happy that they place a loaf of this bread on the table to soothe you while you peruse that booklet.

Welcome to Bread Bakers which is colliding with Choctoberfest for me this month.......

Daube de Boeuf À la Gasconne to Welcome you to #Choctoberfest

 This rich and delectable beef and root vegetable stew is slow braised in wine and then finished off with dark chocolate before serving over a pile of mashed potatoes.  What a perfect fall comfort meal!!

It is my first recipe that I will be sharing this week as we celebrate a fun event that we call Choctoberfest!!

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole #BakingBloggers

Black beans and roasted butternut squash combined with other fresh vegetables and layered between corn tortillas topped with sour cream and enchilada sauce.  This is a wonderful addition to your Mexican Monday or Taco Tuesday rotation.

The Baking Bloggers are celebrating Pumpin or Butternut Squash today.......

Mediterranean Chicken Legs Sheet Pan Dinner #OurFamilyTable

 Chicken legs marinated in lemon and spices then roasted with potatoes and kohlrabi for a delicious quick and easy dinner with little clean-up.

The From Our Dinner Table Group are sharing Oven Roasted Recipes today......

Pork Larb #EattheWorld

Larb is a meat salad very popular in Laos.  Ground pork stir fried with Asian Flavors and toasted rice, this salad can be served wrapped in lettuce leaves or with steamed rice as I chose to do.

Join the Eat the World crew as we travel to Laos today......

Woohoooooooo....It is #MerlotMe month #WinePW

So excited to be back celebrating Merlot Me Month with the crew over at Wine Pairing Weekend.  I look forward to this event all year long.  We drink wine nearly every night with dinner and during October we open mostly Merlot as a tribute to the wineries around the world who celebrate a month long celebration called #MerlotMe.

Each year wineries send out samples of their wines to our members.  We, in turn, write about the wines giving our honest reviews and opinions, talking about the food pairings we tried and whether they were successful pairings or if we would recommend a different pairing for the wine.

We never know what wines we will receive and we are not given any monetary payment for our posts.  Our only obligation is to enjoy the wines and to be completely honest with our reviews.  

Because of all the wild fires this year our wines were slow and late in arriving.  The first wine that I recieved was a new to me Merlot from L'Ecole 41.    L'Ecole 41 is located in Walla Walla in Columbia Valley, Washington.  It is recognized as one of the Washington State's top producers of Merlot.

This was a 2017 edition.  It poured deep and dark.  The aromas are fruit and leather.  It has some mineral notes and spice. It has a SRP of $25.00.

I took this bottle over to my neighbor's for a bonfire on the night it arrived.  My Angel Face brought the makings for S'mores but she prefers just the marshmallows.  This is how to roast a marshmallow according to my little sous chef:

1. Pick out a perfect stick and let grampy make a point on it.
2. Put on your marshmallow
3. You don't want to go where there is fire, just go where it is glowing red.
4. Turn the marshmallow very slowly, keep turning it so it doesn't burn
5. It is done when it is perfectly caramelized.

My Angel Face went on to explain to everyone that caramelize is her new favorite word.  We all agreed that caramelize IS a very good word.  I had shared my wine with our neighbor, Nancy, and she and I agreed that Merlot and caramelized marshmallows make for a wonderful fall night treat.

The next bottle that I received was also from a winery with which I was unfamiliar, Peju.  Peju winery is located in Napa Valley, California.  This bottle was a 2016 and has an SRP of $48.00.  

One of the things that I love about Merlot is that it is so food friendly.  I think it goes with just about anything.  This bottle was 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is a deep red, almost black and smells of fall spices.  It is full bodied and well balanced.  It was wonderful paired with a  Daube de Boeuf À la Gasconne.

This was a very rich dish beef and root vegetables slow braised in red wine and then finished off with the addition of dark chocolate.  It needed a strong wine to stand up to it and this Peju Merlot filled the bill.  

I will be sharing the recipe for Daube de Boeuf À la Gasconne on Monday when we kick off Choctoberfest.

The day that I was writing this post I received two more lovely bottles of Merlot from Duckhorn Vineyards.  Duckhorn wines is a brand with which I am very familiar and which I love.  They are very generous sponsors each year and I always look forward to receiving their selections.  

I will be opening and pairing each of these bottles during #MerlotMe month and sharing them with my readers so stay tuned for that.  

The members of Wine Pairing Weekend are going to be getting together on Saturday, October 10th at 11 AM for Twitter chat.  We will be discussing our thoughts on Merlot and may be joined by reps from the wineries who will be available to answer any questions you might have.  You will find us by following #winePW and #Merlotme.  We look forward to having our readers join us at these chats.

Here are the topics we will be discussing:

• Andrea at The Quirky Cork shares "Three Turkish Merlots"
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares "Merlot: A Varietal That Plays Well with Others"
• Cindy at Grape Experiences shares "Sip Merlot with Vegetarian Favorites"
• Deanna at Asian Test Kitchen shares "Fall Vegan Menu Paired with 2016 Napa Merlots"
• David at Cooking Chat shares "Merlot Food Pairing: Tips and Favorites"
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares "Meatloaf and #MerlotMe with Sonoma’s Selby and Columbia Valley’s L’Ecole No. 41"
• Jane at Always Ravenous shares "Merlot Pairing: Baked Pasta with Sausage Ragù"
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares "A Tale of Two Merlots at the Grill"
• Jill at L'Occasion shares "What’s So Special About Merlot?"
• Jennifer at Vino Travels shares “Fall is Here! Warm up with a Merlot and Pot Roast Pairing”
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish shares "October is #MerlotMe Month: Here’s What I’ve Been Sipping"
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares "Kicking off #MerlotMe in the Pacific time zone”
• Liz at What's in that Bottle? shares "Make Room for Merlot!"
• Lori at Exploring the Wine Glass shares "Leaves on the Ground and #MerlotMe in my Glass"
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares "Next Gen Merlot From Where It All Started"
• Martin at Enofylz shares "A Meatless #MerlotMe Redux"
• Nicole at Somms Table shares "5 #MerlotMe Nights"
• Payal at Keep the Peas shares “Kicking Off Autumn With #Merlotme”
• Pinny at Chinese Wine & Food Pairings shares “#MerlotMe with Markham and L’Ecole No. 41 Merlots and Army Ramen”
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles shares "Merlot from elegant to badass. Time to #Merlotme."
• Rupal at Syrah Queen shares “#MerlotMe - Best Food Pairings For Merlot”
• Susannah at Avvinare shares “Brazilian Merlot Is Always Welcome At My Table”
• Terri at Our Good Life shares "Merlot Me with Noodless Lasagne"
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares "Woohoooooooo....It is #MerlotMe month"

A Book Review, a Fun Recipe and The Weekly Menu #LitHappens

 Our Lit Happens selection this month is Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr.  It was chosen by my friend Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla and we will be discussing it via zoom later this month.

Salted Caramel Mudslide #FoodieExtravaganza

 This cocktail just tastes like fall to me.  Perfect when sitting around a bonfire or curled up by the fireplace with a good book.

We are celebrating Caramel today over at Foodie Extravaganza......

Honey Oatmeal Halloween Cookies #FoodnFlix

These Honey Oatmeal and Peanut Butter cookies studded with "Ghoulish" M&M's are a perfect Halloween Treat. 

I was inspired to make these cookies after watching The Spiderwick Chronicles for FoodnFlix this month.....

Wild Mushroom Pizza with Caramelized Onions

October is National Pizza Month and I have a great pie to share with you today!!  Sweet Vidalia onions cooked slowly in butter until beautifully caramelized pair with a gourmet mushroom blend over a Boursin cheese sauce and topped with spinach and two more cheeses.  OH MY YUM!!

Celebrating the Food and Wine of Moldova #WorldWineTravel

I received tasting samples of wine for this event.  I received no monetary payment.  All writings and opinions are my own.

 I am excited to have you join us today for the first event of a new project called World Wine Travel.  WWT is a group of wine lovers that will be exploring wines of the world.  You will recognize many of the participants if you are a regular reader.  

Many of us also belong to Italian FWT, Wine Pairing Weekend, and the French Winophiles. These events occur on the first, second and third Saturdays of each month.  That left a Saturday.  A week without wine?!  We can't have that, so Jeff of foodwineclick began World Wine Travel where we will be virtually travelling the world, tasting the wines, experiencing the food and culture and sharing our travels with our readers.

This weekend we are travelling to Moldova where they are celebrating "My Wine Day".  Won't you join us?

Grapes grown in Volcanic Soil produce a HOT wine!!! #ItalianFWT

 We are celebrating Volcanic Wines this month with our Italian Food Wine Travel group.  I took a virtual trip and learned that the wines available were numerous.  This invitation was extended by Jennifer of Vino Travels.  You can learn more at Jennifer's Preview Post.

I found a bottle of Salvatore Molettieri Taurasi Vigna Cinque Querce 2007 at Wine.com.  I paid $46 for this wine which is more than I would normally spend on a bottle for a weeknight meal but it got great reviews and I couldn't resist.

Green Tomato Pasta Sauce and The Weekly Menu

 I don't know about you but when we were getting our first frost I still had a shitload of green tomatoes in my garden.  I brought them in, put them on my counter and then tried to figure out what I wanted to do with them.