A Favorite Italian Wine? How do I begin to choose? #ItalianFWT

Our challenge this month, given by Camilla of Culinary Cam, was to share our favorite Italian Wine.  Say what?!!  Am I really expected to choose just one Italian wine out of all the wonderful wines they have to offer?

I've decided to share a new Italian wine I enjoyed recently at a wine tasting.  This wine is from the Langhe region of Piedmont, a white wine in a land known for its reds.

Mediterranean Pasta #FarmersMarketWeek

Pasta tossed with garden fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, pine nuts, and feta cheese.  A quick, delicious, warm meatless main meal in less than half an hour. 

The leftovers were just as delicious cold the following day when served as a side dish to our grilled burgers.

Mediterranean Cod and a Book Review

Tender, flaky Cod Fillets baked with Zucchini, Onions, and Peppers in a Zesty Tomato Sauce.

I was inspired to share this recipe after reading the first in a fun, cozy, mystery set in Ireland......

Sous Vide Lamb Chops inspired by The Guest List

My regular readers know that we just had a kitchen remodel here on the farm.  My new kitchen is AWESOME!!!  One of the things that was updated was my oven.  I upgraded from a single gas range to a double wall oven that is electric and smart. 

One of the functions this "Smart Oven" offers is an air Sous Vide setting.

Lebanese Rice with Vermicelli inspired by First Comes Marriage #LitHappens

This Lebanese rice dish is the perfect side to serve up with grilled meats or Mediterranean recipes.  

I was inspired to share this dish with you after reading our Lit Happens selection for February.....

Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce #SundayFunday

These flavorful meatballs spiced with the warm flavors of the Mediterranean are served with a slightly spicy tomato sauce.  They are sure to be a hit at your next gathering.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are sharing Lamb recipes just in time for Easter........

Mediterranean Shrimp with a Corsican Wine #FishFridayFoodies #Winophiles

Tender, plump shrimp tossed in Mediterranean spices and then sauteed up with vegetables in a lovely tomato sauce and served over pasta.  A perfect match for an acidic and dry white wine from Corsica, France that has heavy Italian influences.

Today I am linking up Fish Friday Foodies with the French Winophiles and are you in for a treat.......

Spanish Almond Soup #SoupSaturdaySwappers

This pureed soup is smooth, creamy, satisfying and filled with flavors of the Mediterranean.

Join the members of Soup Saturday Swappers as we share soup and stew recipes featuring Almonds...

Holiday Leftovers; Mediterranean Chili with an American Wine #WinePW #MerlotMe

Thanksgiving is coming......fast....so we, the members of Wine Pairing Weekend, decided to share some American wines that are perfect for serving up for this American Feast.

Most of us roast a turkey for Thanksgiving.  Some of us have a second or third meat.  I usually have fresh kielbasa and sometimes will include a beef recipe of some sort, depending on how many guests I am serving.

Mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, buttered corn and pumpkin pie always make the menu at our house for Thanksgiving.  I try to add variety each year by changing up the appetizers, soup, salad and second dessert that I offer.

We always have wine and normally that wine is an American wine, mostly because Frank and I are huge California wine fans.  When guests arrive we offer cocktails or sparkling wine with the appetizers and then I try to pair a wine with each course that I am serving as shown in the menu above.

There is no hard and fast rule that you must  drink white wine with fish and poultry.  Much of the decision on what wine to pair with these dishes depends on how they are prepared.  Roasted poultry, including turkey, pair very well with Pinot Noir and Merlot.

Today, I am showcasing a Merlot from Rutherford Hills that I received as a sponsor gift during the
#Merlotme event that takes place each October.  You can learn more about #Merlotme by going to this post or following the hashtag on social media.

I was not familiar with Rutherford Hills prior to being supplied this bottle so I went to their website and did a little research.  Rutherford Hills is located in Napa Valley, it was founded in 1972 and was one of the pioneers in the development of California Merlot.  The grape growers who started this winery Merlot grapes because the terroir is so similar to that of the Merlot growing regions of Bordeaux.

The Terlato family bought the vineyard in 1996 and brought the business into their guiding principle "Quality is a way of life".   Those of you familiar with my blog know that while I appreciate sponsors and getting free samples, I never allow that to affect my posts.  I always give my 100% honest opinion.

In fact, this bottle was not the bottle we originally opened to pair with this dinner.  The first bottle we opened was fine but not wonderful and I wanted to showcase a wonderful bottle for you to enjoy on Thanksgiving.  We set the first bottle aside to enjoy another time and opened the Rutherford Hills.

The wine poured deep and rich.  The first thing I noticed was the smoothness of the wine and the rich finish....reminding me a bit of chocolate that is left to melt in your mouth.  Not the sweetness of chocolate as this wine is not sweet at all but fruity and full. It reminded me of the feeling left in your mouth from melting chocolate.

I think this wine would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving table.  I was going to roast a chicken to pair with this wine so that I could, sort of, replicate a Thanksgiving meal.  I changed my mind though and decided to share with you this Mediterranean Chili made with turkey.

As with any good chili, the secret is layering the flavors.  In this case the flavors I have chosen come from the Mediterranean. I started off with ground turkey but this can easily be made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, just omit the first step of browning the turkey and add cut up cooked turkey along with the tomatoes.

I chose to flavor the chili with pepperocini, dried Italian seasoning and fresh oregano.  I used red onion, fennel bulb, zuchinni , chicken stock and some lemon juice along with canned tomatoes and canned white beans.  I was very pleased with the results.

I will be keeping an eye out for this wine the next time I go to the market.  I hope to find a couple of bottles to serve up with our Thanksgiving Dinner.  Join us again next month as we discuss Giving the Gift of Wine.

Mediterranean Chili

1 lb. ground turkey (or leftover turkey, chopped)

1 T. olive oil

1 fennel bulb, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 lg garlic clove, minced

2 t. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

2 pepperoncini, seeded, stemmed and diced

1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes with juices

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 med. zucchini, diced

1 (15oz) can white beans (I used Great Northern)

juice and zest of 1/4 lemon

3 sprigs fresh oregano

Crumbled Feta Cheese for garnish, if desired.

Brown turkey in olive oil heated  in soup pot over med high heat. Add the fennel, onion and garlic.  Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until fragrant and vegetables start to soften.  Add the tomatoes, broth, pepperoncini, zucchini and oregano.  Stir to combine and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until flavors meld and vegetables are tender.  Stir in the lemon zest and juice.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese, if desired.  Print Recipe

Other Thoughts on American Wine Pairings

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla is Celebrating an American Holiday with Two Bay Area Darlings: Cowgirl Creamery + Donkey &Goat Winery.
• Wine Predator enjoyed American Wine, American Meal: Duck with Napa's Duckhorn Merlot.
• L'Occasion is sharing 5 American Wines for Thanksgiving.
• Cooking Chat will be sharing Roast Turkey Breast with Cranberry Merlot Sauce.
• A Day in the Life on the Farm will be discussing Holiday Leftovers; Mediterranean Chili with an American Wine.
• Pull That Cork is Celebrating Thanksgiving and Mercer Wine Estates

Mediterranean Muffins #MuffinMonday

Happy Muffin Monday all.  I have a savory muffin to share with you today.  These muffins are stuffed with sundried tomatoes and feta cheese.  I omitted the kalamata olives that the original recipe contained because 1. I didn't have any in the house and (most importantly) 2. Frank doesn't like olives.

Since these muffins were made to accompany a Mediterranean Chili we were having for dinner, I wanted to make sure he liked them.  That chili recipe will be coming up in a couple of weeks so stay tuned.

These are not light and fluffy muffins.  These are dense and hearty muffins.  Perfect for a soup and bread supper.  I usually try to have bread of some sort with dinner.  We grew up doing so.  I'm sure it was a way for my mother to fill up 4 growing boys as well as 2 girls, herself and our Pops.  We also had a lot of soup dinners.  You can stretch a couple of pounds of meat a long way if you put it into a soup, stew or sauce.

I worked the afternoon shift when my children were young.  Their dad worked the day shift so this meant they only needed to be home unattended for a couple of hours in between my leaving and their dad coming home.  Someone once asked my daughter what kind of dinners her dad would make.  She responded "the same as mom except mom has more vegetables and bread when she makes dinner".

I hope that you enjoy these muffins with your next dinner.  Frank ended up really liking them so I was glad that I didn't include olives.  I, however, think the olives would have been marvelous in these already wonderful muffins.

Mediterranean Muffins
adapted from Land o Lakes butter

2 c. flour
1 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
3-4 sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and finely chopped
1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, chopped
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
Parmesan cheese  for sprinkling

In large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and baking powder.  Add the tomatoes, basil and feta.  Stir to combine and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, butter and egg.  Pour into the well created in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Divide into a 12 cup muffin pan that has been treated with cooking spray or lined with paper cups.  Sprinkle the muffins with Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated 400* oven for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted removes cleanly. Print Recipe

More Marvelous Muffins

• Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins from Making Miracles
• Blueberry Muffin Tops with a Cheesecake Drizzle from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Bonfire Tea Muffins from The Spiced Life
• Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Mediterranean Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Savoury Pumpkin Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Sweet Potato Casserole Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts

Grilled Mediterranean Shrimp Skewers #FishFridayFoodies

It's finally Friday Folks and the third Friday of the month at that.....you know what that means?  Yep, it is time for Fish Friday Foodies.

Fish Friday Foodies is a group I started a couple of years ago in an attempt to gather more fish/seafood recipes that would appeal to my husband and allow me to add more seafood dishes to our diet.  We post our recipes on the 3rd Friday of each month based on a theme chosen by one of our members.  

New members are always welcome.  Should you be interested in joining us just leave a comment on this post or email me at wendyklik1517@gmail.com with your blog url and I will add you to this fun bunch. Next months theme is Fish/Seafood Pasta.......

This month, I am hosting and chose the theme of Grilled Fish/Seafood.  It is still grilling season here in Michigan for a few more weeks and I intend to get as much grilling in as possible.

I marinated the shrimp in a lemon/olive oil mixture flavored with garlic and herbs. Refrigerated them for an hour before placing them onto skewers to grill.  I made 10 shrimp per person, you can use more or less depending on the size of your shrimp.  You will want 4-6 oz. of shrimp per person.

The shrimp only take minutes to cook, about 2-3 minutes per side, as soon as they turn pink remove them from the heat.

These shrimp were juicy, tender and delicious.  The flavors were bright and wonderful.  I paired the shrimp with a rustic pasta primavera with a spice arrabiata sauce.  They complemented each other perfectly.

Frank and I enjoyed a quiet dinner at home after a busy, stressful week.  We toasted to his health, happy that medical science can so quickly and easily heal a broken heart, or at least a clogged artery.

Make sure you stop by and see what everyone else is grilling up this month.  You will find links to all the others following my recipe.

Grilled Mediterranean Shrimp Skewers

serves 2

8-10 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T.dried Italian Herbs

1/4 c. good olive oil

juice of 2 small lemons

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the garlic, herbs, olive oil and lemon juice.  Pour over shrimp, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Remove from refrigerator and thread half of the shrimp onto 2 metal skewers or wooden skewer that have been soaked in water while the shrimp was marinading.  

Cook over high heat for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time, until shrimp turn pink.  Print Recipe

More Great Grilled Fish and Seafood Recipes

An InLinkz Link-up

Rustic and Red #WinePW

Gwendolyn of Wine Predator is hosting our Wine Pairing Weekend this month.  Gwendolyn invited us to explore the world of Portuguese wines and cuisine. You can find that post here along with information on how to join us for chat on twitter today and how to join us in future months.

I don't know too much about Portugal. I think perhaps Christopher Columbus was Portuguese.  Emeril Lagasse's mother was from Portugal and they are famous for Port wine, which I don't really care for too much.

I didn't even know that they had any other wines than Port so I wasn't really too interested until I read the invitation post.  Gwen was sent to Portugal for work and fell in love with the culture, cuisine and, most especially, the wine.  She found that the reason we haven't heard of Portuguese wines up until now is because they were drinking it all themselves.  Evidently, Portuguese winemakers are hoarders LOL.

Shortly after the invitation I was in Costco when, lo and behold, I spied this bottle of wine from Portugal.  It scored a 91 with Wine Enthusiast.  It was reasonably priced. It was a red blend. It was the only bottle from Portugal that was not a Port in the store. All very good reasons to buy it.

Now that I had the wine, I just needed the food.  I began researching Portuguese recipes and learned that Portugal is in the Mediterranean and this is reflected in their cooking.  No wonder Gwen loved the food.  Who doesn't love Mediterranean cuisine?!  It is the best.

I found this recipe for a Kale and White Bean Stew from Food and Wine.  Providence, once again, was smiling upon me.  I had all the ingredients on hand except for the sausage but then, it was Meatless Monday, so I just omitted it.  I also used a combination of baby kale and baby spinach because I had a little of each left in my refrigerator. 

This recipe also fit into the FMD eating plan for Phase 1 and Phase 3. Phase 1 would require the deletion of the olive oil in step 1. You can soften the onion in a little water with similar results.

I reduced the recipe to only serve two instead of four but then was kicking myself because it was so delicious I would have loved leftovers the next day for lunch. Fortunately, this stew takes only about 10 minutes from start to finish if using baby kale as I did.  It would take a few minutes longer using mature kale as you would want to simmer it until tender.

You know what I loved almost as much as this easy, peasy and delicious recipe?  The wine!!  It was dry with a touch of oak.  Fruity and smooth, it paired nicely with the dinner but I also enjoyed it after dinner, by itself.

Thanks so much Gwen for choosing this area.  I had fun exploring the foods and wine and will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more bottles from Portugal.

Rustic White Bean Stew

adapted from Food & Wine

1 T. olive oil

1/2 sweet onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 oz. baby kale, baby spinach or a mixture of both

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

1 (15 oz) can Great Northern Beans

Heat the olive oil in a pot over med high heat.  Add the onions and cook until softened and fragrant.  Add the garlic and greens, cook until wilted, two to three minutes.  Add the tomatoes with the juices and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for a few minutes until some of the liquid evaporates.  Add the beans, heat through and serve. Print Recipe

Let's see what the others are sharing

There is so much more to PORTUGAL than PORT Wine!

Discover our stories about Portugal this Saturday, September 9th when, by 8am PST, the Wine Pairing Weekend crew will publish posts about Portuguese wine and then head to twitter to share our choices and tell the stories behind them (hashtag = #WinePW).

Food and travel are always a part of the chat, so join us for all the doors that Portuguese wine can open. And we'd love to have participation from people who live in Portugal too!

This month, the Wine Pairing Weekend crew includes: