Gnudi inspired by Murder in Siena paired with a Merlot Wine #MerlotMe

Gnudi is a cousin of Gnocchi, made using ricotta cheese instead of potatoes.  It is light, fluffy and delicious.  It is similar to the filling you might find in ravioli but without the wrapper.

I was inspired to make this dish after reading Murder in Siena by T.A. Williams.......

Celebrating our Homecoming with L'Ecole Merlot and the Weekly Menu #WinePW #MerlotMe

It's October.... which means we are celebrating Merlot here with the Wine Pairing Weekend Gang.  I was happy to receive wines from L'Ecole Winery and Chelsea Goldschmidt.  I was not home to accept delivery as I was in Egypt so it was exciting to see what wines arrived while I was gone.

I opened the bottle of L'Ecole for our first dinner home on Wednesday evening.  I will be opening and pairing the bottle of Chelsea Goldschmidt soon and will be sharing those notes with you during this celebratory month.

Merlot: Smooth, Savory and Sustainable #Merlotme #WinePW

Duckhorn Vineyards, located in Lodi, California has been a proud sponsor of #MerlotMe since it's inception.  This year they provided me with a bottle of 2019 Decoy Merlot for sampling purposes.  I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post and all opinions are strictly my own.

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.

Wine Wednesday with L'Ecole #Merlotme

I love October. I love when the weather starts to cool and the colors start to change.  I love pulling out the jeans and hoodies and going from gathering around the pool to gathering around the bonfire.  I love that we have lots of birthday celebrations and Halloween to enjoy.  And I love #MerlotMe and the fact that I get to represent L'Ecole Winery with not just one but two posts this month.

As an ambassador for L'Ecole wines I was sent not one, but two, Merlot wines with which to celebrate #MerlotMe.  In return for these wines I agreed to post my tasting and pairing notes during the month of October.  All opinions are strictly my own and I receive no monetary compensation for these writings.

Molasses Roasted Pork Tenderloin #ImprovCookingChallenge #MerlotMe

Five ingredients, 30 minutes and the results are a wonderful delicious dinner.  Open up a bottle of Merlot wine and you will think you are having dinner at a fine restaurant.

I am celebrating #Merlotme along with the Improv Cooking Challenge this month........

Won't you please #MerlotMe?

October is #MerlotMe month and I have been fortunate enough to be allowed to participate in this fun event for the past several years.  Merlot is a French wine grape originally from Bordeaux and one of the blending grapes used for that iconic wine.  

This year, as a member of our Wine Pairing Weekend group, I was provided with 3 wines that I poured tasted and paired.  I will be sharing my thoughts about these wines with you today.  I have received no monetary compensation and all writings  and opinions are strictly my own.  

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.

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.  

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 Month Long Merlot Extravaganza #MerlotMe #WinePW

I received samples of Merlot wine for use in tasting and recipe pairing for the month of October.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions, writings and content of this blob are strictly my own.

Tender pork loin cutlets coated in panko bread crumbs and Dijon mustard, fried to a golden crisp and served with a creamy tomato sauce.

This is just one of many Merlot wine pairings I have enjoyed thus far in October.  Join me and the Wine PW group as we celebrate #MerlotMe month.

A month of #MerlotMe food and wine pairings #WinePW

October is MerlotMe month.  Today the members of our Wine Pairing Weekend are going to share their thoughts on this wonderful varietal.  We would love for you to join us for twitter chat at 11 am ET following #MerlotMe and #WinePW.  We will be discussing wines that we received from sponsors for this event.  All opinions expressed by me during chat or on this blog are completely my own.

I received these 5 bottles for purposes of tasting and pairing.   I want to thank Jeff of Food Wine Click for all of his hard work in arranging this opportunity for our group.  You can learn more about the #MerlotMe movement in his information post.  

Join me as I discuss my pairings........

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

Ricotta/Mascarpone Pillows with Roasted Mushroom Sauce #Merlotme

I served up this meal on a Meatless Monday.  Frank isn't crazy about Meatless Mondays.  He never complains and he always eats whatever I put on the table but he is definitely a carnivore and misses meat when it is not included in a meal.

We sat down, said grace, toasted with a bottle of Januik Merlot that I had received for the #MerlotMe event, and dug in.  After the first bite, Frank commented that the wine paired well with the dish.  A couple more bites and Frank said that this recipe was a keeper.

#MerlotMe takes place each October when American Wineries get together and showcase this often misunderstood and unloved varietal that is so lush, rich and delicious.  Many of the wineries send samples to bloggers as part of this movement.  I love getting free samples and I am happy to participate in food and wine pairings.  When sharing these pairings with my readers I am always sure to give my own honest opinion.  You can learn more about the #MerlotMe movement in this post or by typing #MerlotMe into any social media platform.

Frank poured us each another glass of wine and then went back for seconds on the pasta finishing it off. Then he said words that made my heart melt...."This is better than any pasta dish I have ever had at any restaurant".  It is praise such as this that we food bloggers strive for each and every time we cook.

Januik vineyards are located in Columbia Valley, Washington.  It shares a tasting room with another winery, Novelty Hill.  Both wineries are under the direction of Mike Januik.  Their website doesn't have much to say but rather invites you to try their wines and see what you think.  I think the wine was smooth and fruity.  I thought it paired very well with the earthiness of the mushrooms in this dish.  I think it would pair just as well with pasta in red sauce, pizza, steak or burgers.  I find this is true of most Merlot.  It is a very food friendly varietal.

The recipe for the pasta was inspired by one found in Cuisine at Home, however it is changed so drastically that the only resemblance to the original is the use of mascarpone in the filling and the roasting of the mushrooms before creating the sauce.

This made a wonderful Meatless Monday meal.  It would be equally as lovely if served as a pasta course or first course at a dinner party.  It is casual enough that it would be a welcome addition to a potluck buffet or to be whipped up and served up to friends on a busy weeknight get together.

The recipe I am sharing made 2 dinner portion servings.  Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed.

Ricotta/Mascarpone Pillows with Roasted Mushroom Sauce

1 pkg. wonton wrappers

1/4 c. whole ricotta cheese

2 T. mascarpone cheese

1 T. shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 t. dried thyme, divided

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 T. Olive oil (I used garlic infused)

2 scallions, white and light green parts

1/4 c. white wine

1/4 c butter

1/2 c. chicken broth

Combine the ricotta, mascarpone, parmesan, 1/4 t. thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  

Toss the mushrooms with olive oil, salt, pepper and remaining 1/4 t. thyme.  Place in an oven safe skillet and roast in a preheated 450* oven for about 10-15 minutes, until browned.

While the mushrooms are roasting, place about a 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese filling onto the center of  wonton wrappers. Using a pastry brush, dipped in water, wet the edges of the wonton wrappers and fold into triangles, pressing the sides to seal.  Bring each long corner of the triangles together and then bring up the remaining edge to meet, as if folding a diaper.  

Place a large pot of salted water on to boil.  While waiting for the water, remove the mushrooms from the oven and place on the stovetop over med high heat.  Add the wine and cook, stirring up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan until the wine is nearly evaporated.  Reduce heat to medium and add the butter and chicken broth.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid  is slightly thickened.  

Drop the pillows into the boiling water and cook just until the rise to the top. This should only take a few minutes. As they rise, transfer them with a slotted spoon to the skillet with the mushrooms.  Toss, gently to coat.  Print Page

Kielbasa Apple and Onion Skillet #CrazyIngredientChallenge #Merlotme

Disclosure:  I received free samples of wine to participate in the #MerlotMe event taking place during the month of October.  All opinions posted on this blog are completely my own.

This month's Crazy Ingredient Challenge asked us to combine Apples and Rosemary, two ingredients that I am crazy about.  See what I did there?  Crazy Ingredient Challenge/Ingredients I'm Crazy About.....sigh....never mind.....

I was initially going to make a dessert of some sort but we are just finishing up Choctoberfest and I was craving something savory.

I had planned on making a skillet dinner for us and had pulled out some fresh kielbasa, red skin potatoes and onions for this purpose.  I thought, "hey, rosemary goes great with roasted red skin potatoes and apples pair perfectly with pork, why not incorporate these ingredients into my skillet?"

I was also still celebrating #MerlotMonth and Duckhorn Vineyards had provided me with 2 bottles of their Decoy line out of Sonoma County.  As you know the Napa and Sonoma areas of California have been devastated by fires.  One of the ways you can help is by buying their products and since it is October you may as well make it Merlot and join in the movement to bring this varietal the respect it deserves.

I decided to serve the Decoy Merlot up with this meal.  The Decoy is a wonderful, reasonably priced, every day wine.  Perfect for a casual home cooked meal before heading out to choir practice. And we had half a bottle left to enjoy after choir....now that's what I call a win/win.

I loved the earthiness that the rosemary added to this and it complemented the sweetness that the apples added.  It is not a beautiful dish but it was a fast, easy and delicious dish.  The wine is flavorful, fruity and dry it matched well with the fattiness and spice of the kielbasa.

Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Skillet

4 Fresh Kielbasa Links (1 lb total weight)

1 T. olive oil

4 Red potatoes, parboiled to fork tender and diced

2 apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 small onion, diced

leaves of 1 stem rosemary, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the kielbasa, in a skillet, over med high heat for 5-7 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate and set aside.  Add the olive oil to the skillet.  Once heated, add the onions, cook and stir for a minute or two then add the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cook without stirring or flipping for 5 minutes, until bottoms begin to brown. Flip and add apples and rosemary to the pan.  Cook and stir until apples start to soften.  Add the kielbasa to the skillet, turn the heat to med low, cover and cook until the kielbasa is warmed through and reaches an internal temperature of 145*   Print Recipe

Join us each month over at Crazy Ingredient Challenge as we vote on 2 subsets of ingredients and combine the winners into creative and fun recipes.  Here is what we came up with using Apples and Rosemary.

An InLinkz Link-up

A Birthday Celebration and the Weekly Menu #MerlotMe

We celebrated our eldest daughter's, Amy, birthday today with a family dinner at home.  It was a wonderful gathering of family and friends and I hope it left our girl with a small glimpse of how important she is to our family.  I was thrilled that most of the kids were able to attend.  We missed Chuck who is out to sea at this writing and we missed most of our TC family but were happy that our Lili was able to attend.

I served up all of Amy's favorite foods, Roast Beef Tenderloin, Caesar Salad, Mashed Potatoes and Birthday Apple Pie ala Mode.

Amy is a beer drinker who occasionally appreciates a glass of Chardonnay or a Margarita.  Frank and I, however, are red wine drinkers and I recently received 6 wonderful bottles of wine from Duckhorn Winery who are sponsoring #MerlotMe which takes place each October.

I posted more about it yesterday, when my Wine Pairing Weekend group shared recipes that paired well with Merlot and chatted about our experience on Twitter.

One of the things that we talked about is that while we appreciate our sponsors and love getting free samples we never post anything other than our true and honest opinion on our blogs.  Our relationship to our readers is much more important to us than our relationships with sponsors and none of us belonging to #WinePW received any monetary compensation for being involved in #MerlotMe.

I was beyond thrilled to receive this package from Duckhorn Vineyards.  Their wines are such a wonderful treat and I always enjoy them.

As we were enjoying the wines provided by sponsors for this event we watched fearfully as fires ravaged the Napa and Sonoma area of California.  We pray for the safety and well being of all affected by this terrible tragedy.

The bottle we chose to open to go with this birthday feast was from their Three Palms Vineyard, established in 1978 and one of California's first single vineyard Merlots, meaning that only grapes grown on this vineyard are used.  It received a 95 point rating with Wine Spectator.

This is an amazing wine.  It stood up perfectly to the tender, juicy, herb encrusted beef.  We enjoyed both bottles that had been provided with this meal and we all thought it was an amazing pairing.

Herb Encrusted Beef Tenderloin

1 (4 lb) beef tenderloin roast (trimmed, tied and cut in half crosswise)

3 cloves garlic

handful parsley 

leaves of 5-6 stems of thyme

leaves of 3-4 stems of rosemary

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 T. olive oil

1 c. red wine

3 T. butter

Place the garlic, parsley, thyme and rosemary in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until minced.  Add the salt and pepper, pulse twice and then run while adding the olive oil to make a paste like consistency. Rub all over the roasts and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour.

Heat an oven safe skillet over high heat. Add the roasts and sear on all sides until nicely browned.  Place into a preheated 325* oven and roast, turning every 10 minutes or so, until an internal temp of 120* is reached in the thickest portion. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

While meat is resting, place skillet over med high heat and deglaze with 1 cup of red wine, bringing to a boil and scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook until reduced by half, whisk in the butter until slightly thickened and pour over tenderloin slices before serving.  Print Recipe

I'm closing this post with my Weekly Menu.  Yesterday we had dinner after a Mass of Thanksgiving for our friend, Sister Maryann, who celebrated her 60th Jubilee this year.

Tuesday I will be gone for much of the day taking Aunt Irene to the doctor.  Frank is making Spaghetti for dinner as that is Melody's favorite.

Wednesday, Frank is on his own.  I have food pantry and am going right from there to a DoTerra Oil class at Amy's.

I am looking forward to a fun week and hope that you are too.

Weekly Menu

Saturday
Reception at Sister's after Mass

Sunday-Amy's Birthday Dinner
Corn Chowder
Caesar Salad
Pasta with Crab Sauce
Roast Beef Tenderloin
Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli
Birthday Pie ala Mode

Monday
Hot and Sour Soup
Sweet and Spicy Chicken
Steamed Rice

Tuesday
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Wednesday
Leftovers

Thursday
Slow Cooker Cassoulet

Fish Friday
Seafood Pizza

Celebrating the Harvest with Eggplant Lasagna and J Lohr #MerlotMe #WinePW

Each October we celebrate #Merlotme with our Wine Pairing Weekend group.  This event was started by California wineries after the movie, Sideways, disparaged Merlot wines causing  a decline in sales of this wonderful varietal that deserves much more respect than it gets.

The past two years, when celebrating this event, I have served three wine and food pairings in one post.  You can find my Triple Wine and Food pairing from 2015 here and my #Merlotme Trifecta from last year here.

This year I am changing things up a bit.  Today I am showcasing a bottle of J. Lohr Merlot.  I will be showcasing the other wines in upcoming posts so stay tuned.

I want to mention right here and right now that I was buying J. Lohr long before they ever sponsored any event in which I participated.  While I love having sponsors and getting free samples, I love my readers more.  I did not get any monetary compensation in this event by J. Lohr or any other sponsor.  My opinions, in this post, and in my entire blog are purely mine.

I am always, always, always excited to have J. Lohr sponsor our events.  Mainly because I love their wines and purchase them quite often.  I know that if I have J. Lohr available in my wine fridge, I can open it for guests or take it with me as a host gift, knowing that it is going to be wonderful.

Their vineyards and winery are located on Paso Robles, California, close to where my brother resides.  A visit to my family in California is not complete without a visit to at least one winery and Paso Robles, more often than not, is where we head.

J. Lohr sent a fact sheet along with their bottle of wine. This wine was harvested over a 2 week period beginning September 10, 2015.  It is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then matured over a 12 month period in barrels made of 22% new oak.  This wine is recommended to be opened upon release but has potential to improve over the next 5 years.

Frank and I enjoyed the wine on a Meatless Monday when I served up this cheesy, ooey, gooey eggplant lasagna.

I had been over Kim's and she gifted me several eggplants from her garden.  I knew, from past experience, that the eggplant/tomato combination has paired well with J. Lohr and I am smart enough not to tamper with success.

This pairing was no exception and did not disappoint.  I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that the eggplant, tomatoes and grapes are all harvested during the same time period.  

The wine was deep, dark and vibrant both in the glass and on the palate.  It complemented the earthy sweetness of the eggplant and tomatoes.  I think this wine would be great with pizza too.  

We enjoyed it well enough that we are hoping to pick up a case and open a bottle every 6 months to see if, in fact, it does improve with age. Stay tuned for that little experiment.

Eggplant Lasagna

2-3 small eggplants, ends cut off and thinly sliced

1 qt. Marinara, homemade or your favorite brand

6 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1 c. ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 t. Italian herb seasoning

3 oz. parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

Whisk together the ricotta, egg and Italian herbs. Place a small amount of marinara in the bottom of an 8" square baking pan to cover.  Layer 1/3 of the eggplant slices onto the sauce, followed by 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the Mozzarella and 1/3 of the Parmesan.  Repeat 3 times.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350* oven for 45-55 minutes, until eggplant is very tender.  Remove foil and place under the broiler for a few minutes until top is browned and bubbly.  Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing into quarters to serve.  Print Recipe

Let's join the rest of the #WinePW group as we celebrate #Merlotme

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Celebrating the Harvest with Eggplant Lasagna and J Lohr #MerlotMe” 
• David from Cooking Chat shares “Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Merlot Sauce” 
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “A Paddling of Duck(horn)s” 
• Gwen from Wine Predator shares “3 Merlot from Sonoma with Colorful Fall Pasta #WinePW” 
• Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere shares “Individual Beef Wellington Paired With Merlot Wine” 
• Jeff from FoodWineClick! shares “Grill Braised Brisket with Duckhorn Merlot” 
• Nicole from Somms Table shares “Many Merlots Make Marvelous Mediterranean Meal” 
• Jane from Always Ravenous shares “Roasted Pork Loin with Brandy Prune Sauce Paired with Merlot” 
• Nancy from Pull That Cork shares “A Fall Pairing for Merlot” 
• Jill from L’Occasion shares “Merlot, the Busy One” 
• Cindy from Grape Experiences shares “#MerlotMe and Savory Chicken and Mushrooms”
• Michelle from Rockin Red Blog shares "Celebrating Napa and Sonoma with #MerlotMe"

Pumpkin Spiced Pasta ala Norma and the Weekly Menu

Last Saturday I posted about #MerlotMe with our #WinePW group.  I was given 4 bottles of wine from 3 different wineries who are sponsoring #MerlotMe all month long.  You can read more about them and the other wineries that sponsored our group by reading my original post that includes links to the others.  Several of us received Merlots from different wineries.  These wineries are merely trying to bring awareness to this wonderful and often misunderstood varietal.  I received no monetary compensation nor was I expected to do anything other than enjoy the wine I was given.

I chose to make 3 different meals to pair with one wine from each winery.  I shared my recipe for Busy Day Pot Roast  paired very well with the Liberty School Merlot.  I paired the J Lohr Cuvee with a Deep Dish Italian Chicken Pizza. It was a match made in heaven.  

The third wine was a Merlot from Duckhorn Wineries that I chose to pair with a pasta dish.  We were in the middle of packing for a move and after a full day, a wonderful bottle of wine and a delicious dinner I didn't have any energy left to post the recipe.  

We are settling into the new home now, albeit slowly, so I have time to share this recipe that I created after receiving some goodies from our daughter, Nicole and her husband, Pierre.  Nic had found this adorable pasta in pumpkin shapes and a pumpkin spice olive oil that she had found on a trip up north. Pierre brought me a gorgeous eggplant and some lovely tomatoes from his garden.

I wasn't sure how the pumpkin spice was going to fair in this dish but it was to die for!!  Pasta ala Norma is the name for a pasta dish that originated in Sicily and contains eggplants and Ricotta cheese.  It  is reportedly named for the Opera, Norma.  I think the pumpkin spice olive oil really added depth and richness to this dish but if you can't find any just use regular olive oil and it will still be delicious.

Pumpkin Spiced Pasta ala Norma

Pumpkin Spice Olive Oil, as needed

1 small eggplant, cut into 2" dice

4 tomatoes, halved

salt and pepper to taste

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 c. Ricotta Cheese

1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

1 lb. Pasta, cooked per package directions

Toss the eggplant in some olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast in a preheated 400* oven for 20-30 minutes until tender and starting to brown in spots. Once the eggplant is in the oven, place the tomatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven with the eggplant for 15-20 minutes.  Remove both the eggplant and tomatoes from the oven and set aside.  Reduce oven heat to 350*.

Heat 2 t. olive oil over med high heat in a large skillet.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until onion is translucent.  Coarsely chop the tomatoes in the baking dish.  Add to the onions along with any collected juices. Stir in the eggplant and basil.  Add the pasta, toss to coat and turn into an 8x8" baking pan.  (I used the same pan used for the tomatoes.)  Place small dollops Ricotto in intervals over the pasta and lightly stir in, leaving some larger portions.  Sprinkle with the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Bake for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly with cheese melted and starting to brown.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Print Recipe

Getting Back on Track with the Weekly Menu

Now that things have calmed down I am getting back on track with our Weekly Menu.  Next week I hope to get back on track with the FMD eating plan.  One step at a time.  The only thing that saved me with all the carry out and restaurant food this past week was that I was killing it in the exercise department..

Today, we have a retirement luncheon to attend so I am having a crockpot meal.  Tomorrow,  we are flying to Mackinac Island on a charity flight that Frank had donated.  We will be eating out.  Sunday, we are having Amy's birthday dinner.

Monday night, I have a meeting at church.  Nic and Pierre are coming by after work so we will have a late dinner with them.  The rest of the week will be spent unpacking and unpacking and unpacking.  I can't believe how much junk stuff we have.

Friday

Braised Chicken

Stir Fry Veggies

Brown Rice

Soup Saturday

Carrot Soup

Sunday- Amy's Birthday Dinner

Minestrone Soup

Caesar Salad

Lasagna

Spiced Rum Pumpkin Cake

Meatless Monday

Southwestern Spaghetti Squash Pie

Tuesday

Asian Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole

Wednesday

Meat Loaf

Mashed Potatoes

Corn

Thursday

Oven Baked BBQ Pork Chops

Steamed Rice

Brussels Sprouts

Fish Friday

Pasta with Smoked Salmon

#MerlotMe Trifecta for #WinePW

Woohooooo....it is #MerlotMe time!!  I am so excited.  Do you remember last year's event?  It was so much fun.  You can read all about it in my post A Triple Food and Merlot Tasting.

Now that you've read that post you can see why I was jump out of my skin excited when Jeff of Food Wine Click, invited the members of our Wine Pairing Weekend group to join again in this event. Take a look at Jeff's invitation post to learn more about this wonderful varietal of wine that seems to get lost in the shuffle somehow.

Wine Tasting 1

Liberty School Merlot

My first wine pairing took place on a busy Wednesday during which we had run errands all day. Now I know people think because we are retired we have tons of time.  Let me tell you....I don't know how we found time to go to work.  Every day is an adventure around here.  Knowing that we were going to be gone all day, I put a rump roast into the crockpot before we left.  We walked into the house after our errands and our mouths immediately began to water.  There is nothing better than walking into a house where a crockpot has been working their fingers to bone slaving over a hot stove.  The smell is amazing.

In fact, it smelled so good that I decided to open up a bottle of Merlot and do a wine tasting.  The first bottle of wine that I received for this event came from The Hope Family wineries, specifically Liberty School.  The winery generously provided me with a bottle of  Liberty School 2014 Merlot. Since this was the first received I decided it would be the first tasted.  I just want to take a moment to say that although I was given bottles of wine for this event by different wineries there was no requirement to do anything other than enjoy them.  I am posting my tasting experience here simply because I wanted to share the information with my readers.  All opinions are my own.

I was not familiar with Liberty School prior to getting a bottle from the FedEx guy.  I did a search and found that Liberty School was named for childhood friends who got together to collaborate on wine making and named their wine after a one room schoolhouse. You can read their story here.  I am familiar with Paso Robles as this is not too far from where my brother lives.  I am visiting in January and I am putting this winery on my places to go and things to do list.

The wine poured a deep garnet.  I swirled and sniffed.  I swirled and sniffed again.  I did not get too much, perhaps some berries but not a strong nose at all.  I took a sip and swished.  I got that nice chalky feeling that I love from the tannins in red wines.  I swallowed and tasted blackberries with a good dose of black pepper.  I took a bite of the roast and gravy.  I had another swallow of wine and sighed....it was a busy day but a good day that just got infinitely better.

Busy Day Rump Roast Dinner

1 rump roast

garlic salt and pepper to taste

1 small onion, cut into chunks

2 stalks celery, sliced into 1" pieces

4 carrots, cut into 1" pieces

4 small red potatoes, quartered

1 1/2 c. vegetable stock

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 c. cold water

Place the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes in the crock of a slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place the roast on top of the vegetables.  Season with garlic salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce and add the vegetable stock.  Cook on low heat for 8-10 hrs.  

Remove the roast ota cutting board and let rest while you remove vegetables to a platter.  Strain the liquids left in the slow cooker through a seive into a saucepan.  Place the saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth.  Slowly whisk into boiling juices from roast.  Whisk and cook until thickened and glossy. Pour over roast and vegetables.  Print Recipe

Wine Tasting 2

J Lohr Cuvee POM

The second tasting took place after a long day of packing for our move.  When we got home from Mass I made up some of my Easy Pizza Dough.  While it was busy rising we were busy cleaning out the garage attic.  Not only was it jam packed with 15 years of our stuff but there was still stuff up there from the previous owners!!

When  we were finished (for the day, we still have a couple more hours of work there), we were more than ready for a glass of wine.  Frank opened the wine and let it breathe while we put together the pizza.

Once the pizza was constructed and placed in the oven we sat for the 17 minutes it took to bake, toasted each other for all our hard work and took a sip of this wine.  I am very familiar with J Lohr wines.  We often buy the Cab and since last year's Merlot Me, we have been buying the Merlot as well.  This, however, was our first time trying the Cuvee.

It poured a deep, dark garnet.  So deep and dark that you couldn't see through it.  A swirl showed heavy legs and a sniff reminded me of berries.  I took a sip and a swish and was immediately rewarded wth that dryness that let's you know there is a lot of tannins in this wine.  We swallowed and noted that it was a heavy wine that I described as Jammy.

My favorite part of the tasting was when Frank said..."I don't know much about describing wine.  I don't know what flavors I am tasting besides wine, but I do know what I like and I like this wine". That there folks is quite the recommendation!!

We plated the pizza and topped off our wine glasses. The pie was a Deep Dish Italian Chicken Pizza. It was a heavy pizza and needed a strong, heavy wine.  The Cuvee, being 85% Merlot mixed with Malbec and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc was up to the task.  We enjoyed the wine by itself and we enjoyed it with the pizza.  This is a very nice bottle that I would recommend to those who enjoy a heavy, dry wine.

Deep Dish Italian Chicken Pizza

1 recipe pizza dough (enough for two thin crust or one thick crust) My recipe here.

1 t. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lg. leek, white and light green parts, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

3 lg handfuls of baby spinach

1 pint or 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. Italian Herb Paste

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 c. cooked white meat chicken sliced into bite size pieces

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a skillet over med high heat.  Add the garlic and leeks.  Cook stirring until fragrant and softened.  Add the mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper and cook until liquid is released and evaporated and the mushrooms are golden and soft. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian herbs, salt and pepper in a skillet over med high heat.  Cook until thickened and reduced.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread pizza dough into a 10x15x1" baking pan.  Top with the tomato sauce.  Cover with the chicken. Layer the mushroom mixture over all.  Sprinkle with both cheeses and bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.  Print Recipe

Wine Tasting #3

Duckhorn Merlot

The third and final tasting was, again, after a long day of packing.  I loved Duckhorn Merlot when I was first introduced to it last year.  You can read my notes on it here.  When I read my notes I was surprised to see that I had liked it's heaviness.  This year, it was my final tasting and was much lighter than the J Lohr Cuvee.  Very smooth with no heavy tannins and reminiscent of luscious ripe berries fresh from the vine.

I served this up with a baked pasta dish that I had made for my brother and sister in love.  They fondly called this the last supper as they will not eat here in this house again.  The pairing was lovely. I had seasoned my vegetable while they were roasting with some pumpkin spice olive oil and the fruitiness of the wine played off of those spices very well.  

The pasta was to die for but you are going to have to wait for the recipe because I am tired and I still have MORE packing to do.  We get the keys to the house today so we are nearing the finish line. Have a Wine Wonderful Weekend, relax and enjoy the other posts being shared today at #WinePW.

Our Talented Bloggers Share Their #MerlotMe Ideas

• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Merlot Shows Its Versatility and Goes +1 With Cheese, Meat, and Chocolate”
• Amy from Cooking with Amy shares “Mushroom Parmigiano Pasta Recipe”
• David from Cooking Chat shares “Garlic Thyme Tuna Paired with a Merlot”
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “#MerlotMe Trifecta for #WinePW”
• Michelle from Rockin Red Blog shares  “Welcoming Fall with #MerlotMe and #WinePW”
• Jennifer from Vino Travels – An Italian Wine Blog shares “#MerlotMe with Sausage Baked Ziti”
• Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere shares “Exploring Merlot Wine Pairing with Bolognese Sauce”
• Lori from Dracaena Wines shares “Hello, Can you #MerlotMe?”
• Jill from L’Occasion shares “Evenings with Merlot”
• Lauren from The Swirling Dervish shares “Mercy Monday and Merlot”
• Gwen from Wine Predator shares “#MerlotMe with savory simple fall foods”
• Jade from Tasting Pour shares “Chipotle Chicken Stew and Merlot”
• Cindy from Grape Experiences shares “Wine and Dine: Merlot with Eggplant and Polenta Parmigiana”
• Jeff from FoodWineClick! shares “A Love Affair for Merlot and the Grill”