Wishing and Hoping

Wow, I think I'm getting ahead of the weather here. I'm so ready for just a little bit of warm sunshine. If I keep thinking about it and preparing for that first beautiful weekend I will make it happen!

Last Monday's post I was getting ready for spring and looking to choose lighter wines and mentioned chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and Riesling to chill out on the deck and bask in the sun.

One of the comments I had was that chardonnay is popular even during the winter months in some of the warmer southern cities. It is the simple truth and a fact that Chardonnay has been the "queen" of white wines -- anytime, anywhere -- and it pairs well with most of the lighter foods we eat in every season.

My post was really about taking off the heavy layers of winter and lightening up to be in sync with the weather changing from cold to warm. To me that meant not only layers of clothes but our foods and drinks as well.

Change is the difficult part of this exercise. No one likes to try something new just to give up what they are comfortable wearing, eating, drinking, or doing.

Choosing a different wine to drink doesn't always go over well. While I know first hand about this subject I try to work with everyone's needs. It's o.k. to not like change, but we don't live in a bubble and change is inevitable in many aspects of life.

I'm an optimist. I try new recipes and hope someone will like it, I change the directions in the GPS when we do our errands, and I continue to introduce new wines to taste with my different recipes.

I don't always get positive feedback but I keep on trying. If we don't try we will never know if it's good, bad or whether or not we like it. We can learn a lot about ourselves just by trying.

This is the time of the year when seafood and shellfish is in season and we eat more cold salads. Sauvignon Blanc and crisp, un-oaked Chardonnay are lighter wines to try with these types of dishes.

Try, if you dare, to choose a wine you might never have tried before. Chenin Blanc and Pinot Grigio are whites that have enough acidity to pair with seafood and salads dressed with citrus juices and vinegar based dressings.

Riesling -- no matter what you have heard about 1970's and Riesling remember that times have changed (and winemakers changed to make better wines!). There are many different styles from dry to sweet and everything in between, so ask the salesperson in the wine shop for the style you prefer and the food you will be serving. There is a Riesling for almost everyone and dessert too.

Muscadet -- from the Loire Valley is one more light white wine to try for the season. This is a relatively inexpensive wine, usually under $12 which is a perfect match with oysters. Muscadet Sevre et Maine is traditionally served with oysters from the local waters in France. If you enjoy fresh shell fish try the Muscadet Sevre et Maine from the Loire Valley and enjoy it in your backyard.

I hope that with the change of the season you will want to try something new for a change!

Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Chicken Cacciatore

Things are hoppin' around here and I'm looking to make one dish meals that will yield a few leftovers.

The weather is changing and I can see the forest for the trees ahead. It's going to be a busy spring and summer for me. I'm looking to save time and energy and the best way to get started is to make one-dish meals.

I've been digging through my old cookbooks for some inspiration and I decided chicken cacciatore could be my perfect recipe. If everyone liked it I would have a great start on a go-to recipe for those weeks that I know I will be short on time.

This is really a very easy dish to make. It's economical if you use a whole chicken cut in eighths. Since my picky eaters only like chicken legs and white meat that's what I use. Flexibility in a recipe is important and chicken cacciatore for today's cook is perfect.

Chicken Cacciatore (serves 6-8)

Ingredients

• 4 cloves roasted garlic
• Olive oil or canola oil to cover the bottom of pan
• 3 lbs. whole chicken cut in eighths (or use the chicken parts your family likes)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 bell peppers (green, yellow, red)
• 1 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry red wine (chianti if you have it)
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 TBLS. fresh chopped basil and parsley
• 2 bay leaves (optional)
• 1/2 cup each green olives halved and Gaeta black olives halved (optional)
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. To roast garlic, place the cloves on aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil over them, sprinkle with salt and then close up the foil very tight so the oil will not leak out. Roast on 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. The garlic cloves will be soft and sweet. Remove the skins and add to the pan with the sauted onions and peppers.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven and saute the chicken pieces, browning on all sides. Set aside the chicken on paper towels.

3. In the same pan saute the onions, peppers just until tender about 5-7 minutes. Don't over cook as they will continue to cook in the sauce.
4. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves to the onions and peppers and stir gently and then add the wine and vinegar. Cook for about 10 minutes and then add the chicken pieces to the pan and the olives if using.
5. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 40-50 minutes until the chicken has cooked through. Add the basil and parsley and stir until combined with the sauce. Taste the sauce for seasonings and if the sauce is too thick you can add a splash more of vinegar, wine and/or water to taste. Stir and simmer for a few more minutes.
6. Serve on a bed of rice or noodles and  don't forget a side of garlic bread.

This is a perfect leftover meal. The picky eaters gave it a thumbs up -- I'm saved at least on those days when BBQ is rained out and I need to cook indoors. It never hurts to plan ahead :).


This is shared with:
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
A Moderate Life
Feed Me Tweet Me Follow Me Home Friday


Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Spring Ahead

Spring is officially here and even if the temperatures are still on the lower end of the thermostat we are seeing the light of day : ).

In keeping with the light theme, we start choosing foods that are lighter than the comfort foods we love when the snow is falling.

Pasta dishes, vegetables, fish and salads will be gracing our tables and we'll soon be firing up the grills.

Spring gets us out and about, moving and shaking, and staying out later which often leads us to our favorite take-out foods.

Our beverages change from hot chocolate to iced tea and refreshing cold drinks that might include cold beer or chilled wine. Seasonally this is a good time to begin choosing lighter wines for the lighter seasonal dishes.

An easy way to get a head start choosing your wine is to check the specials your local wine shop is offering. The retail stores will begin advertising spring deals.

You'll soon see special deals for pinot grigio, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and riesling all of which are popular white wine varieties that pair well with the lighter dishes such as fish, chicken, and salads and some of the popular take-outs that might have a bit of heat.

This is the time to pick up a good buy and keep it chilled for the spring and summer season ahead.

Enjoy the sunshine and Happy Spring.

Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Chocolate Cake for One

Claudia from Pegasuslegend recently posted a recipe for a microwaved chocolate cake in a coffee cup. The recipe looked very easy and of course who could resist digging into your very own chocolate cake.

I just had to try it and I'm writing this post while I'm eating this delicious, velvety chocolate cake out of my big fat mug, and it only took me 6 minutes flat.

I had to make two cakes because I overcooked the first one. A big lesson learned when microwaving and you can get Claudia's recipe and helpful tips here.

The first cake I made using Claudia's recipe was perfectly delicious in taste, however I over baked it. I had to make another one but since I used up the last of my cake flour on the first try I had to use all purpose flour. I wasn't giving up because the cake was really delicious, only over-baked. I had to have it.

Here's the recipe I used for my Personal Microwaved Chocolate Cake. The recipe worked and it was just as delicious.

Personal Microwaved Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 TBLS. all purpose flour, sifted
• 3 TBLS. brown sugar
• 2 TBLS. cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp baking powder + another pinch
• pinch salt
• 1 egg beaten
• 3 TBLS. milk
• 3 TBLS. oil
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 TBLS. chocolate chips

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Beat the egg in a separate dish and add the milk and oil and stir to blend. Then add it to the dry ingredients. Mix wet and dry ingredients well and add the vanilla. I then added the chocolate chips.
3. Coat the inside of a large mug with non-stick cooking spray and pour in the batter, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl.
4. Microwave on high for 1:45 minutes.

Keep in mind all microwaves are different, mine is 1500 watts. If you use your microwave often you can probably judge timing for the cake.

Claudia, thank you so much for this terrific recipe.   LUV IT!!!!!!


Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Irish Coffee, Oh, and Corned Beef With Beer

With St. Patrick's Day just a few days away corned beef and cabbage is on my mind along with one of my favorite drinks, Irish Coffee.

How many of us really enjoy corned beef and cabbage -- or more to the point cabbage? Here's the one thing we sometimes forget --

For many of us the foods we enjoy are the foods that are most familiar to us for one simple reason -- it's what our mother or grandmother cooked most often and served us with wonderful memories for us to always cherish.

If you never had corned beef and cabbage this is the perfect time to try something new. It's not a complicated dish to prepare and the cabbage is considered a "good for you" food.

With all the sales in our markets this week it's the perfect time to prepare an economical meal for the family which can turn out to be a twofer. Can't beat that!

I cook with wine often, but not so much with beer. Though I do make a great chili (so I've been told) and beer is one of the ingredients I use.   This week I'm making my son-in-law's very easy crock pot recipe for corned beef and cabbage with beer.

Family Style Corned Beef and Cabbage 

Ingredients

• corned beef brisket (approx. 3 lbs.)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 12 oz. bottle of stout beer
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4-6 medium new potatoes
• 1 head of cabbage
• 3-4 carrots peeled and cut in 2 inch pieces
• 3-4 celery stalks cut in 2 inch pieces

Directions

1. Rinse the beef completely in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Rub the brown sugar over the entire corned beef, top, bottom and sides and place it in the crock pot. Pour the beer gently down the side of the pot.  It will cover the meat.
3. Cook 4 to 6 hours depending on the size of the corned beef.
4. Cut up the vegetables and add to the pot during the last hour of cooking.
5. If you need additional liquid you can add a little more beer, or beef/vegetable broth, or water.

With the leftovers you can have sliced corned beef sandwiches and or make corned beef hash.   Just chop up the meat into very small pieces, chop up the potatoes and onions and then saute them in a heavy saute pan until a lightly browned.  Serve with eggs, or make a sandwich.

If you enjoy flavored coffee then do serve Irish Coffee for dessert.

Irish Coffee

• six ounces of fresh brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon of  sugar (use natural cane turbinado sugar if you have it handy)
• 1 ½ ounces of your favorite Irish whiskey
•  heavy cream, whipped

Directions

1. Whip the heavy cream and refrigerate until ready to serve the coffee.
2. Brew your favorite coffee and add the whiskey and sugar and mix well until the sugar dissolves.
3. Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and place on top of the hot coffee.
4. Enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Winelady Cooks

Wordless Wednesday

My Christmas cactus plant is just starting to bloom again.  I think it's ready for spring.

Other Wordless Wednesday links:

Wordless Wednesday
Frugality is Free
A Beautiful Mess
It's A Blog Party's Say Cheese






Winelady Cooks

Burn Off!

A discussion came up over the weekend about the alcohol burning off when cooking with wine and how some may be concerned about wine and liquors being used in cooking and baking.

Chefs have been cooking with alcohol knowing that many recipes are enhanced with its flavors.

I bet that many of us didn't realize, or perhaps just plain forgot, that the vanilla extract, and for that matter any of the extracts we use in baking contain alcohol.  I just checked the label on the vanilla extract I have -- it contains 35% alcohol and the anise extract contains a whopping 73%. WOW!

We eat lots of cakes, cookies and cupcakes containing extracts and I don't remember anyone questioning how much alcohol is in the delectable delights.

So does the alcohol burn off and should there be a concern? Yes, no, maybe so. The alcohol burns off but there are a few determining factors. No, it doesn't always burn off completely. And, maybe so, for some it is a very personal and individual concern or lifestyle.

There are millions of people around the world who cook with wine and eat in restaurants that prepare sauces, entres, and desserts made with wine or liquors. It is all a matter of personal and individual preferences as to whether the inclusion of alcohol in the food matters.

I recall at an office luncheon one year one person wouldn't eat the rum cake being served. Alcoholic beverages were not part of their lifestyle and eating the rum cake would compromise their ideology.

If the alcohol burn-off is a concern or if your are just curious there are a few cooking details that affect the burning off of the alcohol. The amount of alcohol used, the size of the cooking vessel, and method of cooking are some of the determining factors.

• The less alcohol used in a dish will obviously burn off  faster
• The larger the pan used will help to accelerate the alcohol burn-off
• Alcohol added to boiling liquid will burn off approx. 15% alcohol leaving 85% alcohol in the dish
• Alcohol flambed in a dessert will burn off 25% alcohol, leaving 75% alcohol
• Alcohol stirred into a baked or simmered dish and cooked for 15 minutes leaves 45% alcohol
• Baking or simmering for 30 minutes leaves 35%  alcohol
• 1 hour burns off 75%  alcohol yet still leaving 25% alcohol
• 2 hours leaves 10% alcohol
• baking or simmering 3 hours will more than likely burn off the alcohol. 

Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Risotto Keeps Calling

I'm a big fan of risotto. It calls to me every time I open my cabinet.

I have to take control and not let it take over my meal planning. Not like I really plan my meals - it's more like I open the cabinet and fridge and hope for inspiration.

With a very hectic schedule, my days are quite busy and most often I'm too tired to cook a complicated meal. Hence my easy peasey recipes, and risotto takes the top spot quite often.

Risotto is a little bit time consuming but it can be made in 20 minutes and if you are good at multitasking you can prep other elements for your meal while you tend the risotto. Not a bad deal.

The recipe I use is from Lidia Bastianich. I follow her method but I use my favorite ingredients of the day for my risotto dish. Today it was shrimp. In the summer I often use grilled vegetables.

Risotto With Shrimp (adapted from Lidia Bastianich)

Ingredients
• 4 1/2 cups hot chicken or  vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced (about 3/4 cup)
• Roasted garlic (1 to 3 cloves according to taste)
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. sauted shrimp
• fresh chopped basil
• fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Pour the stock into a 2-quart saucepan and keep it hot over low heat. (The liquid must be hot in order for the starch to be released to make the sauce creamy.)
2. Heat the olive oil in a wide 3 to 4 quart pan over medium heat then add in the onion, stirring occasionally until it is softened and translucent and just lightly golden and then add the roasted garlic.
3. Stir in the rice and continue stirring until the grains are coated with oil and “toasted” – the edges become translucent – 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the wine and let it boil, stirring the rice, until wine is evaporated.
5. Season the rice lightly with salt and ladle enough of the hot stock into the pan to barely cover the rice.   Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the stock is at a lively simmer. Cook, stirring constantly until all the liquid has been absorbed and you can see the bottom of the pan when you stir.
6. Continue cooking the rice on simmer and pour in approximately 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the hot stock -- each addition of the stock should be just enough to completely moisten the rice -- and then let the rice cook until each batch of stock has been absorbed.
7. Stir constantly until the rice mixture is creamy but al dente; this will take 16 to 20 minutes from the time the wine was added. When in doubt, undercook – risotto continues to cook, even after it is removed from the heat.
8. Taste the rice after the stock has absorbed to determine if the rice is al dente after about 15 minutes of cooking time.
9. Adjust the level of heat throughout cooking so the rice is simmering very gently.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter.   Add the sauted shrimp and the parsley and basil.  
11. Taste and season as needed.

I did not use cheese in this dish since I added shrimp. My side was steamed fresh green beans. I added some of the sauted onion from the risotto to the beans and dressed them with olive oil and salt and pepper. A light side dish that doesn't compete with the risotto.


I've shared this recipe with:

Full Plate Thursday

EKat's Kitchen





Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Wordless Wednesday

Grab A Bite in a New York Minute

Wordless Wednesday links:

Wordless Wednesday
Grammy Mouse Tails
A Beautiful Mess
The Misplaced Midwesterner
Ramblings of an Empty Mind