Accidentally Vegan Salad

For all of you health nuts, this may be as good as it gets. This salad features wild rice, a great source of protein and fiber, avocado (chock-full of great fat), arugula (fiber and lots of vitamins), and pistachios for more protein and good fat. This was born out of leftovers and became a hit. In full disclosure, I was also "over guacamole'd" at the time. I know that's not proper grammar but it's entirely accurate.

Accidentally Vegan Salad

3 cups cooked wild rice

1 avocado, peeled and cubed

2 large handfuls of fresh baby arugula

1/2 c salted, roasted shelled pistachios

4 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T sherry vinegar

1 T balsamic vinegar 

1 t. dijon mustard

1/2 small onion or shallot, finely chopped

salt and pepper

Mix the last six ingredients together to create a vinaigrette. I usually put mine in an airtight container and just shake it. Put the rice, avocado and arugula into a large serving bowl and gently combine. Pour the vinaigrette over the mixture and combine. Top with the pistachios. Serves 4-6 as a side dish or 2-3 as a main dish. Cheers!

funny faux pas

I rarely share details of my life on this blog (frankly, I am not important enough to think that anyone really cares). This story, however, makes me laugh (usually at inappropriate times) at least once a week, so I think it may be worth sharing.

My husband has been on a very strict diet recently that has drastically decreased his consumption of beer and wine (though he was never more than a "pint or two after work" guy anyway). This story takes place in the beginning of the year, and during said time period wine was definitely a rare and special occasion beverage for him (sad but true). He had decided to have his very rare allotment of wine one day after work before our date might dinner. I happened to get home early. Knowing this would be a big deal for him, I wanted to open something special and decant it so it would be perfect when he got home.

I carefully selected the Terra Valentine Amore 2005, a SuperTuscan blend that is right up Jeff's alley. For him, bigger is better when it comes to red. [As you know by now, I am an equal-opportunity lover of all good wine.] Strangely enough, I cannot find our decanter anywhere. After driving myself bonkers searching high and low, I settle for a stainless steel pitcher that I used for a business cocktail event I hosted the week before. An unconventional choice, I quickly Google to make sure that it won't ruin my wine. Though I know wine is often aged in stainless steel barrels, I'm not taking a chance on this beauty. I'm in luck! All systems go. I pour it into the pitcher, leaving it on the kitchen counter, and then pour myself a small glass. I have a dorky habit of wanting to taste wine at several stages of "opening up." After a taste, I deem it scrumptious but cannot wait for it to mellow out.

I settle in to do chores, pay bills, and execute the other elements of domestic bliss until Jeff gets home. Like most women nowadays, I am a multitasking machine. In fact, I'm feeling pretty gosh darn proud of myself at this point. The next sequence of events still replays over and over again in my head:

For give the subpar grammar, but this is exactly how it happened: Husband arrives from work. Goes into the kitchen. Proceeds to make noise that sounds like he's doing dishes. ?? Comes into the tiny corner of our sun room that I call my "office" to say hello. Leans forward to give me a peck on the cheek: stops short, seeing my glass. Straightens up, saying cautiously "Where is the rest of that wine....?" and looks at me with pleading eyes.
With my eyebrows raised (why is he asking me this? Does he want some? What's wrong?), I start to say "In the-- (pitcher on the counter...)" but he stops me and says "Uh oh. I thought that punch looked too dark..." As his voice trails off I look at him, trying to convince myself he's not saying what I think he's saying. He poured out that gorgeous bottle? No!  Amazingly enough, I refrain from saying anything, instead just looking at him and waiting fot him to finish. He continues, "I poured it out thinking it was the leftover punch you served last week at the cocktail party." I take a deep breath as he adds "...it wasn't good stuff, was it?" (again, the pleading eyes). I mumble something under my breath and then do my best to say something reasonably reassuring (memory escapes me here). After a few minutes, when my heart rate slows to normal(ish), we both end up laughing VERY hard as I walk down to the basement and grab another (slightly less special) bottle to decant. C'est la vie!

Cheers to faux pas! I hope yours don't result in a beautiful wine casualty.

Savory Cheddar Bread Pudding

Savory Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is the dessert of the moment. Why stop there? I tried this today and it was a cinch. In full disclosure, I had some sourdough bread that was a little past its prime for sandwiches, so this seemed like a good way to use it up.

This fills the same category as an amazing mac + cheese, just with bread instead (and only one step!). It couldn't be simpler. The recipe is very forgiving, so don't worry about exact measurements.

4 whole eggs

1 c milk or half and half

3-4 cups sourdough bread, cubed into 1 inch pieces

6 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or finely chopped

3 oz parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

1/2 c. mixed fresh herbs, chopped (rosemary, thyme, chives, marjoram, and parsley all work well)

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

1 clove chopped garlic

1/4 c. finely chopped onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a buttered ceramic baking dish, bread the bread. Top with the cheese, reserving about 1/3 of the cheddar for later. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and milk or cream until well combined. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, onion and herbs. Pour the egg mixture over the cubed bread and cheese, folding together with a spatula until well combined (make sure none of the bread is completely dry, but it doesn't need to be soaked evenly). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the custard puffs and is set. Top with the rest of cheese, switch the oven to broil, and put back in just long enough for the cheese and top bread cubes to golden.

Serve immediately. This makes a great side dish at dinner or main course for breakfast served with fruit. Cheers!

Other ideas for this basic recipe:

-Swap the cheddar for Swiss or gruyere and add ham or prosciutto (lighten up on the salt)
-Add apples and dried cranberries or raisins (omit the garlic and onion) for a nice savory and sweet dish.
-Add red peppers, chorizo, cilantro (lighten up on salt and omit other herbs aside from chives) for a latin-inspired dish.
-Add calamata olives, chopped frozen spinach (in the egg mixture), and fresh oregano instead of other herbs for a Greek take. Top with feta or kasseri instead of cheddar at the end. 

Drink this NOW

These are the libations that guests will enjoy at my house this season:

1. Twin Islands Sauvignon Blanc 2010. ($12)
Perfect new-world (bright, citrus-forward) patio wine. From their website:

"First released in 1992, Twin Islands Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc offers excellent full flavoured wine at great value. Fruit is sourced from selected vineyards in the Marlborough region which enjoy excellent ripening conditions for flavour-development in Sauvignon Blanc.

Twin Islands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is pale straw in colour with a fragrant aroma of gooseberry and red capsicum with a hint of grapefruit. A generous mid palate with tropical fruit and gooseberry flavours leads to a fresh zingy finish. This wine is great drinking now or over the next 12-18 months."

2. F+F French Fizz (cheap!)
No shaking required. Just add ingredients to a highball glass and give it a quick stir.

1.5 oz gin (Stellar or Hendricks work well)

1   oz St. Germain

3   oz lemon or lime-flavored sparkling water (LaCroix, etc) 

lemon twist (to cheat I use a vegetable peeler to make a long strip of zest and toss it in)

3. La Quercia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (under $15)
This is a multitasking red that I discovered at Noah Grant's Grill House and Oyster Bar (thank you, Shari Jenkins, for your fabulous wine list!). It stands up to grilled meat, but is also wonderfully sippable with cheese and fruit on a patio. Montepulcianos are known for being round, plummy, and smooth with great acidity and soft tannins, and this one is no exception. It is very well-balanced. It also benefits from decanting. Don't worry if you don't have a fancy decanter; I've been known to use a [clean] flower vase in a pinch. Read more about the magnificent Montepulciano varietal here.


4. F+F Herb Fizz (cheap!)
I know I'm on a "fizz" kick, but they are just so refreshing! Muddle the first three ingredients in a shaker, strain into a highball or flute, and top with bubbly.

1 oz Pama pomegranate liqueur

1 sprig fresh lavender (grow your own! easy!)

1 sprig fresh rosemary (thyme works well too)

3 oz Prosecco or Cava (Cava is less sweet- more mineral flavor)

5. Thr3e Wise Men Centennial Martyr Double IPA (worth it)
This is the favorite at our house. Huge in ABV, so smooth. Call it danger, but it's ridiculously delicious. Omar (the brewer) hit a big home run here!

Color: Amber to medium red
ABV: 8.00%
IBU: 92
Features: clover honey from hunter's honey farm in Martinsville, Indiana and amarillo hops

CHEERS!