Pasta Primavera and a Wine Tasting Evening

Last week was rough. By the time Friday rolled around, I was ready for comfort food and down time.

My comfort food is spaghetti with some type of olive-oil/butter based sauce. I chopped up shallots and garlic and mushrooms and sauteed them in olive oil, then added vermouth and simmered it down, finishing with a pat of butter. I swirled the cooked spaghetti in the sauce and topped it with shaved parmesan/reggiano cheese and a chiffonade of fresh basil. It was awesome, exactly what I needed.

Saturday night was reserved for a wine tasting at a friend's house, hosted by Premier Wines of Plano (http://www.premierwines.org/). I was very impressed, both by the wine selection and by the presenter, Luke, who really knew what he was talking about.

We tried 13 different types of wine, and there was plenty of opportunities to ask questions and throw in comments. It was informal and informative, and a lot of fun (not just because we all swallowed the tastings instead of spitting like professionals -- silly professionals!). My favorites were two by Dante: their pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon. At $22 a bottle, they were out of my post-divorce price range, alas, but it was still really fun to try them all out.

Good friends, good food, good wine = good life.

An Old Soul and Scrambled Eggs

This is a tribute post, only incidentally about food. Littleman was a little Yorkie, 2.4 lbs., with the heart of a lion, a HUGE personality, and a very pronounced sense of self. He was 10-12 years old. I wasn't sure and he wasn't talking. He had no teeth, which allowed his long pink tongue to flap in the breeze like a piece of ribbon bubble gum. It gave him a rakish appearance, like he always knew what the joke was before anyone else. He had not been neutered, which gave him a swaggering testosterone edge on Murphy, who had parted company with his balls before he knew what they were for. (Sorry, Murf.)

Lack of teeth did not deter Littleman from eating, laying claim to any food in his vicinity, begging for food, or stealing food from Murphy. He was also able to figure out how to get Murphy to dump the kitchen garbage on the floor so he, Littleman, could take care of the leftover muffin that the humans had shockingly and inexplicably thrown out.

Littleman's favorite food, however, was scrambled eggs. His little body would simply vibrate with excitement when he saw them being prepared, and he would dance and tell whomever was eating said eggs that he would quite enjoy a bit, please. Eggs were savored and enjoyed and not a scrap was wasted.

I truly enjoyed his sassy, cheerful company all summer (the photos show his Texas summer haircut), and I'm so glad he spent some time with me and got to know Murphy, the swimming pool (a little TOO close the first day -- I had to fish him out), the squirrels, and the neighborhood bark-a-thon.

One reincarnation belief states that to be a dog is the last stop before Nirvana and, when I see the look of bliss when a tummy rub is administered, I can believe that Nirvana really is THAT close. Dogs know how to appreciate every moment, they love unconditionally, and they find wonder and happiness in ordinary things. We can learn a lot from them.

Littleman passed away from us at some point between Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6, after a brief illness. He was with the person he loved best, and he will be missed by far more than just one. I hope the reincarnation thing is true, because that means he is in a place that makes him feel as happy as scrambled eggs, with endless tummy rubs. And, really, who could ask for more?

Thinking Outside the Box . . . and A Gratuitous Parrot

I like the parrot. It was a wedding present, given by a witty pair of Brits who told me "we didn't know what to get you, so we're giving you this." My ex was never fond of it; I adored it, as well as the sentiment that brought it into my life, and I have displayed it prominently in every place I've lived since 1983. I love the unexpected, the departure from the road most traveled, the random synapse of the brain that caused someone to say "I'm buying this as a wedding present."

I tend to cook that way too. Rarely do I have ALL of the ingredients in my house for whatever recipe I'm trying to achieve, and I'm either too lazy or unable to run out and get whatever I need, so I "make do." I've always admired the innovative cooks of The Great Depression, who made "apple pie" out of Ritz crackers and otherwise made sure their families had something GOOD to eat. (I'm reading "Grapes of Wrath" right now, too -- great book.)

So yesterday I set out to make homemade Caesar salad dressing from "The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook" -- if you don't have this, you ought to consider getting it, because the recipes are really good. This week I'm beyond broke, and I couldn't spend money (that I didn't have) for anchovies or egg substitute for the Caesar salad dressing, as I usually do. I don't use egg substitute for anything else EXCEPT Caesar salad dressing, and I didn't see myself having a large Caesar Salad Party anytime in the future, so decided to throw caution to the winds and use a Real Egg. I don't sky dive, ski, or do any other sports that would earn me a higher personal insurance payment, but I will live life on the edge with food. Find me a sushi chef with blowfish, please! I have a 3-day rule on keeping leftovers in my fridge, but raw egg? steak tartare? NO PROBLEM!

I thought I'd try the dressing recipe without the anchovies which admittedly were "optional," according to the recipe, but the finished product didn't have the wonderful snap of flavor of a true Caesar dressing. Inspiration hit: MARMITE! Do NOT turn up your nose at this: it WORKED! The salty punch of flavor of the Marmite perfectly replicated the missing anchovies. I didn't add much -- a little Marmite goes a long way -- just enough for the salty full flavor to give the added kick that was missing from my salad dressing. I am amazed and pleased, and probably won't bother with the anchovies anymore (except as pizza garnishes . . . mmmmmm).

However, the tale does not end here. I had some salad dressing left over when I started dinner. I made scalloped potatoes (from Julia Child's cookbook), chicken breast stuffed with Havarti cheese, and spinach quickly wilted in a little olive oil with chopped garlic, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and lemon juice. Usually when I make stuffed chicken breast, I make an egg/lemon juice/cornstarch wash to dip it in before rolling it in Italian style bread crumbs. Last night I decided to use the Caesar salad dressing as the wash (well, it DID have a Real Egg and lemon juice in it!), and it was pretty damned awesome. No waste of the raw egg dressing (or another egg and another lemon), and a very delicious chicken breast.

This morning I used some of the leftover potatoes in scrambled eggs with green chilis, topped with Mexican cheese and salsa. I may try using the rest of the leftover potatoes to make fish cakes, but more on that later . . . . I'll turn that around in my mind for a while. It might just work!

I'll ask the parrot.

That's Amore!

I don't know why making homemade spaghetti sauce seemed like a good idea in the middle of a work week, but I couldn't get rid of the siren call of making a slow simmered dinner on Tuesday night. The weather's a little cooler, I had canned tomatoes in the pantry and, so far, the perfect marinara sauce has eluded me. Mine have been too thin, too thick, too heavy, not enough flavor, too overpowering. I. Want. Perfection.

I did my research and came up with a basic recipe that seemed like it would work. Naturally, diving into the procedure, I discovered that I did not have ALL of the ingredients in the required quantities, but us Sagittarians are, if nothing else, Master Improvisors, so I dove in anyway. The end result is pretty damned good. Okay, I MAY have put in a little too much wine. *Ack* That hurt to even say it. Enough apologies, here's the recipe, Nina style:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, sliced (oh, go on -- add a few more cloves)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, chopped (might add more next time, might not)

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved
1 cup red wine
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, oregano, and thyme

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms and crushed red pepper; sauté until mushrooms just begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and reserved juices. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add tomato sauce, sugar, basil and oregano. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with Kosher salt and pepper.

This was thick but not clumpy, had a WONDERFUL texture with the mushrooms, and an awesome flavor. It's a keeper.

Now, in addition to the great recipe, I had a bottle of Bolla Chianti (thank you, Exxon), and Pandora One (thank you, Rick) blasting my Dean Martin channel with "Volare," "That's Amore," and other absolutely perfect Italian inspirational tunes. Apologies to the neighbors. My singing got louder as the level in the chianti bottle went down. Murphy the basset hound started howling at one point, which did temper my singing somewhat . . . .

Eliminate the singing if you must, but definitely try this recipe!

You Get What You Pay For

This was NOT my best meal. Jackson came over for dinner tonight, so of course I wanted to do something delicious. My budget, however, was less than nothing, so when I saw three T-bones at Fiesta Mart for a total of $4.84, I grabbed them. I made homemade French fries, red wine sauce with mushrooms, steamed broccoli, homemade rolls and chocolate chip cookies.

Those, steaks, though, brought back memories of Australia. I don't mean the "shrimp on the barbie" succulence that Outback Steak House promotes as the taste of Australia. MY taste of Australia, way back in 1970-73, was of paper thin steaks slapped onto a greasy piece of hot metal with flies buzzing around. The steaks were tough (which is why they were thin -- you couldn't chew them if they were any thicker) and tasteless. The beer was great, though, so usually by the time the steaks were charred and pronounced "ready," everyone was too buzzed to care. Love that Aussie beer . . .

The flavor of the steaks was passable, but they were tough and, definitely, worth what I paid for them. They won't go to waste, though. I have Murphy the basset hound staying with me for three days, and I'm SURE he'll know EXACTLY what to do with the leftovers.

Which Is Why I'm Doing Two Posts In One Night

Now we shall discuss "oaked" vs. "unoaked" cabernet sauvignon. Since my daughter and I are sharing a car (which basically means she has the car whenever she needs it and I'm taking the bus/train), my grocery shopping on the weekend is worked around her work schedule. I can take the bus/train to work with very little effort, but she really needs transportation to get there and back. I love the challenge of my new life. It's a game to see if I can get where I need to be, make meals with NO money, juggle bills, and somehow pay down my debts (or at least keep from defaulting on anything).

The economy regretfully shut down the Albertson's that was within walking distance of my house, but there is an Exxon station. And I have an Exxon card. During skinny paycheck periods or when I'm without wheels, I can walk to Exxon and choose from a pathetic array of wines that range from Boone's Farm (hell will freeze over) to the not-too-bad-but-seriously-overpriced Estancia and Clos du Bois.

This past Sunday, being at a loose end, without wheels -- and without dryer sheets and wine -- I walked over to the Exxon station and browsed. I noticed a wine that proudly announced it was an Unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon, so I decided to do a taste test and compare the Estancia to the Simply Naked to see what the difference was.

Now, I have a LOT to learn about wine, as anyone who has read this blog knows, so I was curious to learn why one would or would not put cabernet sauvignon in an oak barrel. I hit the Internet to find out why, but my quick research merely unearthed the idea that it's cheaper to put wine in steel barrels than oak ones. Well, the unoaked wine WAS cheaper . . . I tasted both, a glass of unoaked and then a glass of oaked, while working on my current oil painting and singing to my Diana Krall station on Pandora. The unoaked Simply Naked cab had more of a pronounced grape flavor with less complicated undertones than the oaked Estancia. Actually, the first sip reminded me more of grape juice than wine, though getting deeper into the glass let me find a bright flavor that is not half bad. (I'm drinking it tonight, as I write this.) Personally, I prefer the oaked -- it's a little smoother, with a depth that I found lacking in the Simply Naked cab.

Okay, still on my Bucket List is a proper course on wine appreciation. I'd like to develop my palate and be able to articulate what I am drinking, break down the components and appreciate the subtleties of each vintage. Good wine is amazing; great wine is an art form.

And here's an option for leftover pork butt: chop it up with green onions, cilantro, and green chiles. Roll mixture in corn tortillas and fry. Serve with sour cream and salsa. Leftover Yum!!!

I Hate It When I Get Behind . . .

You know how psychologists say that we all have a movie of ourselves playing in our head? Well, I have this blog in mine, and I think of great things to write, but then real life picks me up and gallops off in another direction. However, before I get TOO behind, I shall write about pork butt. [NOTE: Pun alert . . . butt . . . behind . . . GET IT???]

So Fiesta Mart had a great sale on pork butts. I bought one, cut it in half, froze one half and contemplated what I was going to do with the other half. The Food Network show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" is always good for inspiration, and I love watching the cooks throw spices at a piece of meat and have it come out delicious.

That's what I did to the half-a-pork-butt: I threw my BBQ rub on it (equal parts of brown sugar, smoked paprika, and Cajun seasoning) and put it in the crock pot with some white wine, parts of an onion that looked like it was about to be unusable, and . . . a whole dried ancho chile. Now, on the show, the cooks reverently allow the meat to marinate in the spices overnight, but I rarely think that far ahead -- well, I THINK that far ahead, I just usually don't get up and DO it. So I threw it all in the crock pot on my way out the door to catch the bus.

Well, it was delicious. Maybe with the other half I'll see if marinating it overnight deepens the flavor, but it was just FINE as it came out. The ancho chile deepened the flavor of the BBQ seasonings, and the meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Yum.

Hash!

I've been trying for two days to write about the hash I made the other night, and I couldn't come up with anything interesting or witty to say. Of course, I finally realized it's because there really isn't anything brilliant about hash -- it's a very plebian, slightly dull, comfort food (at least the way I make it). But I love it, and isn't it that stolidly boring predictability what makes it a comfort food?

What's yours?

We all have them. In fact, there's a show on The Food Network called "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and some of the favorite foods of the chefs will make you raise an eyebrow and think "yeah, right, to each his own." We should never judge, just enjoy the wonderful diversity of tastes, customs, habit and cultures that make up our earth.

You know, I hope there is life on other planets, because I'd love to know what THEY eat.

Oh, and Smoking Loon Merlot, at under $10 a bottle, goes great with hash made from leftover chuck roast. (I put a little IN the hash too, just for shits and giggles.)

My hash recipe (courtesy of my mother, really): chop up potatoes, onion, garlic, and leftover roast. Sauté everything but the roast in some olive oil, then add leftover gravy and enough water to liquefy so the potatoes will cook. Add salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence (or whatever herbs you like) to taste. When the potatoes are cooked, add the roast and heat through. Thicken gravy if needed.

You can throw the wine in whenever you like during the process, or just stand there and drink it. I'm not convinced it adds anything to the hash, but it makes me feel vaguely gourmet about the whole process, e.g., "I'm not just standing here drinking, I'm COOKING."

Top lavishly with ketchup (the hash, not the wine) and enjoy!

Hot Texas Summer . . .

No, I didn't eat the bird. Its bedraggled feathers and panting demeanour, in my opinion, perfectly sum up how this Dallas, Texas summer of 2011 has felt. Blistering, wiltering, overpowering heat for 70 days. It's a new record. Whoopee.

However, I enjoyed the 90 days of June, July and August, in spite of the heat. I had a new job and a new living arrangement (house, roommate). The job sucked but the cooking at my house was spectacular! I love playing off the creative instincts of another good cook who's as competitive as I am, so together and separately we cooked amazing meals. The Cooking Channel played almost constantly to keep the creative juices flowing.

Rick wins in our theoretical cooking competition, with perfect risotto handed to me at 12:40 a.m. with a glass of wine, as I dragged in from work. (I need a different job, by the way. I'm too old for this shit.) That thoughtfulness -- and the food -- revived me enough to show up for work the next day.

However, I was able to counter with an awesome Sunday al fresco lunch consisting of fresh-made coleslaw, hot bollilos grabbed as they came out of the oven at Fiesta Mart, a whole snapper and whole tilapia plucked live from the tank, cleaned and gutted at the store, and grilled over mesquite wood chips. That was a vodka/tonic, rum/juice event, appropriate for this summer.

Summer is OVER (would someone please tell the atmosphere that???) and Rick is back in cool California. He taught me to appreciate Marmite. I showed him how to eat raw oysters. We watched innumerable episodes of "Chopped," "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," and gained some weight. Good times and bad times, and lots of memories. Life is still good!

But I still need another job. Seriously.

Virgin America Airlines

Virgin America ROCKS! (Does that phrase date me? Oh, well, tough . . .) Usually I fly American Airlines to Los Angeles but this time Virgin America had a better deal, so I found myself on an airplane that, according to my knowledgeable travel companion, looked like a porno set: lavender lighting with pink/magenta side lights.

I'm blown away (not by the lights, though they WERE really pretty). Granted, I'm far removed from my international jet-setting days (would someone PLEASE offer me a job with TRAVEL???), but after the pedestrian domestic years of American Airlines, United (sorry, Terry), and Southwest (no slam, Herb, you're first and coolest for in-Texas hops), Virgin America was a breath of fresh air. I like the order-and-pay feature on the screen in front of each seat. That's GOT to be easier for the flight attendants, which probably accounts for their cheerful, helpful dispositions. On the flight to L.A., I was absolutely gobsmacked by one of them. My step-dog, a 2.4-lb. cotton coat Yorkie, was restive in his carry-on, so I sneaked him onto my lap, intending to quickly put him back in before the flight attendants would notice that he was out and scream for the U.S. Marshal. (You never know how dangerous a 10-year-old, toothless, 2.4-lb. dog can be -- ask my 55-lb. basset.) The flight attendant caught me with Littleman (yes, that's his name) on lap, and she immediately . . . gushed about how cute he was, asked to borrow him, and introduced him to the whole cabin, disappearing so far to the front that I expected to hear an announcement that Littleman was the guest pilot.

On the return flight, I am enjoying my second $6 mini-bot of Hayes Ranch In the Saddle Cabernet Sauvignon while writing this. (You knew I'd have to work wine into this somehow.) This is a good wine: strong cherry and blackberry notes, smooth finish -- I will actually seek this one out for my personal enjoyment. I'll be interested to see how much a regular size bottle is. I ordered the Protein Pack for $7. It was a grudging purchase, to mitigate the effects of Alcohol At High Altitudes, but I'd already rejected the incredibly overpriced food offerings at LAX. I made the right decision. I had a nutritious lunch of tuna, hummus, gluten-free crackers and some other crackers that were really good. I saved the Craisins and nuts for the next time I have to work until midnight or beyond. Or the next rice pilaf stuffing for the two Cornish game hens in my freezer. (I came home from work one night to find that waiting for me -- wow.)

Life is good. Pleasure is wonderful; pain also serves a purpose. It reminds us that we are alive. It spurs us on to find what gives us pleasure. You have to have sour to appreciate the sweet. It's the contrast that gives life the full well-rounded flavor of a good wine: the beginnings down to the end notes, where the fullness is savored and remembered.

And I just spilled wine on my foot. I swear, I am the CLUMSIEST blogger on the planet! But I'm BACK (at least for now).

Moral of this blog: try Virgin America -- I think you'll like it!

Unemployment Is Great . . . Except For The Pesky Money Thing

Actually, I think I was long overdue for some down time and now I'm getting it. Of course, in my fashion I'm filling up my days with job hunting, cleaning, unpacking, and admiring the flora and fauna of my new nest.

I HAVE LIZARDS!!! Big green ones, smaller brown ones with a lighter strip down their backs, and night-prowling geckos (which aren't really lizards but they kind of look alike). Yes, some of you may think "ick," but lizards remind me of my St. Croix childhood, so I feel doubly at home.

It's a new challenge because I'm cooking for two people now instead of four. Granted, there are fewer opinions and palates to consider, but "what do you want for dinner?" is unfortunately met mostly with a bored "I don't know . . ." followed by "no" to my menu suggestions. I have had a few hits, though: Beer Can Chicken last Thursday was definitely one of them. I've decided I like anything that takes about 10 minutes to prepare and then cooks by itself for an hour and a half. That left plenty of time to sit on the patio with a glass of wine and talk with a friend.

My wine tasting has been drastically curtailed due to lack of funds -- it's a luxury, not a necessity. I did, however, allow myself $6.99 for a bottle of Smoking Loon Pinot Noir. It's really pretty decent, but you have to get it to the right temperature. Reds should be served between 55-65 degrees, and whites (for the most part) between 45-55 degrees. That estimate varies based on the dryness and sweetness of the wine, of course, but suffice to say that the warm top of the refrigerator does nothing to improve the bouquet of a $6.99 bottle of red wine. Live and learn!

Sticks and Stones . . . But Mostly Sticks

I love my new house. It's the perfect size and is graced with two large trees, one in front and one in back. They provide shade, soothing sound effects when there's a breeze, and an acrobatic facility for the neighborhood squirrels.

And since it's spring in Texas, they are also providing a multitude of work. Good thing (work with me -- I'm making lemonade here!!) I'm unemployed at the moment and have time for all of this. The spring storms bring green grass, flowering plants, and a multitude of sticks and other debris from the trees.

I tackled this particular chore with logic and a deadline. Since I am a new homeowner, I have a plethora of boxes that need to be unpacked and it's all too easy to flit from one job to another and not accomplish much of anything. I am methodically taking one room at a time and arranging it to my satisfaction. True to my blog, the kitchen was the first room. I love it. It's smaller than my old one but compactly arranged so that I don't have to take more than one or two steps to move from task to task.

As for the do-it-yourself bonfire kit that the trees generously deposited in my front yard, backyard and -- just so it wouldn't feel neglected -- the pool, I allotted one hour for the front yard and one hour for the backyard and pool to see how much I could get done. (See results above.) That made the chore less onerous because I could count down until my time was up, and I accomplished a lot!

So far, after living in the house for one week and two days, we've had all sorts of home ownership type drama: no hot water (I set up an account with the gas company in advance of the move but used the wrong address); no functioning pool equipment (so far I've had to purchase a pool motor and a filter may be next); and no air conditioning (old, jammed-in filter caused the pipes to freeze). However, this is MY house and I'm loving every minute of it . . . well, maybe not the cold showers.

On the PLUS side, I love the neighborhood. It is older and graceful, with a nice mix of younger folk and retirees. I have beautiful green lizards in my yard, which remind me of my childhood in St. Croix. And the previous owners landscaped so that a new riot of flowers appears as spring meanders toward summer. It's beautiful -- scares me a little bit, though, because gardening is NOT my strong point, but perhaps I will develop an affinity for it.

Changes

King Whitney Jr. once said: "Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."

That's okay -- I don't know who King Whitney Jr. is either . . . but it's a good quote.

In the space of seven days in March, my divorce was finalized (March 15), I closed on my new house (March 21) and I got laid off (March 22). The last was not totally unexpected but pretty horrible timing. I look on all of it as a chance for new adventures. Of course, I'm actively searching for a new job, and I have a few possibilities. I'm moving into the new house this coming weekend.

Since I'm unemployed, I have new challenges to face (besides paying the mortgage). Originally, I thought the old house would be sold by now and I'd have half of the profits to furnish my new house comfortably. Unfortunately, thanks to the economy, that hasn't happened, so in addition to unemployment and a new house, I still have my half of the bills for the old house to keep up with.

As I look around at what I will be moving to the new house, it's easy to think I'll need this or that or I MUST buy this, but I've started a new game with myself: my goal is to spend NOTHING on furnishing the new house but make do with what I have. I have a lot of my parents' things (pots & pans, miscellaneous side and kitchen tables) that have been stored in the garage. I have a double bed that was in the guest room and that I will use for myself until I can afford a queen size bed. I have an inflatable bed that can be put in the guest room. I can use a laundromat until I can afford a washer/dryer, or, if I can afford a washer, I can dry clothes the old-fashioned way -- on a clothesline. (They smell better that way, anyway.)

I may not be able to afford wine for a while, but my cooking is going to get creative and, hopefully, even healthier. So join me in my new adventure, and let's see where it leads!

Wow, over a month since my last blog!

There's been a lot going on -- eating and drinking, certainly. Life continues in its inexorable forward progress with its serene and endless round of mornings, afternoons and evenings, and events fit themselves into the flow of life as threads are woven into a piece of fabric. "The fabric of our lives . . ." For those of you who know me, Chris and I filed for divorce on January 6, after 27 years of marriage. Since then I haven't felt much like writing but I do want to get back to it. I enjoy translating my thoughts into words. I haven't found particular pleasure in exploring new recipes and new wines as we have been trying to get through the mechanics of divorce, getting the house ready for sale, looking for new places to live, and trying to keep up with work and make sure our children's lives aren't too disrupted. Even though it's being done amicably, it's still pretty damned tense at times, and we are handling it with as good grace as is possible under the circumstances.

I do not regret one minute of my marriage, just as I do not regret one minute of my life. Today is the 8th anniversary of the discovery of my dad's body after his suicide two days previously, and coincidentally it is the 11th anniversary of the violent death of the beautiful daughter of a friend of mine. Tragic events, both of them, and totally unnecessary. Life has moved on but their memories will always be with us and make us who we are today. I embrace the good and the bad, learn what I can, and hope that I am a better person for the experience. It is those who move through life without learning anything from their experiences who miss out on the wonderful tapestry of life.

Yes, I have cooked tonight. I have a glass of Fleur Pinot Noir at hand and I raise it to Bill Bibbee and Bonnie Jennifer Lowe, two beautiful people who enriched the lives of all who knew them.

I'll be back with insouciance, cooking, and lovely wines. My life goes on, and I love it.

Easy Manicotti and A Great Bordeaux

Alright, the title is kind of false advertising, because I didn't actually drink the Bordeaux with the manicotti. I made flat iron steak on Saturday night and we opened a 2001 Bordeaux that had actually been allowed to age in our pantry for years. Oh my. What a lovely, delicate balance -- smooth on the palate with a subtle, sophisticated flavor. I still need training to recognize exactly what I'm tasting. If someone says "currants and black pepper" I'll be able to distinguish those flavors but can't think of what I'm tasting on my own. Yet. I am enjoying the wine-tasting experience, and I intend to learn as much as I can without ending up in rehab in the process.

Flat iron steak is really good if it's marinated. I've tried it both marinated and not, and it definitely benefits from soaking in wine or some other type of marinade. This time I mixed red wine, olive oil, garlic (of course!), fresh rosemary, and a little dry mustard, and let the steak marinate for about an hour. Then I grilled it for about 5-7 minutes each side, and it was delicious! I served it with a red wine mushroom sauce that sort of came about accidentally. I was cooking the mushrooms as I usually do, with salt, pepper, garlic, and a little white wine, when I remembered that I wanted to make a red wine sauce for the steak but it was a little late. So I dumped some red wine into the mushrooms, added a little arrowroot to thicken it and then finished by stirring a pat of butter into it. It was quite passable and received good reviews from the family.

Now on to the manicotti: last week I was bored with the usual dinners and when I saw a package of manicotti tubes at Albertson's, I bought them and tried to decide what to fill them with. I didn't want anything super-heavy on the stomach, so decided against Italian sausage or ground beef. Spinach and ricotta alone would not fly with the kids, so I thought about the package of frozen ground turkey that I'd been saving for Sloppy Joes. I browned the turkey with chopped garlic and onion, seasoned the mixture with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, added some ricotta cheese that I had left over from the last batch of lasagna and a little of the shredded six-cheese Italian blend that Albertson's sells, and stuffed the manicotti with that mixture. I WAS going to make homemade Alfredo sauce to put on top, but I was in a hurry (as usual), so just dumped spaghetti sauce on it, sprinkled more cheese on top, and shoved it in the oven for 30 minutes. It was really delicious! I was pleasantly surprised. I got a thumbs up from one kid and thumbs down from the other, which means I'll make it again and tweak it a bit to see if I can get the almost impossible thumbs up from both of them. I'm an incurable optimist.

First Wine Tasting of the New Year at Parker Wine Cellars!

The New Year started off beautifully at Parker Wine Cellars with a taste of the wines of Castoro Cellars, out of Paso Robles, California. My Aunt Mona and cousins Jane and Tom live in Paso Robles, so the name immediately brings up good feelings. Familial considerations notwithstanding, the Paso Robles area turns out wonderful wines. The last time I visited California (July 2010), I drove through the wine vineyards and marveled at the beautifully symmetrical rows of grapevines, lovingly and carefully tended.

We sampled:

2008 MUSCAT CANELLI~~ A much maligned grape over the years that when done right, can serve a great purpose. It's popularity in California is on the rise while in Texas it's grown just about everywhere. Starting with a very floral nose dominated by honeysuckle, the wine hits the palate with layers of ripe peach, honey and a touch of creme brulee. Minimal residual sugar shows some sweetness that balances with ripe fruit and very low acid. The finish is medium length even for a fairly light wine. Best served as an apertif and not a dessert style wine but would also work very well with spicy food. (MY NOTE: This was an AMAZING wine! It was lightly sweet, not syrupy or heavy. I was surprised at how much I loved it and at only $9.99, it's a real bargain.)

2008 "ZINFUSION"~~ A wonderful little wine that certainly intrigues your palate with a lot of flavor and a lot of fun. This super little wine harks back to the old style Zins that aren't overly alcoholed and hit the palate a little brighter. A blend of Zinfandel from three different vineyards, the Lojocano, Whale Rock and Shell Creek Vineyards where each one brings a different style of this finicky grape. A nose of raspberry, and earthy red plum explodes on the palate with oodles of blackberry, pepper and spicy fig that meld together seamlessly for sips of pleasure. The finish is quite lengthy and shows a balance of acid and muscle that covers the 15.3 alcohol. Not subtle and quite frankly could work well with a nice juicy Rib-eye grilled to perfection. Only 509 cases produced. (MY NOTE: I enjoy Zinfandel on occasion, but it's not my favorite wine. Zinfusion, however, got my attention and held it with its complex, bold flavors.)

2006 VENTI CINQUE ANNI~~ OK, for you non Latin types, simply put, Twenty Fifth Anniversary. A Blend of Small lots from some of the exquisite vineyards in P.R. that include 34% Zinfandel, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 9% Petit Verdot, and 9% Malbec, this big boy delivers in style. A nose of earthy dark fruits and pepper wafts through your sinuses that seems to make the palate jealous. When satiated, your palate then does a happy dance around the ripe plum, black currant, vanilla and white pepper that races up and down your tongue front to back. The finish is quite lengthy as expected and easily shows off a balance of acid and a muscled structure that tells you that it is good now, but has room to get even better. Versatile in which is is really good just enjoying on its own, but could sit quite comfortably on a dinner table of hearty food. (MY NOTE: One word: YUMMMM. This is a GREAT wine and perfect for this time of year along with a good beef stew or leg of lamb with Yorkshire pudding or, as Jeff suggests, on its own, perhaps in front of a roaring fire. It was REALLY cold today and snowed, so my mind is on the concept of keeping warm.)