SWEET CAROLINA FRUIT INFUSED WINE SMASH

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• 2½ cups Sweet Carolina Raspberry Infused Wine
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 1/3 can frozen Pink Lemonade
• ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Put all ingredients into blender, and purée until smooth. 

Can substitute Sweet Carolina Blueberry Infused Wine and change frozen fruit to frozen peaches or pineapple. 

For a more tart drink cut back wine to only 2 cups. 

Use fresh fruit for a more lively drink; frozen fruit adds thickness. 

Can’t you just see yourself on the porch with this libation? 

Aloha Punch

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Recipe from Wine Cocktails by A.J. Rathbun Ingredients:

• Cracked Ice
• One bottle of Chatham Hill Rubio
• 8 oz fresh pineapple juice
• 4 oz fresh lime juice
• 4 oz fresh orange juice
• 2 liters chilled ginger ale
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• 1 orange cut into slices

How To:1)      Add ice to punch bowl2)      Add Chatham Hill Rubio and fruit juices. Stir briefly3)      Add ginger ale and stir. Drop n the lime wedges and orange slice and stir. 4)      Serve and Enjoy!

Bishop

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Recipe from Wine Cocktails by A.J. Rathbun
Ingredients:

• 4 lemon wheels
• 3 oz of simple syrup
• Ice cubes
• 4 oz rum
• 8 oz of Chatham Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
• Lemon slices for garnish

How To:1)      Combine the lemon wheels and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Muddle well.2)      Fill the shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add the rum. Shake well.3)      Add a few ice cubes to wine glasses. Strain mix over the ice.4)      Top of each glass with 2 oz of Chatham Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. 5)      Garnish with lemon slices and serve.

Article by Anna Marie Jehorek of Raleigh Outdoor Travel Examiner

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This is a link to the original article.
Written By: Anna Marie Jehorek

Did you know before Prohibition North Carolina was the country's largestproducer of wine?

Did you know there are 110 wineries in the Tar Heel State?

These are a couple interesting facts learned on a visit to Chatham HillWinery at 3800 Gateway Centre Boulevard in Cary/Morrisville.

When thinking of a winery one typically envisions rolling hills filled withgrapevines in a picturesque setting. However, there's a growing trend in thecountry changing that perception. As Marek Wojciechowski, owner and wine makerat Chatham Hill Winery will tell you, “what's important about wine making iswhere the grapes are grown, not where the wine is made.”

View slideshow:Chatham Hill - An Urban Winery in the Heart of Carolina
Since 1999 Chatham Hill, North Carolina's first UrbanWinery, has been making and distributing award-winning wines. Situated aquarter mile off of Interstate-40 in the GatewayCentre Office Park, it's here in this “urban” setting Wojciechowskihandcrafts fine wines from “carefully chosen independent vineyards in North Carolina andbeyond.”

The majority of grapes used at Chatham Hill are grown in the western portionof the state in the Yadkin Valley. With warm daysand cool nights, the temperature fluctuation makes grapes grown in the Yadkin Valleyideal for creating Chatham Hill's varietal wines.

Prior to wine making, Wojciechowski and his wife Jill Winkler worked in themedical industry. Their scientific backgrounds were a huge asset when theyturned their favorite hobby into a profession. Wine making is a scientific artand Wojciechowski's knowledge is key to Chatham Hill's success.

Great pride and effort goes into crafting superior wines with definition,complexity and distinctive flavors. Standing amongst the oak barrels,Wojciechowski chuckles as he recounts stories of people in blind taste testschoosing his North Carolinawines over wines from around the world.

Perhaps best known for their Chardonnay and Cabernet, Chatham Hill has anexpanding following of aficionados. The winery produces 6000 cases per year andcan be found in local grocery stores, wine shops and restaurants. They alsohave a thriving wine club and on line sales.

Upon entering visitors are greeted by friendly faces welcoming guests withtheir enthusiasm and passion for food and fine wine. The wine, art work andchic setting make this an “unexpected wine experience.” The tasting room isopen Monday through Friday from 11:00 to 5:00, Saturday 11:00 to 6:00 andSunday 1:00 to 5:00. Tours are held Monday through Friday at 12:30 and 3:30,Saturdays at 1:00, 3:00 and 4:30 and Sundays at 2:00.

In addition to tastings, Chatham Hill hosts wine events. Each month featuresa full calendar of happenings including Wine and Cheese Pairings, Wine andChocolate, Women who Wine and more. Private events are also held at ChathamHill. As their website states, by day Chatham Hill is an urban winery but atnight it transforms into “the most unique event venue in town.”

If you're looking for an “out of the ordinary” location for a corporatefunction, a wedding or a holiday party – Chatham Hill promises an unforgettableevening. They'll even personalize wine labels to commemorate your specialevent.

Chatham Hill not only promotes the North Carolina wine industry and local businesses, it alsoraises funds for Operation Home Front, a non-profit organization supporting ourtroops by helping families while soldiers are deployed.

They say every wine has a story and the story behind Chatham Hill's wine isa fascinating narrative of a flourishing winery in the Heart of Carolina. AsWojciechowski says, “The gateway to North Carolinawine country is only minutes from Raleigh Durham International Airport.”

Wine Cooler Recipe

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Who doesn't have fond memories of sipping on wine coolers in the summer? We have the perfect recipe to recreate-or to try for the first time-the classic 80's staple: the Wine Cooler. Plus it's pretty easy!




What you need:

4 oz of Chatham Hill Chardonnay (for something a little sweeter, try one of our Sweet Carolina Fruit-infused wines)
6 oz of lemon/lime soda
1/2 oz of grapefruit juice
1/2 oz  pineapple juice
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 lemon juice

What to do:

1) Mix juices together
2) Pour wine into tall wine glass and top with lemon/lime soda
3) Add juice mixture
4) pop your collar, put on your Ray-Bans, and enjoy!

Seafood Orechiette with Garlic Chips

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I'm not sure if I've overlooked orechiette in the local grocery stores, or if I lucked out when I recently found it at ArtMart. Nonetheless, I was eager to try this pasta that I've never cooked with before.




Seafood Orechiette with Garlic Chips

Garlic Chips: Slice cloves of garlic as thin as you can. Fry on medium heat in a pat or two of butter until they crisp up and remove to paper towel. These will keep, to sprinkle on other italian and asian dishes.

Seafood Orichiette:

1/2 lb shrimp
1 lb bay scallops
1 to 1-1/2 c. fish stock (I used fish boullion)
garlic
olive oil
1/2 c. fresh curly parsley, minced (reserve some for garnishing)

Saute minced garlic in olive oil until it begins to brown.

Add shrimp and scallops and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add about 1 cup of the fish stock, and the parsley. Simmer until stock reduces and thickens, add extra stock as necessary. I put a teaspoon of cornstarch into the last 1/2 cup of broth, to thicken the sauce before serving.

Toss sauce over cooked orechiette pasta, and garnish with fresh parsley and garlic chips.

Brussels Sprouts

The brussels sprouts are sliced as thinly as possible, and sauted for a minute or so in olive oil and minced garlic. Serve them just as they warm through, so they're still crunchy & nutty, and not wilted. If you like, a splash of fresh lemon is good on these also.

Giving LeCreuset a Run for the Money: Crofton Enameled Cast Iron pans

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For all of the cooking that we do, I'm embarrassed to admit that I do not have a decent set of pans. Good knives, cutting boards, baking stones, a plethora of gadgets and lots of good ingredients, but my pans are an abomination to cooks everywhere.

Tsk. I'm working on that. As we work on building our new kitchen, we dream about the pans we'll buy, possibly one-by-one until we have a respectable set. Some good anodized Calphalon pans, perhaps.

I drool over LeCreuset enameled cast iron pans. I recently nearly flipped when I read that I'd missed out on a vintage set at the Habitat for Humanity store on University Avenue. Still, I imagine that even if I had gotten to them first, I'd have have been unable to afford even the used set.

It's good though, because look what the cast iron pan fairy left me this weekend:


My sister actually left that enameled cast iron grill pan in my car this weekend. She knows my pans suck, and decided to get my collection started. She told me where she bought that pan, and that there were others to add to my collection, if I was interested.

You won't believe this:

Aldi's!

Yes, our local discount grocery has a series of Crofton brand, enameled cast iron pans, and they're on sale this week. When she told me this, I went immediately to Aldi, and bought the 5-quart dutch oven to match the skillet.

I've done a bit of research on the Crofton pans, and the reports are positive. No warping, no chipping of enamel; everyone seems pretty darn pleased with their Crofton cookware.

LeCreuset 5-quart Dutch oven: $200.75

Crofton 5-quart Dutch oven: $29.99

My initial review, after cooking up one batch of vegetable soup and 1 good winter steak (summer steaks are on the grill, you know): Love them. They heated evenly, and cleaned up like a dream. Be forewarned that they're heavy and require some care and strength to manipulate. I imagine myself giving them away when I'm a little old lady, but I can get a lot of good cooking in between now and then.

Aldi's only has the set in red. I love the red myself, but if you're collecting another color, you're out of luck.

Next blog: My latest food lesson: How to cook a great steak in a cast iron pan.

Food Buzz 24-24-24

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I was blessed with an invitation, on Saturday night, to join some local food bloggers for dinner at The Apple Dumplin, in Urbana.

FoodBuzz held a contest: 24 bloggers from 24 cities joined to cook or eat out, and then blog about their event, within the same 24 hours. Champaign's own Lisa Morgan of Champaign Taste, was one of the bloggers chosen to participate.

Lisa's theme was "Comfort Food on the Prairie," and she invited local food bloggers to join her in the eating of the Midwestern comfort food, and to discuss that entailed, to us.

I was thrilled to be invited to come along for the event, and to meet other local bloggers. I addition to great Midwestern fare at the Apple Dumplin, I left the meal smiling over how much we covered, conversationally, in 2.5 hours we were there.

We all seemed to grow up from different regions, so our "definition" of comfort food varied a great deal. We discussed Thanksgiving dinners: Homemade noodles on mashed potatoes in some households was unheard of, while it was as important as the pumpkin pie in others. Some of the guests there had never eaten a homemade noodle, and we laughed when one asked the waitress what the difference was between a biscuit and a roll.

We talked about cooking. About our Mother's cooking: "Doesn't everyone think their mother was a fantastic cook, though," Lisa asked. A few of us shook our heads NO, and I was "forced" to regale the table with tales of my mother's soup that my sister and I entitled "Garbage Soup."

We discussed baking, and desserts, and Kitchen-aid mixers. The layouts of our kitchen, and the layout of our dream kitchens. We talked about catering, and restaurants.

It was great fun, and very interesting. I left surprised at how much I learned in the course of the evening, and how we actually stuck to topic. You know...how you go to a book club and no one ever really discusses the book? Perhaps I was expecting a bit more of that.

Oh, we also talked about food photography. For an example of everything done wrong there, here's a photo of the final course of the evening: An Apple Dumplin:



Tsk. White balance is off, who put that shrimp tail on that butter thing, and seriously, clean that spot of caramel off of the edge of the bowl. Presentation is everything.

Or not. I'm sure the lousy photography isn't deterring you from realizing how yummy that dessert is. Be ready to split one, I could only eat half, and packing up the melted ice cream to take the other half to Clint didn't sound appetizing.

This blog has lately been more of a holding place for my recipes for my own personal reference. Lisa has lately motivated me to post here, more often, and was kind enough to include me as a "food blogger" for this event.

I'm going to try to update it so it's a "proper" Food Blog, and make Lisa proud.

Barley with Creamy Sundried Tomato Sauce

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Since we visited the Iron Barley Restaurant in St. Louis on New Year's Eve, and Clint and I have been experimenting with barley in our cooking. It was served to us on that evening in so many different formats—smoked with tomatoes, in an orzo dish, as a salad—that our eyes were really opened to what a versatile whole grain it is.

I tried to replicate the sundried tomato barley that came with Clint's oak-roasted prime rib, at the restaurant. I didn't even come close, but what I did "invent" was delicious.

(I went the "low-fat" route on this recipe, and used fat-free Half & Half, and low-fat mozzarella.)

Barley with Creamy Sundried Tomato Sauce

*Cook barley separately, and set aside. (See Notes on Barley, at the end of this recipe.)

Onion, chopped
Garlic, chopped
1 portabello mushroom cap, cubed
sundried tomatoes (I used tomatoes packed in oil)
parsley (I used curley)
splash of red wine, if desired
1 c. Half & Half
1/4 c. mozzarella
Parmesan cheese


Saute onion, garlic and mushroom in a little olive oil. Add the tomatoes and parsley, and a splash of red wine, if desired. Cook down til wine reduces.


Stir in the cream and cheeses. Simmer and stir on low until cheeses melt, and sauce thickens .



At this point, I just stir in barley until I find a nice ratio of vegetables to grain. I prefer my dishes to be a little heavier on the veggies and sauce.

Not a gorgeous photo of the finished side dish above, I know, but it tasted mahhhvehlous, dahlink. Give it a try, adjust your veggies and sauces, and let me know how yours turns out!


A Few Notes on Barley

There are different levels of processed barley. I'll just give a quick rundown; if you want more info, click here.

Quick (Pearled) Barley cooks in 10 minutes. It's processed, has outer hulls stripped off, and cooks faster, but it's not as good for you as hulled barley. Think instant/white rice v. brown rice, or instant v. steel cut oats. The 10-minute stuff is fine, but I'm out for high-fiber and more nutrition, and prefer hulled.

I found two different types of Hulled Barley at Strawberry Fields. It is much cheaper than the boxed quick barley, at $1.59 lb. Read the bins! One type of barley takes 45 minutes to cook, while there's another that requires an overnight soaking. I plan most of my meals on the fly, and an overnight soaking doesn't work. I get the 45-minute stuff.

Red Beans 'n Rice

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I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.

Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.

I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.

Bruce delivered!

1 lb red beans—soak overnight.

Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.

Add:

2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water

Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.

Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.

This really hits the spot!

Low-Fat Caesar Salad Dressing

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As of late I've been following Weight Watchers diet program, and I'm only going to tell you that once. I'm continuing to cook and eat good food—not diet food. That said, my future recipes may have a bit of a spin on them. Perhaps the original recipe, and how I prepared it, or what I substituted to make it "healthier."

On salad dressings, then: I haven't met a bottled, low-cal, low-fat salad dressing that I can tolerate yet, and I've tried them all. The ranches, and the vinaigrettes, and the no-calorie spritzes. I use salsa on mexican salads, a splash of balsamic on others. But I wanted a good, delicous dressing that didn't run ramshod over my beautiful salad, transforming it into merely "tolerable." Here's what I came up with:

Low-Fat Caesar Salad Dressing

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 t. anchovy paste
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup of low-fat mayo (I used the type made with olive oil)
• splash of worcestershire sauce
• juice from 1/2 lemon

Mix all of these ingredients together, and stir in:

• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Voila! It's garlicy and tangy and delicious.

This dressing, obviously, is not without calories. I calculate about 68 calories per tablespoon, but a tablespoon goes a long way if you toss the salad in the dressing to coat. With all of the other powerful flavors in the dressing, it might be ok if made with fat-free mayo also.

POM Pomegranate Martini

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I was contacted a few weeks ago by the POM Pomegranate Juice staff. They were apparently targeting food bloggers, and offered me a free case of Pomegranate Juice. That was it, just "you want some juice?" No stipulations about writing about it or sharing it or cooking with it. Just take it!

Alrighty! After scrutinizing the fine print, I gave them my mailing address. Yay, free juice, coming my way! It was just a few days before the case arrived on my porch, with a little cold pack inside of the box, along with 8 of these cuties:


I don't, actually drink a lot of fruit juice; it's so often chockful of sugar and calories that I steer away from it. When I do drink it, it's usually a splash in a glass of club soda, or Mendota Springs Sparkling Water.

The POM juice is enticing though. My box came with some literature about its benefits, and I, of course, surfed around the net for sources outside the POM company that would back up the claims they make regarding cardiovascular health, antioxidant potency, and prostate health (of which I am currently fine). Remember when my research for wheatgrass benefits turned up "unsubstantiated claims" over and again? Not so for the beneifit of the Pomegranate. Seems like it's a legitimate superfood—like spinach, only not.

Lisa, at Champaign Taste also accepted an offer for free POM juice, and she challenged me to a Pomegranate Cocktail Throwdown. That juice is entirely too healthy for us. Let's add booze.

I surfed around and compared different recipes, and came up with a possible version of a Pomegranate Martini. For my assignment. My project.

Then I gave the recipe to Clint, and said "you have to make a martini for my blog project. Here's the recipe." Seriously, he just mixes a better drink than I do. He can shake the shaker with more strength, or something. His drinks always come out with actual ice crystals on top. He was clearly the man to execute my project.

Staging:


Pomegranate Martini

2 oz. vodka
4 oz. POM pomegranate juice
juice of 1/2 lime
2 Tablespoons simple syrup*
1/3 oz. Triple Sec (or, more than 1/4, but less than 1/2)
lemon for garnish

Shake it up!

For a sweet treat, run the edge of a lemon around a chilled martini glass first, then roll it in sugar. Pour:



Add a twist of lemon:


Then give it here, and let me drink it. This is one very yummy beverage. For a fruit drink, it's not too sweet; the POM is a little tart, and the lime takes the edge off of the other sweet ingredients. It's like a liquid sweet-tart!

I really like the POM juice in any form I drank it: straight up, as a spritzer, and in the martini.

I have to be honest, though, and say that I find the stuff a little pricey, at $3.99 (and more) for 16 oz.

On the other hand, my research showed that POM was much cheaper than most other brands of pomegranate juice:

Yes, that is $1.50 off of the regular price of a 32-oz. bottle; it's normally $12.99. In comparison, $6.50 for 16 ounces, twice what POM costs.

POM wins hands down on the price competition. It's good stuff, and good for you.

I don't want to bite the hand that feeds me (or gives me free juice) but honestly, pomegranate juice by any brand isn't very family-friendly. If you drink 8 oz. a day, every day, to get the benefits stated in the literature, you're looking at a $60 monthly juice habit.

Uh, for just you.

Want to give it to your husband and kids too?

My friend Frugal Mom would be looking at $300 a monthly POM bill if everyone in her household had 8 oz. a day of it. Judging from her screenname, I doubt she'll go for it.

I wonder if the POM people can do something about that?

That said, I'd still opt for the POM juice over a $4.50 cup of Starbucks tea, or be willing to put back a (one, just one!) bottle of wine and take home a couple bottles of the healthier POM instead.

It's an "occasional" drink.

And realllly good in a martini.

*Simple syrup: Water and sugar, 1:1 ratio: boil until sugar dissolves, set aside and let cool. Voila! Liquid sugar!

**I'll let you know when Lisa posts her cocktail!

Moroccan Pot Roast

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Clint and I both loved this recipe, found on myrecipe.com. I made it with beef the first time we made it, then again when a friend had a venison roast that had to be cooked up. I still think it would be best made with lamb, and will try it next time (when I'll also be sure to take photos).

Though I used the same ingredients, I deviated somewhat from the "preparation" that was listed on the website.

I served this dish, meat and vegetables, spooned over couscous.

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (2-pound) chuck roast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 yellow onions, chopped
6 carrots, chopped (about 1 pound)

2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons ground paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 (32-ounce) box low-sodium beef broth (any broth, in a pinch)
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Sprinkle each roast with sea salt and pepper, sear about 4 minutes per side. Set aside, into a small roasting pan.

2. Add onion, carrot, and garlic to pan, and cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Combine paprika, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl; add to vegetables, and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 more minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to the same pan as the beef, and add broth. Cover and bake 2-3 hours* until fork-tender.

When beef is done, remove to platter, to slice.

Skim fat from vegetables if necessary. Add chickpeas to liquid, and place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are warm. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Spoon over couscous, rice, or eat as is!

**I cooked this in a clay roaster, which uses a highter temperature, and less cooking time, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Red Beans 'n Rice

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I recently had a hankerin' for some down-home, to-die-for, simmer-all-day-long, kick-yer-butt beans and rice. I perused cookbooks and settled on a recipe: Salt pork, tomato sauce, crockpot.

Blyech! I ended up with a giant pot of bland beans to serve over over bland rice.

I grumbled about it on Facebook, and it paid off BIG time. My friend Carla is thankfully on good terms with her ex (my friend also), Bruce. Cajun Bruce! Misplaced-in-the-Midwest Bruce.

Bruce delivered!

1 lb red beans—soak overnight.

Disgard water and add beans to crockpot.

Add:

2 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped onion
1-2 green peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves (a must!)
2 (at least!) cloves of fresh garlic
salt
water

Let it cook all day with plenty of liquid, until, as Bruce says, "everything breaks up into a sludge of unidentifiable ingredients." Add smoked sausage and simmer a little longer.

Serve over rice with shallots/green onions and Louisiana red sauce or Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning.

This really hits the spot!

Grilled Asparagus

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I'm months behind, and just finding time to post last summer's favorite recipes. Actually Grilled Asparagus doesn't take much of a recipe, as the ingredients are minimal and rather thrown together, but that's part of what makes it so lovely.

Choosing your asparagus for grilling can be a bit tricky. Larger asparagus can be a bit stringy and unpalettable, but if you choose very young, skinny stalks, you'd better be prepared to watch the grill very carefully, or you end up with match sticks.

Asparagus
Olive Oil
Fresh garlic
Sea Salt

Toss or brush the asparagus with the above ingredients, and place them on the grill. Turn them often until they're brown and just before they're crisping up, pull and serve. I've found that I can convince even Asparagus Naysayers to come to my side if I grill it!