Pear-Chardonnay Compote

Valentine's Day is coming up this weekend and that means that lots of guys and gals are panicking at this very moment wondering if they should do something for their significant other.

Though I'm not a super Valentiney kind of girl, my advice is to err on the side of caution and prepare something special for your sweetheart, whether that means a pint of their favorite ice cream, a bouquet of flowers or a romantic dinner date if that's more your speed.

As time has passed, the gifts that I consider thoughtful have changed some {think: 12 consecutive hours of sleep and maybe time to go get a quick pedicure}, but when in doubt, my husband knows that wine and cheese are my love languages. Add chocolate for bonus points.

A lot of times, I've found that we both get a little disoriented in the wine aisle with all the options and price points that are available. My "extensive knowledge" of wine goes as far as knowing that I like it a lot. I've told you everything I  know, folks.

But I do know that wine doesn't have to break the bank to be good. That's good news for all.

A few weeks ago I received a shipment of wine from my friends at Benson Marketing, and after doing a happy dance and getting an odd look from the delivery guy, I knew I had some "work" ahead of me. Since then, I've spent some time tasting and learning about different wines and what they go well with so that I can take out some of the guess work for you. Aren't I thoughtful?

I wish I could say I came up with the descriptions below, but they were provided for me and I was super grateful for the cheat sheet. {Also, I decided that in my next life I'm going to be a wine description writer.}

Crémant de Limoux ($12-25): Add some sparkle to the most romantic day of the year with Crémant de Limoux from the Languedoc region of Southern France. Champagne quality for Prosecco prices – there’s no better way to say “I love you.”

2012 Balletto Vineyards Brut Rosé ($42): The only thing better than bubbles for Valentine’s Day? Pink bubbles. This delicious combo of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is made in the traditional method, so you get full flavor and a fuller texture, with a crisp, lasting finish.

Picpoul de Pinet ($9-13): Picpoul goes with oysters, and we all know what oysters are good for…chill down a bottle of this light and refreshingly acidic white wine from Languedoc and see where the evening leads.

2013 Landmark Vineyards “Overlook” Chardonnay ($25): A lush, layered Chardonnay to pair with whatever you’re cooking up for a special Valentine’s Day meal, from scallops to cheese fondue.

2013 Hahn SLH Pinot Noir ($30): Pinot Noir is a sexy and silky wine, and this offering from Santa Lucia Highlands is particularly voluptuous, ready to please any palate.

2014 Balletto Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir ($20): Drink pink on Valentine’s Day with rosé made from 100% Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. But make sure to get the sweetness from your significant other, because this wine is made in a dry French style.

2013 Overlook Pinot Noir ($25): This medium-bodied Pinot Noir exhibits bright acidity with intense aromas of raspberries, red cherry, with hints of cola and mahogany. Pairs well with slow roasted pork roast, duck a l’orange, eggplant parmesan, grilled summer vegetables and aged cow’s milk cheeses.

2013 JUSTIN Cabernet Sauvignon ($27): A favorite from Paso Robles, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect go-to red for Valentine’s Day, from the winery that Wine Enthusiast named 2015 Winery of the Year.

So far, I've only had the chance to open up the Picpoul de Pinet {which I really enjoyed}, the JUSTIN Cabernet Sauvignon {which my husband and I both adored}, and the Landmark Pinot Noir {which my husband drank in place of beer for the Super Bowl. I mean, that says something.} and I can tell you this: No matter what wine you prefer, it tastes best when you're having fun and enjoying it with someone you love.

If your girl or guy happens to have the same appreciation for wine and cheese that I do, then I suggest combining the two and impressing them with this easy to make Pear-Chardonnay Compote over goat cheese. {Don't be scared, compote is just a fancy word for fruit cooked with water, sugar and spices.}

You don't have to use fancy wine for the recipe, but do make sure that you choose one that you like because the flavor intensifies as the wine cooks out. I loved how the creamy, tart goat cheese tasted with the sweet flavors of pear from both the actual fruit and the notes of the Chardonnay. Yum.

Wine and cheese may not be everybody's thing, but I hope you'll find a thoughtful way to treat your favorite person on Valentine's Day and always. :)

Pear-Chardonnay Compote 
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma 

1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored and diced
1/3 cup your favorite chardonnay {like Landmark Vineyards Overlook}
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cinnamon stick
{Optional} 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 log goat cheese
Crackers or Toasted Crostini for serving

1. Mix together all ingredients except vanilla bean paste in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the pears are softened and slightly caramelized.*

2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla bean paste if desired.

Note: I took about 1/4 of the pears and blended them to make a puree of sorts that I mixed together with the rest of the simmered pears to give it a creamier consistency. You can do this if you'd like or leave the compote as is.

Cool slightly and serve over a log of goat cheese with crackers or toasted bread.

*If the liquid evaporates before the pears are fully softened, add a few more tablespoons of wine and continue to cook until they have reached the desired consistency.

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Cauliflower Mash

I've spent the past 2 days working on baking, decorating and packaging 100 cupcakes for an event. Somehow, I keep finding myself in situations that call for inordinate amounts of baked goods to take over my tiny kitchen... and just about every surface of my living space.



When I work with sugary foods for long stretches of time, my body almost always craves nutritious meals to counteract all the sweetness. {Even if I haven't even tried one bite of whatever it is I'm making. Strange but true.}

And decadent treats have definitely been everywhere with Christmas only weeks away: At holiday gatherings, arriving in the mail and, of course, being cranked out of my own kitchen!

Last week I was craving something warm and comforting {even though it's a billion degrees here}, but still wanted to make sure there was some healthy goodness involved.

I had a huge head of cauliflower without any particular purpose just hanging out in the fridge, so I boiled it up, gave it a whir in the blender and tucked into a big bowl of the result. Satisfied, but wanting to experiment with jazzing up the flavor, I bought another head of cauliflower that weekend and tried a new version, blending in some caramelized onions and goat cheese as well.

It was so good!

This would make such a great side dish for a special dinner or a regular weeknight. To be honest, I ate an enormous bowl of this and this alone and was perfectly happy!

It's thicker than soup but a little thinner than mashed potatoes with a bit of tang from the goat cheese and a slight sweetness from the caramelized onions. In fact, if someone didn't know any better they might actually think it is mashed potatoes. Silky smooth, creamy and filling. And it's pretty healthy, too!

When you're sick of staring at cookies and cupcakes and frosting {I know it's hard to believe, but it happens}, switch gears with this super easy dish.

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Mash

1 head cauliflower, florets separated
1 medium onion, sliced
1/4 cup goat cheese*
Olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop in cauliflower and boil for about 15 minutes or until very tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and a sprinkle of salt. Cook until very tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes. {If the pan starts getting dry, use a bit of water or chick broth to deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits up from the bottom.}

3. When the cauliflower is tender, drain and place in a blender. Add goat cheese, caramelized onions and about 2 teaspoons olive oil and blend until smooth. Season to taste.

4. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with extra goat cheese and caramelized onions if desired.

Serve immediately.

* I know not everyone cares for goat cheese... I'm fairly certain this would work just as well with your favorite cheese. :)

Spring Cleaning

Saturday afternoon I spent forever some time sitting cross-legged in my garage going through boxes that I've been putting off sorting through for years. {Check out TKP's Facebook page to see a picture of how I lured the husband into helping...}

Organizing and spring cleaning takes me forever and a day because I tend to start reminiscing as I go through each piece. {Not to mention, it starts to bring out hoarding tendencies that I never even knew I had.}

So, after hours of sifting through "vintage finds", I called it a day and retreated to the comfort of my couch where I rewarded myself with browsing hundreds of posts that have been accumulating in my Google Reader, and pinning about a bajillion things that I'm dying to try.

Oddly enough, the recipe I'm sharing with you isn't one of those, but rather, it's inspired by one I found in an old {Circa 2001} Weight Watchers magazine I found in a box that hadn't been opened for about 7 years.

Guess all that sifting was worth it after all.

This particular magazine was not exactly filled with gems {I'm not a huge fan of recipes that start with "Open 1 bag of instant mashed potatoes."...}, but I did flip through and find a few recipes that looked interesting or could be modified to fit my personal meal ideals.

This recipe was originally "Bean-Goat Cheese Tostadas with Tomato Mango Salsa". But guess what? The hubs and I spend our Sunday kayaking in the gorgeous sunshine instead of tending to errands such as grocery shopping, so we didn't have a mango on hand. We did, however, have some nectarines that have been hanging around waiting to be used or eaten... problem solved.

So, I present to you... Pinto Bean & Goat Cheese Tostadas topped with Nectarine Salsa. An eclectic combo, I know, but fantastically good!

Don't be scared, that's just a nectarine!

If garage cleaning can inspire such yummy things, I may just have to start doing it more often. :)

Pinto Bean & Goat Cheese Tostadas
Inspired by Weight Watchers Magazine - Down to Earth

5-6 corn tortillas
non-stick cooking spray
1 can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 lime {juice divided}
goat cheese {or, if you're not a fan, your favorite crumbly cheese. Queso fresco maybe?}


Nectarine Salsa

1-2 nectarines, pitted & diced
2 small plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 {approx}of a white onion, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon honey
juice from half a lime
sea salt

For Tostadas:

Prehead oven to 350 degrees. On a large sheet pan, spread out corn tortillas so that they are not overlapping. Give them a light spray with cooking spray, or alternately, bruch lightly with a coat of olive oil. Bake until lightly golden and edges begin to get wavy, 10-12 minutes. {But keep an eye on them just in case.} Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. {They'll get crunchier during this time.}

Meanwhile, place rinsed pinto beans in a medium bowl. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, and the juice from half a lime. Mash with a fork until desired consistency is reached. Set aside.

For Salsa:

In another bowl, combine diced nectarine, tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, honey, a sprinkle of sea salt and juice from the remaining half of a lime. Combine well.

To assemble:

Spread a few tablespoons of pinto bean mixture onto each tostada. {You may want to heat up the beans for a minute in the microwave if you prefer them warm.} Top with nectarine salsa, and sprinkle with goat cheese.

Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

Memories & Mangoes

Mangoes bring back vivid memories to me of playing in Abuela's {grandma's} backyard every summer. The mango tree that stood smack in the middle of the yard served many purposes: a shady refuge from the hot Florida sun, "base" during a game of tag with neighborhood friends, and most importantly for my grandma, the source of sweet, juicy mangoes.

When that time of year came around, the yard would be littered with mangoes. So many, in fact, that we'd walk around on our tippy toes as not to step in the squishy, rotting, sticky landmines.  They'd drop from above with a hard thump all day long, like the tree had it in for us. The thump was a loud warning: Beware. Stay away. The mangos are coming for you, and the thump is even louder when it hits you over the head, kid.  It was mango warfare.

To Abuela though, the thumps were like a knock at the door, an invitation to pick up as many as we could take inside and start the Mango Feast. I remember her eating mangoes over the sink, juice dripping all the way down to her elbows until there was nothing left but a big, sticky seed with it's fuzz all matted down like a little yellow kitten that had just been given a bath by its mama. Her housecoat would be dotted with faint orange speckles that wouldn't wash out. Even her fingernails would be slightly stained orange underneath where the pulp would stubbornly lodge itself.

And then, when everyone had had their fill of fresh mangoes - when they'd been distributed to friends and neighbors in bulging Publix bags, and somehow the tree branches weren't any less bare, still dripping ripe red and orange fruits like someone forgot to turn off the faucet - the cooking would begin.

Mango jelly. Mango jam. Mango desserts. Mango bubbling and stewing on the hot stove and permeating the air with a sickeningly sweet aroma. That's where I decided that if I had a choice, I'd never eat another mango as long as I lived. {A bit dramatic for an 8 year old, you think?} I'd had enough of mangoes.

Until this week. No, really. I can't remember the last time I purposely ate mango. {It may have snuck its way into a sip of smoothie or some form of dessert here and there throughout the years, but I promise, I didn't knowingly choose to eat it.} I was browsing one of my many issues of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food {don't you love the portable size of these?? I carry them everywhere.} and came across a non-recipe recipe for Goat Cheese and Mango Quesadillas. The adult in me thought, "Mmm, that sounds good.", but the bratty child within shouted "Ewww. Mangoes!!! Bleh!". Still, I dogeared the page.

After giving it some thought, I figured I would buy ONE mango, just one. And in the event that the smell made me gag and I couldn't bring myself to put it in my quesadilla, I would save it for Steve to throw into one of his smoothies. It wouldn't go to waste. 

When I cut into the mango, the memories came flooding back with the smell, but I wasn't disgusted. I was kind of nostalgic, in fact. And the taste of the mango in my quesadilla was a perfect addition for adding a touch of sweetness {both literally and figuratively} to each savory bite.

 

Maybe this quesadilla won't transport you back to childhood, but it'll certainly serve as a light lunch or snack that signals the arrival of summer. That alone will be enough to appeal to the 8 year old within. ;)

Goat Cheese & Mango Quesadillas
adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

You'll Need:

• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature
• 6 whole-wheat tortillas (6-inch)
• 1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. Spread goat cheese on tortillas. Divide mango, onion, and cilantro on one half of each tortilla. Fold tortilla over filling. {alternatively, if you're really hungry, you can use 2 whole tortillas and just put one on top of the other.}
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high. Working in batches, cook quesadillas until cheese softens and tortillas are crisp and browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes per side (if skillet begins to scorch, reduce heat to medium). Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and cut each into 4 wedges. Serve immediately.

Just Another Meatless Monday

Last weekend when we went grocery shopping I noticed a theme in my husband's contributions to our shopping cart - veggies. Lots and lots of veggies. Brussels sprouts, zucchini, kale, stringbeans, corn, carrots and even a big package of wheatgrass. {Ok, maybe wheatgrass isn't a veggie... but it's a plant and it's green. Close enough.}

We are no strangers to veggies here. In fact, it's been noted by various Publix cashiers that we are very healthy eaters. :) But every once in a while Steve will turn it up a notch for a week or two, and I, by association, will be forced to go along for the ride. It does, however, take a little more thinking on my part to come up with creative meals despite all the restrictions. (i.e. No wheat, dairy, meat or anything else that is remotely delicious unhealthy.)

Luckily, I just so happened to receive a recipe from Real Simple with a tasty looking recipe for Pappardelle with Swiss Chard, Onion, and Goat Cheese. Too bad that 2 of the 4 main ingredients the recipe called for were part of the "food to avoid" list for this week...

But then, in a flash of pure genius {at least it felt pretty genius at the end of a looong day}, I knew exactly how to solve my dilemma: Zucchini "Pasta"! I had seen this done before in a few different recipes but hadn't ever tried it, so I pulled out my trusty Titan Peeler Julienne Tool and started peeling away.

I have to tell you, I was quite impressed with the results! It was a nice change to our normal Quinoa Pasta routine and Steve & I both liked the dish, which is always a plus since I sometimes struggle with forcing myself to eat certain veggies that I do not find enjoyable {unlike my husband, AKA "The Man Who Will Happily Eat Cardboard Flavored Food for Health Purposes}. ;)

I ended up making it without the goat cheese, set Steve's plate aside, then added a little goat cheese to mine for some extra zing & creaminess. Delish.

The best part about this type of recipe is that you could probably toss in any veggies, herbs, or additional ingredients you like and it would be just as good, maybe even better. Give it a try!

Zucchini "Pasta" with Kale, Onion, and Goat Cheese
Adapted from Real Simple.com


The goat cheese mountain is optional. ;)


You'll Need:

2 medium zucchini, julienned or cut into thin ribbons using a mandolin
1 small bunch of kale, stems removed (I used about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 an onion (white or red)
4 ounces goat cheese
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the kale, sprinkle mixture with salt and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes more or until kale begins to wilt a bit.

2. Add zucchini ribbons to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until tender and "pasta"ish.

3. Add goat cheese to mixture and toss until cheese begins to melt and coats zucchini. If it is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to help create a sauce.

Serve hot and enjoy!