Apple Sangria

This fall, I’ve been obsessed with apples and have been enjoying them more than I ever have before. I’ve found myself trying to incorporate them into as many different recipes as possible, but this recipe for Apple Sangria might just be the best idea I’ve had yet. I created this recipe two weeks ago for Thanksgiving dinner at my sister-in-laws house. Most guests would typically show up with dessert or an appy to share, but not me. I’m the family member that shows up with three jugs of sangria. Some would argue that that might make me the favourite 😉 I brought a tomato zucchini casserole to share, as well, but the sangria was the star for sure.

Typically from Spain or Portugal, sangria is usually made with red wine, a sweetener, cut up fruit and finished with a splash of brandy. For this recipe, I decided to use the same basic method, but used white wine instead. I also added a couple little extras to change things up a bit. When you go to make this (and I promise, you’ll want to) you don’t need to spend a lot on the bottle of wine. You’re going to be playing around with it, so just choose something that’s inexpensive, but that you still enjoy the taste of. Also, sangria takes time to allow the flavours to blend together. I like to leave it for at least 24 hours, but 48 hours is even better. I hope you enjoy it 🙂

2 apples, sliced

1 handful of fresh sage

1 bottle of white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)

1 Cup apple juice

1 oz brandy

1 Cup sparkling wine

In a large pitcher, toss in the apples and sage. Add the white wine and apple juice and gently stir it all together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Just before serving, gently stir in the brandy and sparkling wine.

This week I’ll be sharing this recipe at the Fiesta Friday blog party and Fabulous Foodie Fridays. Join me in checking out some truly delicious recipes.

 

Goat cheese and mushroom Tart

 

Goat cheese and mushroom tart

Goat cheese and mushrooms are two of my very favourite ingredients. I like them anytime, anywhere, in almost any combination. I love them so much that I’m actually a little surprised that I haven’t posted a recipe using them together, before now.

In my post last week, I mentioned that we had spent a week relaxing at our family cabin. Since the entire idea behind a vacation at the cabin is to relax, I usually spend some of my time working on a new recipe or two. That might sound odd to some people, but for me, being in the kitchen, creating something new and yummy is one of my favourite ways to relax. Especially with some music playing and my husband occupying the kids. Oh, and how could I forget, a glass of wine to sip on while I work away.

As far as wine goes, I tend to be a red wine kinda girl. In this case, however, I felt like this recipe was a bit too rich for red. I chose instead to sip on a delightful Sauvignon Blanc from Serendipity Winery. It was fresh and light, which was perfect for balancing out the richness of this goat cheese and mushroom tart.

Serendipity Winery 2013 Sauvignon Blanc

All in all, I would say this recipe completely sums up my idea of a perfect, relaxing day. I hope you enjoy it!

397g package of frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 oz cream cheese, softened

2 oz goat cheese

1 tbsp garlic chives

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 (14g) package of dried porcini mushrooms

1 Cup portabello mushrooms, sliced and then halved

1 large shallot, minced

4 pieces of asparagus, trimmed

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Start by re-hydrating the porcini mushrooms according to their package directions.

While the mushrooms are re-hydrating, roll out the puff pastry to form a rectangle that’s about 10″x12″. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.

Blend together the cream cheese, goat cheese and chives. Gently spread the mixture evenly over the puff pastry.

Once the porcinis are ready, heat the butter and olive oil together in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until just starting to sweat. Add the portobello mushrooms, cook for a just a few minutes, then add in the porcinis. Continue cooking for a couple minutes longer until the mushrooms are tender. Season with salt.

Evenly spread the mushroom mixture over the cheese and pastry. Top with the asparagus, cutting it into smaller pieces if you like.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the crust is golden and flaky.

 

Grilled Halibut with Blueberry Sauce

Grilled Halibut with Blueberry Sauce

Growing up, I remember heading to the strawberry patch or blueberry fields to pick blueberries with my mom and her friend. It was a great summer tradition that always resulted it several jars of homemade jam. Although I’ve only made jam once or twice, berry picking is a tradition I’ve continued with my own kids. My seven year old is very particular when picking blueberries, picking only the biggest juiciest looking berries, while my four year old splits her time between the rest of Continue reading →

Wine Poached Chicken

Wine Poached Chicken

Please forgive me if I ramble a bit in this post. You see, the thing is, I’m heading to Vegas in a couple days and I’m feeling a little stressed about all the things that have to get done before I go, including packing for myself, nagging my husband to start packing his suitcase and packing for my two kids who are going to be staying with their grandparents. Woohoo!  A  lot of people would probably put their blog on the back burner for a few days, but I try to keep on a regular schedule with it and nothing bothers me more than having my schedule interrupted. My type A personality really shines through in moments like this 😉 As for the recipe, it’s one I’ve had in my little pink book for quite a while. The only reason I haven’t posted it because I wasn’t entirely pleased with the picture, but the recipe itself is delicious. And it’s really a combination of two of my favourite flavours; wine and lemon. I’m not sure that wine would be considered a flavour in itself, but it does add a lot of flavour to whatever you’re cooking. I love to add it to just about any recipe I can. Aside from the flavour addition, it justifies opening a bottle of wine any night of the week. It’s a win-win, really. But enough with the wine, let’s get to the lemon. I love lemon and will squeeze lemon juice onto just about anything. In this dish, it is by far the stand out flavour. It’s infused into every bite of the chicken and it’s outstanding. With all this delicious wine and lemony goodness going on, it’s easy to forget that this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and is actually pretty healthy. Because wine is good for you, right? I hope you enjoy this recipe and the bottle of wine you’ll need to open to make it 😉

2 tbsp Avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

1 small red onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

4 chicken breast halves

salt and pepper to season

3/4 Cup dry white wine

1  lemon, juice only

1/4 Cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

1/4 Cup pine nuts, toasted

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 1 – 2 minutes until beginning to sweat. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes per side until nice and golden. Add the wine and lemon juice to the pan. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken in cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan. Set it aside and cover it with foil to keep warm. Increase the heat. Simmer the remaining sauce for a few minutes to reduce. Once the sauce has reduced, remove it from the heat and toss in the basil. Serve the sauce over the chicken and top it all off with a few pine nuts.

 

Valentine’s Day dinner

Mushroom thyme risotto with pan roasted chicken and port and fig reduction

 

Valentine’s day is just a couple of days away now and I’m working on my menu for the evening.  My husband and I don’t usually go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day. Instead, we’ll go out for dinner on a different night and then spend Valentine’s at home making a special dinner. Date night dinners at our house often include risotto. It’s my ultimate favourite dish. It’s creamy, delicious, comforting and it can be made several different ways. For Valentine’s Day this year I’m making a mushroom thyme risotto and pan roasted chicken with a port and fig reduction. This is a recipe I tried out a few weeks ago. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve decided that I need to make it again. It takes a bit of time, about an hour and a half from start to finish, but it’s entirely worth it. Continue reading →