Cheers to Malbec

Malbec is my favorite wine during the winter months. I love love love the flavor and you can get a great bottle for a very reasonable price. ALAMOS is one of my top choices and for $10 a bottle at Trader Joe's how can you beat it? Bring a bottle as a hostess gift or serve it at your next dinner party.

Image: Tiny White Daisies and Wine.com, BDV

Message in a Bottle

Ok...maybe it is actually Message ON a bottle. I love these wines from SWANSON VINEYARDS which would be perfect for the cocktail reception at a wedding. Or bring a case when you are a guest for the weekend. 

The Swanson name has been recognized primarily for frozen food products (as in the famous TV dinners). Twenty-five years ago, the Swanson family ventured into the world of wine and were one of the earliest producers of Napa Valley Merlot. Today, while its wines are extraordinary, the mission of Swanson Vineyards is straightforward: to celebrate the simple pleasures in life, made better with wine.

Simple Elegant Dinner

Life is hectic and entertaining in style on a weeknight is not easy to pull off with grace. I recently bought fresh Butternut Squash Ravioli and served it in a Browned Butter Sage Sauce  - yum! RECIPE

Paired with an Arugula Salad with crumbled Goat Cheese, Yellow Cherry Tomatoes and diced Pears. I tossed it in the best Balsamic Dressing I have ever made - the secret is brown sugar. DRESSING RECIPE

I paired it with a Pinot Noir, a crusty baguette, a fire in the fireplace and lots of candles. Voila! Now wasn't that simple??

Photo Credits: Ravioli Net, Wizard Recipes

My Latest Obsession: Lidia Bastianich

I have been to FELIDIA a few times in the "old days" when Lidia would roam the dining room and chat with diners. She is lovely! The food is fantastic, and the ambiance is warm and welcoming - just like a trip to Italy. Well worth a visit!

Now Lidia is a celebrity chef and has multiple restaurants including ESCA

And DEL POSTO

Lidia has a few cookbooks, but this is the best. You can buy a copy HERE

A few of my favorite recipes from Lidia include SHRIMP SCAMPI

LASAGNA

ZITI with sausage and fennel

And my latest discovery of the Bastianich Clan? They produce the best wine. Really. To die for.  You can read about the wine selection HERE. So far I have only sampled the Friulano. 

And am now on the hunt for the Rosato which is perfect for the warmer weather around the corner

And the Sauvignon Blanc which is my favorite white

Buon appetito!

Grill & Gulp

Folks have asked if I would post recipes on the blog. Ask and ye shall receive! Marinated flank steak is a summer fave for me and this is the best (and easiest) recipe. You and your guests will love it! The recipe is a modified version of a recipe from the late, great James Beard.

Flank Steak Marinade

Ingredients
1/2 cup of sherry or vermouth
1/2 cup of soy sauce
2 chopped cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of ground ginger

Directions
Feel free to double the recipe depending on the size of the steak. Marinate the steak for 12 - 24 hours, turning it frequently. Grill or broil in the oven (for those city dwellers that don't have outdoor space for a grill) until your desired temperature. 5-7 minutes a side for medium rare. Let sit 10 minutes before carving on a diagonal.

Wondering What Wine to Serve?

Wine expert Dellie Rex was kind enough to suggest a few affordable French wines to enjoy with steak. Dellie lives in Boston and is the author of About Wine. (She is also my aunt!)


2007 Clos Triguedina Le Petit Clos Cahor - delicious blend of Malbec and Merlot. $18.

2007 Chateau Fabas Minervois - complex blend of Syrah and Grenache. $15

2008 Macon-Villages White Burgundy - a white that can hold its own with steak. $12