A cherished childhood memory I have is seeing my mom in the kitchen. I remember her making her “list” every Sunday prior to her shopping trip to the supermarket. After she got home and organized all the food in the pantry and freezer, she'd write out a menu on a piece of notebook paper and would then tape the menu on to the frig so everyone could see it. This way nobody bugged her with the age-old question, "Mom, what's for dinner?" Most nights, she cooked dinner and we all sat down at the table together, as a family.
I love to travel, explore, , meet new people, see new places and try new things. I am guilty of being “that tourist” who buys all the tacky souvenirs at every stop, yes it’s true. No apologies!! I also love to eat and more often than not, I order dessert! Something else I enjoy is a great, glass of wine. I have been able to visit different regions of the country that produce incredible wines. The art of winemaking is just that, an art. The big misconception about visiting the “wine country,” is that people who have not yet visited, seem to think one would just go out to the vineyards and drink wine all day long. Don’t give me wrong, there is a lot of wine consumption, however the appreciation for each glass of wine and all that went into producing it, runs deep.
Lots of wineries do food and wine pairings. While on my recent trip to Sonoma, California with some of my Besties, we had an opportunity to taste some really amazing food. One treat we received was a wonderful, light, spring salad at a champagne pairing we attended. A huge thank you to Korbel Champagne Cellars (13250 River Rd, Guerneville, CA 95446) for the amazing salad and roasted turkey sandwiches we enjoyed. Excellent!! If you’re ever near Korbel in Sonoma, please stop in and visit their deli where they have wonderful food and awesome items you can take home with you to re-create the wonderful dishes you enjoy!
What a great trip!! Despite the pouring down rain, coupled with sporadic moments of crazy hail and/or scattered sunshine, this girls weekend trip to the wine country with Melissa, Felice and Summer was PERFECT! Thankfully my sister-in-law, snapped a picture of the salad recipe Korbel provided! Now, go pour yourself a glass of crisp champagne or a light Sauvignon Blanc and Enjoy Ya’ll!
Korbels’ Harvest Salad
(yields 4 servings)
6 C spring greens
1 C walnuts (chopped and toasted)
½ C dried cranberries
½ C crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese or Blue Cheese
2 Sauvignon Blanc Poached Pears ( sliced- see recipe below)
Sauvignon Blanc Poached Pears
4 pears (peeled, seeded, quartered)
½ bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (or other fruit forward wine)
½ C sugar
2 C water
Bring wine, sugar and water to a boil, then bring it down to a simmer. Add the pears, cover and cook to just tender, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the pears from the liquid, reduce volume by about half. Then, pour reduced liquid over pears and stre until ready to serve.
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 C white Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp chopped fresh garlic
1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 T Dijon mustard
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups olive oil
whisk together all ingredients, except the olive oil. Then, slowly whisk in the oil until incorporated. Store refrigerated in an air tight container until using. Yields 3 cups.
DELICIOUS! Click here to visit Korbel now! http://www.sonomacounty.com/wineries/korbel-champagne-cellars
Thanksgiving is a beautiful day to share with those you love! When I got together with Mr. Hardy a few years ago, my children and I gained not only him as a husband and bonus Dad, but a new Thanksgiving tradition as well! This was our 4th year to celebrate the feast of food, friendship and fellowship. We head out to the Colorado River which gently winds itself between the majestic mountains of Arizona and California. The River is warmly tucked into the most scenic landscape and is flanked by lush palms along the riverbank. A beautiful sunrise each morning, tall, orange mountains to gaze upon during the day and breathtaking sunsets, kiss us goodnight each evening. Being out on the River is one of the most peaceful places I know of. So, it’s no wonder that our Texas peeps wanna join us! This year our besties, Jeff and Felice Gee came out. M
y sister-in-law, Summer and her teenager Kayden, hopped on the plane and came out too! Then, in comes “Fergie” and her clan! Sarah Ferguson and her family were just down the road, so they joined in on our festivities too! Friendship is truly the best! I am thankful for so many things, but these girls make the top of the list!
