TheVineyardMom

I love the flavor of this rice and it goes so well with many dishes.  It's great with steak, chicken and pork, but I love it as a side dish with my carne asada tacos.  The rice is easy to make and has great flavor.  I can make it for 4 people of for a crowd.  Depending on what you are serving this rice as a side dish to, pick whatever wine goes with your main dish. Cheers! Serves 4 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice 7 oz. can of diced green chilies 16 oz. container of sour cream.  Do not use light or low fat. It's too runny. 2 cups of Colby Jack cheese 1/2 tsp. each salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cooks 1 cup of rice according to the package directions. Once the rice is cooked, transfer into a mixing bowl. The rice should still be hot. Add 1 can of green chilies including the juice, container of sour cream, 1 cup of Colby Jack cheese and salt and pepper to the rice and mix together. Transfer the rice mixture into an oven safe dish and top with the remain

I love Carne Asada tacos because they are delicious and easy to make.  I use either marinated skirt steak or flank steak,  and cook it on my outside grill.  You can buy the steak marinated at most Mexican markets or you can make your own.  If you don't have a grill, a grill pan on the stove works just as well.  I usually top these tacos with some radishes and Pico de Gallo, but of course you can put whatever you like on them. Who doesn't love a taco bar?  Of course a delicious margarita goes great with Carne Asada tacos, but if you prefer wine, a nice red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel.  Cheers! 1 1/2-2  lbs. of flank or skirt steak  Marinade 1/2 cup of orange juice 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup lime juice 1 bunch of chopped cilantro 1/4 soy sauce 2 cloves of garlic minced 1/2 Tbs.  of cumin 1/2 Tbs. chili powder  1/2 Tbs. paprika 1 finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce 1/4  cup extra virgin olive oil 8-10 tacos sized soft corn tortillas Place the first 9 i

Teriyaki bowls are delicious and easy to make.  My beef teriyaki starts off with my homemade teriyaki sauce that is full of flavor and takes only minutes to make.  You can make either chicken or beef bowls and use any vegetables you like.  My recipe has shredded carrots, edamame and green onions served over some sticky rice.  Of course sake goes great with this Asian inspired meal, but I love a glass of Syrah or Pinot Noir with this dish.  Cheers! Teriyaki Sauce 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup soy sauce 5 tsp. brown sugar 1 Tbs. honey 1/2  tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 2 Tbs. cornstarch 1/4 cup cold water In a sauce pan combine 3/4 cup of water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger and garlic powder.  Cook over medium heat for a minute.   In a cup, combine cornstarch and cold water.  Stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture to the pan with sauce.  Stir and let simmer 5 minutes over medium heat until sauce has thickened. Beef Bowl 1- 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak cu

Cajun food is one of my favorite types of cuisine.  I love the seasoning and the spice that goes along with it.  I make my own Cajun seasoning and keep it handy to add to meals.  Gumbo, Jambalaya and Cajun shrimp and pasta are my favorite Cajun inspired meals that I make.  I love making this meal not only because it's so tasty, but it's also quick to put together.  This dish can be made with shrimp or chicken and you can use long or short pasta. I love spicy food, but I like to leave heat level up to each person.  I always have extra seasoning or hot sauce on the table when I serve all my Cajun dishes. I also have plenty of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio on the table if things get too spicy.  Cheers! Serves 4 1 lb. Farfalla pasta 1 lb. 16-20 count raw peeled shrimp 2 Tbs. butter 2 garlic cloves minced 3-4 Tbs. of Cajun seasoning (recipe below) 1 3/4 cup of half and half 1/4 cup of softened cream cheese 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 2 Tbs. chopped parsley Cajun Seasoning 3 T

I loved coloring Easter Eggs as a kid.  As an adult, I still love coloring eggs, but now I'm doing them differently. I make delicious deviled eggs that can be enjoyed as an appetizer.  They are easy to make, but take a little time.  They are definitely worth it though.  Any white wine will go great with deviled eggs, so pick your favorite and enjoy.  Cheers! Makes a dozen deviled eggs 6 extra large eggs 2 cup of water 4 Tbs. vinegar 1 pack of 4 color gel food coloring Filling 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper Parsley for garnish Place room temperature eggs into a large pot of water.  Make sure eggs are completely covered with water. Bring the pot of water with the eggs in it to a boil.  Once boiling, turn heat all the way down to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, drain the water and put eggs into a bowl with cold water.  Wait a few minutes for the eggs to cool and start peeling them. O

I love artichokes and I'm so happy I live close to one of the largest artichoke producing cities in the world.   I make many different artichoke recipes.  One of my favorites is  an artichoke salad with fresh greens for lunch or dinner.  A simple dressing on the salad and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc makes a perfect meal. Cheers! 4 large artichokes 5 oz. (8 cups) of arugula 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese Dressing: 1 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard. 1 clove of garlic finely minced 1/4 Tsp. each salt and pepper Artichokes: With a sharp knife, cut about an inch of the top of the artichoke.  Peel off the outer layer of leaves until you are left with the light green, thin inner leaves.  Trim and peel the stem. Cut artichoke in half and use a spoon to dig out the fuzzy inner part. Place each artichoke heart into a bowl of water with the juice of 1 lemon when you're done cleaning them.  The artichokes will brown if you don't have lemo

My pork tenderloin and herb sauce uses my previous herb sauce recipe, but with a deliciously marinaded pork tenderloin.  This recipe is great for a family meal or a crowd.  The marinade and herb sauce have fresh flavors and are easy to make. This versatile sauce goes great with chicken, fish or even over eggs.  I love this recipe with a Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier or a light red wine like a Pinot Noir.  Cheers! Serves 6  Pork Tenderloin  2 pork tenderloins that are 1 - 1/14 lb. each marinade: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 cloves of garlic minced 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper. Herb Sauce: 1 cup fresh parsley 1/2 cup fresh cilantro 1/4 cup fresh chives 1/4 fresh tarragon leaves 3 green onions 3 cloves of garlic 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil Marinade: Whisk marinade ingredients in a bowl to combine.  Put both pork tenderloins into a gallon zip lock bag and pour marinade over