TheVineyardMom

This is an easy and versatile recipe that can be made ahead of time.  I make the salad and either put it into a spinach tortilla or a lettuce cup.  I prefer to have it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours so the salad is cool and the flavors set.  To make the salad less gloppy, I use some white wine to make it more of a sauce.   Any white wine will work this recipe and so will a Rose.  Cheers! Serves 4-6 2 Lbs. peeled deveined shrimp. 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise. 2 Tbs. curry powder. 1/4 cup dry white wine. 3 celery stalks diced. 4 green onions sliced. 1/2 cup chopped parsley. 1/2 cup sliced almonds. 1/2 tsp. salt for salad and 1 tsp. salt for boiling shrimp. Cook raw shrimp in salted boiling water for 3 minutes.  Peel and devein.   Combine mayonnaise, curry powder, white wine and salt. Stir well. Chop the celery, green onions and parsley. Combine the shrimp and chopped vegetables.  Pour 3/4 of the sauce over the shrimp salad and stir....

 I love this salmon recipe for a week night dinner.  I'ts easy to make and I always have the ingredients in my kitchen.  When I meal plan for the week, I buy either salmon steaks or a fillet at the store for a delicious, but easy dinner.  This sauce has 2 kinds of mustards, but if you only have one of them, just double the amount.  A Grenache, Chardonnay or Savignon Blanc  goes great with this dish, but I prefer a Pinot Noir. Cheers! Serves 4 4  5 oz. skinless salmon steaks or 2 lb. salmon fillet.  1 Tbs. Dijon mustard. 1 Tbs. grainy mustard. 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro. 3 green onions chopped. 1 clove of garlic finely minced. 2 tsp. of pure maple syrup. 1/4 cup mayonnaise. 1/2 tsp. salt. 1/4 tsp. pepper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the salmon. In a bowl, mix together mustards, cilantro, green onions, garlic, maple syrup and mayonnaise.  Spread mustard mixture o...

This is a super easy and delicious recipe for Empanadas.  I make beef ones, which are more traditional, but you can honestly stuff them with anything.  I've made them in a small size for appetizers and a larger size for a meal.  To make empanada's even easier,  I buy pie crusts in the dairy aisle of my grocery store. A margarita goes perfectly with this dish, but because I'm The Vineyard Mom, a Rioja or a Malbec are great wines to enjoy with the empanada's.  Cheers! Pie Crust: 1 box of pie crust dough.  Most come with 2 round dough crusts in them. Beef Filling: 1 lb. ground beef. 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil. 1/2 yellow onion finely diced. 3 garlic cloves finely minced. 1 Tbs. tomato paste. 1 tsp. oregano. 1 tsp. cumin. 1 tsp. paprika. 2 Tbs. diced green chilies from a can. 6 oz. diced tomatoes drained (about half a can). 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese.   1 egg beaten for egg wash. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put o...

Salmon tartare is delicious on anything from crackers, toast, a bagel or on lettuce wraps.  This recipe is basically the topping of bagels and lox without the cream cheese.  You can make this recipe a couple of hours ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.  I love a nice glass of white wine like Savignon Blanc, Viognier or Chardonnay. Cheers! 1 lb. salmon fillet (skin removed) 1/2 lb. smoked salmon 2 limes freshly squeezed 1/4 cup dill 3 Tbs. drained capers 2 Tbs. parsley 1/4 cup red onion 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard Dice salmon and smoked salmon into small pieces.  Put salmon into a mixing bowl and squeeze the limes over the salmon. Chop dill, parsley and red onion. Drain the capers.  Add herbs and capers to the salmon and lime juice. Mix in extra virgin olive oil and Dijon mustard and let marinade for a couple of hours in the refrigerator. Serve with crackers, toast, bagels or lettuce wraps.  

I love beets! This is a super delicious and easy recipe to make.  I use to have to clean and roast the beets, which honestly took forever.  Now, you can get beets roasted and peeled in the produce section of the grocery store.  Game changer! I love this salad for lunch or a light dinner.  You don't even need to add chicken or shrimp because the beets are so hearty.  I love a glass or two of Rose, Savignon Blanc, Riesling or a Chardonnay with this recipe.  Cheers! Serves 4-6 1 lb. cooked beets (golden or red)  in a package from produce section in your grocery store 1/4 cup Orange juice 1 Tbs. Champagne vinegar or Apple cider vinegar. 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. honey 1 glove garlic finely minced 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper 4 Cups mixed greens OR Arugula and spinach mix 1 11 oz. can of Mandarin orange slices drained. 2 Tbs. shaved Parmesan cheese 2 Tbs. chopped  pecans Combine OJ and next 6 ingredients into a bowl and mix w...

This is a perfect salad for a hot summer day.  It's refreshing and easy to make.  You can make it ahead of time and leave it in the frig.  I usually make this salad in the morning if I plan on serving it for lunch or dinner.  It's great for a picnic or potluck too.  I really can't think of any wine that it doesn't go well with.  I love a nice cool glass of Rose or Savignon Blanc.  Cheers! 1 Box of shell pasta. 16 oz. of imitation flake Crab. 1 cup finely chopped celery. 4 green onions chopped. 1 cup frozen Petite green peas defrosted. 2 Tbs. chopped dill. 3/4 Cup mayonnaise. 1 tsp. Dijon mustard. Cook pasta according to directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water. Chop celery, green onions and dill.   In a mixing bowl, add cool, drained pasta, chopped celery, green onions, dill and defrosted peas and imitation crab meat.    Add mayo and Dijon mustard. Mix well.  Chill at least 2 hours before serving.  Can be made the...

I love Thai green curry!  Unfortunately, I don't have time to always make it from scratch.  There are a lot of ingredients and it is time consuming.  I found that the Trader Joe's Green Curry Simmer Sauce is great.  It's not too spicy and is easy to make.  Here is one of my cheat, go to sauces when I don't have a lot of time to cook, but still want to make a delicious meal for my family.  I love a Pinot Grigio or a Riesling with curry.  Cheers! Serves 4 1/2-3/4 lbs. diced boneless chicken.  I use thigh meat. 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil. 1/2 sliced yellow onion. 2 Cups chopped broccoli. 12 oz. sliced white mushrooms.   1/4 tsp. salt. 1 Jar Trader Joe's Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce. 1/2 Cups of Jasmine Rice. Make 1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice according to directions. Dice chicken into small chunks.  Put olive oil, onion and chicken into a large saute pan on high heat.  Saute  for 5-7 minutes. Fill a small pot with water and bri...