TheVineyardMom

 Olives are delicious and so are artichokes!  Combine them and they make a fantastic dip.  This recipe is super easy and can be made the day before or the day of serving it.  You can make this tapenade with a food processor or just by finely chopping the ingredients with a sharp knife.  I pretty much have all the ingredients on hand, so I can make it at a moments notice.  I serve the tapenade with rustic french bread that I toast, but you can also use crackers or chips.  I love a Chardonnay, Savignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Cabernet Savignon with this tapenade.  Honestly, any wine that isn't sweet will do. Cheers! 1 14 oz. jar of quartered marinated artichoke hearts drained 1 10 oz. jar pitted kalamata olives drained 1 10 oz. jar of Spanish green olives with pimentos drained 1 garlic clove chopped 1/4 tsp. lemon juice and the zest of the lemon 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/4 tsp. black pepper Cut artichoke quarters in half before putting them into...

 I'm not a big baker! My mother in-law is an amazing baker, so I have taken advantage of all her wonderful desserts.  I occasionally bake and this pie is beyond easy.  I buy the graham cracker crust in the baking aisle of the grocery store to make things easier.  It's a quick dessert that can be made ahead of time and it's delicious! I love to make it the summer time.  Key Limes are easy to find, but you can make this pie with regular limes if that's all you have.  I love a crisp white wine like a Savignon Blanc or a Muscat Cannelli.  Cheers! 1 Store bought Graham Cracker  Pie crust 3/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice 28 oz. sweetened condensed milk 1/4 light sour cream zest from 2 key limes Whipped cream for topping Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together lime juice, condensed milk, sour cream and zest.  Whisk together until all the ingredients are combined and smooth. Pour into the pie crust. Place pie crust on a baking sheet and bake...

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...