Monday, May 24, 2010

Pinot Noir

Find the best deals on top rated wines under $20.
We are looking for suggestions on what dish to prepare with KJ Pinot Noir 2007

Click here to shop for this wine at Wines.com.
 http://www.wine.comv/V6/Kendall-Jackson-Vintners-Reserve-Pinot-Noir-2007/wine/101976/detail.aspx
The price per bottle is just under $20.00 and we plan to pair it with a meat dish, after some careful research into the tasting notes. Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator both gave this wine 86 points. Taken right from the http://www.wine.com site, these are the wine makers notes; "
winemaker's notes:
Black cherry and raspberry fruit with velvety tannins typically found in hillside grapes along the North Coast mingle with flavors of plum and spice from our bench land vineyards along the Central Coast. Oak aging adds hints of vanilla, nuances of toast and a soft, smoky finish.
http://www.wine.comv/V6/Kendall-Jackson-Vintners-Reserve-Pinot-Noir-2007/wine/101976/detail.aspx

I could not find any reviews on this wine.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Quick Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe has been my life saver for years. I have prepared this dish hundreds of times and every time it gets high marks for delicious. This is a simple tomato based pasta sauce with Spicy Italian Pork Sausage and Mild Turkey Sausage.

I am about to embark on perfecting this recipe. You see, Sunday, I prepared this dish for the 100,000th time. Only this time, I made a minor change to my recipe and the sauce finally was the sauce I always wanted it to be.  It was quick, delicious, did not taste overcooked, but it was thick and it clung to the linguine. This recipe is worth sharing.Keep in mind that this was a special birthday meal I was preparing so of course I wanted perfection.
 
A little background....
I had invited Anne Kelly to spend Sunday with me in celebration of her birthday. I had missed seeing her for her birthday. She graciously accepted. I invited her to spend the day Sunday with me. Even though I had work to do, I knew she would not be lonely at my place.  I was busy Saturday night with a wedding reception at Sangria in Hermosa Beach. www.sangriahermosa.com.
When I got home I found Miss Kelly resting comfortably on my couch surrounded by her Redondo Beach Fan Club.

On Sunday on my way back from the Beach House in Hermosa Beach I ran by the grocery store and picked up:
  1. 1 large can of crushed tomato
  2. 1 bunch of fresh basil (wash before you use)
  3. 1 pound of Sweet Turkey Sausage
  4. 1 pound of Spicy Pork Sausage
  5. 2 medium shallots
  6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (this should always be in your cupboard if you cook)
  7. 1 pound of pasta (get what you like)
  8. Salt & pepper to taste (use only Kosher salt when you cook)
I forgot to get red cooking wine. You can not make great tomato based sauce without red wine.

  1. Finely chopped the shallots and saute them in 1/4 cup of olive oil over a low flame.  
  2.  Squeeze the meat out of the sausage casing into the pan and break the chunks of sausage into smaller pieces. Let the sausage brown. This takes about 5-7 minutes. 
  3. Add in the can of crushed tomato, and 1/2 cup of thin sliced basil leaves. stir and let it get hot. 
  4. When the sauce is bubbly add in 1/2 cup of Ruby Port (my new secret ingredient). Let the sauce cook for ten minutes.
  1. Cook the pasta by following the directions on the package. 
  2. Drain the pasta. 
  3. Put it into a shallow bowl and toss it with your spoonfuls of the sauce until the pasta is covered in rich, thick tomato sauce. 
  4. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and shredded Parmesan. By the way every cooking kitchen should have Parmesan cheese in the refrigerator and Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the cupboard.
 I would suggest that you serve this dish with a Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico reasonable priced under $15 a bottle. This wine makes the Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide list. I like the pairing of Chianti with this  rich sauce because the fresh fruity quality that the Sangiovese grape adds is just what it needs to balance the spicy sausage flavor with the sweet basil.   This particular Chianti Classico is lighter than most. If you prefer a more concentrated and intense wine try Castelli del Grevepesa.