Valentine's Day and Wine Friday: House Wine Red

Happy Friday to my friends! I am quite glad this week is over. It has been a busy and bittersweet one. Valentine's Day was sweet with my hubby, but yesterday and today - not so much. I am currently blogging from the D.C. area. I am here with some coworkers for a client's funeral and will be flying back this evening. He was a great man that we cared a lot about. We weren't just business partners, we were friends. This is a tough loss for all of us, but mostly for his sweet wife and daughter. I'll be keeping them in my prayers for the next few months. Very bittersweet.

The fittingly dreary view from my cab yesterday, yet still so beautiful

So, before I get to the wine (which I have enjoyed a glass of nightly this particular week) I wanted to share some pics from our Valentines' Day. I haven't been so great at sharing memories, just lots of food. Forgive the somewhat random nature of this montage!

We had a party at work on Tuesday morning for V-day. We reverted back to elementary school days and all decorated a white paper sack and brought treats and notes to share with each other. The creativity put into the bags just amazed me! Here are the pics:

I made tons of cookies at home the night before...from scratch and they are delicious. I make these constantly. Too much, in fact!

Me, in my red ruffles coat for the day of love! Oh yes, and the heater at our office has been broken, making it a chilly 50 degrees. I chose my coat first for my outfits this week. Needless to say, I now know how to type in gloves. Luckily, we're moving to a new office soon anyway, so we're all excited about that.

My sack - nothing really creative, but fun to decorate. I had a bunch of rubber stamps in different fonts and had several ink colors. So, while watching the Bachelor, I stamped all sorts of Valentine words. I'm not sure what gave me more entertainment...

My favorite bag by my friend, Eric. So darn clever!

Cute and funny!

Like love, Facebook style

Kate, my sassy friend, also made a very clever bag. She ended up with lots more treats. Smart girl.

At lunchtime, Keith showed up with to-go food for this busy worker and surprise roses! Love that guy.

That night, he made a delicious dinner of shrimp and grits. I gave him a stack of 100 simple cards, each with something I loved about him or us. It was so fun watching him read them! Otherwise, no gifts were shared and I like it that way! We relaxed, enjoyed our meal and then caught up on 4 shows in our DVR. Simple, but cozy. Just what we needed.

Now, for the VINO...

 

This is the bottle of wine that I had with my Valentine dinner at home. It was yummy and perfectly fit the occasion! Plus, I love the simplicity of the label.

HOUSE Wine, Red

Year: 2009

Origin: Washington

Average Price: $12

About the wine: It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 54%, Merlot 30%, Syrah 11%, Malbec 3%, and Cabernet Franc 2%. It received a rating of 88 Points and best value from Wine Spectator. The vineyard recommends pairing this with lasagna, pizza, grilled salmon, roasted root vegetables. I say pair it with whatever you want and keep an extra bottle on hand.

Add this to your list of wines to try. And have a wonderful weekend!

Pink and Red

I honor of Valentine's Day, I've added a few pink and red accents to the kitchen area. I shopped the house and moved things around. It's nothing all that creative, just a few touches to brighten up the house!

I swapped out my cookbook on the stand, and added a bow to Mr Pig. Usually my cookie jar is more full of homemade cookies!

This scent from Williams-Sonoma is my favorite! Pink Grapefruit. Amazing!

These tulips were on sale at Walmart for $4, so I took off the mylar wrapper and added my own ribbon. I can't wait for these pink beauties to bloom!

Keith and I have dinner plans at home on Tuesday. He'll be in charge of dinner, so I can't wait to see what he fixes. It is sure to be fabulous!

I put out some of my quirky placemats and hot pink napkins. We'll see if Keith leaves them there or switches it out for something more manly for his dinner :)

I found a box of Valentine's cookie cutters and set them out on display. They're cute... and the thought of actually using them is nice, but I just don't have time for that!

A little chalkboard sign on the decanter is spreading a little love message.

In the corner of my kitchen counter, I've gathered a few of my favorites.

These bunnies make me happy.

Fresh out of the oven, some blueberry coffee cake muffins - mmm. Those are heart liners from Wilton. They have several out now with flowers and other designs. I found these at my local Walmart.

The month of February on our calendar is one of my favorites. I made this on MixBook.com and loved the customization options!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your Valentine's Day is full of love and hugs from those close to your heart!

XOXO - Kendall

Chicken, Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce with Rosemary Potatoes

How do you feel about Brussels Sprouts? It's one of those vegetables you either love or hate. I have discovered a love for them. My mom hates them, or as I like to say - she thinks she hates them. But, it's all in the preparation. I am certain that prepared the right way, anyone can be converted. The best version I've ever had is at Restaurant Iris here in Memphis. I would go there just to eat their sprouts.

This recipe was the first time I've prepared them at home, mostly because I feared Keith wouldn't touch them. I was wrong. This is an excellent dish that we both just devoured. Thanks, Cooking Light, for yet another winner!

Chicken, Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce with Rosemary Potatoes

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Potatoes: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 ounces quartered red potatoes

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; add to pan. Cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken; place pan in oven. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until done. 

Meanwhile, prepare potatoes by combining 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried), 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 12 ounces quartered red potatoes in a bowl. Spread mixture on a jelly roll pan and add to oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

*I added the potatoes to the oven while the chicken was in there. and just pulled the chicken out first to finish the recipe. Everything was ready right at the same time.*

Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup broth and cider; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 4 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in mustard, 1 tablespoon butter, and parsley. I added about 1 more Tbsp of mustard at this point to thicken it up.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup broth to pan; cover and cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Serve sprouts with chicken, sauce and potatoes.


Enjoy!

Wine Friday: Milbrant Vineyards Traditions Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday! This has been another whirlwind week, so I'm excited for a weekend with very little plans. Keith, on the other hand, is taking part of his state dental boards on Saturday morning. So, wish him a bit of luck, although I don't think he needs it :)

It's time for Wine Friday! Here's a cab I opened on Tuesday night this week. Usually I get into the vino closer to Thursday, but some stress relief was needed sooner than expected! I quite enjoyed this variety.

Milbrant Vineyards "Traditions" Cabernet Sauvignon

Year: 2009

Origin: Washington

Average Price: $12-15

About the wine: The 2009 Cabernet is a dark, harmonious and complex with flavors of black cherry, plum, cassis, coffee mocha, and a hint of mint. Open a bottle with roasted meats, stews, lamb kebabs, cassoulet, hamburgers, barbecue, ribs, sloppy joes, tacos or pizza. - Milbrant Vineyards

Enjoy your weekend!

Shrimp, Asparagus and Pesto Gnocchi

Gnocchi. Oh, how I love some gnocchi. I tasted my first gnocchi dish in 2007 at a restaurant in the same building where my first job was. I remember thinking, where has this been all of my life? Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings made from potatoes. They are tender, fluffy and hearty. And I heart them.

If I were ambitious, and not working late most nights, I'd make it from scratch. But, this is a busy world and pre-made gnocchi exists. It's a great item to keep in the pantry when you need dinner ready ASAP. This is a yummy Cooking Light recipe that was ready in a flash.

Shrimp, Asparagus and Pesto Gnocchi

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Ingredients:

• 2 quarts plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
• 1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Vigo)
• 4 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add gnocchi to pan; cook 4 minutes or until done (gnocchi will rise to surface). Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add asparagus and shrimp to pan; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain. Add shrimp mixture to gnocchi.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon water, basil, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides. Drizzle oil through food chute with food processor on; process until well blended. Add salt and basil mixture to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Add cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately. 

Enjoy!