{Good Grapes Destination} Miami Beach, FL

Sorry for the lack of blog posts this week!  We've been busy planning our ladies' weekend to Miami.  We are here celebrating Cristi's 25th birthday, which happens to be today.  Jackie celebrated her birthday Wednesday and getting together in Miami sounded like the perfect way to party!  I've always benefitted from their birthdays, since my parents feel bad leaving me out of the gifts.  We were showered with beautiful gifts from mom and dad yesterday and I feel especially spoiled!  Happy birthday to my awesome sisters!  I love you!



Photos: above, Pinterest; below, Hotels.com




The Foutainebleu Hotel, where we are staying



Cheers!

Ana

Wine Wednesday!

What a lovely trip to Asheville we had over the long weekend!  Even lovelier was finding out that our tour of the Biltmore Estate included a wine tasting at their famed winery.  OH. EM. GEE y'all, what a surprise it was to see at least 20 varietals all available for tasting and ALL incredibly delicious.  The estate has a wine club and I'm thinking that I may reward myself with membership after my house projects are completed.  We sampled the tasting included in the price of admission, and I was in love.  For a little bit more, visitors can taste their premium selections, which also include sparkling wines, and if what we tasted was so wonderful I can't imagine what the premium wines would taste like!  

I was split for favorites between the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cardinal's Crest - two very different reds.  Their reds were just excellent.  We sampled seven!  We bought the Cardinal's Crest to enjoy with dinner that night because it was a lighter red, versatile, and easy to drink outside while reading up in the mountains.  It had strong notes of fruit and a very smooth finish.  I want to go back for more!

Enjoying wine at the cabin

 That's me, at the Biltmore

Dallas wine lovers can find Biltmore wines at Kroger, Central Market and Majestic Liquors.  DC area wine lovers can find the wines at Best Cellars, World Market, Giant, Harris Teeter and Total Wine.  Wine.com also offers the fine wines.  To find a retailer near you, click here.

Cheers!

Ana

Pecan Crusted Chicken

It's officially football season and that means football watching parties and food!  I've got the perfect recipe for the next time your friends invite you over and you don't want to show up empty handed.  These Pecan Crusted Chicken tenders are easy to make and a crowd pleaser. 

Stephanie Foley, Everyday with Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans crumbs (I grind mine in the food processor or blender)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1/4 cup honey mustard

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour pecans into a shallow baking dish (I use a Pyrex pie dish).  Stir in bread crumbs and basil.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Rub each chicken breast with honey mustard, then coat with pecan mixture.  Place on non-stick baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil (I use about 1 tablespoon).  Bake until juices run clear, about 15-20 minutes. 

This is a Rachael Ray Take 5 Recipe and I use chicken breast tenders instead of whole breasts.  Sometimes I get fancy and use this same method only on large cooked shrimp, baking until golden.

On another note, not much to report on the house because I've been away and not really getting it together domestically, but I did manage to set up Z's man cave bar in time for some good old game watching.

Sorry for the blur... still no camera!

More on the home improvements in upcoming posts, I promise.  You can check out my dining room transformation at Emerald Cidade, one of our favorite blogs!

Cheers!

Ana 

{Good Grapes Destination} Asheville, North Carolina

It has been a whirlwind summer and it's all winding down with what I hope is a relaxing weekend in the mountain home we've rented in the Appalachians.  We plan to spend our days in nearby Asheville, which I've only heard amazing things about over and over.  I am so looking forward to this trip.  It's my first solo getaway with Z since Italy in January... and we've been on planes to one destination or another more weekends than not this year!  Always for friends and family, so this time it's just about us.  I didn't do a ton of research, but I did ask a few friends for 'musts' while visiting, and we've selected a few venues we will absolutely check out.  The rest of the time will be spent reading, sitting, sleeping... you know, the things I'm supposed to have time to do in normal life. 

We're definitely touring the Biltmore Estate (where I hear they have a fabulous cellar!)

google images

We're stopping by Pisgah Brewery to enjoy a band Z loves - Del McCoury Band

Attend the North Carolina Apple Festival (ummm the breakfast alone makes me want to be there now!)

italianfood.net

We are popping in to dine at Tupelo Honey Cafe

So that's our weekend!  How will you spend yours?  

Cheers!

Ana

{Thrifty Thursday} Party Stemware

Pinterest

I laughed out loud reading yesterday's Michaela Noelle Designs' Loves me, Loves Me Not series post.  Courtney had me cracking up, and coincidentally, we both share a similar loathing of sipping bubbles (and vino too) from plastic, assembly-required stemware.  I know this is often a go-to for party hosts and hostesses, but they aren't necessarily a money saver and for me, they take so much away from the taste of wine.  Don't know about you, but I always prefer to drink out of shiny, breakable glass. 

If I set this standard for myself, I must for my guests as well and that's why I keep 'party' cases of glasses in my storage closet.  For $8 ($9.99 plus a 20% off BBB discount coupon), you can serve a dozen of your friends in actual glass stemware.  They also sell a set of a dozen beautiful 18.5 oz. red wine glasses ($16 after the coupon is applied) that are identical to my Crate and Barrel Viv red wine glasses.  The cheaper stemware mixes with my registry set so nicely at parties, I can't even tell the difference in my 'everyday casual' vs 'party cheap' until I am washing them by hand and can notice teeny discrepancies.  Next time you have a large party to host, stop by your local Bed Bath and Beyond, take your coupons (and they even honor expired ones), do your friends a favor, and serve them in glass stemware.  They will appreciate you!

Bday party and glasses everywhere!

 

Entertain Stemware, $9.99/12 and Red Wine Glasses, $19.99/12

Cheers!

Ana

Wine Wednesday!

Can you say bubbles???  Well, last Thursday I was home packing for a visit to see my familia in Dallas and I ran out of wine.  Tragedy, I know.  Between the earthquake and hoping we'll even get out before the thing called Irene, we just were unaware and accidentally finished TWO bottles of the  Banfi Sangiovese Cabernet.  I didn't know what to do.  I couldn't open a bottle just for the single glass I was craving and then I remembered my super sweet friend CR (and not the CR that is my sister!) gifted me a personal sized bottle of sparkling wine that she brought back from her trip to Mendoza!  I was golden.  But more so was this fantastic and smooth sparkling wine called Uno, made by the famous Santa Julia winemakers.  I loved every sip! 

Santa Julia sparkling wine with fresh strawberries

 Cheers!

Ana

Turkey Sausage Kabobs

Below I'm posting another amazing recipe shared with us by Jackie.  It's fabulous and perfect for this pre-fall grilling season.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 of your favorite veggies: I use 1 PURPLE Onion/2-3 GREEN Zucchini, .5-1 pkgg. BROWN Mushrooms and 1-2 RED bell pepper (LOVE the color!).

“Good Seasons” Italian Dressing Packet

EVOO

Balsamic

Italian Sausage Links (Note: I use Jennie O Turkey to watch the cals!)

Kabob Sticks (soak before cooking if using wooden sticks)

Directions:

Quarter/Slice your favorite veggies and put in shallow baking dish.

Sprinkle with ½ packet “Good Seasons” Italian Dressing mix. (the kind you use to make Italian salad dressing).

Toss the mix with EVOO (~3 TBSP) and Balsamic Vinegar (~1.5 TBSP).  (Note: I don’t measure….)

**Secret: I cook my killer asparagus recipe this way..No need to marinate asparagus.., just put on indoor grill, sprinkle seasoning, EVOO and balsamic—delish!).**

Let above marinate for ~30 minutes (Squeeze in a good workout/run here! You can do it!).

Cut sausage links very lightly with very sharp knife (Note: Don’t squeeze or it will come out of casings…That’s right! Casings on!!). 

Arrange your kabob with sausage first, an array of your veggies, sausage, veggies, sausage. 

Heat Indoor Grill (Note: I’m OBSESSED with my All-Clad Double Burner Indoor Grill!  Christmas presents for everyone!!!), spray with EVOO cooking spray and place kabobs directly on grill. 

Cook/turn about 4.5 min/side.  Let cool.

Makes about 8-12 kabobs. (Serving Size: Jackie 2; Joey 4).

Jackie's kabobs cooking on the All Clad griddle she loves (purchase here)

Deliciousness.  The end!

Cheers!
Jackie