Ready Bell Home Loans @ Mason McDuffie Mortgage » wine

Quick,under 15 min, one pan,non meat meal

readybell — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:41:11 +0000

My little sister recently announced she no longer will eat any red meat or chicken. For a family of rabid foodies that is akin to saying she is moving to Africa. We are meat lovers. I have tried to reason with her and she is pretty convinced that when she eats at my house I will be sneaking in meat (not ruling that out) but in actuality I think it is a great opportunity to come up with a few non meat and chicken meals. Thus the no meat Fajita.

You will need:

1) vidalia onions (3)

2) 4 red bell peppers

3) High fiber tortillas. These tend to have more protein (about 8g)

4) cheese, salsa

5) cocnut oil

I started sauteeing everthing in coconut oil a few months back and it has really made a difference. It does not burn as easily as olive oil and it is a lot healthier than many of the other fats. It is one of the oils recommended for skin and hair heath which is exactly what I remind myself when I am slathering it on my food. I like Aunt Patty’s cocunut oil

Chop the onions and red peppers up. Warm a pan over medium high heat with a about spoon of coconut oil. Saute onions and red peppers in pan untill tender (about 10-15min)

Warm tortilla. I generally just throw on the burner and flip it until it is gently blistered. Fill tortilla with peppers, onions and cheese and salsa. Yum! You will be surprised at how tasty and filling it is. It is also very low calories and high in antioxidents.

Pair with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. I really enjoy Kendall Jacksons Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. It is under $18 and it is a very solid Sauvignon Blanc.

Julie’s simple summer salad

readybell — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:41:58 +0000

Looking for a quick summer salad that’s filling and healthy …. Heirloom tomatoes, feta , English cucumber, green onion, kalamata olives and a bit of mint hits the spot every time.

Chop all of your ingredients …

Wisk a simple dressing of olive oil, balsamic, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and you have lunch

A simple lunch with a great bottle of wine.

Healdsburg Jazz Festival June 3rd-12th

readybell — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 17:34:13 +0000

Thinking of doing a quick day trip and not sure where to go? Come up to Healdsburg for the Jazz festival.

The Healdsburg Jazz festival is one of the best small jazz festivals in the country. It is spread out over different venues with different types of jazz artists.

Like Jazz with your dinner? No problem, there will be jazz at the Dry Creek Kitchen. Like your Jazz free in the park. No problem? Want to see Jazz all stars? They have that too.

For times and venues and more information check out

http://www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org/wordpress/#

A solid quick Gourmet Meal

readybell — Mon, 23 May 2011 04:09:17 +0000

The first start of any great meal is the wine. Some people start with the food but I prefer the wine. I wanted Cabernet and since it was a SaturdayI had to dig through the “cellar” to see what was getting near its time. I am trying to do this once a week now. For wine lovers this is necessary otherwise you end up with wines you wish you had had 3 years ago. Enter the 2001 Beringer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It is perfect to drink now. With soft and supple tannins, notes of cherry, vanilla, Rutherford dust and just a bit of barn. The color is rich. It is a Yum. If you can find it, it is worth drinking.

To pair with the wine I made a flat iron steak on a bed of sauteed spinach with caramelized onions and Italian truffle cheese. This is a one pan meal which is always a bonus because who likes washing pans? Not me.

Cook the onions first (remove) and then the flat iron steak (remove) and then saute the spinach in a portion of the juices left over from the steak. Plate the spinach on the bottom with flank steak on top and caramelized onions around. Cover with italian truffle cheese. Enjoy:)

Total time less than 20 min. The pairing was delicious and low carb.

Wine of the Week

readybell — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:36:46 +0000

It is sunny and warm which means it is a white wine week. It is crucial to have a solid by the pool wine for this type of weather. Thus the wine selection of the week Kendall Jackson, Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay

Notes of green and red apples, peach, and nice sweet oak. A solid everyday Chardonnay. Estimated Retail: $14 This wine provides a lot of value for its cost. It is far superior to most of its competitors in this price range. If you want to spend under $20 on a Chardonnay this is a great choice.

Random Fact: This is the #1 selling Chardonnay nationwide for the last 20 years

2 of the Best Cheese Plates in California

readybell — Wed, 04 May 2011 15:18:51 +0000

I have been obsessed with cheese for about 5 years. To the extent that every dinner out starts and ends with a cheese plate. For the true cheese lover the below are two of the restaurants I feel have true cheese experiences for the cheese lover

1) Willi’s Wine Bar, Santa Rosa. Local small production cheeses with a bit of foreign chesse to provide the perfect mixture of ummm and hmm. They always have truffle honey which is absolutley divine. Don’t go there without trying their cheese plate. Also their martini’s are pretty addictive too. Martini’s and cheese for dinner = perfect.

2) Napa Rose, Anaheim. I am amazed by the cheese they find. Every cheese has a story and every cheese is one I have never tried or seen. I am 90% sure they have a person whose entire job is searching out small production cheeses. If you are going any where near Disneyland, make sure you book dinner at Napa Rose. You can bring kids and the waiters are amazing with them but for the experience and cost I would drop them off at the Grand Adventure hotel daycare. The wine list is even better than the cheese plate.

A great legend passes. Jess Jackson, you will be missed

readybell — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 04:03:58 +0000

Today in wine country we all suffered a great loss. Jess Jackson, pioneer of Kendall Jackson as well as multiple other fantastic wine brands passed away at the age of 81. To me he was the Walt Disney of the wine country. No idea was every too big and no boundaries existed. He redefined California wine-making and gave all vintners a glimmer of what you could become if you really worked hard. We all have raised a glass of Kendall Jackson in his honor tonight. He may be gone but he will never be forgotten. Thanks Jess for all that you brought to the wine industry and our lives.

-Jennifer Ready