Latest adventure

Just got home from Grand Rapids where Devan and I had out latest adventure.  We went to this world market called "JB Russo".  Let me tell you what...I WAS LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE AND TOY STORE COMBINED!!!!  First off they had almost every kind of food you could imagine there.  Even in the deli they had an entire cooler devoted strictly to olives!!!  They also had all sorts of sweet kitchen gadgets and such, however our main reason for going was to go wine shopping!!!  THE WINE...OMG...AISLES AND AISLES OF WINE!!!!  There were Michigan wines, some from Washington, Oregon, California, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Japan, and the list goes on!!!  Alot of the more popular and pricier wines were graded on the 100pt Wine Spectacular grade scale.  So I decided to purchase 3 bottles with totaled almost $50.

*tikal Patriota 2008- This wine scored a 92 (if I remember correctly) and really intrigued me.  The label on the front is pretty neat looking which was the first thing that piqued my interest, but secondly, because it's a blend.  It's 60% Bonarda and 40% Malbec.  It sounded delish so I thought I would give it a try too.  It's another wine from Argentina, of which I didn't realize until I got home.  I was under the assumption it was from Chile, however, I still think it'll be good.  Retail price was $29.99 but on sale for $17.99.

*Bodega Norton Reserva- Malbec 2007 from Mendoza, Argentina. It was graded a 90 and a tasters choice.  I want to say I've had it before, or I had wanted to try it a while ago, but never got it.  I LLLOVE Malbec so I bought it.  Retail price was $18.99 but I got it on sale for $14.99.  I'll have to tell you later after I drink it what I thought about it!



*evodia- 2008 Garnacha- I had this wine a few weeks ago at a Christmas party at Devan's aunts house.  It was delicious to say the least!  It's a red wine from Spain.  Not too heavy, with great flavor.  Let's not forget the price...a bargain at $6.99.  Retail was $12.99

I really hope that after drinking these wines I don't develop an expensive taste.  I've already been noticing myself straying here and there from the $6-$12 and now here I am buying $15 and $18 bottles of wine!  I can't remember what all Devan bought, but I do recall him purchasing a REAL bottle of Champagne (name and kind eludes me at the moment). We're going to be ringing in the new year in style bay-bay :)

BRACE YOURSELF ETHEL.....

Chicken Casserole

*2 cups instant rice
*2 chicken breasts (boneless/skinnless)
*2 cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup
*2 tbls garlic powder
*1/4 cup white onion (minced or chopped)
*Chopped broccoli & asparagus (as much or little as you want)
*1 cup milk
*1 packet french onion soup mix
*shredded cheddar cheese
*Salt & Pepper to taste


Preheat the oven to 350degrees.
First prepare the rice and set aside.  Then brown/ cook the chicken in a skillet.  Cut into cubes and set aside.
Next we prepare the sauce.
In a large bowl, mix the condensed soup, french onion soup mix, milk, cheese and garlic powder.  Once the sauce is made and the chicken and rise is cooked, it's time to mix it all together.
Take a 9x13" casserole pan and mix together the sauce, rice, chicken, onion, broccoli, and asparagus.  Coat the top with shredded cheddar cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake untill heated through and cheese on top is golden brown!

This is the meal I had with the Sauvignon Blanc that I had previously mentioned.  Leftovers are perfect reheated the next day!!!

Blanc-y-donc

I don't remember all the specs on this wine as it was a little while ago that I had it.  I do remember that it was very tasty.  Light but full bodied and crisp.  At first you'll notice a fruity bouquet of pear and then when it reaches your mouth it seems to have a bite that holds onto your tongue.  I was not prepaired for that!  The finish was surprisingly mellow and not very long lasting!  There's something about it that I just can't put my finger on, but I will defiantly go back to it again!

I drank this wine with a chicken casserole that had rice, onions, garlic, broccoli, and asparagus in it.  The meal itself was rather heavy so this was a perfect accompaniment as it was not a heavy wine.

Dinner at Hobo's

Went to Hobo's last night for dinner with the boy!  I've never been there before but he assured me it was nothing short of fantastic!  At first glance they were in dire need of an interior decorator! However, it was a soft and friendly environment!

We were seated at a corner booth in the back which didn't bother me any.  The booth was very large so there was plenty of room.  I hate feeling crowded while I eat!  After browsing around the menu for a few, Devan told me they are very well known for their stews.  Stew really doesn't interest me at a restaurant so I opted to go with one of the specials of the evening- 8oz steak half rack of bbq ribs and a side (I ordered red skin potatos).

To accompany my meal, I decided to order a glass of wine!  Their selection was a little light but categorized it very well.  I opted with Pinot Noir Mirassou 2007.  I wanted a wine that wasn't too heavy as my meal was going to be VERY heavy.  So I ordered a nice light-medium red.  When it was brought to my table I went through the 4pt taste test.  The bouquet upon first smell had a nice light fruity fragrance.  It didn't cling to the side of the glass like most heavier reds do so I knew it would be perfect.  When I swished/slirped it, it wasn't terribly dry on my gums and the flavor really opened up.  The finish was fantastic.  It didn't stay long but I noticed a black berry of sorts with almost a vanilla spice.

Great night with the boy...great food...great conversation...and SUPERB wine!  This Pinot Noir will be, without a doubt, my next wine purchase!!!

FABULOUS red blend...from "the book"...

From "the book"...

In the begning...

So I've decided to start a blog about food and wine.  You may find yourself asking why.  I have a simple answer...I like food, I like wine, and well, because I can!

A lot of times I come across all these great ideas for making food or I'll be at a restaurant and indulge in these fabulous creations, to then later on forget what it was that I had!  Not to mention partake in FABULOUS wines and forget what it was or if I liked it!  So why not write about it and have it all layed out?  SUUURRREEEE!!!  So grab a snack and "Big Carl" and let's go......