Evergreen Escapes Wacky Quacky Holiday Lights and Wine Tour

Are you in Seattle for Christmas/New Years or will you be traveling there? If so, I want to tell you about a fantastic holiday venture that will delight any food and wine lover! The Wacky Quacky Holiday Lights and Wine Tour!

Evergreen Escapes has teamed with Ride the Ducks of Seattle, Fall Line Winery, and Maven Meals for a ride through downtown Seattle to view the prettiest light displays, followed by the ultimate food and wine experience at the Fall Line tasting room.

Lights Tour: This is the ceiling of the vehicle. All decked out for the holidays!! The vehicle is semi-open, so bundle up and cover up with the blankets provided in the vehicle (the DUKW 'Duck' -- an amphibious landing craft developed by the U.S. Army during World War II) on the tour.

This is Macy's display, which is right across from the Mayflower Park Hotel where we stayed.

Trees in Occidental Park were dressed in sweaters!

De-boarding the amphibious. I loved this kid's Angry Birds hat.

Then it was into a HEATED caravan :) and onto Fall Line Winery for the food and wine pairing (don't worry, the kid was not on the wine portion of the tour and only there for the duck!)

 

The winery name: The owner of Fall Line, Tim Sorenson, and his wife Nancy Rivenburgh are both avid skiers, and the name Fall Line worked because a perfectly balanced skier will leave behind a "fall line" on a slope.

 

After 4 years of winemaking studies and apprenticeship, they founded Fall Line Winery in June 2003 and in 2004, moved it to the South Seattle neighborhood of Georgetown (its present location.)

Really cool map of Washington AVA's was on the wall.

The tasting room was decorated so pretty with lights and little herb baskets (containing rosemary and sage). The lights in the room were turned down and the tables were lit with candles.

Food (provided by Seattle's Maven Meals) and wine for the evening were set up at three stations. The first station (the Snoqualmic Pass Station) featured this table of appetizers which included locally made Beecher's Cheeses, cured meats, an olive tapenade, and a roasted vegetable spread. The wines for this course included a 2008 Red Mountain Artz Vineyard Bordeaux-Style Blend and a 2008 Yakima Valley Boushey Vinyeard Bordeaux-Style Blend.

 

Tim Sorenson, the winemaker.

At the Crystal Mountain Station, a Carnival Squash Lasagna layered with a sage bechamel sauce and cheeses was served with a garlicky grilled broccoli. This pairing included two more wines, the 2008 Red Willow Vineyard - Yakima Valley and a 2009 El Otro - Yakima Valley Tempranillo with which the BF absolutely fell in love (before he found out it was rated 92 points in Wine Advocate)!

Station 3 was Hurricane Ridge and a Brandied Cranberry Short Rib served with Whipped Garlic Red Skin Potatoes. We sampled this dish while sipping a 2009 Exhibition - Yakima Valley (my favorite wine besides the Tempranillo served at the earlier station, and a blend of 46% cabernet franc, 34% merlot, 16% cabernet sauvignon, 4% tempranillo). The last wine of the evening was the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Yakima Valley.

Dessert was a duo of Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and a Bittersweet Chocolate Cake. They went over very well with the crowd around me as I had another glass of the Exhibition instead. I really want to stress that no one was left hungry and the portions were sizable. If there was something left on the table and you wanted another taste, you were welcome to have it. The same goes for the wines.

And here's Tim at the end of the evening, adding up all the wine my BF bought!
A whole case of Tempranillo, and another case of mixed wine.

Do you want to get in on this tour and wine/food tasting fun?? There are still seats remaining for December 23rd and December 30th! You can book your experience here. Also, if you are a participant on the Holiday Lights and Wine tour, you will receive a 15% discount on a purchase of three bottles of wine or more.

You can find Evergreen Escapes on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Ride the Ducks is on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Fall Line Winery's Facebook page is here.

Maven Meals is on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Herradura Tequilas for a Last Minute Gift Idea

Last week, the reps at Herradura Tequila sent me a sampling of their line (loved the bottle and the horseshoe logo!), and I think it's a great gift idea especially if you don't know the recipient that well (gift exchange, gift for new boyfriend or girlfriend). And...it's also a nice little gift for yourself. ;) By this time of the holiday season (since it practically now starts around Labor Day), most of us are ready for it to be over. What is better at the end of a long day than relaxing by the fire with a nice adult beverage?

Herradura has four tequilas on the market, and I sampled three of them:
The Herradura Silver/Plata is aged 45 days in white oak barrels. This is the type of tequila to buy the person who likes to make margaritas or other mixed tequila drinks. A touch of lime and salt enhances the slight notes of oak. Its alcohol content is 40%.

Herradura Reposado (“rested”) is rested for 11 months (nine more than category standards) and is slightly caramel in color. Its alcohol content is also 40%. The flavors are a little more developed and drop hints of vanilla and cinnamon.

Herradura Añejo ("aged") is aged two years in white oak barrels and its alcohol is 40%. It has an almost spicy and smoky flavor and is light amber in color. This is the kind of tequila I enjoy slightly warmed (like one would a brandy) and sipped slowly from a snifter.

Herradura is a sister tequila to el Jimador. You can find their full line of products here.

To find a store in your area that carries Herradura Tequila, you can use this locator on their website. Local to Sacramento, you can find it at BevMo. You can also purchase Herradura online by following this link.

Herradura's Facebook page can be found here.

Happy Holidays to all! Relax and enjoy life, it's way too short!!

Custom Holiday Meals from Whole Foods

The Holiday Order Station at Whole Foods Sacramento, at the left entrance of the store. 

On Wednesday, I was invited to pick up a sample holiday dinner from Whole Foods Sacramento. They wanted me to help spread the word on how they can take the hassle out of cooking for your holiday gatherings. I was sent a list of some of the items that are included in a typical holiday meal, such as: a small organic pre-cooked turkey, a Field roast stuffed en croûte, Health Starts Here stuffed acorn squash, Health Starts Here posole soup, Glazed sweet potatoes, Broccoli cheddar potato gratin, a Pumpkin pie, Wine, and Holiday Flowers. 

As many of you know by now, I don't eat a lot of things on that list at all. I follow the Paleo diet, which is gluten, grain, and dairy free. It might seem a little extreme to avoid all of those items (even during the holidays, which are traditionally all about eating and celebration), but it is so worth it to me because I am doing well maintaining my weight loss by eating this way. I remain so focused on my athletic performance and just feeling healthy everyday I am on the planet! Life is too short to have medical issues, especially ones you can fix by eating clean! :)

Since a lot of the selections did contain corn, gluten, sugar, etc, I asked the marketing contact if we could put together a special meal and speak to all the people out there who have gone gluten free. People like me who are very selective and care about every bite. She agreed, and I am so happy to show you what Whole Foods can put together for you. It's completely guilt free eating and the only thing you might miss about the meal is cooking all of it... if you like to cook like me. ;)

Here is the full spread they put together all laid out on the table. As you can see, it was spectacular. My list of Gluten/grain, and sugar free items were as follows: Crudite, fruit, & cheese, Organic Turkey, Brussel Sprouts with Shallots and Pecan, Roasted Root Vegetables, Wine, and Organic Flowers.

The crudite included broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, green bell peppers, celery, and a dip in the center. I tasted a little and it had sour cream base, but it was not the typical unappetizing ranch you find on a vegetable plate. This had more of a delicate scallion flavor. Of course, I avoided it because as far as dairy is concerned, I save myself for cheese!! :) And vegetables this fresh taste great on their own.

This is the organic turkey. Preparation is so simple because the turkey is already cooked when you buy it. All you have to do is thaw it out and then bake it. I picked up my meal from the store at around 2pm, and simply continued to thaw the turkey before placing it in the oven at around 7pm. It was ready to eat by around 7:45 or so. The meat was delectable and so tender. I believe organic meats are the only way to go!!

This is the side of roasted root vegetables, it contained parsnips which are one of my favorite vegetables EVER!! It also has carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, and pecans. Wow. Pretty much my favorite things coming together on the plate. I make a dish pretty similar to this, so I wasn't surprised to love it so much.

These are the roasted Brussel sprouts with shredded cabbage. Since sprouts are a form of cabbage, the dish was a neat little duo because of the two different textures. And pecans are like candy to me. Another wonderful side.

This is what my plate looked like all put together. 

And then, the cheese! Since I don't do sugar of any kind anymore, cheese is my true indulgence, and I eat fruit to keep away any major sugar cravings. This little cheese and fruit tray was so pretty and contained a few different cheeses: some bleu, a brie, and two other cheeses that were spreadable. The tray also contained blackberries, strawberries, grapes, and blueberries. Then there were wonderful Marcona almonds, walnuts, and little bars of compressed fig in the box. 

Everything I ordered was perfect and packaged up so nicely. There was also a bottle of nice Riesling in the mix. Whole Foods has a great selection of other wines as well. Chardonnay or Pinot Noir would also be a great match for all this food.

To learn more about the holiday menu selections, you can go to http://holidayworthsharing.com You can also follow Whole Foods on Twitter @WFMNorCal Tag #WholeForTheHolidays for a chance to a win a turkey dinner! There will be one winner a week. Good luck!

To order your holiday meals you can go to: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/shop and to see a complete holiday forum with recipes and tips for a perfect party, you can go here:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/holidays/

Festival of Trees on November 20th from 4-8pm at the California Automobile Museum

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, The Birth Connection is hosting the Festival of Trees charity auction on Sunday, November 20th from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Sacramento’s California Automobile Museum. The event has been created to build awareness and raise funds for The Birth Connection (TBC), a non-profit organization devoted to providing a safe place for pregnant women in crisis.

This year’s charity event, “Festival of Trees,” features a “Taste of Northern California” and includes an afternoon of appetizers and desserts provided by local restaurateurs Maranello's, Cafeteria 15L, and Biba, followed by a live auction. Auction items include one-of-a-kind experiences, as well as beautifully-decorated Christmas trees donated by designers and organizations in the community.

Event co-chairs, Donald and Jackie Barthel of Bradford and Barthel, LLP, have been personally impacted by the good works of The Birth Connection.

“As the father of four beautiful children, I see the miracles that The Birth Connection provides to families and children every day,” said Barthel. “My wife Jackie and I are passionate about finding strong, loving families and homes for children needing adoption.”

The Law Offices of Bradford and Barthel, LLP are joined by Rubio’s Restaurant to utilize resources from their respective businesses to help keep children out of California’s financially-strapped foster care system.

“I hope the community takes advantage of this opportunity to come together in celebration for such an important cause,” said Barthel, father of Mimi, Emma, Ben and Desmond Barthel. Barthel’s business partner Thomas Bradford is also a supporter and offers thanks to Lois Baxter, executive director of TBC, and the hundreds of families who have supported TBC over the years.

“The Birth Connection is directly responsible for making hundreds of families—as well as hundreds of children—feel complete,” said Bradford. “This is our opportunity to bring the families, children, supporters and community leaders together to celebrate the lives of these families.”

Individual tickets are $25 and table sponsorships start at $250. Sponsorship packages are also available and can be tailored to fit sponsor needs. Bradford and Barthel, a statewide law firm with 12 offices, is creating “A Forever Home for Children Supporter's Wall” in their new Sacramento office, slated to be unveiled in early 2012. “Supporter” levels begin at $1,000 (funds go toward the adoption of one child), up to $10,000 (“Changing 30 Lives Forever” - funds counseling for 20 birth moms and 10 adoptions). Significant sponsors will be invited to Bradford and Barthel’s private VIP After Party immediately following the event on Sunday, November 20.

For additional ticket and sponsorship information, go to their Facebook page here, or http://www.bradfordbarthel.com/festivaloftrees.htm or call Jackie Barthel at 916.718.3441.

About Bradford and Barthel
Founded in 1997 by Thomas Bradford and Donald Barthel, Bradford and Barthel, LLP is the industry leader in aggressive defense of Workers' Compensation, Subrogation, Employment, and Labor matters. Additional information can be found online at: http://www.bradfordbarthel.com.

About The Birth Connection
The Birth Connection (TBC) is a non-profit organization that is committed to serving women in unplanned pregnancy. TBC offers each woman a safe place to explore the life choices of parenting and adoption and the decisions she makes to provide her child with a hope and a future. Additional information can be found by going to http://thebirthconnection.org

Pinotlicious Wines: Part One

I recently had the opportunity to try the 2009 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Freestone Hills Pinot Noir. 

I liked the wine so much that I am ready to extend my upcoming Napa trip up Highway 29 so I can visit a tasting room in Healdsburg that carries more SCV wines along with several other labels. Access to wines like these is exactly why I came to California.

The wine retails for around $40, so it's certainly not an everyday wine, but well-suited for occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. The wine is deep garnet in color, and soft and velvety with a wonderful finish. It’s fruity enough to bring together the different flavors of the meal, but also worth drinking by itself.

The 2009 Freestone Hills is a 100% pinot noir combining grapes from three vineyards: Bella Sonoma Vineyard, (72%), Petersen Vineyard, (20%), & the Salmon Creek Block, (8%). It was aged 16-months in 60% new French oak, and has 14.3% alcohol.

You can find this wine in Chico at the Mangrove Bottle Shop, in San Francisco at Soma Wines and Spirits, and in Healdsburg at the Vintage Wine Estates tasting room. You can also buy it online from the winery's website here.

Another Holiday Helping: Fruitcake Biscotti

The holiday deliciousness continues with my recipe for Fruitcake Biscotti. OK, I know that fruitcake is one of the most dreaded "gifts" on the planet, but this recipe will forever change your mind about the brick shaped confection that doubles as a doorstop.

It is an adapted recipe from Martha Stewart's Cherry Almond Biscotti, which I also happened to make this week for a friend of mine.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups dried fruit

(cherries, plums, cranberries, raisins, currants, figs, apricots, anything you like)
1 cup dark rum, plus more if needed

2 cups granulated sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

8 large eggs (6 whole, 2 lightly beaten)

4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1 1/2 cups fancy blanched nuts, chopped (cashews, filberts, pecans)

6 tablespoons coarse sugar

Icing ingredients:

1 lb powdered sugar

2 Tbs meringue powder

1 tsp salt

1/4-1/2 cup dark rum

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp orange juice

2 tsp butter extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat dried fruit and rum in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has absorbed the liquid. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the rum. If there is not 1/4 cup left, then add more rum to equal that amount. You can also use the microwave to quickly macerate the dried fruit.

Sift together flour, baking powder, spices, and salt into a bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip about 2 minutes. Mix in 6 whole eggs, one at a time. Mix in reserved rum and the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in dried fruit and chopped nuts.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into thirds. Shape each into a log, however big you want your biscotti to be. Flatten logs to 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Brush logs with beaten egg; sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

Bake 35 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Cut each log on a diagonal. Transfer pieces to racks, laying them on sides. Set racks on baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes; flip. Bake 8 minutes more. Let cool until crisp.

To prepare your icing, sift a 1pound box of powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and add the rest of the icing ingredients. Beat until thoroughly mixed. If icing is too stiff, add more rum. If icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar.

When biscotti pieces have cooled, drizzle each one with the icing and set on a rack to dry.

While waiting on the biscottis to dry, enjoy this Fruitcake horror film!

Fruitcake from stephmcparty on Vimeo.

Chicken & Gingerbread Waffles with Cranberry Syrup

Hey there... sorry long time, no post. I have a new job and just moved back into my house, and haven't had a lot of extra free time when I get home. I just threw a party to celebrate my return home, and so I thought I would share a few recipes of the food I served as well as recap the party... It was a cookie exchange and several of my sweet friends braved the rain to share the evening with me. It really meant a lot since I have no family here.

One of the dishes I made for my guests is a holiday spin on Chicken & Waffles. I made Chicken & Gingerbread Waffles with Cranberry Syrup.

Baked or Fried Chicken

1/2 to 3/4 lbs per person chicken breast tenderloins

(I use one chicken tenderloin per skewer, some guests might want two servings)

Breading:

1 box corn flakes

6-10 gingersnap cookies

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

salt

Eggwash:

6 eggs

1/2 milk

I suggest making the waffles a day in advance if you do not have a lot of time. I will list that recipe below. To make the chicken, preheat your oven to 400°, and mix your breading ingredients in a bowl...then pour the crumbs mixture into a shallow pan so that you will have plenty of room to bread the chicken in it. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for the chicken to bake on. Make your eggwash by beating the eggs and then pouring in the milk. Mix until combined. 

To bread the chicken, dip it into the crumbs, then the eggwash, then the crumbs, then the eggwash, then the crumbs again. Lay each piece on the cooking sheets with plenty of room all around them. When you have filled a tray, spray each piece with a non-stick cooking spray. Make sure your oven is up to temperature and bake each sheet until the breading is golden brown. This will not take long, maybe 15-20 minutes, so keep your oven light on and an eye on it! Chicken is great when it is cooked nicely and almost unpalatable when it is OVERCOOKED and DRY. :(

If you want to skip the baking and deep fry the pieces, go for it! I just didn't want the oil smell throughout the house with guests coming over. 

Cranberry Syrup:

2 cans jelled cranberry sauce 

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/4 brown sugar

1/4 lemon juice

Heat the sauce with the corn syrup, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan, slowly bring to a boil for about a minute. If sauce is too thick add a little orange juice and heat through. 

Gingerbread Waffles:

2 cups flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbs ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp clove

3 Tbs sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups milk

4 tbs butter (melted)

1/2 cup molasses

Preheat your waffle iron. Mix the dry ingredients together and then the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. Grease your waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and then pour the battle onto the griddle. Cook for about 5 minutes and then check for doneness.

When waffles are cooked through and browned, remove from iron and cut them into squares.

Place them on skewers alternating chicken pieces and waffle pieces. Drizzle the syrup over them and serve!!

Tune in the rest of this week for more recipes from the party!

Whole Foods Holiday Meals

Do you feel overwhelmed by the Holidays? Do you need something fabulous looking and mouth-watering to bring to a party, but just don't have the time to prepare a dish?

Thanksgiving might be over, but there are plenty more parties and family gatherings when slaving over a hot stove is not an option. Whole Foods saves the day with their "Holiday Menu".

There are many menu plans from which to choose, but here are two examples below. (The full menu is also shown below--click images to enlarge).

Latin Holiday Feast – Serves Four

6-8 Pound Oven Roasted Turkey, Pork and Pumpkin Tamales, Spanish Rice, Black Beans, Mole Sauce, Dinner Rolls, and a ½ Pumpkin Pie

Traditional Turkey Dinner – Serves Eight

10-12 Pound Oven Roasted Diestel Turkey, Savory Herb Stuffing, Classic Cranberry Relish, Mashed Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, Dinner Rolls, and a Pumpkin Pie

Here's the sample platter I picked up. I wanted to try some of the side items, because they just sounded healthier and more interesting than regular turkey or mashed potatoes. Starting at the very top (12 o'clock) is the stuffed acorn squash, then the roasted root vegetables, then the sausage and sage stuffing, followed by the butternut squash salad, then the cranberry sauce. In the center (though hard to see) is the pork and pumpkin tamales.

My favorite from the platter was the pork and pumpkin tamales. I was given such a small sample, so it's a shame you can't really see them in the picture. Of all the things I tried, I found it to be the most tasty and the most worth actually paying someone else to make for you, since tamales are so labor intensive. My friend's favorite was the sausage and sage stuffing.

Other side items available (and pricing):

Dungeness Crab Brie Mac ’n Cheese, 2 lb: $23.99

Roasted Tomato Cheddar Mac ’n Cheese,  2 lb:   $21.99

Apricot Glazed Sweet Potatoes, 2 lb:  $17.99

Broccoli Cheddar Potato Gratin, 2 lb:   $17.99

Sage Sausage Sourdough Stuffing, 2 lb:   $17.99

Oyster Stuffing, 2 lb:   $19.99

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, 2 lb:   $17.99

Roasted Root Vegetables, 2 lb:  $13.99

Pinnacle Farms Stuffed Acorn Squash, each:  $5.99

Sweet Potato Mash, 2 lb:  $13.99

Wild Rice & Cranberry Stuffing, 2 lb:   $15.99

Yukon Gold Potato Gratin, 2 lb:   $15.99

Baked Fuji Apples, 4 apples:   $13.99 

Here is the full menu:

How to Order:

1. Online at: 

wholefoodsmarket.com/shop

2. At our in-store holiday table

Please place your online orders no later than Thursday 12/23/2010 for Christmas. 

In-store holiday table dates will vary by store. Please call the store you’d like to pick up your order at for details. Please allow at least 48 hours notice for all orders. Order cancellation requires 24 hours notice. Prices do not include sales tax. 

You can "like" Whole Foods on Facebook (Sacramento) here and (Roseville) here and follow them (Sacramento location) on twitter here and Roseville location here.

Newcastle Holiday Celebration is Wednesday, December 8th

On December 8th, Newcastle is having an old fashion Holiday celebration in Marshall Square. It's going to be a wonderful community event. Join them for an evening of old traditions made new again.

There will be an organized bike ride throughout Newcastle area from 3-5pm, musical entertainment provided by Music Exchange and local kids' choirs, a children's parade through the square, pictures with Santa, holiday shopping, warm food and drinks, and of course the tree lighting!

All families are encouraged to bring an ornament (that can withstand the elements) to donate for placement on the tree, for years to come. This will be a wonderful evening full of community togetherness and joy.

To RSVP for this event, or for more information, go to its Facebook page here.

The organizers are still welcoming vendors to participate in the event. The fee is $25. For more information, please contact Lisa Sacco at 916-663-1816.