Southern Brunch!

     Nothing completes a great brunch with friends or family like a refreshing drink to pair it with. Sangria is a wine  punch which originated in Spain. The best thing about Sangria is, their very easy to make. It can also be a popular drink among guest at a party that are not really wine drinkers. There is no specific wine that must be used when making a Sangria. Red or white wine will make any Sangria recipe taste great.

***Recipe for thought***     Crisp Flounder & Spinach Omelet with White Wine Sangria

4 flounder filets                                        4 large eggs
1 bag Louisianna Fish Meal                  1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tbsps Quick Grits                                  1/2 cup fresh chopped spinach
1 cup water                                              salt & pepper to taste
2 cups olive oil                                        PAM cooking spray

1 bottle of white wine (Riesling)                                1/2 cup sliced seedless grapes
1 cup white grape juice                                              1/2 cup sliced pineapple
1/2 cup white sugar                                                    1 1/2 cup ginger ale


     Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat and lightly bread flounder filets with Louisianna fish meal. Fry fish in heated oil, turning occasionally. Set cooked fish aside to cool. In a medium size bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper.  Spray your pan well with cooking spray and cook eggs in omelet form, adding cheddar cheese and chopped spinach to egg. Bring cup of water to a boil and add quick grits. Cook grits for 1 minute and stir well until grits thicken. 
     In a large drinking pitcher, combine Riesling, white grape juice, ginger ale, and white sugar, Stir in sliced grapes and pineapple. Chill drink over ice or refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. This meal would be great for a Spring Saturday brunch. It could also be added to a list of ideas for Mother's Day. 

A Light Blush

     For some that are new to wine, White Zinfandel is another great choice for your taste buds. This wine is made from the Zinfandel grape. White Zinfandel wine gains it's blush color from the skin being removed from the grape after they are crushed. This wine is soft and sweet in flavor. It tends to have a lower alcohol content than most wines but it takes nothing away from its character. White Zinfandel can be paired well with a variety of foods including, Asian and seafood dishes. 

***Recipe for Thought***       Shrimp Stir-Fry with White Zinfandel

1 pound large shrimp, peeled & deveined             1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/4 tsp ground ginger                                         3/4 cups of snow peas
1 tsp crushed garlic                                            1/2 sweet red pepper julienned
1 tbsp sesame seeds                                              1/2 cup carrots julienned
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper                                        4 tbsp teriyaki sauce 
1 cup cold water                                                  1 tbsp cornstarch 
2 tbsp of sesame oil

     In a large food storage bag, combine shrimp, ginger, crushed garlic, cayenne pepper and sesame seeds. Marinate shrimp in the refrigerator while preparing the stir fry. Using a large skillet, heat sesame oil and saute' carrots, green onion and red peppers for about 4 minutes. Then add snow peas teriyaki sauce and seasoned shrimp mixture. Make sure to cook shrimp for about 5 to 6 minutes or until shrimp are pink in color. Last, in a separate cup, mix cornstarch and cold water and add to stir fry. Stir well and let stir fry come to a boil so that the sauce thickens. Serve stir fry over rice or lo-mien noodles. 

Breaking in the Season

     When the spring season starts to break in, there is nothing like a crisp, light taste that will pair well with a light dish. Pinot Blanc is a white wine grape that originated in France. This grape produces a medium to dry white wine. Pinot Blanc also comes from a variety of Pinot wines. Whether a Pinot Blanc, a blend or Champagne, this grape delivers a light citrus and fruity flavor. Depending on the how the wine is made, you can also find great smokey and some floral characteristics. Pinot Blanc pairs well with seafood, lightly flavored meats and sauces.

*** Recipe for Thought***   Cozy Chicken Casserole with Pinot Blanc

3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast,                1 can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup
cut into large strips                                               ¼ cup melted butter
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese                                1 ½ cup dry chicken cornbread stuffing mix
1 tbsp onion powder                                             ¼ cup of evaporated milk
pinch salt & pepper to taste                                  1 tsp garlic powder

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange the chicken breast strips in the dish and season with onion powder, garlic powder and salt & pepper to taste. Then add Swiss cheese over season chicken. In a separate bowl, mix cream of chicken soup and milk. Pour mixture over chicken and sprinkle with chicken cornbread stuffing mix. Drizzle melted butter over top and cover with heavy duty foil. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through. This dish is great served over rice, along side roasted veggies or alone with a crisp glass of wine.