Chocolate Cranberry Zinfandel Brownies

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Aprons & Stilettos

Happy Holidays to all of our friends and family. Here is a simple, yet extremely decadent holiday treat incorporating chocolate (always an all time favorite), a little wine and tart cranberries.

1 pound semi-sweet chocolate

2 cups of fresh cranberries

½ pound unsalted butter

1 cup Kenwood Vineyards Zinfandel

1 T vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

Pour the Zinfandel and 3/4 cup of fresh cranberries in a saucepan and reduce down to 1/2 cup. Set aside and let cool slightly. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Don’t have a double broiler? Place a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water and melt chocolate and butter by stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly. In a mixer bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, zinfandel reduction (make sure this is slightly cooled) and vanilla and mix until fluffy. Add chocolate mixture to the sugar/egg mix. Fold in flour until just mixed in. Drop in remaining fresh cranberries and mix slightly. Pour into a half sheet covered with parchment or foil. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes or until the center comes out clean with a toothpick or knife.

Makes 24 brownies.

Wine Pairing

Zinfandel, of course! Some personal favorites are Creekview Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel, Bella Maple Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel and Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Zinfandel. How about you? What are some of your favorite Zinfandel wines?

DIY Christmas: Keepsake Ornaments & Cinnamon Crafts

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Aprons & Stilettos

DIY Christmas

My new favorite gift to make and give | Keepsake Ornaments

Keepsake Ornament

If you have attended any weddings recently and still have the invitation or any party favors from the wedding this is a must do! Quick, simple and memorable. I had the pleasure of attending two amazing weddings this year and now I get to give a gift to my friends that they can have forever.

What you need:

Clear, empty round ornaments (Michael’s sells them in packs or singles in all different sizes)
The invitation and glitter or any other fillings you would like to add.

Keepsake Ornamanets

Start by cutting the invitation into very thin pieces. Depending on the material of the invitation you can curl it around your finger or with scissors. Fill the ornament with the sliced paper. Add glitter or any other decorations you would like. For one of the ornaments I added a couple of the matches that were given away on their special day. Add a hanger or a pretty piece of decorated string and gift. I guarantee this will be a gift they will cherish forever.

Make It A Cinnamon Christmas

Cinnamon Candle

In under 5 minutes, create a decorative holiday candle that is not only festive but fills the air with holiday cheer!

What you need:

Long cinnamon sticks
Glass candle holder / cup
Tea light or candle
Holiday string and decorations of your choice

Simply hot glue gun the cinnamon sticks and decorate with holiday string. Insert candle and light. The aromas of cinnamon will begin to fill the air with holiday cheers. Give as a homemade gift to your friends or family or decorate your home with this easy do-it-yourself holiday craft.

Holiday Cinnamon Banner

Butternut Squash with Pancetta, Pomegranate Seeds, Arugula, Pears and Asiago Cheese

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Aprons & Stilettos

Butternut Squash with Pancetta, Pomegranate Seeds, Arugula, Pears and Asiago Cheese

One of the benefits of where I work is the opportunity to work with some exceptional chefs. The below recipe shared by the Executive Chef at Kenwood Vineyards, Robin Lehnhoff-McCray, has it all. The sweet and nutty flavors from one of my favorite winter squashes married with tart pomegranate seeds (I’m on a pomegranate kick right now), crispy pancetta to add richness and texture, spicy arugula, sweet pears and Asiago cheese for added complexity makes this recipe the perfect winter dish. Serve it as your main entrée or as an accompaniment on the side.

1 large Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced 1 inch

2 T olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup pomegranate seeds

8 ozs. pancetta, sliced thinly or cubed and cooked crisp

2 cups fresh baby arugula

2 large Bartlett pears, sliced thin

4-6 ozs Asiago cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the squash, olive oil and salt and pepper to coat. Place this on a sheet pan and cover with foil. Bake until tender, 15 – 30 minutes (mine took about 20 mins). Uncover and continue to bake until the squash starts to turn brown on the edges. Sprinkle with the cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Set aside to cool.

In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add in the squash. Gently toss together and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8 as main entrée.

Wine Pairing

A Merlot or Pinot Noir would be a perfect match to the flavor profiles in this dish. Some personal favorites are Creekview Vineyards Santa Clara Valley Merlot, Benovia Winery Pinot Noir or Jack London Vineyards Merlot.