New recipe, February 28, 2015

Chicken Saltimbocca from the March/April Cooking Well. This had good flavors, and was fast (25 minutes). Those 2 factors together get a 4. Served with a green salad.

Wine: Kosta Browne 2011 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

New recipe, February 27, 2015

Quick Chicken Curry from the March 2015 Cooking Light--we did substitute a couple ingredients (red onion for yellow, green beans for snap peas). The flavors are excellent, we would add more heat. Still gets a 4. Served with fried ripe plantains, which were a nice match.

Wine: Von der Leyen Riesling

New recipe, February 25, 2015

The Red Shoe Diary cocktail from the February 2015 Bon Appetít. Very nice, we give it a 4.

New recipe, February 24, 2015

Grilled Chicken Salad with Freekeh Preserved Lemon and Dried Cherries, from the March/April 2015 Eating Well. This is wonderfully delicious--we give it a 5.

Wine: Baroncini 1489 Libra Orvieto Classico 2010

New recipe, February 23, 2015

Thai Peanut Curry Noodles from the March/April 2015 Eating Well. Very nice, we give this a 4.

No wine, because of late meetings.

New recipes, February 22, 2015

Simple Avocado Salad, and Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup, both from the March 2015 Cooking Light. The salad is bright and tasty--it gets a 4. The soup has good flavors, though the beans were a little firm. I think this would have benefitted from sautéing the vegetables before adding them to the soup. We give it a 3

Wine: Matteo Correggia Roero 2006

New recipe, February 21, 2015

We brought a salad to dinner with our friends--Edamame and Ramen Avocado Salad from the March 2015 Cooking Light. This is ok, we give it a 3

New recipe, February 20, 2015

Beef Chorizo Tacos with Cabbage Slaw from the March 2015 Cooking Light. We used ground chicken instead of beef, it is delicious! We give this a 5.

Wine: Muriel Rioja Reserva 2007

New recipe, February 19, 2015

Tonight we went to see Benediction at the Denver Center, which is an exceptional play. We loved it. So our new recipe is a cocktail, the Absolut Negroni from the Absolut website. Delicious variation on the Negroni theme--we give it a 4.

New recipes, February 18, 2015

Moroccan Spiced Pork Chops with Mashed Sweet Potatoes, with Lemony Green Beans from the March 2015 Cooking Light. Nice, we give these a 4.

Wine: Georges DeBoeuf Beajolais Villages 2012

New recipe, February 17, 2015

Chicken Curry Bar from the March 2015 Cooking Light. Nice flavors, a bit too tame with the spices--we give this a 3.

Wine: Banyan Gewürztraminer 2013

New recipe, February 16, 2015

Chicken with Preserved Lemon from the January/February 2015 Cooking Light. Tasty--gets a 4. Served with a "salvage salad"--ingredients salvaged from the fridge--in this case radicchio, radish, green onion and avocado--also very tasty!

Wine: Brophy Clark Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2009--a good match

New recipes, February 15, 2015

Moroccan Split Pea Soup with Sweet Spiced Pickle, and Baked Spring Vegetable Omelet with Goat Cheese and Mint, both from the March 2015 Food and Wine. We give the soup and pickle a 5, and the omelet gets an enthusiastic 4!

Wine: Loveblock Markborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013

New recipe, February 14, 2015

We toasted Valentine's Day with some Segura Viudas Cava with a Hibicus Blossom in Syrup in the glass--elegant look, pleasant flavor.

Dinner was Seared Duck Breast with Wheat Berries and Endive from Tasting Table. The duck turned out very nicely, but the meal overall didn't wow us -- the wheat berries, sauce and salad didn't really seem to add much. We give this a 3.

Wine: Kosta Browne 2010 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

New recipes, February 13, 2015

Orange and Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with roasted green beans and barley and wild rice, all from the January/February 2015 Eating Well. Yum--the meal gets a 4!

Wine: Condrieu La Solarie 2010--wonderful

New recipe, February 12, 2015

We went to see Appoggiatura at the Denver Center -- an excellent play -- so tonight's new recipe is the Chanticleer cocktail from Gary Regan's The Joy of Mixology  Nice, we give this a 4

New recipe, February 11, 2015

Soy Marinated Flank Steak with Sobs Noodles from the January/February 2015 Eating Well. Yum! Gets a 4.

Wine: Cranford Barossa Valley 2005 Merlot

New recipe, February 10, 2015

We went to see Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella this evening at the Denver Center--really well done, and the audience was full of little princesses. The bars offered a Fairy Godmother, made with Spring 44 Honey Vodka, Ginger Ale and Cranberry Juice. I could not find a recipe on the Spring 44 site, so I made it up--2 ounces each of the honey vodka and ginger ale, and a splash of cranberry juice--nice flavors, a bit sweet. We give it a 3.

New recipes, February 9, 2015

Two from the January/February 2015 Eating Well Magazine: Shrimp Ham and Pepper Couscous, served with a mixed green salad with Sherry vinaigrette, feta, sliced almonds, and dried cranberries. These are both good and good together. We give them a 4.

Wine: Aires Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Fosso Corno 2009

New recipe, February 8, 2015

Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts from the February 2015 Bon Appetít. A great variation on Kung Pao--we give this a 5.

Wine: Banyan Gewürztraminer 2013

Amaretto Lime Shiner from the January/February 2015 Cooking Light.  Nice!  This gets a 4.

New recipes, February 6, 2015

Celery Soup with Bacon Croutons from the January 2015 Food and Wine--a definite 5! Elegant and delicious.

Served with Arroz con Pollo a la Chorrera, from The Cuban Table, by Ana Sofía Peláez and Ellen Silverman. This is a very rich, somewhat heavy dish. We give this a 3.

Wine: Dry Creek Dry Chenin Blanc 2012

New recipes, February 5, 2015

We had a new breakfast item, Scrambled Eggs with Miso, from the January/February 2015 Cooking Light. Nice, the miso adds a little sweetness and umami, gets a 3.

We also had a new dish for dinner from The Cuban Table, by Ana Sofía Peláez and Ellen Silverman, Bistec de Palomilla. The flavors were nice, but the meat was a bit overlooked--have a bit to learn about pan frying steak. We give it a 3.

Served with leftover Corn Soup with Italian Sausage from the January 28, 2015 Denver Post--still a 4!

Wine: Château de Ségriès Lirac 2010

New recipe, February 4, 2015

From epicurious.com, Cinnamon Scented Breakfast Quinoa. Nice, but nothing special http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cinnamon-scented-breakfast-quinoa-366130, we give this a 3.

New recipe, February 3, 2015

Today's is a breakfast dish--California Barley Bowl with Lemony Yogurt Sauce from Epicurious. I had some question in my mind about how good this would be, but it is excellent--we give it a 5

New recipe, February 2, 2015

Italian Braised Pork with Polenta from the January/February 2015 Cooking Light. A lovely slow cooker recipe. We give it a 4--thinking some umami would make it a 5--some mushrooms? Maybe a little soy or miso

Wine: Vila Bonarda Reserva 2009

New recipe, February 1, 2015

Pasta with Guanciale Radicchio and Ricotta from the January 2015 Food and Wine. Rich, delicious! We give this a 5. Served with a reprise of the Romaine Salad with Honey Chile Dressing--still a 4.

Wine: Ruffino Aziano Chianti Classico 2012