Chicken Caprese

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  • 1 c. fresh basil leaves
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ¼ c. grated parmesan
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 tomato, sliced thin
  • 3 oz. shredded mozzarella
  • 2 Tbsp. shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 400.  Pulse basil, garlic, and grated parmesan in food processor until smooth.  While running, slowly add olive oil.  Salt and pepper to finish.  Pat chicken dry; place on baking sheet. Spread 1 Tbsp. pesto over each piece.  Bake 20 minutes (or until no longer pink in the center).  Remove from oven; top with tomato slices, mozzarella and shredded parmesan.  Bake 5 minutes more to melt cheese.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

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Cherried Pots de Creme

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Serves 4

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 6 Tbsp. sugar
  • 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. crème de cassis
  • ¾ c. bing cherries (from a can), drained and quartered

In a food processor, beat butter and sugar until well mixed.  Add chocolate several spoonfuls at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add eggs one by one, mixing at high speed until well incorporated.  Mix in cassis.  Without the blade, stir in the quartered cherries.  Spoon into 4 ramekins or dessert dishes; cover and chill at least 4 hours.

Accompany with Test Pilot F-86 Sabre Jet

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Cheese Teases

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  • 1 ½ c. finely grated Gruyere
  • 1 ½ c. finely grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1 ½ c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano(approx. ¼ lb. of each cheese)
  • 1 ½ c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 c. Crisco oil
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • Dry bread crumbs
  • Butter for greasing pan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9” x 13” baking pan and “dust” with bread crumbs, shaking out any excess. Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl. Mix eggs, oil, and milk in a larger bowl before stirring in grated cheeses. Add flour mixture to cheese mixture, stirring until it cleans the sides of the bowl. Press evenly into prepared pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a cutting board and turning right side up again. Cut into 48 bars or 96 squares (4×12-or-24 pieces across).

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Test Pilot, F-104 Starfighter

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Brisket Syrah

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  • Brisket (about 5 lbs., trimmed)
  • Pepper
  • Lawry’s seasoned salt
  • Brown sugar (1/2 c.)
  • Lemon juice (1/4 c.)
  • Mustard (1/4 c.)
  • Syrah (2 c.)

Pierce multiple holes in both sides of brisket using pointed fork.  Apply pepper, Lawry’s seasoned salt, and brown sugar liberally over meat.  Massage lemon juice and mustard into meat.  Pour wine into Ziploc large enough to hold brisket; add meat.  Marinate 5 hours minimum in refrigerator.  Grill over indirect heat, turning judiciously.  (Wonderful recipe from a wine-loving Weber master who eyeballs ingredient quantities; the parenthesis are our suggestion.  On gas grills, target 300 degrees and approximately 40-50 minutes per pound.)

Serve with Cooper-Garrod Syrah or F-104 Starfighter

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Blue Cheese Marinade for Steaks

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  • 2 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • ¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. coffee crystals
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ c. olive oil
  • 4 sirloin tip steaks (or your choice of cuts)

Pat steaks dry with paper towels and place in a glass container.  Mix marinade ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Pour over steaks, rubbing in.  Cover and marinate 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.  Grill or broil according to personal preference for doneness.

Serve with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon and Test Pilots

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Beer Balls

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Serves 6-8

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 egg ½ cup bread crumbs
  • Salt and freshly-ground pepper

Sauce:

  • 1 cup catsup
  • 1 cup beer
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire
  • Salt and pepper

Combine meatball ingredients.  Shape into miniature meatballs and brown in a small amount of shortening.  Drain on paper towels. Boil sauce ingredients for 10 minutes. Pour over meatballs and simmer 3 hours. Serve hot. It’s easy to make up a multiple batch. Freeze meatballs and sauce in separate containers.  Take out only what you might need and simmer at that time.

The recipe is from A Cooking Affaire, Butcher Block Press, PO Box 6, Medicine Lodge, KS67104.

Serve with Cooper-Garrod Cabernets

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Aunt Sadie’s Apple Dressing

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for about an 8 lb. bird

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • a little bit of salt
  • 6-8 cups dry white bread cubes
  • 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cups hot milk (more or less)

In a large bowl, beat together eggs and sugar, adding salt last.  Stir in bread cubes and apple.  Add enough hot milk to moisten well.  Gently fill the bird’s cavity, careful not to overstuff.  The dressing will expand as it cooks.  Bake as directed for the stuffed poultry.  (If baking the dressing separately, spray a 9”x13” pan with Pam before filling.  Dot the top with butter, cover and bake about 50 minutes at 375 degrees.)

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod wines

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