1 April 2026 2022 Evolution Big Time Red

2022 Evolution Big Time Red

April 1, 2026 By Leave a Comment

I was excited to see this delicious and affordable red wine at Total Wine & More recently. It’s great to have on hand for summer grilling season and pairs beautifully with many things like grilled pork chops, ribs, skirt steak, pizza and even grilled chicken wings.

It’s by Evolution Wine which is a label of Sokol Blosser from Oregon, which I had the pleasure of visiting on two occasions and highly recommend.

Get yourself a case for summer grill outs, I sure did!

Producer: Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee Hills, Oregon, USA

Color in the glass: Bright purple-red

Aromas: Cherry, tart raspberry, tad herbal with floral notes

Taste: Medium-to-big bodied, juicy cherry, little stone fruit

Price: $14.99

Grape(s): Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small percentage of Pinot Noir and a touch of Evolution Lucky No. 9 White

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington, USA

Cheers, Veronique

31 March 2026 Dijon Maple Green Beans

Dijon Maple Green Beans

March 31, 2026 By Leave a Comment

One of my favorite vegetable side dishes is Dijon Maple Green Beans. This dish can be prepared in minutes, especially if you use microwaveable greens beans, which saves the step of boiling the beans. The combination of tangy Dijon mustard and sweet maple complement each other nicely and create a delicious coating for the green […]

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27 December 2025 Best Dishes 2025

Best Dishes 2025

December 27, 2025 By

In 2025, I spent 105 nights on the road for work — a significant reduction from 146 nights the previous year. Despite traveling less, I enjoyed memorable meals at exceptional restaurants across the U.S. and abroad. As is true of past lists, the 2025 Best Dishes list entails a combination of fine dining and casual […]

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23 October 2025 Smoked Creamy Tomato Bisque

Smoked Creamy Tomato Bisque

October 23, 2025 By

There’s something magical about combining smoke and soup. On a slightly chilly Sunday, I decided to fire up my Recteq pellet smoker and experiment with smoked tomatoes, red bell peppers, and onions. The result? A creamy tomato bisque that’s rich, comforting, and layered with flavor. Why Smoke Your Veggies? Smoking vegetables adds depth and complexity […]

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Spicy Strawberry Frozen Margarita

October 17, 2025 By

What’s better than a cold drink on a hot day while sitting by the pool? I recently bought strawberries from the farmers’ market that I’d frozen, so decided to use some up for frozen strawberry margaritas with a spicy rim on the glasses. Ingredients: Directions: Serves 2 generous margaritas or 3 smaller ones. 🍸 Pro […]

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Top 10 Cookie Recipes on Food and Wine Chickie

October 16, 2025 By

🍪 Cookie Lovers, Rejoice!Food & Wine Chickie has rolled out a mouthwatering lineup of cookie recipes that’ll make your baking sheets beg for action. Whether you’re craving a timeless chocolate chip or something with a festive twist, there’s a treat here for every mood and moment. Here are some of the top picks:Kitchen Sink Cookies […]

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Easy Bruschetta Dip

September 13, 2025 By

I recently had this tasty starter at a friend’s home (thanks Lorelei) and added it to my repertoire as it’s delicious and simple to make. It’s truly the easiest little appetizer you can make yet, it garnered so many kudos at a recent outdoor pool party at my home. It can be prepared in advance […]

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Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken with Gouda and Sage

July 16, 2025 By

When I have a lot of sage in the garden, like right now, I typically make a traditional Easy Veal Satimbocca but last week, I had leftover Gouda cheese so decided to mix things up a bit by stuffing chicken I’d butterflied with the Gouda and tons of sage. I then wrapped the chicken in Prosciutto, tied […]

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PastaRamen Las Vegas for the Win

July 3, 2025 By

I’ve been a longtime fan of Chef Robbie Felice (@chefrobbiefelice) and his acclaimed New Jersey restaurants, so when he and his team launched @pastaramen, I was immediately intrigued. A fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisine dubbed “wafu”? It sounded like the best of both culinary worlds. When a PastaRamen pop-up was announced at @resortsworldlv—one of the properties […]

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29 March 2025 Buffalo Cauliflower and Chicken Bake

Buffalo Cauliflower and Chicken Bake

March 29, 2025 By

I’ve been making a conscious effort to lower the amount of carbs I intake and always looking for, or coming up with, recipes that I can easily reheat for weeknight dinners. After the Big Game, I decided to try to make a simple-to-prepare cauliflower bake using the flavors of Buffalo wings. Since I only had […]

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