Summer Wines from the Mediterranean

The summer heat is here and there is nothing more refreshing than relaxing with friends over a great glass of wine that embodies the Mediterranean regions. There are several on the market from Italy that should be added to your summer collection. Here are three standouts recommended from the LA Times.

1. 2007 Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica: The vineyards are managed following organic farming methods in this cool mountainous region of Italy. It’s a fragrant wine with hints of herbs and apples.

2. 2008 Mormoraia Vernaccia di San Gimignano : From the Tuscany region, this wine is flavorful and mineral rich. It has lime and apple scents that are perfect for a light summer meal. It’s meant to be enjoyed young.

3. 2009 Mancini Vermentino di Gallura: An aromatic wine from Sardinia that is ideal with seafood or a light pasta. It’s a delicious wine that has more texture than the other two wines. ($15.)

The full LA Times article discusses excellent summer wines from the Mediterranean, as well as Australia and the US.

Mmm Bacon!

I love bacon, really it makes everything better doesn’t it. Now people are getting more inventive with their love of bacon and are adding it to desserts. I tried a bacon chocolate bar the other day and it was pretty cool. Now Paula Deen has posted a recipe on her site about Bacon Cupcakes! I can’t wait to try them! What about you? Want to try them too? Below is the shopping list!

Chocolate Cupcakes

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• Salt
• Butter
• White sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Buttermilk

Bacon Chocolate Frosting

• Bacon
• Margarine,
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar

Faux Animal Busts

Have a little fun with your home decor and try out faux taxidermy. Check out these animal busts made of acrylic, wood, and a ceramic vase. It’s stylish, quirky, and would make a cute addition to your apartment. Would you try faux taxidermy?

You Can’t Go Wrong With Chocolate

Do you like making desserts? Do you like chocolate? Well, I have the perfect dessert for you! Make these chocolate Italian cream bars called Fudgy Fantasy Bars. The picture provided of the dessert looks absolutely delicious. Will you make them?

MMM…Gingerbread

Happy Holidays! Get into the holiday spirit by checking out these pictures of gingerbread houses. Sounds delicious, right? Check them out here.

Holiday Party Time

Get ready to party! Make one or all of these delicious appetizers for party guests this holiday season. Choose from Pita chips and artichoke and spinach dip, or other dishes like boiled shrimp and spicy mayonnaise. What’s your favorite appetizer?

Mint Martini Recipe

Here’s a holiday drink recipe, a Baileys Minty Mistletoe. Of course, this drink is adults-only and is bound to be a hit at your holiday party. Just make sure your guests drink responsibly and there is a designated driver. Happy Holidays!

Make the Perfect Christmas Cookie

No break and bake for you, you’re going to bake your cookies from scratch this year. Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to make the best holiday cookies ever. Decorate your cookies and share them with family and friends. Enjoy!

Gobble Gobble Up This Dessert

If you’re going to a Thanksgiving potluck and need to bring something easy, why not make Thanksgiving Cookie Turkeys? Grab up the following ingredients:

40 fudge stripe cookies
1/3 cup frosting
20 chocolate covered cherries
20 pieces candy corn

Now, put your turkeys together.

Enjoy the Meal

We have a lot of distractions in this day and age that will keep our focus off of the dinner table and the lovely meal that was prepared for us. If you think about it, that’s pretty rude.Here’s a list of things that should be banned from the dinner table so that the focus is on the food and the company. Do you agree with this list? Have any objections/ additions?

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