Day 1 in Willamette Valley

Steve and I chose to visit Willamette Valley for our first anniversary because neither of us have been to the area before, and we like tasting wine! The region is known for its pinot noir, but we were excited to taste all that these wineries have to offer (there are hundreds of wineries in the valley, so we were only touching the tip of the iceberg!). 

Because of the time change, we woke up unreasonably early. We figured we might as well start our day, so we went to Walmart to buy food for our picnics (and breakfasts at the AirBNB) and got coffee for Steve so he could fully wake up.

Once we headed out for the day, we visited the Rotary Nature Preserve at Tice Woods first to get in a nature walk. The wineries weren't open yet, and it's nice to start the day with a little bit of activity. The preserve itself is rather small, but the trees inside are so big! I forgot how much I miss seeing tall trees, especially pines. The area must be a birder heaven: we heard so many types of birds, but only caught a glimpse of a spotted towhee. There were lots of blackberry bushes (not ripe yet), and we found a cherry tree at the end of our walk (which was ripe!). With the cool yet sunny weather, I almost felt like I was back in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. 

We also made a quick stop by the McMinnville Community Garden, where there was a labyrinth we could walk around and meditate. Neither of us is good at meditating: we stopped after three minutes.

Once the clock was right, we started our first wine tasting! We visited the Carlton Winemakers Studio first, which hosts 15 vintners who make the wine there. That meant there were a lot of wines to choose from, so each tasting was customed to each visitor depending on preferences, which I thought was pretty cool. And since we went on Father's Day, we could enjoy a 2-for-1 deal on the tastings!

The next winery we visited was definitely the highlight of the day. Felix, the owner and winemaker at Carlo & Julian Vineyard and Winery, gave us a private tasting of seven or eight wines, all for free! So we had to buy a botte (we bought a GSM, which we had never had before). But the best part was feeding the sheep he has on his property! I was transported to my country-background childhood, and Steve the city boy was loving it, too. This stop was so much fun; we love the smaller, more intimate places that don't feel so corporate. 

This lamb is only one month old!

The black cat on the property was very friendly.

Our last winery of the day was Black Dog Vineyard. At this point, we were a little tipsy, so we shared a flight while we enjoyed a "lunchables" picnic to try to sober up. The scenery was beautiful, and the warm sun felt good as our bodies acclimated to the cooler climate of the Pacific Northwest. 

We finished our tastings not with wine but with whiskey! We drove just a few minutes down the road to Branch Point Distillery, where we tried a couple of mini cocktails. The Wikeke Breeze was our favorite: it's like a Painkiller but with whiskey instead of rum!

We had so much fun, and that was only our first full day! Many more adventures to come, so stay tuned!

Recipe: Stuffed Poblano Peppers

 

Steve and I went to Detwiler's, which I swear is the only place where I can find poblano peppers. So I bought a few while we were there and decided to make this recipe from Dinner at the Zoo. I thought they turned out pretty good!

Ingredients

• 6 large poblano peppers cut a slice off lengthwise, then remove seeds and ribs
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 cup cooked white rice
• 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup corn kernels thawed from frozen
• 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided use
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay the poblano peppers on the pan in a single layer.
2. Bake the peppers for 10-15 minutes or until softened.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until the meat is cooked through.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add the packet of taco seasoning along with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir to coat the meat in seasoning.
6. Add the rice, beans, corn, tomatoes and 3/4 cheese to the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir to combine.
7. Divide the meat mixture evenly between the peppers. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Return the peppers to the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro, then serve.

Lessons learned from making this recipe:

• WASH YOUR HANDS as soon as you are done cutting the peppers! I made the newbie mistake of touching my eye and it BURNS so badly!
• I should read the "notes" section before I start making the recipe. This one says, "You just want to slice the very top off the pepper right where the base of the stem begins, do not cut the peppers in half." Why this isn't just listed within the directions is beyond me, but I did cut the peppers in half. They turned out okay, though.
• The peppers definitely need to cook for longer than 10 minutes in both sessions. I was in a rush and just did 10 each time, but the peppers were not as tender as they should have been. 

I actually made these without the rice, corn, or cilantro, and I diced up chicken instead of using ground beef. I also put pico de gallo on top of the finished product. I would definitely make these again; I would just be a little more careful next time!

PS: If you have extra filling like I did, later on I used it to make tacos and quesadillas. Yum!

Recipe: Lemon Feta Sheet Pan Chicken

 

This is the uncooked version, but it looks just like the video!

I first learned about this recipe on Instagram, and Leslie Stokes made it look so easy! So I visited her website, Stoked at Home, for the full recipe, 

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 lb baby potatoes, sliced down the middle
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 squash, chopped
• 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• ¾ cup feta cheese
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 ½ lemons
• ½ tsp salt+ more for the veggies
• ¼ tsp pepper+ more for the veggies
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp chopped basil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp minced garlic

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425℉
2. After chopping all of the veggies, lay the chicken on the baking pan. Using a sharp knife score the chicken breast in a grid pattern, making sure you don't cut all the way through. I highly suggest tenderizing the chicken, by pounding it out on each side.
3. Layer the potatoes and veggies all around the chicken. Season everything really well with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the feta, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, basil, and parsley.
5. Spread the feta mixture all over the chicken and veggies.
6. Top with a few lemon slices.
7. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil.
8. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165℉ with a thermometer. You may want to broil for the last 5 minutes to get a nice crust on the chicken + veggies.
9. Serve with fresh basil + more feta cheese on top. Enjoy!

Since everything is on one pan, it is pretty easy to put together. The chicken breasts I bought were SO HUGE that I barely had any room left! I had to forgo the tomatoes entirely, and while I cut up one big potato instead of using baby ones, I couldn't fit all the slices on the sheet. 

While I like how easy this recipe is, it's not that exciting. I make zucchini and potatoes in the air fryer all the time. And I normally don't buy chicken breasts because breast meat is so dry, and this one is no different. Even with the feta cheese, I had to drown the chicken in salsa or mayonnaise to make it edible. I used breasts because that's what this recipe called for, but if I made this dish again, I would use chicken thighs instead. 

PS: It looks like YouTube has lots of videos featuring sheet pan chicken dinners, so this won't be the last one I make!

Recipe: Ground Turkey Pasta Bake

My husband automatically turns ground turkey into turkey burgers, but I like to mix it up. I have had this recipe (via iFoodReal) on my list for a while now, and I finally made it the other day. Just like any casserole: so easy to put together, and with the quantity made, you've got meals for days!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey extra lean
• 3 cups whole wheat penne or fusilli pasta uncooked (10 ounces)
• 4 - 5 cups kale stems removed & chopped
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tablespoon oregano dried
• 1 teaspoon rosemary dried
• 1 teaspoon basil dried
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 28 ounces tomato sauce low sodium
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup pasta water
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded & divided (6 ounces)
• 1/3 cup Italian parsley chopped
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Cook pasta al dente as per package instructions, undercooking by 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In the meanwhile, preheat large skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add oregano, rosemary, basil, pinch of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring a few times. Add ground turkey and cook for another 5-7 minutes, breaking meat into pieces and stirring occasionally.
3. Add tomato sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar and pasta water. Stir, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Add kale and stir to combine.
4. Now add cooked pasta and stir to combine more.
5. Transfer half of the mixture in previously prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Add remaining pasta meat mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven, let stand for 10 minutes, garnish with parsley and serve hot. With a glass of red wine.

As with any recipe using kale, I spent several minutes watching TV while I sifted through the bag to make sure I removed any of the thick, stalk-y parts that are simply inedible. Next was making the pasta; I tried Banza chickpea pasta from BJ's Wholesale Club just to be a little healthier. And I used one full jar of red pasta sauce, which isn't even 28 ounces. At least I remembered to save some pasta water before I poured it all down the sink! And I used maple syrup instead of honey, and a balsamic glaze (is that the same thing?)

I definitely made too much pasta, because it wouldn't all fit (and I was using my bigger pan!). But I was able to fit mostly everything and mix it all together before throwing it in the oven. In the end, this is an easy, convenient meal, both for the night-of and then for the rest of the week. But maybe the extra sauce would have been better, some more cheese would have helped (always more cheese!), and the chickpea pasta does kind of fall apart. I think I have made better tasting casseroles, but I might try this one another time.

Here are some other casseroles I have made previously:

• Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
• Meat-and-Tater Bake
• Cheesy Bowtie Pasta Bake
• Mexican Casserole

Recipe: Caramel Apple Cookies

Some of these cookies looked perfect. But scroll down for the real deal...

I'm almost done with all the apples in my house. The peanut butter apple cookies were a huge hit, so I thought I'd try a different cookie recipe. I found this one on the Two Sisters blog. Final word: while they taste good, there are a few things I would change next time.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter (Sweet Cream Salted, softened)
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 heaping cup finely diced and peeled tart apples
• 1 batch of our The Best Caramel Buttercream Frosting
• 8-10 Kraft Caramel candies

Directions

1. Peal and dice 1 heaping cup of tart apples.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Mix in cinnamon, baking powder, baking sold and salt and mix well.
5. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix until combined.
6. Add in 1 cup of apples and mix with a spoon.
7. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Flour and combine until the flour is completely incorporated into the cookie dough.
8. Bake the cookies in a 375° oven for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
9. Allow cookies to cool.
10. Make a batch of our The Best Caramel Buttercream Frosting.
11. Frost Apple Cookies with the Caramel Frosting.
12. Melt 8-10 Kraft Caramel Frosting in a pan on low heat.
13. Drizzle the melted caramel over the frosting.

You always know a recipe is not up-to-snuff when it doesn't tell you to preheat the oven. And this one doesn't even distinguish between Fahrenheit or Celsius, but at least it's obvious. It also doesn't tell you how long to cool the cookies or where (on the baking sheet? on a rack?). To me, these are clear signs of a recipe that is not thorough enough to be a guaranteed winner.

But the batter looked so smooth and soft, and it tasted so good! It came out like little ice cream scoops! I was really hoping I could make it work. But there's always a catch...

The recipe also doesn't tell you how big to make the cookies, and that was my downfall. I made the cookies WAY too big, so they spread out like little pancakes. They became too thin with barely any bottom to speak of; they crumble at the drop of a hat! Here's what most of them looked like:

You can see all the crumbs underneath! They look like blobs that I had to cut apart because they melted into each other.

And because of this, I did not even attempt to ice them. They can't bear their own weight, let alone that of icing AND caramel drizzle. If I made these again, I would use less butter (it's just too much!) and I would make them smaller. I would also be sure there was plenty of room in between each one. I'll update this post if I try them a second time!

Recipe: Apple Peanut Butter Cookies

As I continue my apple recipe kick, I found this recipe on the blog, Julie's Eats & Treats. I regularly eat apples and peanut butter as a snack, so why not in cookie form? This is an easy recipe to make, and it is GOOD. 

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup chunky peanut butter
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
2. Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Then beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
3. In another bowl combine the dry ingredients together. Add to the creamed mixture gradually and mix until well blended. Stir in the apple.
4. On greased baking sheets, drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough. Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. You want to almost overbake these as they will soften when placed in the container for storage due to the apple releasing moisture. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to wire racks and let finish cooling.

This recipe is super-easy and very straight-forward. The only things I changed was that I used creamy peanut butter (I've always bought creamy!), and I used 1.5 fuji apples instead (again, that's what I had on hand). I think they came out really well, and all of my colleagues and friends who tried them thought they were great! I baked them for 14 minutes, but no longer; I really don't like crunchy cookies, so for me there's no such thing as too soft! These truly are delicious and I would definitely make them again. I'm not sure if I like these or the apple dump cake I made for my birthday more; both are SO YUMMY!

Recipe: Easy Apple Dump Cake

The cake is in the background! I also made "apple nachos," which I really liked.

I accidentally bought a bag of apples when I already had a bag of apples back home, so I had to do something with all the apples (or at least the older ones). So after Googling some recipes, I found this one on the Insanely Good blog, and I decided to make it as my birthday cake this year. It did NOT disappoint!

Ingredients

• 6 cups apples, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (about six medium apples)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Peel, core, and chop the apples into bite-sized pieces (one-inch cubes).
3. Mix the chopped apples, sugar, and cinnamon in the bottom of the baking dish. Then spread the apples to cover the bottom of the dish evenly.
4. Top the apples with a layer of dry cake mix. Gently shake the pan to distribute all of the mix over the apples.
5. Pour the melted butter on top of the cake mix.
6. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes. When the top is light golden brown, it’s done!
7. Once baked, cool the apple cake for about 15 minutes before serving.

My mom somehow convinced me to bake the cake in a bundt pan, and I don't know why I let her talk me into it. Of course a "dump" cake wouldn't keep a shape like that! So we ended up putting the baked cake parts into a brownie tin, smooshing it all back together, and then covered it in cream cheese icing (with sprinkles on top!).

This cake is delicious. The cinnamon apple flavor is very strong, and the texture is soft and moist. I would 100% bake this cake again, this time in the proper container!