I’ll Drink to That!

If you love potatoes, maybe too much, and are trying to stay away, try this recipe in place of mashed spuds. It’s really delicious, even to a carb fiend like me.

Mashed Cauliflower with Butternut Squash

MASHED CAULIFLOWER WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Ingredients:

1 large head of white cauliflower, core removed and cut into large florets

1 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2″ pieces

2-3 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp minced fresh sage

3 Tbsp grated parmesan

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or goat gouda

Salt and pepper to taste

Toast squash in 425 degree oven till golden and tender, about 30-40 minutes, turning half way through cooking time.

Cook cauliflower in rapidly boiling salted water till tender, but not falling apart. Drain well. Add roasted squash to pot and mash till it looks like large crumbs. Mixture should not be smooth. Stir in butter then rest of ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Great with ribs or steak and a medley of roasted root vegetables, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and topped with crumbled goat cheese and a sprinkling of Herbs du Provence.

Beef ribs

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Tobin James Fat Boy Zinfandel - 2005 - Paso Robles

This bad boy weighs in at a whopping 16% alcohol and is thick, rich, jammy and over the top. A Paso Zin in all ways and perfect with any beef you are thinking of BBQ’ing, especially if you are using a sweet heat glaze like I used on these ribs.  Cheers!

This recipe was sent to me from Opolo Vineyards in Paso Robles. I’ve been a fan of their line-up of zins for a long time so this recipe sounds really good to me. I’ll be adding it to my Thanksgiving menu this year. I’ll let you know what I think of it - please let me know if you try it and what you think.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups Opolo Mountain Zinfandel

2 cups sugar

2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

12 whole cloves

12 whole allspice

4 cinnamon sticks

2 - 3×1 inch strips orange peel

2 - 12 oz bags fresh cranberries

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients, except cranberries, in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain syrup into large saucepan. Add cranberries t syrup and cook over medium heat until berries burst, about 6-8 minutes. Cool. Transfer sauce to medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold. (Can be made 1 week ahead. keep refrigerated.)

Note from the winery: Unless your family really loves cranberry sauce, you might want to cut tis recipe in half.  The best part about doing that is that you’ll end of with half a bottle of Mountain Zinfandel left over to drink while you cook!  Happy Holidays!

I wish you all a joyful Thanksgiving - there is so very much to celebrate and be grateful for. I am thankful to all of you who have come along on this writing journey with me the last 5 months - I look forward to many more things to raise a glass to. I’ll Drink to That!

Opolo Mountain Zinfandel - 2007

The ‘07 Mountain Zinfandel is loaded with gobs of boysenberry, wild cherry  and blackberry. Rustic anise and ripe velvety tannins on the finish.