Saag Aloo

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
• Pinch salt, for water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 large tomato, diced

Directions

• In a large pot, cover the potatoes with cold water, add some salt then bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes.
•  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onion and cook until the onion has softened, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes. Stir in the curry powder, then add the spinach and tomato. Cook and stir until the spinach has wilted and all the flavors have merged together, about 2 more minutes. Serve warm.

Beer and football go together like, well, beer and football. But sometimes making a sporting event as big as the Super Bowl more exciting could mean trading in a few traditional items on your party menu.

Wanna be #1? Sack the brewskies, pass the vino and get ready for a Wine Wednesday under $25 that’s sure to be touchdown worthy!

Tapena Verdejo

If you like Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll love this Spanish Verdejo from Tapena Wines. This wine is crisp with a plethora of tropical and stone fruits that serve as its backdrop. It also has an appealing acidity that cuts through salt and fat, which makes it an ideal pairing for party starters like chunky guacamole with chili-lime chips or game-night nachos!

• Where to Buy: ShopRite
• Cost: $9.99/bottle

Riunite Lambrusco

If you want to go fumble-free and food friendly, check out this raspberry forward Riunite Lambrusco from Italy. This wine is the come back kid among American drinkers who have started moving their drinking preference more toward sweeter wines. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a “sweet” wine for dessert. The residual sugar level is counteracted by acidity and frizzante, so although it does have a sweet flavor, it turns out to be delicious with a wide variety of foods – particularly spicy foods and any dishes with some heat. Hello chicken wings and pizza!

• Where to Buy: Banfi Vitners
• Cost: $10/bottle

Martini Prosecco

For bubbles rather than bobbles, opt for a sparkler like Martini Prosecco which delivers a gentle spark on the tongue and light, delicate flavors that pair well with pub grub like pizza, chips, dips and such, that kick-off your football festivities. They even come in mini bottles, which are party portable. To add some flare to your bar top, use team helmets as ice buckets and keep your minis chilled!

• Where to Buy: Astor Wines
• Cost: $14.99/4-pack

For more information, visit www.WinoBee.com or chat on Twitter using the @WinoBee handle.

Summer Rolls with Ginger Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 small cucumber, julienned
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 4 to 5 scallions, julienned
• 6 water chestnuts, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 8 (8-inch) rice sheets (plus more in case some tear)
• Warm water, for soaking rice sheets

 Directions

In a medium bowl combine the julienned carrot, cucumber, bean sprouts, scallions, water chestnuts, ginger, cilantro, soy sauce and fish sauce. Mix well. Take a rice sheet and dip in warm water. Place it on a clean surface and leave it for a few seconds to soften. Place a spoonful of the mixture in the center of the sheet and fold into a square packet as if you were making a burrito. Repeat with the rest of the rice sheets and mixture.

For the dipping sauce

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• Pinch chopped scallions
• Pinch chopped cilantro leaves

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, scallions and cilantro and serve with summer rolls.

In this world of social networking, sharable content and jibba jabba, it all comes down to whom you’re connected!   This February, it’s my 36^th birthday and what I’d really like from my Facebook and Twitter friends is your help in getting me over the illustrious 5000 follower hurdle!

So, friends, I’m setting forth this challenge:  Introduce me to the world!  Introduce me to your friends, your family, your work colleagues, your business associates and even your next-door neighbor’s pet chinchilla.  Introduce me to foodies, travel junkies, hockey nuts, ski bums, friends of the rainbow nation and Middle Earth. But NO assholes!

As a reward to those who help me achieve this quest, I will send the top 20 people who have given me the most referrals a prize!  Yes, a prize!  The top 20 friends in the US & Canada who introduce me to the most people in the month of February will win a full set of T-Fal Ingenio Cookware!

The Rules

• The “Danny’s Drive for 5000” challenge, will take place from February 1^st -29^th 2012.
•  Results of the top 20 participants for both Facebook & Twitter shall be announced on March 2^nd 2012.
• Participants will enter the challenge by sending a Facebook or Twitter message to confirm there involvement.
• This Challenge is only open to residents of the United States of America.
• Challenge winners shall receive their prize within 90 days of announcement

Fruit
Apples (Bramley) (end of season)
Clementines (end of season)
Kiwi fruit
Lemons
Oranges
Passion fruit
Pears (end of season)
Pomegranates

Vegetables
Brussel sprouts (end of season)
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Kale (end of season)
Leeks
Mushrooms (wild) (end of season)
Parsnips (end of season)
Potatoes (maincrop) (end of season)
Purple sprouting broccoli (coming into season)
Rhubarb
Shallots
Swedes (end of season)
Turnips (end of season)

Meat
Rabbit (available but at its best Jul-Dec)
Turkey (end of season)
Venison (end of season)

Fish and seafood
Haddock (end of season)
Mussels (end of season)
Oysters
Salmon

Tips for the Kitchen:

1. To help with arthritis pain and potential flare-ups, a great idea is to look for recipes offering minimal chopping or advanced preparation, so each piece can be spaced out over time.[i]
2. When preparing meals and sides, look to use a food processor or specialty tools whenever possible.  A food processor can cut, chop, or slice ingredients and can help avoid the arthritis pain usually associated with these tasks.ⁱⁱ
3. Many stores offer the option of pre-chopped vegetables – an alternative that can help avoid additional kitchen work and cleanup.ⁱ
4. A stool in the kitchen can be a great help.  Cooking can be a long process, and when pain becomes too great, a short rest where you can continue to work can come in handy.ⁱ
5. Try to eliminate unnecessary bending by storing pots and pans on wall hooks or from pot hangers on the ceiling.[ii]
6. To help reduce back and leg pain, use a rubber mat to stand on when you’re cooking at the stove.ⁱⁱ
7. Use a small kitchen funnel to separate egg yolks from the whites. Crack the egg into a funnel which is placed over a glass.  When the egg is broken, the yolk will stay in the funnel while the white slides into the glass.ⁱⁱ .
8. If a bottle of sauce requires shaking before use, simply roll it instead. Use your forearm and the weight of your body to roll the bottle if your hands are sore. ⁱⁱ
9. Use a Lazy Susan to store your spices and canned goods so that you can easily find items without having to move heavy cans. ⁱⁱ
10. Try a hand-held electric drink mixer instead of a whisk if it is too painful. Mixers are often lightweight and have thick handles.ⁱⁱ

General Tips Beyond the Kitchen:

1. If it’s difficult to get into and out of the bathtub, place a towel on the edge of the tub. Then sit on it and swivel in and out of the tub.[iii]
2. Replace doorknobs with handles. This will allow you to use your elbow and forearm to open the door, rather than having to twist a knob.ⁱⁱ
3. Position lighter, easy-to-handle items in cupboards on the upper shelves and the heavier items on the lower shelves so that they’re easier to get.ⁱⁱ
4. Buy smaller trash cans and bags that have handles. When it is time to empty the trash, slip your arms through the handles and pull the bag out.ⁱⁱ
5. Create a dust mop by stapling your dust rag to a gift-wrap tube. This will help to avoid bending and stooping when dusting high and low places.[iv]
6. Wear an old pair of gloves or socks on your hands for dusting instead of using hard-to-grip dust rags.^iv
7. If you have trouble holding a heavy drinking glass, try using long, bendable straws that enable you to drink from a glass without picking it up.[v]
8. Keep a disk-shaped rubber jar opener in the car.  It can be used to twist off a gas cap when you need to fill up your tank.[vi]
9. Car seats with vinyl and leather tend to be easier to move around in. If your car has cloth seats, consider purchasing a vinyl seat covering.^vi
10. When shopping for clothing, look for apparel that is lined, as lined clothes are easier to slip off and on.ⁱⁱⁱ

Ingredients

For the lamb:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or boneless leg of lamb, 1 1/2-inch cubes

For the Stew:

• 1 onion, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 carrots, roughly diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Directions

• In a mixing bowl add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cardamom and salt. Mix well until the mixture has turned into a paste, if the paste is too thick add a little more olive oil. Add the cubed lamb to the bowl and toss around to coat well. Cover and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the lamb, and brown well. Remove to a plate, and repeat with remaining lamb.
• Add onions and carrots to the pot and sweat for 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh garlic and ginger; continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and chick peas, then return the lamb to the pot and stir in the lemon zest, chicken stock, apricots, and honey.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is tender. Sprinkle the stew with chopped fresh cilantro and serve right out of the pot.

Couscous

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley leaves
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, zest grated and juiced
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl and stir in the salt, cumin,and ginger .

 Directions

•  Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer over medium heat then pour over the couscous. Cover bowl with a large plate or plastic wrap and leave for 10 minutes or until it has absorbed all the stock. Fluff up the couscous with a fork.
•  Stir in the parsley, carrots, apricots. Stir in the olive oil and grated lemon and orange zest and juice to add zing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

January 2012

The season has officially changed and as with the weather, so do our choices in wine. Wave buh-bye to crisp, refreshing wines and fuse fuller bodied wines into the chillier months ahead with these three big reds (and even whites!) under $25!

2009 The Guardian Chardonnay

This wine, from the Central Coast of California, is a tad different from its traditional big buttery California Chardonnay sibling.  Aged only in stainless steel, this wine leans into the crisp mineral territory of some French Chardonnay’s and provides a perfect foil for the spicy, salty, crunchy, buttery snacks that may fill your winter months. You’ll also love the forward notes of stone fruit and apricot on the nose.

• Pairing Party: Let the grapes do the talking by pairing this winter white with Danny’s Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup topped with a garnish of Thyme to bring out the earthy essence of this style Chardonnay.

• Where to Buy: Club W  — a new club who promotes an unpretentious approach to the study of good wine. Becoming a member means down-to-earth guidance from the club’s sommeliers along with access to a whole bunch of impressive and uncommon juice. And the best part – there’s no big commitment. You can order wines in a given month, or not!

• Cost: $10/bottle

Candor Lot 3 Zinfandel

Did you know that many wineries blend vintages of grapes, but that very few of them actually talk about it openly? Enter Candor, which actually means “truth.” It was winemaker Austin Hope’s embrace of multi-vintage winemaking that birthed this wine, which is made of a blend of 2010, 2009, and 2008 vintages from Paso Robles and Lodi appellations in California.

The end result is this wine, which offers the vibrant fruit flavors of a young wine, with the complexity, texture and maturity of an older wine from its barrel aging. You’ll love its honest berry, toasty spice, and pepper flavors. It’s a Zin with a zing!

• Pairing Party: The warm and robust attributes of Zinfandel make it perfect to pair with heavier red meat dishes for chilly winter months. Try cozying up with this bottle and Danny’s Braised Lamb Stew.

• Where to Buy: Hope Family Wines

• Cost: $18/bottle

2009 Coppola Diamond Collection Claret

You may be wondering what the heck “Claret” is? Well, avoiding wine nerd terms, we’ll tell you it’s a wine that’s often described as having a Cabernet Sauvignon base, such as those from Bordeaux, France.

Bordeaux varietals typically include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot grapes; and this particular wine blends a few of them itself – Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Merlot. In turn the wine offers many characteristics, but the most notable being expressive notes of espresso, dark chocolate and blackberry.

• Pairing Party: Dense wines, like this, call for dense meals. Try this bottle of vino with Danny’s Short Rib Bourguignonne (you can even add a bleu cheese atop for an added flare). The combination will give you great complexity and balance, with a burst of flavors that are sure to warm your palate and your belly!

• Where to Buy: Francis Ford Coppola Winery

• Cost: $21/bottle

For more information, visit www.WinoBee.com or chat on Twitter using the @WinoBee handle.

Herb Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes, about 2 large potatoes or 4 small potatoes
• 1/2 cup flour, plus more if needed plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
• Place whole unpeeled potatoes into a medium saucepan with cold water on medium heat. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until soft enough to mash. Check with a knife to see if potatoes are cooked through and tender. Once ready drain the potatoes.
• When cool enough to handle peel each potato and cut into small pieces and pass them through a potato ricer over a medium size bowl. Add the flour, Parmesan, egg yolks, nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper and mix into a doughy consistency adding more flour as needed. Transfer dough to a well floured surface.
• Using your hands roll pieces of the dough into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. With a knife cut the rope into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-long pieces. Flour the pieces as you cut them placing them on a floured baking sheet tray or lined with wax paper. Once rolled you can place the gnocchi in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap until ready to cook. When ready to cook place gnocchi in boiling salted water for about 1 to 2 minutes. They will rise to the top when done. Using a slotted spoon remove gnocchi from pot.

Mushroom sauce:

Directions

• In a skillet add the butter and mushrooms and saute until nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and gently simmer for another 2 to 5 minutes. Once the sauce has simmered, add the gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.