Reviews — A Southern Fairytale

National Moscato Day

11:51 PM ByRachelFiled UnderReviews, Sponsored

I don’t know if you need an excuse to have a delicious, relaxing, refreshing, cool, crisp glass of wine, but if you do…

Let me introduce you to your new favorite day.

The Gallo Family, yes those Gallos, have named today, May 9, 2012 – the First Annual National Moscato Day.

To celebrate – they’re hosting a blog tour (of which yours truly is a part) and this evening – from 9 – 10 PM ET ( 8 – 9 PM CST) I am a community panelist on a #GNO twitter party with Gallo Family Winery to celebrate National Moscato Day.

I am traditionally, a red wine girl – pinot noir and merlot are two of my favorites, but I’ve heard several friends rave about Moscato – the light, fruity, crispness of the wine – the slightly sweet honey undertones, and let’s be honest.. down here in South Texas, when it reaches 197•F – okay, that might be a slight exaggeration – it typically is maybe only 115• F during our lovely 6 month long Texas summers… sometimes an icy cold – light, sweet, citrus-y, refreshing drink is exactly what is called for.

So – I signed on.

And a week or so later – a lovely package arrived on my doorstep requiring the signature of an ~~adult~~ individual aged 21 or over.

Inside were 2 bottles of Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato.

Have I mentioned how much I love what I do?

I immediately stuck it in our outside fridge (aka the beverage fridge) and started to read up on Moscato.

The Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato is a table wine, that boasts peach, honey and ripe citrus flavors that are perfect when paired with soft and hard cheeses, spicy dishes or even the most Texas of all Texas dishes – Chili. (this information snagged from the Gallo Family Vineyard info sheet that accompanied my wine)

I took them up on that challenge.

I paired the Moscato with a roasted red pepper and garlic brie with whole grain crackers, the wine is lighter and sweeter than I’m used to, but it was lovely. Sweet, crispy, soft, light, refreshing – I really enjoyed it.

The red pepper and garlic brie had just a hint of bite, paired with a creamy savoriness and the Moscato cooled and teased and sated as it flowed over my tongue, a brilliant pairing. Simple, soothing, lovely.

Next up -

a spicy pairing.

If National Moscato Day were occurring during the 2 weeks of winter that we have down here, I might have taken them up on their challenge of pairing it with chili, however, it’s already hovering in the 90′s – so I decided to toss together a sriracha laden stir fry with chicken, broccoli, carrots and red peppers instead

Once again, the sweet fruity, crispness of the Moscato was perfectly paired with the slightly spicy – crispy – bold flavors of my stir fry.

Bravo – Gallo Family Vineyards – Bravo.

You have taken a strictly beer and red wine girl, and given her a new option.

I have several recipes that I can’t wait to pair with Moscato

Here’s what I need y’all to do:

Go grab a bottle of Moscato and chill it.

Make (or order) something ridiculously delicious with a hint of spice – or throw together a creamy, savory cheese tray.

Invite some friends over, or pull up your laptop and join me (and a whole bunch of other fun people) for the Moscato Twitter Party tonight.

Seriously, do it.

I’ll be here ready to cheers you and toast to health, wealth, happiness, school ending, lost teeth, no burnt toast, whatever the celebration is.. let’s do it!

I’m participating in the National Moscato Day Blog Tour and Twitter party as part of a compensated partnership. My time and talents are being compensated, but my thoughts and opinions and ramblings are 100% my own and never for sale.

13 Comments

Caramel Pecan Biscuit Bake

12:45 AM ByRachelFiled UnderBreakfast, Mouthwatering Monday, Reviews

Dear Ones,

I’d like y’all to say hello to someone.

It’s time y’all say Hello to a new kind of Breakfast Dish – That little beauty dripping with caramelized sugars and pecans is White Lily Flour’s Caramel Pecan Biscuit Bake

Would y’all like another introduction?

You’re welcome.

This isn’t your typical Breakfast Bake, it doesn’t have a cake base – this little beauty has a Southern Biscuit base made with White Lily’s Self Rising Flour

This recipe intrigued me.

White Lily Flour is the ONLY flour that my Dad uses to make his Beaten Biscuits – a Southern delicacy unlike any other.

However. HOWEVER.

Biscuits at breakfast, not something unusual in the South. However… biscuits in the South not topped with gravy, biscuits in the south not stuffed with Country Ham or slathered with homemade jam …. what is this Southern blasphemy you speak of? {wink, wink}
Well let me tell y’all, my biscuits and gravy loving’ Southern husband – devoured two pieces of this and declared it ‘damn good’.

Monkey and Princess both had two pieces and when I came back to cover the baking dish after breakfast, it was fairly evident some little fingers had been helping themselves to more.

This dish is messy and gooey and crunchy and sweet and downright yummy. The biscuit base is a bit of a surprise if you’re expecting a sweet cake style base, and I have to admit – we really liked it.

Caramel Pecan Biscuit Bake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Approximate Time: 38 minutes

Yield: 12 Servings

Serving Size: 1

Ingredients

Just slightly adapted from White Lily Flour

Caramel Pecan Topping

1/2 C melted butter
1/2 C Syrup (they recommend Hungry Jack Microwave Ready Butter Flavored Syrup)
1/2 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 C coarsely chopped pecans
2 tsp ground cinnamon (I recommend Roasted ground Cinnamon)

Biscuit Dough

2 C White Lily Self-Rising Flour
1/4 C Crisco, chilled
2/3 C buttermilk

Drizzle

1/3 C Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 F and lightly spray an 8X8X2-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine: melted butter, syrup, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Set aside.
Place flour in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add buttermilk, stir just until dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
Lightly flour your hands to keep the dough from sticking.
Press dough into the bottom of the baking dish.
Using a fork, poke a bunch of holes into the top of the dough.
Pour syrup/butter/pecan/sugar mixture over the dough and spread with a greased spatula, if necessary.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the dough rises and the edges are golden brown. (The topping will still be jiggly)
Let cool for a few minutes
Heat cream cheese frosting in a microwave safe dish for 10 to 15 seconds, or until melted. Stir and drizzle over the top of the biscuit bake.
Cool 10 to 15 minutes, serve warm.

Rachel Says

I don't know that it's truly an adaptation of their recipe all I changed was: using dark brown sugar, changing the amount of pecans, poking holes into the dough and recommending roasted cinnamon. The original recipe is White Lily Flour's - those are just my small changes/suggestions.

http://asouthernfairytale.com/2012/01/09/caramel-pecan-biscuit-bake/

This recipe today is in conjunction with a giveaway that I partnered with White Lily flour to bring y’all. I have received product compensation for my time and talents.

Stay Tuned! I have a Giveaway that involves White Lily Flour – a Cuisinart Hand Mixer – and yumminess on Thursday! Make sure that you’re a subscriber to my blog and following me on Twitter so you don’t miss out!

Favorites From Last Week

Amy’s Roasted Shrimp with Rosemary and Thyme
Elsa’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Balsamic Reduction
Mary’s Cake Batter Bark
Michelle’s Tomato Avocado Salad

Thank y’all for linking up every Monday and sharing the fun of Mouthwatering Mondays with others through your comments, linking back in your posts and visiting each other! Can’t wait to see what y’all have in store for us this week!

33 Comments

Fooducation

12:58 AM ByRachelFiled UnderEverything Else, Reviews

I blame Flinger for my iPhone addiction.

Sitting next to her on the way home from BlissDom in 2009 her iPhone sang its siren song to me — it taunted my blackberry — I was hooked.

I loved my precious.

I discovered apps, Words With Friends and Angry Birds

For Christmas this past year — Nathan ~~shocked the hell out of me~~ rendered me speechless by giving me the iPhone4

(picture gaping mouth — followed by my silly grin)

Dear Nate — You know me so well. I Love You

Y’all know the happiness that food and food geekiness bring me I have recently discovered an app that marries my love of food, shopping, the desire for information and my iPhone.

A Moment of Silence For the Happy That is Me

Dear Fooducate,

I adore you.

Love, Rachel

Fooducate is this fantastic app that allows you to scan the barcode of an item ~~or 20~~ in your pantry or in the grocery store and it pulls up product highlights, alternative suggestions and allows you to make comparisons between products.

You can even shake the iPhone when it is on the barcode scan screen and it’ll randomly produce a product — like this:

The following are screen shots from actual products in my pantry — you know, because y’all want more images.. not because I went a bit overboard for 30 minutes trying to find items in my house containing barcodes so that I could play with my new app. (ahem)

Dear Chili-Garlic Sauce,
I can’t quit you.

Grape Nuts with Blueberries

Served with milk or topping Greek Yogurt

Nomgasm

My Favorite Pasta EVAH

Seriously, y’all. Download this — go play.

Come back and tell me what you found and what your favorite part of Fooducate is.

I may or may not be hitting up random grocery stores to scan and um… Aliah — Mindy — just turn a blind eye if you see me in your pantries… k?

I am in no way sponsored or compensated for this post. I just discovered Fooducate and I love it and want to share its foodtastic geeky iPhone app delightfulness with y’all.

14 Comments