Wine of the Week - Carivintas "Lola Lu" 2011 Rosé

This is a deceptively good wine. It didn't strike me at first, but it grew on me. A blend of 80% Tempranillo, 12% Syrah, and 8% Malbec.

Apple skin and light strawberries on the nose. The taste up front is grade seeds. Overall, it's light, crisp, with some mild sourness. Refreshing, and nice for a warm summer evening.

I was pretty unimpressed at first, then found myself compulsively sipping it and realizing I could finish the whole bottle very quickly if I didn't keep myself in check. Very nice.

13.9% alcohol

Huevos rancheros

Just realized, my last few posts have all been breakfasts! Guess that's been on my mind recently.

I never realized huevos rancheros were so easy to make. I foresee this meal a lot more in my future.

I followed the recipe from SmittenKitchen.com but with a few changes:
1. I sprinkled cheese on the tortilla itself, but then on the finished cooked product. We love us some cheese.
2. I used my favorite fresh pre-made salsa rather than making my own. Saved a lot of time.

Wine of the Week - Oreana Winery ? Red Table Wine

This is a very surprising wine, and I mean that in a positive way.

Raspberries and black cherries on the nose.

The first taste is a little bitter, and tannins carry throughout this wine. After the initial bit of bitterness, it opens into pleasant red berry flavors. Notes of tanned leather. Maybe a little mango.

The medium finish balances nicely between low earthy flavors and bright sweet flavors.

This is a really satisfying wine with a surprising amount of complexity. At less than $10 per bottle, it's a great value.

14.5% alcohol

Vegan banana nut muffin

Who doesn't love Pinterest? There, I found this super easy muffin recipe from MinimalistBaker.com.

Not only does it use simple ingredients, it only serves two! Perfect for when you don't want to make a big batch meant to last the week, but you'll just scarf down in one or two sittings anyways! (Or is that just me?)

Wine of the Week - Bogle Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine is pretty tannic initially, which mellows with some decanting.

Watery up front, but the flavors soon arrive. A bed of red fruits - mostly cherry - runs underneath the whole thing, while on top of that you'll taste spices and dryness. An interesting tree bark flavor develops on the finish.

13.5% alcohol

Vanilla French Toast

A tasty twist on standard french toast. Sweet enough that you don't need syrup!

Ingredients
3 slices of bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg
2 tbsp butter
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

1. Crack eggs into a bowl and mix with milk. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2. Heat butter in a pan to melt.

3. Dip slices of bread one by one into the egg mix completely. (I cut in half so they would fit in my bowl.)

4. Place bread in pan and heat 5-6 minutes each side until slightly browned.

5. Set on serving plate. Sprinkle with sugar.

I then cooked the leftover egg mixture for a tasty side of scrambled vanilla eggs!

Wine of the Week - Dearly Beloved 2011 Red

A lot of red fruit on the nose - strawberry, raspberry, cherry.
Not too distinguished on the tongue.  Enjoyable enough, if you like your wines dry and tart.  A little bit of juiciness could make it easier for some to keep sipping.
Overall, just okay, but good enough for the price and fine for something basic to have on hand.
13.5% alcohol

Red Quinoa Salad

The color red has been known to enhance our appetites, so this salad from Better Homes and Gardens will surely get your tummy grumbling.

Red Quinoa with loads of spring produce: raspberries, beets, radishes, lettuce and cilantro!

Wine of the Week - Field Recordings 2011 Fiction 2nd ed.

Fiction, 2nd Edition, has a very sweet smell to it reminiscent of honey-covered melons.  There are also some watery greens, like celery and grass.
A bit of a cloudy appearance, on pouring.
There are more of those melons in the taste; mostly honeydew.  The sweetness of the scent gives way to more of a nice, bitey sourness.  Some grape seed tannins and minerality.  The long finish tastes great in the back of the throat.
12.9% alcohol