Wine of the Week - Espiral Vinho Rosé

This semi-sparkling rosé comes from the same line as a vinho verde I had a little over a year ago.  This rosé is not quite as good as verde, but it's still a decent wine.  (Full disclosure: I've never been much of a rosé fan to begin with.)
On the nose, this wine promises to be sour.  There's a little bit of raspberry and pear.
That sourness does not come through on the tongue.  This wine is pretty sweet, with a little taste of brut and raspberry.  Best served chilled.  Would probably make for a refreshing summer drink.  Overall, it's pretty bland.  But it's okay, and the flavor is enhanced by its low price.
10% alcohol

Split Pea Soup

I hadn't had split pea soup in forever, so I looked up some recipes for it online. None seemed similar to the one my mom used to make, and they all called for ham hocks, which require de-boning. I used delicious bacon instead and used ideas from several recipes to formulate my own. It turned out great and was eaten up faster than any other soup I've made recently.

Ingredients:

1/4 stick butter

1 large chopped onion

3 stalks chopped celery

3 carrots chopped

1 1/2 cups green split peas

5 bacon strips, sliced

8 cups water

2 tsp marjoram

2 bay leaves

4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper to taste

1 can evaporated milk

Directions:

In a stock pot, melt the butter and saute the veggies and garlic about 8 minutes.

Add the pork and spices. Stir 1 minute.

Add the peas, bacon, milk, and water.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer for 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Serve hot or store overnight in the refrigerator and reheat.

Wine of the Week - Vivier 2010 Pinot Noir

This is a good wine that deserves more attention than I gave it.  Unfortunately, I had it under rushed circumstances.  And, frankly, I think it's a little young.  If you have it, I think you'll like it.  If you have it three years from now, you'll probably like it even more.  I plan to pick up another bottle and set it aside.
Generally fruity and spicy.  13.9% alcohol

Kale chips

What to do when you have a bunch of kale that you have no plans for? Kale chips! What to do when you have a baby who can't chew thoroughly enough to not choke on her super-healthy leafy greens? Kale chips!

Every single recipe on the internet goes like this:
De-stem and chop 1 bunch of kale, sprinkle with olive oil (1-2 Tbsp) and a bit of salt and toss. Pop in a 275-350 degree oven for 10-25 minutes. I went with 275 for 25 to get them super crispy. Next time I might add a bit of garlic with the oil and salt. Nutritional yeast sounds delicious, too.

Wine of the Week - Lions Peak 2009 Marsanne

I was completely unfamiliar with Marsanne before tasting this wine.  If it's always this good, I look forward to having more!
Pear and green apple on the nose, with maybe a little scent of honey.
The pear carries over to the taste, which gives way to predominantly peach flavors.  Also a little bit of carrot.  This wine is tart and sweet.  Leaves a nice coat on your palate after sipping, and develops a delicious aftertaste.
13.9% alcohol