Meatball sandwich

Got leftover meatballs from that holiday party? Or just looking for a quick bite for lunch? What's easier than a meatball sandwich?

I lived on these when I was little. But now, as a vegetarian, since there's no more meat for me, and I stay away from the processed stuff, I've grown attached to Beanballs.

So one night for dinner, I whipped up some beanballs, heated them with sauce and cheese, and threw them on some sourdough bread. Voila! A quick and easy meal.

Wine of the Week - Sort This Out 2006 Holiday Merlot

Look, folks, I'm a sucker. This is a red wine, and it has a Christmas-themed label. Of course I'm going to buy it. The good news is, I've enjoyed every single wine I've ever tasted from this bottler, so I knew there was a solid chance I'd love this one too.

The taste was a little flat up front, but ultimately flavorful and enjoyable, which is typical of Sort This Out. This wine is recommended with Sort This Out's mulling spices.

13.5% alcohol

"Squashed" - Winter Solstice Pie

I was scavenging the interwebs looking for another recipe that involved squash of some kind, and I found this recipe on Care2.com Turned out to be crazy good.



My rendition:
3 cups of red pepper, green pepper, onion, garlic, winter squash, carrots, sweet potato, russet potato, and broccoli
5 cups of kale
1/2 cup corn
1 cup vegetable broth
2-3 russet potatoes made into mashed potatoes
Parsley, Thyme and Sage

I followed the rest of the instructions which made a very hearty winter meal!

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

This is a Brussels sprouts dish that won over even the most ardent Brussels sprout haters!

Ingredients

* 2 pints Brussels sprouts, trimmed, about 1 1/2 pounds
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk, at room temperature
* Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
* 5 ounces Gruyere, grated (about 1 cup grated)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until bright green and beginning to soften. Remove the sprouts with a slotted spoon and drop into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Make a roux for the sauce: toss the flour in a dry preheated pan. Let it cook for a few moments (no more than thirty seconds), then quickly stir in the butter, and heat until smooth and bubbling, about 1 minute. Very slowly whisk in the milk and continue to cook, whisking frequently, until thick and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/4 of the cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Season the sauce well with salt and heavily with pepper.

When whisking, no Teflon pans! The whisk scrapes off the non-stick coating into your food.

Halve the Brussels sprouts through the core and put them in an even layer in a 2 quart baking dish. Pour the sauce over the sprouts and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Et voila:

Shiny and bubbly, creamy and delicious!

From the book 5 Ingredient Fix, by Claire Robinson, a Food Network chef who has a show of the same name.

Wine of the Week - Camus-Bruchon & Fils 2007 Burgundy

My first foray into the world of Burgundy wines. I wasn't blown away, but was interested enough to keep me pursuing the region.

On the nose were hints of tree leaves and cherries.

The taste was a little dull and watery up front, with pleasantly light flavors on the tongue following shortly after. The lingering tart aftertaste was enjoyable for me, but may not be to everyone's taste. This is a subtle wine, a bit of a challenge, but definitely good if you're paying attention.

12.5% alcohol