What are you SHY about?. . . .

First Episode of The Not So Shy Chef - Brusselsprouts

What does “Farm to Fork” and “Field to Table” really mean?

It basically means that you don’t have to worry about additives, fillers, strange ingredients to make the food "taste good". . . before it makes it to your table. Ya, sounds like something you really want to eat up! NOT!

I believe in “Farm to Fork” and “Field to Table” so much, that I wrote my business plan around it. I know that I don’t want to eat junk, and I don’t want my guests to eat it either! So, when you enjoy your meal here at SHY Cellars, you don’t have to worry about what’s in the food you’re eating. It’s natural. It’s fresh. It’s from local farmers and vendors (usually, friends or neighbors we know!). . . folks like Sweetwater Farms in Sugarcreek, Sugar Valley Meats in Sugarcreek, Pleasant Valley Poultry in Baltic. .  .

When you visit SHY Cellars, you will notice the open kitchen. Why an open kitchen? Because we want you to SEE everything we are doing, everything we use in your dishes, how everything is prepared. We have nothing to hide. Period. We pride ourselves in doing what we say! And, don’t be surprised if we have pasta on that night’s menu, that you walk in and see a lot of pasta hanging on racks!. . . that’s FRESH BABY!

So, the next time you are ready to go out for a wonderful evening filled with food and fun, think about what might be on your plate. Is it fresh? Is it from a local supplier? Is it natural or filled with by-products to make it taste good? Is it from a local farmer or field?

Until next time,

Eat Fresh & Local. . . & Drink Well Aged Wine!

Cheers!

We Finally Open The Doors. . .

MAY 7th!! That's the day that we will officially open our doors here at SHY Cellars! I can hardly believe it. It's here. Finally. REALLY....it's HERE! We are going to really OPEN THE DOORS!!!!

For those of you who have been following our journey as we built SHY Cellars, you know that I'm excited! You know my passion. You know my heart. I just hope that you can share in this excitement and come see for yourself what my dream looks like.

Our hours will be Tuesday thru Saturday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm (closed on Sunday & Monday). During the day from 11:00 am on, we will have our Wine Tasting Room open for sampling (lots of incredible wines!), and be serving Small Plates, Tapas, and Fondues for your enjoyment. Then, starting at 4:30 pm we will be serving dinner. . . Edible Experience. . . yes, it's not just a dinner it's an Edible Experience.

Everyone asks me to explain what we mean by "Edible Experience", but I can't find the words to describe the experience. . . it's something you have to . . . experience on your own. It's kind of like explaining to someone what a Zip Line vacation would be like! LOL!  You can't find the words to describe the thrill, or the experience. . .it's just . . . they have to experience the moment for themselves. Period. That's what we are bringing to SHY Cellars. A moment you will have to experience for yourself.

So, call us today at 330-878-4163 for reservations right away. We HIGHLY recommend reservations because we are so small. We can hardly wait to meet you and serve you!

Cheers,

Sherry & the entire SHY Guy Staff

Fell off the wagon, or JUMPED OFF!

So, I've been really disciplined lately with my diet. Not that I'm actually "dieting". I don't believe in dieting; I believe in eating clean. For me personally, diets leave out what the Lord intended us to eat! I found, for me, that if I simply eat clean (eat right foods, prepared properly, without additives & chemicals and correct portions), I am able to stay healthy. In other words, I eat food that's good for me! But, I have been more disciplined lately with my alcoholic beverage intake. . . WINE!

If you know me very well, you know that I'm a wine-kinda-girl! I enjoy all wines. I lean to the very dry and full bodied wines, but all wine has a place in my repertoire; depending upon what I'm eating or if I'm eating, the season we are in, the temperature of the room I'm in, and the people I'm with (yep, that has effect on us whether you believe it or not!). There are wines from some Ohio wineries that I love. There's some wines from Ohio wineries that I don't love, but the same can be said for California wines, New York wines, Chile wines, French wines, and so on. If you're a wine drinker, you know exactly what I mean. People are always asking me, "tell me, Sherry, what's the best wine?" My answer, "the wine you enjoy!"

Back to my disciplined diet of lately; my daughter and I joined a gym at the beginning of 2013 with a goal-to get healthier and become stronger. So my diet has become increasingly more important to me to be able to accomplish my goal of weight loose through a "Thin It To Win It" challenge at the gym (it's a 6 week weight lose challenge of 50 teams of 3 people to see who can lose the most weight!), but that means that I have cut back on certain things I enjoy. . . one being wine.

Although wine has been found to be very beneficial to our health, I had decided to abstain from wine, or any alcoholic beverage until our challenge was over, which is this Monday! But, like many folks who have great and noble intentions. . . I fell of my wagon! But can I just say this. . . it was worth it! Yes, the glass of wine I enjoyed last night was worth the fall. I enjoyed a couple of glasses of a wonderful Italian wine that "made it's way to my cellar via my luggage" on my trip to Italy a few years back.

GREO.  That's the name of wine. It was a 2008 red wine blend from a vineyard in Lucca, Tuscany. I'll say it again, this wine was worth the fall! Full-bodied, nice finish, lot's of ripe berries, and best of all, it was full of memories! (I've been on a lot of "memory" kicks lately!!LOL!) Seriously though, this wine is one of my favs now!!

On my trip to Italy, which was part of my culinary training program experience, I went into a little meat and wine shop. A young man behind the counter asked if I was looking for anything special. I told him that I wanted to bring my hubby back a few bottles of wine since he couldn't come to Italy with me. . . I still wanted him to experience it through me and a bottle of wine (and meat and cheese....that I brought back too! Please don't report me!!) So, he recommended this bottle of GREO, and so I bought one bottle!! ONE BOTTLE!! What was I thinking!!!?????!!! One bottle. What if we liked it? What if we wanted more? Where was I going to find it in OHIO?!!!

Well, as you guessed it, we loved it, and I set out on a mission to find it someone here in the states. After many phone calls to many places, I finally found someone who could get it for me!! Colonial Wine and Beverage in Chesterland, Ohio. I couldn't believe it! The owner, Bob, said he would make some calls, and alas, he succeeded! He landed me a case of GREO!! (P.S....thanks Bob!!.....and, I need more!!) Now, Colonial Wine and Beverage is one of my favorite wine shops to visit when I head north!

So, if you looking for a wine that is delish, full-bodied with lot's of ripe berry characteristics, and that's from Italy, GREO should be one you try!

This was one of the villages we visited....of course, I can't find the name anywhere in my notes, but it was beautiful! It's also where I purchased my bottle of GREO! I will look thru my notes when I have time to find the name of the town!

Until next time,

Salute!

Just a recipe?. . . . .

Just a recipe. How cute. That's what I thought when my daughter, Tara, wrote this recipe down. I know she was little; probably 8, 9 or 10 years old. I remember the day she created this "incredible" chocolate milk drink.

We lived in a log cabin and had three horses. She loved those horses, and she never complained when it was 5 or 6 am and I woke her to muck the stalls, and feed them. Lot's of good memories there....and some "not so good" memories! (we seemed to be accident prone! someone always had an injury!!) Still, lot's of memories.

Anyway, today, as I'm sitting here in my office (a.k.a....the garage!), I smell the aroma of a lemon cake being baked in our kitchen. Tara is making cakes for a wedding cake testing tonight so the kitchen is full of action! But, as I sat here just listening to her work away, and doing what she loves, I was brought back to a memory at our cabin!

Tara came in the kitchen, and she decided to "create a recipe" for her very own special hot choco or chocolate milk. I let her mix whatever she wanted to mix in that cup! She got busy and went straight to our pantry and started pulling out all sorts of "weird" items..... OK, they weren't really "weird" items, but they seemed a little strange to me because she was putting them in a cup to make CHOCOLATE MILK, but I let her. I wanted to see what she came up with! (ya, she get's gift from me! LOL!)

After placing these six ingredients in a cup, I remember she mixed it really good (she even made note of that on her recipe!), and she tasted it. I don't remember if she made any adjustments, but I remember the look in her eyes! The look of, "I just created the BEST Chocolate Milk  Supreme, EVER!!" (Yep, I'm crying as I write this!) I also remember her asking me to try it! :) And, I did!

I laugh as I sit here and bring this memory back to life! Honestly, I don't remember what this Chocolate Supreme creation tasted like, but I remember the happiness it brought Tara, just knowing that she created something special, all by herself. I remember how happy I was that she enjoyed the creating part, because I always enjoyed that. It was seeing a part of me in her. That still makes my heart skip a beat every time I see her create something now, in White Velvet Desserts kitchen!

Just a recipe? Nope. A memory. An emotion. A tickle in my belly. A smile in my heart. Creating a recipe is more than just creating an edible food items, it's creating. . . memories, emotions, smiles. . and love. I thank God each and every day that I have the opportunity to work side-by-side with my daughter. . .creating more "chocolate supreme" recipes and memories that will last for generations to come!

Until next time,

Cheers!!

Chutney VS Salsa VS Relish . . . who cares what you call it!

Is it a chutney? Is it a salsa? Could it be a relish? Really, I don't care, just give me some!!! I love chutney, salsa, and relish. In my book, they are all good and they each have a place. . . on my plate!

Referring back to my culinary text books, here's what they say:

Salsa is actually the Spanish and the Italian word for "sauce," so the word refers to many types of preparations, both raw and cooked. Nevertheless, in English-speaking countries, the words salsa usually refers to a mixture of raw or cooked chopped vegetables, herbs, and occasionally, fruits. 

The words relish and chutney have no exact definitions. One meaning of relish is any raw or pickled vegetable used as an appetizer. As used in a discussion of sauces, a relish is a mixture of chopped vegetables (and sometimes fruits), at least one of which is picked in vinegar or a salt solution.

The word chutney originated in India, where it refers to several types of spicy condiments or relishes, including strongly spiced sweet-and-sour cooked fruit or vegetable mixtures, as well as raw or partially cooked mixtures of chopped herbs or vegetables.  Almost all chutneys contain an acid ingredient.

 So, now you know the difference, but does it really matter to you what we call this wonderfully fresh bowl of lusciousness? Probably not! But I love passing on something that I learn . . . it helps keep it in my brain too!

Here is my latest creation this morning; Tropical Raw Chutney. I created this recipe to accompany a Spicy Shrimp & Scallop Kabob (I figured since we are having a snow storm here in Ohio, I would dream of the beach and warmer weather while nibbling on something from the coast! LOL!)

Tropical Raw Chutney

1 mango, peeled & diced

½ fresh pineapple, peeled & diced

1 kiwi, peeled & diced

½ c cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

Add everything in glass bowl and toss. Serve with seafood, chicken, or pork . . .oh heck, serve it with anything! In fact, I ate some on a pita chip!!!! 

Until next time,

Cheers!!

Information from Wayne Gisslen, Professional Cooking, Seventh Edition

What is an "Edible Experience"? . . .

That is probably the second most asked question in regards to SHY Cellars. What's the first most often asked question. . . ? . . ."when are you opening?!!!" The answer to "when are you opening?" is, hopefully in March. I'm bugging my hubby everyday! I have even offered to help with the construction. That's right, give me a hammer and I'll go to town. Let's just say that Ralph has not taken me up on that offer as of yet.

So, let's go back to the other question; what is an "edible experience"? The best way I describe this phrase we coined is, it is an experience with your food. Webster's define experience as: 1. a direct observation of or participation in events as a basis of knowledge  2. practical knowledge, skill, or practice derived from direct observation of or participation in events or in a particular activity  3.the conscious events that make up an individual life  4. something personally encountered, undergone, or lived through.

There's a pattern that lies in the word experience; it's knowledge, participation and something that you personally encountered. That's it in a nut shell. . . . we want to give you more than a meal. More than just another dinner in a restaurant. More than just food. We want to give you knowledge about what your eating. We want you to participate in the meal (that means more than just picking up the fork!). We want you to personally encounter your food.

Food is more than just something to fill the stomach, it should be an edible experience. Something you will remember. Something that stirs emotions. Something you learn. . ..not only about the food, but about yourself or the people you are with. So, all of us here at SHY Cellars, can't wait until you join us in Strasburg for your "Edible Experience". 

This was one of my edible experiences! We were in Italy, experiencing food in a wonderful way! My classmates and I enjoyed the food, but we also learned something new about food and each other! 

Until next time,
Cheers my friends! 

Today is National Pie Day. . .

Like I need a reason to eat pie!! LOL!! But, hey it truly is National Pie Day and I wanted to know why is it National Pie Day, and is there a Pie Association. . . these are the types of things that run thru the "foodie" part of my brain. So, I go, where else, but the web to search out National Pie Day, and guess what I found. . . that's right, APC.

The National Pie Council is an organization committed to preserving the American pie heritage and promotes pie! I skimmed through their website and learned a little bit more about APC and pie! There is also a spot on their website that lists winners from pie contests, and I have to say that I was a bit surprised. Why you ask? Well, as I gazed through the winners names and where they were from, I only seen a handful from Ohio. Most of the winners were from Florida! Florida?! Really?!! Come on, we Ohioans know a thing or two about pie. I mean, I live in the heart of Amish country, and most of these ladies can bake a mean pie, so why aren't there more winners from Ohio? It could have something to do with the Great American Pie Festival is held in FLORIDA!

So, since I can't make it to Florida for the pie festival, I thought I would throw this out there; let's share your favorite pie recipe! If you have a favorite pie-cream, nut, fruit, savory, whatever. . . share it with us! We will post them on our blog for everyone's enjoyment!! And, once we open SHY Cellars, we will have some fun contests just like this! We will hold Bake-Off's, Cook-Off's. . . all sorts of fun things! But for now, share you recipe and everyone will be a winner!!

Here's a really good recipe for a Pot Pie that is a "healthy version". I can't take the credit for this one, it's from Body By Designs By Mary. I tweaked the recipe for my liking by adding parsnips, turnips and other root veggies!

So get in your kitchen this week, better yet. . . TODAY, and bake a pie in honor of National Pie Day!!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Quinoa Turkey Crust:

 

This crust can be used for Chicken Pot Pie or Pizza recipes just change the seasonings. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

1 cup cooked Quinoa (red or white)

4 oz lean, organic ground turkey (99% fat free)

Seasonings – use a poultry seasoning for chicken pot pie and oregano and basil for pizza

 

Mix together and place into a baking pan. For a chicken pot pie use a 9 inch pie plate. Make sure to push the mixture down to flatten onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. It will be thin and that’s fine just keep working it to even it out.

 

For a pizza you can use a 9 X 12 baking sheet or a large round pizza baking pan. Again, push the crust down and keep working it to the corners of the pan.

 

Bake for 10 minutes for a Chicken Pot Pie then fill the crust and bake pie for 30 more minutes.

 

For pizza it is best to bake 5 minutes and turn the crust over.   If you have it on a flat pan that doesn’t go all the way to the edges it will be easy enough to get a large spatula under the crust to flip it over. You can also make several smaller crusts for ease in flipping. Since the crust is already cooked, you only have to add pizza toppings and put it under the broiler to melt the cheese and warm up the toppings.

 

Servings: 8

Calories: 43

Fat: 1 g

Carbs: 5 g

Protein: 5 g

 

 

 

 

 

Clean Eating Chicken Pot Pie

3-4 cups chopped up chicken breast (use leftovers from a roast or buy a rotisserie chicken)
1- 10 oz package of organic frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
3 T coconut oil
1/4 cup flour (I use a gluten free one)
3 1/2 cups unsalted, organic chicken stock
cut up cooked potatoes, sauteed celery or onions all optional
salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper in this pie)

In a non stick skillet heat coconut oil on medium. Once its melted add the flour and stir to make a thick paste. Cook one minute.

Slowly add chicken stock stirring constantly to mix it in well. Continue to cook until thick and bubbly about 5-8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add chicken and vegetables to sauce and mix well. If not thick enough continue to cook some more before pouring into crust.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Even though this pie has no crust on top it holds together nicely and will serve up with a spatula after letting it set for 5 minutes.

Makes 8 servings:

Calories: 227 (includes crust!)
Fat: 9 g
Carbs: 11 g
Fiber: 2.5 g
Protein: 24 g

I love playing with my food. . . .

There's just something about fondue. . .it makes me feel like a little kid. Like, I'm playing with my food. But I can honesty say, growing up, we never had fondue, nor did I ever hear of fondue! I know, I led a "food-sheltered" life.

Some of you may have already hear my food journey as to how I started cooking, and for those of you who don't know the story, here's the short version; my mom hated to cook and about the only she ever really made was SPAM & Pork'n Beans. . . around three nights a week. So, if I wanted to eat anything other than that meal, she said that I needed to learn how to cook. So, I did!

We lived beside my grandmother, and she was a great cook! She made all the old fashion meals most of you probably grew up with. Then, there was one of our neighbors, Ada, she was a great cook too! Ada was Amish, so she made delicious homemade noodles, roast beef, and all the other great foods that come out of most Amish homes. I was blessed to have grandma and Ada as cooking mentors. But, I should clarify something about my mother. . . she was a FABULOUS house keeper! Seriously, you could eat off the floor, and the laundry!.....always washed, dried, folded and put away in my drawers in the blink of an eye. So what she didn't like to do in the kitchen, she made up for in other ways! LOVE YOU MOM! LOL!!

OK, back to the Fondue! We enjoy Fondue often in our home. It's a traditional Swiss meal, and being that my hubby comes from a Swiss family, you bet we Fondue in style! We have Fondue pots from Switzerland, thanks to Aunt Darlene! And, when we all get together to start dipping, the laughter begins! I think that's one of the best parts of Fondue parties at our house. . . everyone laughing, sharing a meal, talking about everything, and just being together.

Fondue is a very relational meal. I mean, you are sitting around the table with a communal pot in the middle filled with hot bubbly melted cheese. Everyone has their own forks, but you all share out of one pot. Communal style. I love it. It is a platform for talking and sharing.

Today, I had an opportunity to make some Fondue for a great friend at his office. It was kind of a "gone away" party. He is taking another job and won't be around quite as often, so we thought it was a great reason for a party!. . .then again, with me. . .I can always find a reason to celebrate with food!

I made two Fondue's; one was a Blue Cheese Fondue. . . AWESOME . . .and the other was one I created on the fly!. . . Smoked Fondue! My daughter, who works with me, said that this was. . .and I quote. . ."that's my new favorite Fondue!" That made my heart smile! So, since it was such a hit with Tara, and Mike (who the dish was created for!), Kelly, Todd, and John, I thought I would share the recipe!

So I encourage each of you to gather some friends around the table and Fondue together! Take time to sit and talk. Take time to laugh and cry. Take time to share what's going on in your life. Take time to hear what's going on in your friends and family's life too. Communal dining, is relational dining. Want to know what's up in your friends and family's life? Talk, eat and have fun!!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Here's the recipe for the Smoke Fondue that I created today! Have fun in your kitchen!! By the way. . . Fondue WILL BE ON OUR MENU at SHY CELLARS!!

Smokey Fondue

2 ½ -3 c Dry White Wine

1 ½ tsp. Corn starch

2 c Smoked Gouda, shredded

1  8oz pkg Italian Five Cheese, or a mixture of mozzarella, romano, asiago, & parmesan

1   8oz pkg Mozzarella cheese

½ tsp. Nutmeg

Salt, to taste

Toss all cheese in a large bowl with corn starch until well coated. Set aside.

Pour wine in heavy bottom pot and heat on med low to a slight simmer begins. Turn heat to low.

Slowly begin to add cheese, a small handful at a time, to the wine. Stir constantly while adding a handful of cheese and allowing it to melt. Continue adding cheese until it is all added.

Add nutmeg and salt. Remove from heat. Dip fresh veggies, crusty bread, Granny Smith Apples (that one was for Cheryl!! :) 

Bringing The Outer Banks To Strasburg. . . .

The Outer Banks was our family's first beach vacation destination! Our friends, Jeff and Sharon talked about this place called, Nags Head, and how they loved it and how it was so relaxing. They would tell us how they would take their kids, towels, and cooler and head to the beach and just lay there, soaking up the sun all day long. That was a really different type of vacation than what we was used to. . . whenever Ralph and I went on vacation, it was usually a "have to see everything" vacation. You know, see every sight that the place was known for, all the typical tourist "must see's". We packed it in. We did it all. Then, we needed a vacation from our vacation!

So, when Jeff and Sharon invited our family to join them on their "beach vacation" to the Outer Banks, our first thought was, "are you kidding? why in the world would we want to go to the beach and just. . . lay around in the sun? isn't that boring?" Oh my dear friends, how WRONG we were!! That beach vacation to the Outer Banks was our first relaxing vacation! And, it's the reason I love the beach to this day!

Once we arrived at the condo that we was going to be staying in, we headed straight to the beach (after putting our swimwear on, of course!), and that's pretty much all we did, and we LOVED it!! The only other activity on our agenda was eating. This is where I fell in love with seafood.

We ate at many different restaurants, and each one was known for their own seafood specialty. Some were sandwiches (Black Pelican), others were known for their steamed shrimp (Awful Arthur's), some for their fish tacos (The Rundown Cafe). . . but the one restaurant that won my heart, was best known for their own version of clam chowder . . . was and still is. . . Sam & Omie's.

Now, if you ever go to Sam & Omie's, please don't be think it's going to be a stuffy and fancy seafood restaurant. No, it's a simple building that might even be mistaken for a "biker bar" as some people put it, but no, this place is for bikers, surfers, families, everyone and anyone!!! And believe me when I tell you that you may have to wait for over an hour for a seat in this little place, but it's SO WORTH THE WAIT!!!!!

Anyway, chowder. . . Sam & Omie's puts out some amazing chowder! In fact, I asked if they would share their recipe with us? The lady behind the cash register said yes, and opened the cash register and lifted the cash drawer and gave us a COPY of the recipe!!! Yep, this chowder was SO good that people were always asking for the recipe, so they decided to hand out copies of it!

Even after all these years (I think it was over 15 years ago since our first visit there?), every time I make Sam & Omie's clam chowder, I still remember my first visit to the Outer Banks, and our first vacation with our dear friends Jeff and Sharon! I love these memories! Fun, sun, laughing, watching the kids play in the surf, digging out sand from . . . !! LOL!! . . . but memories that make the clam chowder taste even better today than the first time I had it.

So, I encourage you to make some clam chowder, invite your friends over and make some memories of your own . . .

Until next time,

Cheers!! (PS.....Sharon & Jeff.....I'm sorry, you know we love you both. . . but. . . we ate ALL the chowder! I'll make another batch for you!!!LOL!!!)

Sam & Omie’s Clam Chowder

1 pound bacon, chopped

2 c onion, chopped

2 c celery, chopped

2 c carrots, peeled & chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste (I use sea salt & fresh cracked pepper)

2-3 TBSP. Italian Seasoning, to taste

1 TBSP. garlic, minced

3  - 46oz cans clam juice

2 bags frozen hashed browned potatoes, the cubed style (I used fresh potatoes –about 6 or 8)

2   -51oz cans chopped clams

In a large sauté pan, brown the bacon. Drain the grease. Set aside bacon.

In a very large pot or kettle, add all the rest of the ingredients, and the bacon.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Taste and season.

Yields: as Dolly Gray Jones (the cook at Sam & Omie’s) says, “a lot”

Playing Hide & Seek With Your Veggies!

When our daughter was a little girl, she wouldn't eat ANY vegetables or fruits . . .she still won't eat them! So, I had to get creative with how I used them. I would hide them in foods that she liked; foods like pizza (yes, Tara, you ate broccoli! I put that on our homemade pizzas!!), mashed potatoes (again Tara, you at cauliflower that I mashed in with the potatoes!), and the best part was that she never knew. . . until  now! LOL!

So, if you have the "picky eater" in your house, or even you yourself aren't a fan of veggies, here's a recipe that will make you rethink your stance on cauliflower. The recipe came from a Paleo cookbook and I simply made a few changes by adding some cranberries and a bit more apricots, and pine nuts. This recipe is so good with any dish, but goes great with chicken and pork dishes.

One step that is really important in this recipe is how you process the cauliflower. Make sure you pulse the food processor a second or two at a time. If you process it too long, you will have mash, and that's not going to work for the "rice" texture!

The cranberries just add a little more sweetness to this dish, plus. . . it's pretty! LOL!

This is one of those dishes that can be served hot or cold. It's great either way.

I hope you try this recipe and let me know what you think! Feel free to add some other ingredients as well, just let me know what you added and how it turned out!

Until next time,

Cheers!

PS......tomorrow, Tara is going to contribute something in our blog! Her writings are called, "Confessions of a picky eater!".....VERY FITTING for Tara!

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

1 large head fresh cauliflower

1 TBSP Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

8-10 dried apricots halves, roughly chopped

¼ C golden raisins, roughly chopped

¼ C dried cranberries, roughly chopped

3 TBPS pine nuts

½ med.  onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

salt & pepper, to taste

Break the cauliflower into florets, removing the stems. Place the florets in the food processor bowl and pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice. This will have to be done in two batches; avoid not overcrowding or over pulsing- it will result in your cauliflower mash!

Heat a large skillet over med.-high heat and add oil. Add the onions and sauté for approximately 3-4 minutes until they begin to become translucent, and then add apricots, raisins, cranberries, pine nuts, and garlic. Stir to combine and cook until nuts begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

Stir in cumin and cinnamon and cook for another 2 minutes. Add cauliflower and cook another 3-5 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot or cold.

Adapted from WELL FED Paleo Recipes by Melissa Joulwan

 

Winner Winner, Paleo Chicken Dinner. . .

Here you go, my FIRST recipe for the SHY Vine blog! This is the recipe I created yesterday for one of my Weekly Meal Service clients who eats Paleo. 

For those who are unfamiliar with the Paleo way of eating, here's a brief summary from a website that I have used (The Paleo Diet):

The Paleo diet is based upon eating wholesome, contemporary foods from the food groups our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on during the Paleolithic era, the time period from about 2.6 million years ago to the beginning of the agricultural revolution, about 10,000 years ago. These foods include fresh meats (preferably grass-produced or free-ranging beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and game meat, if you can get it), fish, seafood, fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and healthful oils (olive, coconut, avocado, macadamia, walnut and flaxseed). Dairy products, cereal grains, legumes, refined sugars and processed foods were not part of our ancestral menu.

Now, I don't personally follow the Paleo diet or any "diet" for that matter, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work for people. I am just one of those folks who have tried many diets and found that none really worked for me . . . mostly because I could never stick to them! . . .again, I'm just being honest!!! But, what I have found that works for me is a healthy diet of the food groups; the grains--- carbs (yes, carbs!! I have Italian in me, what can I say!!), the meat & beans, the vegetables & fruits, and the dairy.

I am a true believer in the "clean eating" movement. In fact, it started about three years ago with a 40 day fast that was actually more of a spiritual fast than a diet/cleaning fast, but during that time I learned a lot about food! I also created a journal of, yep, you guessed it, 40 recipes! I also got a subscription to what is now referred to as "my FAVORITE magazine in the whole wide world"!!!.....Clean Eating. 

Getting back to the recipe I have below; some of my Weekly Meal Service clients have certain dietary needs and wants, and it's my job to help them achieve their eating goals. This is one of the recipes that I created for one of my Paleo diet clients. I also scan the web for websites that are geared toward Paleo, that way I can find some more recipes to try out on them. In fact, while I'm writing this, I'm feeling like someone out there is thinking, "well, tell me the websites you use!" So, for that person (s), here are some that I really like:

• The Clothes Make The Girl
• nom nom paleo
• Everyday Paleo

So, I hope you enjoy this new blog, and learning some new things along the way. I never tire of learning, so if you follow my blog, get ready to put your thinking cap on and join me in learning fun and exciting new things!

Here is the recipe for the Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken:

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

4 boneless & skinless chicken breasts, butterflied ( you can also pound slightly if breasts are too thick)

1 ½ C frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

¼ C roasted red pepper, chopped

½ small onion, chopped

3 TBSP sundried tomatoes, rehydrated for about 5 minutes in a little water

¼ C ground flax seed

3-4 Tbsp. garlic, minced

¼ C fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

¼ tsp. ground chipotle pepper

Salt & pepper, to taste

8 thick slices peppered or regular bacon

2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a bowl, combine spinach, red pepper, onion, sundried tomatoes, flax seed, garlic, parsley, chipotle pepper, salt & pepper. Blend well.

Fill each chicken breast with spinach stuffing. Wrap two pieces of bacon around each chicken breast; if desired, you can use a toothpick to keep bacon in place. Place wrapped chicken in lightly sprayed shallow baking dish.  Drizzle olive oil over chicken.

Bake chicken approximately 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165° and juices run clear from chicken. 

**NOTE: you can also add 1/2 c goat cheese or feta cheese to this and it's STELLAR!!

Welcome to SHY VINE. . . the food & wine blog for SHY CELLARS

Blogging has never been my "thing". . . (cooking is my thing), but that's because I try not to spend too much time at the keyboard. . . unless it involves looking up a recipe, checking out Pinterest, answering a foodie question from someone, posting food pictures on Facebook. . . OK  maybe I do spend a lot of time at the keyboard!

After posting some pictures of a new recipe I created today on Facebook, I had someone post on SHY CELLARS Facebook page that I should blog. This would enable me to share all the recipes of the dishes I create or find! Brilliant idea Kimberly!!  So, I might not be much of a blogger, but I can cook, so that's what our SHY VINE blog will be about. . . Food & Drink. . . because we like wine too! LOL!

So, starting right now, we are going to start blogging recipes, great wines & drinks that cross our path, places that we visit that have great food, updates on our "supper club, catering facility, & culinary training center"- that is almost completed! WOOOHOOOO!!!! Can you tell I'm excited!!!!!????!!!! And, of course, we will be posting pictures of all this great food and drink for you to drool over. . . just sayin'

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit our Facebook page for SHY CELLARS. 

Until next time. . . CHEERS!