One of my greatest pleasures in life is to entertain — mostly because I love to experience friends and family enjoy a good meal and laugh over a great bottle of wine.  In fact, it is my love of entertaining that inspired Simply Paired!  Part of the entertaining process for me is to find a new way to “wow” my guests and make them feel special.  Creating a homemade version of something that can be easily store-bought is one of my tricks.  And that is how my Granola & Tart Cherries recipe was born!  I never knew how easy it was to make your own granola until I tried it myself.  And, it is much healthier!  This recipe is a staple in my house.  I make it weekly for the family!

For the wine pairing, I wanted to elevate the experience so I thought sparkling wine was in order.  I chose a sparkling Rose wine from Spain to complement the tart cherries in the granola.  I love to serve this combination for a Sunday brunch but quite frankly, it works any time!

I enjoy the beginning of every new year (especially coming out of 2020). It allows me to hit the reset button and simplify as much as possible. I also like to focus on clean eating. Every year I start with a ‘cleanse’, reducing the ingredients I eat to a handful of powerhouse foods that are nutritious and simple.  One of my favorite recipes this time of year is my Spinach & Mushroom Frittata. In keeping with my cleanse, I substitute avocado for cheese. It replaces the creaminess of the cheese beautifully while providing a ton of health benefits. While this recipe is perfect for Sunday brunch, I prefer to make it for a weekday dinner.

For the pairing, there is nothing better than a glass of French champagne to complement this simple egg dish. How quintessentially French!

The end of the holiday season always brings a bit of sadness. The parties end, everyone goes home, and the long stretch of winter sets in for a few months. And, since the new year brings on my “January cleanse”, I allow the 1st to be one last indulgence with an epic brunch. It’s all the trimmings you would hope in a full buffet, but my favorite is the Maple Walnut Scones I bake–coupled with a perfect sparkling wine.

There is nothing more indulgent than a sweet pastry and a nice glass of sparkling wine to ring in the new year!

Salmon is one of my go-to weekday meals because it is simple to prepare.  But I have found that when you pair it with an elegant sauce and sophisticated wine, it elevates the entire meal.  What I love about this pairing is that it is simple enough to prepare for a fast weekday meal but elegant enough for a weekend dinner party.

I chose a good bottle of California Pinot Noir for two reasons.  First, Pinot Noir, salmon, and mushrooms are a match made in heaven!  And California Pinot Noir’s are a bit fruitier and will complement the tart cherries in the sauce.  To learn more, check out my American Pinot Noir pairing page.

For much of my young adult life, I had visions of Tuscany — the food, the wine, and the culture.   Visiting Tuscany was always on the top of my bucket list.  That dream came true in the summer of 2008 when a few college friends and their families traveled to a beautiful Tuscan villa to celebrate the 40th birthday of our friend.  It was the trip of a lifetime!  I remember coming home and being obsessed with Tuscan wine and food.  I wanted to recreate the dishes and flavors I experienced while visiting. And that is how my Tuscan Chicken Stew recipe came to be!

This pairing was inspired by the flavors of Tuscany and the special memories I have from that amazing trip.  I chose to pair this dish with a Super Tuscan wine.  Why?  It just makes sense!  Check out my Super Tuscan pairing page to learn more.

This dish was inspired by watching Giada De Laurentiis prepare her Broccoli & Cauliflower salad recipe on the Food Network.  I loved her recipe – which calls for breading the vegetables in flour, egg & breadcrumbs, and then pan-frying in oil.  While the dish was delicious, it was time-consuming.  I was also looking for something a little healthier so I decided to create my own version.  I love this recipe because it is light on calories yet rich and satisfying!  You can make this as a side dish to any meat, fish, or chicken dish but it is hearty enough to stand on its own as a weekday meal!

I chose a French White Burgundy to pair with this dish because it is light and refreshing yet a bit structured.  You could try a simple Bourgogne Blanc which has a nice citrus flavor profile to complement the lemon in the dish.  Or, to elevate this dish, splurge on a nice bottle of Chablis.  You won’t be disappointed!  Check out my White Burgundy page to learn more.

This dish I sometimes call a “happy accident” because it came about one typical, crazy weeknight as I was trying to pull together dinner at the last minute.  I had my favorite local, fresh chorizo sausage in the refrigerator but not much more.  The kids wanted pasta so I combined the two and voila, a quick, easy, and loaded with flavor dish.  The recipe has evolved over the years to include baby spinach which adds both beautiful color and extra nutrition.  I’ve also replaced the fresh parmesan cheese – a staple in our house for any pasta dish – with a Spanish Manchego cheese which complements the chorizo sausage beautifully with a nutty but creamy flavor.

To round out this meal, I’ve paired it with a Spanish Garnacha wine.  While pairing food with this grape isn’t always easy due to its high alcohol, and low acid characteristics, I’ve found that pairing Spanish-based foods with Spanish wines works very well.  Look for a Spanish Garnacha that is made with 100% Garnacha grapes.  Or, is the primary grape variety in a Garnacha blend.  Why?  The more Garnacha in the blend, the spicier the wine will taste and will pair better with the spice in the Chorizo.  Enjoy!  Check out my Spanish Garnacha pairing page to learn more.