Cold Press Juicers vs. Centrifugal Juicer Ronda Bowen, July 7, 2013 So, someone has really done his/her homework and knows that when it comes to juicing it’s a lot more than a simple juicer, a simple sieve or the good old squeezers. Whenever it comes to comparison between two juicers, we can’t directly jump to conclusions as there are different people… Continue Reading
Planning a Thanksgiving Menu Ronda Bowen, November 14, 2012 Ah, Thanksgiving. It’s Wining Husband’s favorite holiday. I rather like this holiday too. When it comes to planning our menu, we’re taking the following into account: I believe it will just be the three of us – myself, Wining Husband, and the Tiger Boy, however, we would like to have… Continue Reading
The Mozart Mile and Sierra Oro Farm Trail Day Two Ronda Bowen, October 7, 2012 Today, we ran the Mozart Mile – a 5K race where every quarter-mile you pass a performer. The purpose of the race is to raise money for programs at the North State Symphony. It’s a lot of fun, and I hadn’t run in a race all year (I know, bad… Continue Reading
Sierra-Oro Farm Trail – Day One Ronda Bowen, October 6, 2012 The Sierra-Oro Farm Trail, like the North Sierra Wine Trail, is quite the North State event. There are many wineries and farms on the trail – 22 stops altogether – so it makes it difficult to see everything in the two-day schedule. So, we had to prioritize. We covered most… Continue Reading
Food: Falafel Pita Ronda Bowen, October 3, 2012 We have a favorite vegetarian meal around here – the falafel pita. I got the basic recipe from Cooking Light, and I can’t imagine a better treat. It’s a quick meal for a weeknight, or it can be a really nice lunch. We like to make the grape salad… Continue Reading
Food: The Pasta That Made Sarah Cry Ronda Bowen, September 20, 2012October 10, 2025 If you’re looking for a pasta that will bring tears to someone’s eyes, this is it. Back in grad school at NIU, I served this dish to a friend, and she literally cried. This would go well with a bold Zinfandel. The base of this sauce requires that you… Continue Reading
Cheeseburger and French Fries Ronda Bowen, September 18, 2012October 10, 2025 Remember that lovely Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon I talked about a couple weeks ago that paired well with lasagna? Well, it also pairs well with burgers. I’m a fan of a good burger, and I’ve got a recipe that is (at least in my family and friends’ opinions)… Continue Reading
Everybody Loves a Good Bloody Mary Ronda Bowen, September 16, 2012October 10, 2025 Bloody Mary drinks are a good staple in your cocktail-making repertoire. Around here, the best bloody Mary is available from Duffy’s Tavern. Of course, sometimes you want to make a bloody Mary at home. A good bloody Mary begins with a good base. Naturally, the base of a bloody Mary… Continue Reading
Worldly Selection Ronda Bowen, September 15, 2012October 10, 2025 This week’s wine tasting at Creekside Cellars centered on wines from around the world. We tasted eight out of nine of the wines. The only wine we didn’t taste was the d’Arenberg “Hermit Crab” and that’s only because we’ve had it before, loved it, and purchased it for our cellar. Here… Continue Reading
Smothered Pork Chops Ronda Bowen, September 13, 2012October 10, 2025 Sometimes you start a meal by making a dish and then pairing a wine with it. Sometimes, you want to start with a wine and then match a dish to it. That’s what we did this evening. We matched a local favorite, Hickman Family Vineyards’, Pinot Grigio with pork. I decided… Continue Reading