Instructions

1.  Heat the oven to 400° and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.  On a floured surface, roll out the piecrust to a 1/8-inch thickness. Use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter (ours measures 4 inches wide) to make pairs of hearts, gathering the scraps and rerolling the dough as necessary.

3.  For each tart, spread 2 teaspoons of strawberry jam on a heart, leaving a ½-inch margin on all sides. Brush the egg mixture around the edge before placing a second heart on top. Use the tines of a fork to seal the edges, then brush the tops with the egg mixture

4.  Bake the hearts on the prepared cookie sheet until their edges are just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Let them rest on the sheet a few minutes, then move them to a rack and let them cool completely.

5.  Whisk the first four frosting ingredients in a medium bowl, adding more water a teaspoon at a time if needed to make a smooth, creamy frosting. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix until well blended. Spoon the frosting into a ziplock bag, snip off a corner, and squeeze it onto the tarts. Top them with nonpareils or colored sugar.

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.  Drain.

2. Mix together soup and cheese.  Using the empty soup can, measure 1 can of milk.  Mix into the soup mixture.  Stir in cooked pasta.  Dump into a greased casserole dish, and cover.

3. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

4.  Top with shredded cheese before serving, if desired.

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk and butter.  Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
• Pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle.  Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes; cook until second side is golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Spread down the center of each pancake; top with strawberries.  Fold pancake over filling.

 We wish you the Best New Year Ever!

Stickybeak Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California
Retail: $24.99

Stickybeak is an Australian slang for a busybody or nosey neighbor, or for the sake of this Cabernet Sauvignon, an inquisitive bunch of vintners from Napa, California! To create this seamless Cabernet Sauvignon, nothing was overdone, especially the oak. The blend of earthy, fruit-driven Cabernet from the valley floor combined with chiseled hillside tannins and acidity is very appealing. This, along with a small parcel of Merlot, gives desired palate weight and texture with hints of dark cocoa and licorice.

Try pairing this wine with the recipe below:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of pasta, such as spaghetti or linguini
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound cooked pancetta, chopped (or cooked bacon, crumbled)
• 1/2 teaspoon, red pepper flakes
• 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup or more each, Parmesan & Romano Cheese, grated
• Salt & ground black pepper to taste
• Garnish: Grated Parmesan & Romano Cheese
  Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
• Toasted Italian breadcrumbs (optional)
• A light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Directions: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
Add onion and sauté for several minutes until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for about 20-39 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish as desired and served with tortilla chips or warm bread and enjoy immediately.

Note: if you prefer a thicker consistency, pulse one can or rinsed, drained white beans in a blender before adding to the saucepan. This dish can also be prepared in a slow cooker. It’s a great way to make use of leftover holiday turkey!

Stickybeak Chardonnay
Russian River (Sonoma Valley), California
Retail $15.99

Russian River has become one of the most sought-after addresses for Californian Chardonnay for good reason, it produces wonderfully expressive fruity and concentrated flavors and high natural acidity. The Stickybeak Chardonnay shows intense characters of pear, spice and almonds with underlying white peach notes. The palate is long and powerful, displaying dried pear, toasty, creamy custard tarts and nuances of cashew with lingering stone fruity and a fresh, clean acid finish.

Try pairing it with the recipe below:

Ingredients:

• 1 box ready-made refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flower
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
•  2 1/2 cups cooked chicken (or turkey), cubed
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

Directions:

Heat oven to 425. Use one softened crust to line a 9-inch pie pan, following the directions provided on the box. In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until tender.
Stir in flower and spices. Gradually stir in broth and milk, mix well and simmer until thickened.

Add chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Carefully spoon into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal and crimp edges and cut a few small vents in center of crust.

Bake for 20 minutes and then cover crust edges with foil. Continue baking another 20 minutes or more until curst is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

All wine descriptions and recipes have been written and provided by Jenevieve Croall of WineStyles – Flower Mound. You may join the Wine Club on their website to receive 2 bottles of wine each month, along with special invites, discounts and more. Join Today!

Free Wine Tastings at the store every Friday from 6pm-8pm!

Learn More About WineStyles-Flower Mound and print coupon.

1. Sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon on a small plate. Pour caramel syrup on top of the sugar mixture in a circle. Dip the rim of a martini glass in the mixture and spin back and forth and all around until the whole rim is coated. Place the glass in the freezer until ready to use. 

2. In a shaker with ice, add the Buttershots, the vodka and the sour apple mix. Shake for a minute. Remove glass from freezer. Place one maraschino cherry in the bottom of the glass. Pour mix from shaker into glass. Garnish with a Candy Cane and an apple slice.

Please be responsible and don’t drink and drive after your holiday fun!

1.  Heat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.

2.  Stir the Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder in a medium bowl.

3.  Sprinkle the flour on the work surface.  Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface .  Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture.  Top with the cheese mixture and spinach.  Starting at a short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into about 20 (1/2-inch) slices.  Place the slices, cut-side down, onto 2 baking sheets.  Brush the slices with the egg mixture.

4.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.  Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

5.  For best results, make sure to remove as much liquid as you can from the spinach before adding it to the pastry. If it’s too wet, it may make the pastry soggy.  We squeezed exess water into a bowl before we spread on the pastry sheet. 

 6.  Note:  We used a 1/2 bag of spinach for each sheet of pastry (we doubled the recipe for the cheese filling so we could use both pastry sheets in the box).  If you love spinach, you could go for the whole bag, but for us 1/2 bag was plenty for each sheet.

Kings Point Viognier
California Pinot Grigio
Retail: $15.99

 Viognier produces full-bodied wines that are rich and golden in color. Think of a ripe pineapple. In the glass, aromas and flavors of melon, passion fruit, honeysuckle and violets are common. The Kings Point Viognier has this classic nose with a dry, full texture and finish of yellow apples and pears.

Ingredients:

• 1 tb olive oil
•  1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tb chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
• 3 (15.8 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 3 or 4 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice from one lime
• Extra lime wedges, cilantro for garnish (optional) Sour cream, chopped jalapeno peppers and chunky salsa for garnish (optional)

Directions: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
Add onion and sauté for several minutes until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for about 20-39 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish as desired and served with tortilla chips or warm bread and enjoy immediately.

Note: if you prefer a thicker consistency, pulse one can or rinsed, drained white beans in a blender before adding to the saucepan. This dish can also be prepared in a slow cooker. It’s a great way to make use of leftover holiday turkey!

Artesa Meritage
Red Blend
Sonoma County & Napa County, California
Retail $24.99

 The Artesa Meritage is composed of: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.

As one might expect of a Meritage, this is a fascinating blend, but the complexity is even more about style than it is about the individual characteristics of Merlot, Cabernet and the rest. It’s a combination of the ripe, rich, dark fruits of a warm vintage with refreshing red fruit notes.

Looking for a holiday pairing, how about Red Wine-Poached Pears?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups red wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 naval orange, juice (about 1/2 cup), plus several strips of zest
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 whole cloves
• 4 firm but ripe Anjou pears

Directions: 

To prepare the poaching liquid, use a 4-quart saucepan. Combine wine, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon stick and cloves. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Peel pears (leaving stem on) and slice about 1/2 inch off the bottom of each pear to create a flat bottom. Place pears in poaching liquid, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or more, turning frequently until pears are cooked but still firm.

Remover pan from heat, uncover and allow to cool. Once cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Spoon poaching liquid over pears several times during this period.

Remove pears from liquid and allow to come to room temperature. Before serving, cook poaching liquid over a medium-high heat and reduce liquid by about half; it should have a slightly syrupy consistency. Allow to cool slightly.

Transfer pears to individual serving dishes and drizzle each pear with about two tablespoons of liquid. Serve immediately.

All wine descriptions and recipes have been written and provided by Jenevieve Croall of WineStyles – Flower Mound. You may join the Wine Club on their website to receive 2 bottles of wine each month, along with special invites, discounts and more. Join Today!

Free Wine Tastings at the store every Friday from 6pm-8pm!

Learn More About WineStyles-Flower Mound and print coupon.

Cheese (beak and tail feathers)

1. Stabilize the melon body by cutting a shallow slice off the rind to form a flat base. Using a section of bamboo skewer, attach a Bosc pear head to the melon, as shown.

2. Cut a cheese triangle beak and red pepper snood. Attach both, along with raisin eyes, to the head with sections of toothpick.

3. Cut red pepper feet and set them in place. For tail feathers, skewer cheese cubes and red grapes, then insert the skewers as shown. Pin pepper side feathers in place with toothpicks.