Cheap Date!

So Sunday I finally got to cross off another 101 in 1001.  Wow it makes you feel like you are accomplishing things when you start seeing them come off the list!  Although at the same time, it doesn’t seem like I’ve accomplished many, but when you think about it, one of them was to make every recipe in the Pioneer Woman Cookbook… yeah that takes a while!  Especially since there are 64 recipes in her cookbook, but hey I’ve made 9 or 10.  I’m getting there!

Anyway digressing…. One of the things I thought would be fun, is since I’m new to drinking wine, I thought it would be fun to do a wine tasting.  Taste lots of different wines without buying a whole bottle and NOT liking it.  I’m not a big drinker anyway, but this sounded like fun.  We heard about a wine tasting that was held yesterday so we made plans to go.

I think there were 20 different tables set up.  4 were food tables and the rest were wineries.  Most were from our area although I know I tasted wines from Oregon… maybe they just set up a table for those, I don’t know.

Tip #1 – Eat before you go to one of these!
Tip #2 – Try things that are out of the ordinary.  If you don’t like it, dump the glass, wash it and try another!
Tip #3 – Eat while you are there too!
Tip #4 – Give your keys to your husband!

We didn’t eat lunch because they said that there would be food vendors there also.  It wasn’t enough food for me.  I think I got a little tipsy but I’m a cheap drunk and a light weight.  Neither go together!  I had such a headache last night.  I’ve heard about these wine headaches but YUCK!  We found some good ones.  We found some not-so-good ones.  We found some ok ones… There was a huge variety!

Yeah I was a little Wine happy 🙂

I also picked up my cell and started texting.  (Hi Stephanie!!)  I also learned that with an iPhone and a band aid on your thumb, texting doesn’t work so well.  But that’s just a side note!

St. James Winery here in Missouri gave us a recipe for

Blackberry Wine Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup St. James Winery Blackberry Wine

1/2 cup chopped Pecans

1 (2 layer) box white cake mix

1 3-oz box berry flavored gelatin

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

Glaze ingredients:

1/2 cup St. James Winery Blackberry Wine

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grease and flour a bundt pan.  Sprinkle pecans in the bottom.  In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and gelatin.  Add eggs, oil and 1 cup wine; blend thoroughly.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake 50-60 minutes until cake tests done.  Remove from oven; turn out onto wine rack to cool.  Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, butter and 1/2 cup wine in a saucepan; bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Pour 1/2 the mixture over the warm cake; let set for 30 minutes.  Pour remaining glaze, which will have thickened somewhat, over cake.

Nope haven’t made it.  I just went to the tasting yesterday, but I wanted to share.  So if you make this please let me know if it is any good!

Ok back to the ole drawing board 101 list to find out what I can cross off next!!!

Peace, Love & Wine-o’s!
Nicole

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