wine wednesday

Another week strong. So what are my chances of getting on the Rachael Ray show because I cook her recipes on a weekly basis? A girl can dream! Anyways, last nights recipe: Pork Chops with Butter and Sage with a side of RR's "Obsession-with-Sweet Potatoes Mash" and Cinnamon Apples. To drink: Yellowtail Reserve Shiraz.

As Derrick said when he got home from school, "This is quickly turning into a party." Last night Camille brought Jess home from work to join us for Wine Wednesday. The three of us, along with the adorable Tucker watched Sex and the City, drank wine, and had a genuine home cooked meal. On such a gross, murky and humid day, a good fall meal was just the ticket.

First up: Sage Butter

Bowl 1: one stick of butter at room temp, sliced

Chopping Board 1: about 1/3 cup fresh chopped sage and about 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Next, I added the sage and cheese into the bowl with the butter and mixed it all up and set it aside.

Yumminess of Sage and Gorgonzola

Second and Third: Obsession-with-Sweet Potatoes and Cinnamon Apples

Sweet Potatoes:

Chopping board 2: peel and cube about 2 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes

Pot 1: sweet potatoes covered with cold water and set to boil

Chopping board 3: peel and core 4 apples and cut into about 1/4 inch thick slices

Pan 1: two tablespoons of butter and all sliced apples

Potatoes ready to boil and Apples ready to Sauté

Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain and return to pot.

Add to pot 1: one cup chicken stock, 1/4 cup honey, the juice of one lemon, and fresh ground nutmeg; mash together and add brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste

Back to pan 1: once the apples are browned add about 4 tablespoons of brown sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Let it cook down and marinate.

Main Dish: Pork Chops

Pan 2: coat large skillet with EVOO and place bone-in pork chops seasoned side down. Season the other side with salt and better and brown on both sides.

Once the chops are browned, transfer pan into oven for 12-15 minutes at 375.

Main dish and side dishes finished. Time to plate!

Add the Sage Butter to the top of the pork chop and you are ready to indulge. And believe me... you might start with a dollop of the cheesy, buttery goodness, but after the first bite, you will definitely add more.

Things I learned from this Wine Wednesday:

• WCWW is the best part of the week, obviously.
• If I were to make this again, I would add less brown sugar to the potatoes because severing them next to the cinnamon apples made for two sweeter sides than one sweet and one savory.
• I think I cooked the potatoes a little long so they didn't absorb as much of the liquid that I added before mashing together.
• Sage and Gorgonzola butter --- Pure genius. The best part is... the butter you don't use you can roll in cling wrap and throw in the freezer and pull it out whenever you want to use it. We think it would be very good on a beef burger and toasted french bread with a little garlic and olive oil.
• The more the merrier. Jess, please join us again!