Thank You Mom!

It always seems like some of our favorite recipes – the ones we replicate and share with friends, make for parties and eat when we’re happiest or saddest – came from mom. When it comes to comfort food, there’s nothing like mom’s home cooked meals! From our family to yours, here are our favorite recipes from our moms that when paired with Chehalem wines are perfection!

Tracy and her mom, Linda ❤️ Circa 1978

“My mom has been a source of steady encouragement and strength in our family. It never occurred to me growing up that there were things a man could do, and things a woman could do: I always assumed I could do it all. My mom taught us how to work hard and never settle. How to balance school and part-time jobs, which lead to knowing how to balance family and careers. We learned that we are part of a community and our contributions matter, through her example. I chose this recipe because these cookies aren’t too sweet, it’s not a cookie many people have tried, and I always think of the years baking them with my mom.” Tracy Timmins, Vice President of Operations & Consumer Sales, Chehalem Winery

 Italian Cherry Cookies

Cookies

• 3 eggs
• 1 C. Crisco
• 1 C. white sugar
• 4-5 drops red food coloring
• 10 oz. jar of Maraschino Cherries, chopped (save juice)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. almond extract
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 3 – 3 1/2 C. white flour

Icing

• 2 C. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• Reserved juice from Maraschino Cherries jar and equal part water

Prepare: (Cookies) Mix all the ingredients together and roll dough into walnut size balls.  Bake at 350° F for 6-8 minutes or until tops start to crack a little. (Icing) Stir all dry ingredients together, then slowly add the liquid until thin enough to drizzle over cooled cookies. Hint: Tracy and her mom like to dip the top of the cookies in the icing rather than drizzle.

Suggested Pairing: Chehalem Rosé of Pinot Noir

Our 2018 Rosé has bright acidity and pale spice notes that pairs well with the almond flavors in these cookies. The subtle notes of pomegranate and dried cherries is refined and balanced, yet fun and easy.

Mindy and her mom, Merri ❤️ Circa 1972

“My mom has been the greatest influence in my life. Not only as a mom but also as a friend. As a single working parent, she loved anything that saved time, money and required zero culinary skills to master; in the 70’s it was Slow Cooker meals. She would set everything up in the morning before heading off to work and we’d come home to dinner, ready to serve. When I called her to ask what recipe would she be remembered for, we both got a good laugh but agreed this was the meal we looked forward to starting in the fall all the way to until spring, and now I’m the one that gets to make it for her!”  Mindy Gimarelli Digital Media Manager, Chehalem Winery

3 Bean Turkey Chili

• 2 tbsp sp vegetable oil
• ¾ diced large yellow onion
• 2 fresh mild poblano chilies, stemmed, seeded, and chopped up very small
• 1 pkg ground turkey or lean ground beef
• 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 – 15 oz can chopped tomatoes with Mexican seasoning drained
• ¼ C. of “Resers Mild Salsa”
• 3 – 15 oz cans Chili beans drained (found in canned chili section, not bean section)
• 2 -15 oz cans Red Kidney beans drained
• 2 -15 oz cans Small Black beans drained
• 1 – 46 oz can of Tomato Juice (or 6 cups)

Prepare: Cook and stir turkey in a large skillet until completely browned, about 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir tomatoes, tomato juice, salsa, chili beans, kidney beans, black beans, onion, chilies, and all the herbs and spices with the turkey in the slow cooker. Cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 7 hours.

Serving Suggestions: Top with shredded cheese, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, hot sauce, and chopped red onions.

Suggested Pairing: Corral Creek Riesling

92 Points, Editor’s Choice- Wine Enthusiast, Our 2016 is classic Corral Creek Riesling.  The aromas are powerful yet delicate. The palate is perfectly balanced between the crisp, fresh acid and the viscosity that a hint of residual sugar that cuts through the spice and heat of this savory dish.

Jenna and her mom, Karen ❤️ Circa 1991

“My mom created the kind of home all the kids wanted to hang out in. So many of my friends call her mom to this day, decades after we’ve grown up. Warm and inviting, she made everyone comfortable and was always willing to let another friend stay for dinner. I chose this recipe because it is my ultimate comfort food when I need to feel like a kid again- and because like every recipe I have from my mom – it’s ‘a dash of this, a little bit of that, you know- whatever tastes good’- rarely is it actual measurements, but that’s why it was always so good.” Jenna LaCroix, Marketing Director, Chehalem Winery

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 stick butter (6-ish Tbsp  for sauce, a couple to grease the pan)
• 5 ½ C. milk
• ½ C flour
• 2 tsp salt
• Nutmeg to taste (about ¼ tsp)
• Pepper to taste (about ¼ tsp)
• Cayenne pepper to taste (about ¼ tsp)
• 4 C grated sharp white cheddar
• 2 C grated Gruyere or 1¼ C pecorino Romano- (honestly whatever is in the cheese drawer that sounds good)
• 1 Lbs. elbow macaroni
• Bread crumbs

Prepare: Heat the oven to 375° F degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Put a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups of whatever else you decide. Set cheese sauce aside. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than suggested time until the outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Treat yourself!

Suggested Pairing: Chehalem INOX Unoaked Chardonnay

Our INOX unoaked chardonnay is a perfect match for Mac and Cheese. The palate shows more fruit than flower, primarily that of lemon curd and honeyed apricots and a nice complement to the creamy cheese. The finish is balanced with a linear acidity and a lasting weight that is smooth and round.

Alex and her mom, Dena ❤️ Circa 1995

Mom’s Meatloaf

• 1½- 2 lbs Ground Beef
• 1 C tomato sauce
• ¾ C Quaker Oats
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ C chopped onion
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Prepare: Combine all ingredients – except meat – in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add meat, combine lightly, but thoroughly. Press into a greased 8 x 4 loaf pan. Bake at 350° F for 1 hour.

Suggested Pairing: Reserve Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is an excellent choice to pair with most meat dishes. Our Reserve Pinot Noir is dense, with dark blue and black fruit and hints of brown sugar before evolving into black tea and tobacco. The tannins are initially big and fill the entire mouth, but the long-lasting finish shines. There is a depth and complexity to the wine that pairs nicely with the meatloaf.