Slow Cooker Spicy Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas get some heat from jalapeno peppers and cumin in this slow cooker rendition of the classic New Year’s dish.

• 6 cups water
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed
• 1 diced onion
• 2 diced garlic cloves
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 1seeded and minced jalapeno chile
• 8 oz diced ham
• 4 slices bacon chopped
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 t cumin
• salt to taste
• 1 t ground black pepper

Pour the water into a slow cooker, add the bouillon cube, and stir to dissolve.  Combine the black-eyed peas, onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, ham, bacon, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper.  Stir to blend.  Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours until the beans are tender.

Source:  allrecipes.com

Greek-Style Stuffed Mushrooms

If you like mushrooms, then you will love this greek inspired recipe.  The combination of the vegetables and the feta cheese is so tasty.  A glass of Geyser Peak Uncensored Red goes nicely with this dish.

• Nonstick spray coating
• 12 large fresh mushrooms, 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter (about 1 pound)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted ripe olives
• 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Lightly coat a 15x10x1 inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.  Clean mushrooms.  Remove stems from mushrooms and discard.  Brush outside of mushroom caps lightly with olive oil.  Place, stem side down, in prepared pan.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Drain mushroom caps, stem sides down.  Drain all liquid from pan.

In a medium bowl stir together tomato, olives, bread crumbs, feta cheese, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.

Spoon the crumb mixture into mushroom caps.  Place the stuffed mushroom caps in the prepared baking pan.  Bake mushrooms, uncovered, in the 425 degree F. oven about 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and heated through.  Makes 12 mushrooms.

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens

Apple Ginger Crisp

Topping

• 4 T Cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1 t ground ginger

Filling

• 4 Apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
• 1 lemon, juiced & zested
• 2 T Stump Jump Sticky Chardonnay
• 2 T corn starch
• ½ cup candied ginger, finely chopped
• Vanilla ice cream

Preparations:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. For topping, combine the butter, sugar, flour, oats, ginger and cinnamon in a bowl.  Work together with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside. Toss the apples with lemon juice, zest, candied ginger, Sticky Chardonnay & corn starch. (Depending on the kind of apples you use you may need more or less cornstarch). Spoon the apple mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle topping evenly over the apples.  Bake in center of the oven for 1 hour or until bubbly and the apples are tender. Let cool slightly.

Serve warm, topped with ice cream and more candied ginger.  Fill your glasses with Sticky Chardonnay, sit back in front of a crackling fire & let your mouth be tantalized.