How would you like for me to bring dinner to your home?

Hmm?

I can, and will!  Well ... sort of ...

Bertolli offered to throw me and my friends (and one lucky reader) a wine pairing party. SWEET!  (Read my fancy schmancy disclosure).  MY response of course was, "did someone say wine?  Mmm.  Wiiiiiiiiiiine.  Vino.  Travel to Italy?  Ooooh ... "

It's part of their Into The Heart of Italy webisodes.  (How do I get a gig working on videos like THAT!?!  Italy's calling my name ... Tuscan cowboys?  I'm so there ... ) They made it easy with their wine pairing guide.  The varietals were recommended, but it was my choice in wine.  What fun!  I have to confess ... I picked the wine first ... and THEN paired it with the food.  Pinot noir is my favorite, and Bertolli had two pastas paired with a pinot, so I went with the roasted chicken linguine.  Is it shameful to admit that I picked a wine that cost 3 times as much as dinner?  Naaaaaah!  They just suggested a pinot ... I picked La Crema.  I know it's not Italian, but I took a vine-cation last year where a guy had on a La Crema t-shirt that said "pinot envy."  Yeah ... it's that good.

I'm not usually a white wine kinda girl, but there was a new wine our local grocer was promoting and I got suckered in by the label ... Cupcake. Sweet sounding name, but not a sweet wine.  It was actually crisp and refreshing.  We were all pleasantly surprised by that one.  A lot of ooohs and aaaaahs at the table when we tasted it with the stuffed shells.

Since my friend Beth and I are training to run the NYC marathon and our increased mileage over the summer is going to require more pasta dinners, this was actually really good timing.  Well, it seemed like good timing until I got a call form my agent the very same day about a call back for a commercial where I was also going to need to model my hands.  Which means ...

A) no sharp objects and ...

B) no hot ovens that could burn fingers or wrists.

Darn. Considering just last month I nearly cut off my pinky with a new knife, this was going to be a challenge to cook for my friends, even if it did come pre-made in a bag.  So even though I had emailed my pals and offered to cook them dinner ... I showed up with my super-duper-moisturizer gloves on and a clever plan ...

My friend Beth and I did what any smart woman would do ... we drank the wine and let "the men" cook.

This is where it got real  interesting ...

Meet Jim & Mike.

Two guys that love to photograph food ... but never cook it.  In fact, if you ask either of them what's for dinner, they'll usually answer you with one word ... Guinness.  This was going to be a good lesson for them.

Good thing Beth is a goddess with a wine key and that I pre-made dessert ... 'cause we had to start with the basics.

Like ... how to open a bag.

No, no, Mike ... not with your teeth ...

Or a box cutter ...

There  we go.  They found the scissors.  Now we're getting some where.  And Beth and I are getting hungry ... and tipsy.  Jim is staying hidden from the camera.  He does that often.  Don't believe me ... check out his profile pic. Thank goodness Mike is starting to get it under control.

Or so I thought until I caught him taking at peak at the trash can ... to find the directions ...

I will confess and give the boys break here. I goofed with the wine pairings a bit.   The stuffed shells take about 45 minutes to bake in the oven ... but they were the one's I paired with the white wine which you would traditionally have before red.  The linguine only took 10 minutes ... drat.

No, no Mike.  Not the microwave.  Besides, it's the shells we need to speed up ... but they're already in the oven so we're just gonna roll with it.

Beth and I are sticking with the pinot and directing the action in the kitchen.

Mike burns his tongue.  Tsk. Tsk.

But look at that!  What the guys lack in cooking skills, they certainly make up for with their camera skills.  And thankfully Bertolli saved them too ... because it tastes as good as it looks.  Swear.  If Mac made a scratch and sniff computer screen ... you'd be enveloped by some tomato-y cheesy basil-y goodness right now.

Mike pours more wine.  Smart man.

Voila!  Dinner is served!

At first, Jim said, "not to sound cheesy, but it does taste like it came from a restaurant."  Way to make it sound like a sales pitch Jim.  Like you work in advertising or something.  I made him take another sip and another bite and come up with something more ... sincere.   After a few more sips of wine he confessed, "if I had to make this from scratch, I wouldn't.  I'd spend all day chopping and dicing and I'd probably forget an ingredient."  Now THAT sounded more like it.  Especially coming from a man that drinks Guinness for dinner.  In fact, Guinness, if you're reading ... these two boys would LOVE to do a sample tasting for you.  They take awesome pictures.  Just sayin.

Mike's only response was "Mmmmm."  I think I traumatized him by making him cook.  Give him some kudos in the comments ... I think he did a mighty fine job.

Beth's response was, "the wine and pasta is a party in my mouth."   That's a HUGE compliment, Bertolli.  She's Jersey Italian.  And no one beats her Mom's homemade sauce. No one.  In fact, I think that comment just started a Jersey-licious cold war.

This is me ... after one and a half glasses of wine.  Yeah, I'm a light weight.  And someone said something funny and made me laugh so hard I did the whole not-breathing-shoulder-shake-vein-popping-out-of-my-forehead thing.

Nom. Nom. Nom.

All gone!

So ... I promised I would bring dinner to your home ... and here's how ...

Watch the video below to take a little mini trip to Italy with Marisa and Rocco.  Leave a comment about the video below and answer the episode's clue.  One reader's comment will be randomly selected to receive the same party we had which included the following ...

• VIP coupons for four Bertolli Frozen Meals for two that will transport you to Italy in just 10 minutes
• Two, CB2 Verona Pasta Serving Bowls
• Four, Crate & Barrel Rotate Plates
• Crate & Barrel Marble Wine Chiller
• Crate & Barrel Wine Decanter
• Bertolli Wine Pairing Guide and $50 of gift cards to purchase wines complimentary to your meals

Here's the skinny ...

"In this episode, celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito and actors Marisa Tomei and Dan Cortese explore Italian wine cellars, learn how to taste wine, visit Montepulciano and prepare Chicken Marsala. But you don’t need to search a wine cellar to enjoy the authentic taste of a slow-simmered wine sauce in your Chicken Marsala. With Bertolli Frozen meals you’re just minutes away from a luscious Italian experience in the comfort of your own home."

Watch. Comment. Taste. Mmm.

Deadline for contest is tomorrow night!

I guess I've gotten to the point now, after creating many a recipe (and screwing up a few dishes to boot) where I can take a peak in my fridge, throw together some ingredients and make something good.  Of course, one can never go wrong with bourbon.  It just sounds good.  Even better with a slow southern drawl ... go ahead and try it ... I'll wait ...

buuuuuuh bon.

That's right brath-ah's and sist-ah's ... this is my sweet tooth revival.

This got me thinkin about a good old southern accent.  I used to work with a girl from Alabama that could insult you seven different ways to Sunday, but her tone would have you tricked into thinking she just invited you to her house for coffee.  And then there are guys out there like Matthew Maconahay, that even without his devilish good looks could talk a girl he just met into doin somethin she woudn't wanna write home about.  Just sayin.

Out of sheer curiosity, I Googled "southern drawl" and this is what I found ...

They actually label it "Southern American English" or SAE.  It's characterized by R-dropping, use of the circumfix -in' (as in hootin' and hollerin'), and my favorite ... "yonder."   They also describe gliding vowels as a diphthong.   My thought was, "ah whaaaht?  A dip-a-thong?" I'm just gonna leave that alone.  But we'll make today's post fun by writing in an SAE accent.  It will sound sweeter.  And will probably make you hungry.  Play along with me now y'all and read it aloud.

The weekend of the Kentucky Derby, some friends-o-mine were makin mint juleps an had a gigantic bottle of whiskey on hand.  It was so enormous, that, despite the fact there were at least 10 people at their derby party garage sale coolin off with a mighty minty drink ... I'm sure they'll be plenty left that'll last until next year's derby.  I didn't think they'd mind (or even notice!)  if I stole their normal sized bottle of Jim Beam for some recipe experimentation.

On to the experiment ...

Grab y'all some peaches and a big ole loaf a bread and start layerin it all in a large bakin dish or pie pan. (This reminds me of my former boss and friend that would say "pah" instead of "pie."  She said I pronounced it "pye" instead of the proper "pah."   I do admit though, the way she said "pah" sounded like it had less calories and tasted better than pie.   Potato ... potahto ... )

Then whip togethah about a dozen eggs, a cup of milk, a cap of vanilla, some sug-ah ...

And a splash of bourbon ...

okay ... maybe a little more than a splash ...

Pour the whisked whiskey egg-y mixture over the bread and make sure all the dry ingredients get good and soaked.  You can even make this ahead of time, cover it, and let it sit in the fridge to allow the bread to absorb every last drop of the egg-y mixture.

If you are pressed for time, press the bread down with your finger.  *wink*

Sprinkle with some brown sugar.  Oh, wait ... I meant brown "shug-ah" ...

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes ... let cool ... then serve!

Several friends had texted, Facebooked and tweeted me about entering the Paula Deen recipe contest, and this is one dish that could definitely get better with cream cheese!

See how I made it in the video at the top of the post.

Bourbon Peach Bread Pudding

from Inn The Kitchen

Ingredients

Who would have thought I would find a little French flair in the Midwest?  This fun twist on French toast comes to us from Harbour Ridge Inn located in Osage Beach,  Missouri.   The innkeeper, Sue,  likes to cook with wine and liquors ... and I couldn't agree with her more!  I mean, is there really ever a better morning than one served with Grand Marnier or Chambord?  Well, let me rephrase that.  Drinking it straight up would be a rude awakening.  Coffee is my preferred sin.  But either of these liquors baked into some yummy custard goodness where you get just a hint of citrus or raspberry flavor is a great way to add a smile to your lips when you start the day.

And actually, it's not far off from what was the original recipe for French toast in the 1600's.  According to the Oxford English Dictionary,  back then it was made with day old bread, wine, orange juice and sugar.  Mmm.

So let us begin ...

BAKED CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST

from the Inn at Harbour Ridge, Osage Beach MO

(Serves 6 or more)

12 slices cinnamon swirl or cinnamon raisin bread (Pepperidge Farm)

1/4 cup butter or margarine

9 eggs

1 quart milk, whole milk preferred

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 TBS Grand Marnier or Chambord

Warmed preserves to compliment liquor

1) Grease 13 by 9 by 2 baking dish.  Then add six slices of bread.

2) Butter remaining bread and place with butter side up over bread in pan.

3) In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and add milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla.  Mix well and pour over bread. Let stand overnight.

4) Place the dish of French toast in a larger baking pan to form a water bath. Pour boiling water into larger pan to a depth of 1".  Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

5) Serve with preserves, whipped cream and your favorite coffee.

###

26 Reasons Why I'm Running The NYC Marathon and only ONE Reason I'm asking You To Donate ...

#1 -- Because I want to be a better version of myself.

#2 -- "Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." -Oprah Winfrey

#3 -- Because running 26.2 miles makes most other difficult tasks seem like a walk in the park.

#4 -- So I don't feel guilty about all the yummy foods I eat while producing InnTheKitchen.com.

#5 -- "Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about." -PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

#6 -- Because it gives me a reason to get out of bed early enough to catch the sunrise when I would have otherwise slept in.

#7 -- Because one glass of wine is equivalent to 120 calories or 1.2 miles.  More miles = more wine.  :o)

#8 -- "Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" - Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

#9 -- Because pain is weakness leaving the body.

#10 -- We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable." -Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile

#11 -- Because I love the cool people I meet on the road.

#12 -- "Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'." -Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner

#13 -- Because it's the type of sport I can travel with ... all I need is my shoes.

#14 -- "Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right." -Henry Ford

#15 -- Because I love pasta.   And running makes carbs my friend.

#16 -- "Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." -William Faulkner

#17 -- Because race schwag rocks.

#18 -- Because running 26.2 miles might hurt like hell, but the afterglow lasts for weeks.

#19 -- "Running long and hard is an ideal antidepressant, since it's hard to run and feel sorry for yourself at the same time. Also, there are those hours of clear headedness that follow a long run." -Monte Davis

#20 -- Because when I run I feel more alive, even when it feels like I'm dying.

#21 -- "I had as many doubts as anyone else. Standing on the starting line, we're all cowards." -Alberto Salazar, three-time winner of the NYC marathon

#22 -- Because of the cool tracks on my Running playlist.  I can't help but step in beat.

#23 -- Because I enjoy the outdoors and the scenery.  It's an awesome way to experience a city.

#24 -- Because I have two medals ... and overall I want to collect 10.  I will run for bling.

#25 -- Because I love an adrenaline rush and a runner's high.  And I know when I see the finish line and the crowds are 5 and 10 people deep, screaming at the tops of their lungs for everyone in the race ... it will be  one of the greatest 100 seconds in my life.  I will probably cry.

#26 -- Because it will remove the words "I can't" from my vocabulary.

And the ONE reason I'm asking you to donate ...

Because I'm running with Fred's Team.  And Fred's Team, named after running legend Fred Lebow, has raised more that $38 million to fund cancer research for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  This center treats more children with cancer than any other institution in the world.  Each mile I run and each dollar I raise puts the words "carefree and fun" back into a kid's childhood.  And that makes me smile.

How You Can Help

Please make a gift to my Fred's Team run today.  Your support helps fund new research and new treatments that brings true hope to people affected by cancer. You can find out more about my Fred's Team event by clicking on the link below.

http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/rachelle

Thank You!
--Rachelle