Cookerati is happy to participate in the Bloggy Giveaways this week. We hope to have a couple of cool products for you, and here’s the first:

My husband and I enjoy both wine and new gadgets so we were kind of tickled when we received The Wine Holder to review. The Wine Holder is such a simple design, yet it’s so cool everyone will ask where you got it.

In essence The Wine Holder is a piece of wood with a hole on top and a 45 degree angle on either end. These angles allow The Wine Holder to sit on your bar or countertop or dining room table without taking up a lot of room. They’re sturdy enough to hold a full bottle of wine, yet small and lightweight enough to store in your utensil drawer.

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As you all know I am a true blue carnivore, but every once in while the mood strikes me to not eat meat at every single meal.  Like today.  Sure, I had some chorizo in the freezer that I could have used, but went for something decidedly different - vegetarian chili.  Now had I entered this recipe in a Texas chili cook-off I’d be disqualified for two reasons - no meat and it has beans.  I dedicate this meal to our fellow blogger Robin.

Ingredients

• 1 pound red beans
• 4 28 ounce cans of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 pound mushrooms - chopped
• 1 Vidalia onion - chopped
• 1 large green pepper - chopped
• 1 jalapeno - finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 TBLSP ground chipotle
• 4-5 stalks of fresh cilantro
• 1-2 TBLSP of salt - depending on your own taste.  If you want to reduce the amount of salt, use vegetable broth instead of water.  Or add vegetable bouillon.
• Water

Method

1. Put the beans in a large pot and cover with water.  Over low heat, simmer beans for about an hour, make sure the pot is covered. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and 2 cans full of water
3. Bring to a boil, stir occasionally.
4. Lower heat to bring it to a simmer
5. Cook until the broth is thick, stir often.

I like to serve this with a nice hearty bread and an ice cold beer or a glass of wine!  Taking some tips from the book, He Said Beer, She Said Wine, I would recommend a double IPA such as Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA and a South African Pinotage Rose.

I’m not a wine connoisseur. I understand about wine pairings and I know what flavors I like. But when it comes to bouquets and oak flavors and sniffing corks, I’m lost. There. I said it. I like wine, but I’m clueless. When I taste wine all I taste is wine. I can’t find the hint of apple or barrel flavors other wine drinkers pick out.

On the weekends my husband and I enjoy finding new wines and enjoying a glass or two in the evening after our son is in bed. We’re on a budget (renovating) so we’re not shopping for $50 bottles. Instead, we ask our wine distributor for recommendation for wines under $10 or $20.

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Last year before visiting my mother in Southern New Jersey for the holidays, my family had a discussion about cranberry wine. My older sister suggest we try some at our next gathering. My mother purchased several bottles of Velenzano Red Cranberry Wine for us to try. The vineyard isn’t far from where my mother lives and she wanted to support someone local. We loved the wine!

This past holiday, my sister and I were at Mom’s once again and stopped into a local liquor store to purchase spirits for dinner. We came upon a display featuring Valenzano Red and White Cranberry Wines. We purchased a couple of bottles each.

My family enjoyed the wine at dinner, the Whit Cranberry Wine was our favorite. I was afraid it would be tart but it was just the opposite. It was sweet, but not sickeningly sweet like the Wild Vines wine cooler type wines.

Now, I’m no wine connoisseur, but I do know what I like. Mom does too because the next day she went back down to the liquor store and bought them out of all their cranberry wine. Besides having some in the house, we each received one as a holiday gift.

Learn more about Valenzano Wines by visiting the winery’s website.