Chicken Wild Rice by As Noted By Me Oddly enough, we had a high of 53° today here in Northwest Iowa. Normally I'd say we are, without a doubt, in the heart of soup season. Today feels more like we could grill a steak. This fall I started a new series called Soup's on Saturdays . You loved it and I'm so thankful for your feedback and messages that you enjoyed one (or many) of my weekly soups. I thought it would be nice to have a one stop post for easy reference to find the 12 soups from this first season of my series. I will start working on 12 new soups for next fall for you to enjoy! There's nothing I love more than being in my kitchen creating new recipes. I'm thankful to all of my taste testing friends that often get a quart of soup on their doorstep to enjoy, as I create, test, and perfect each new soup. Here are my 12 Soup's on Saturdays for 2024 Chicken Tortilla Soup Sausage and Gnocchi Soup Slow Cooker Hamburger and Vegetable Soup Chicken Wild Rice Soup Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup Autumn Squash Lasagna Soup Clam Chowder Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Turkey Thai Soup French Onion Soup Lobster Bisque

Soup season is here and we're celebrating the 12 Saturdays in Autumn with a soup each Saturday. Come to my blog each Saturday in Autumn and I'll share a favorite soup recipe to help make your soup season extra warm and cozy.  Lobster Bisque by As Noted By Me As Noted By Me :: Soup's on Saturday Week Twelve: Lobster Bisque My lobster bisque is thick, creamy and full of flavor. If you have time to make your own lobster stock, it’s even better! It tastes like you're at the best steakhouse but is surprisingly easy to make at home.

Soup season is here and we're celebrating the 12 Saturdays in Autumn with a soup each Saturday. Come to my blog each Saturday in Autumn and I'll share a favorite soup recipe to help make your soup season extra warm and cozy.  As Noted By Me :: Soup's on Saturday Week Eleven: French Onion Soup This traditional French Onion Soup is simple to prepare and has warm baguettes topped with melted Gruyére cheese.

Wine Champagne & Sparkling Wine -The History of Champagne & Sparkling Wine- Serve at °43- 46° To clarify, all champagne is sparkling wine , but not all sparkling wine is champagne. Do you know why? The easy and short answer is that sparkling wine can only be called champagne if it comes from the Champagne region in northern France, just outside of Paris. For all products produced even 10 feet outside of the champagne region, it legally must be called “sparkling wine” however in other areas of the world, there are other names and we'll discuss those below. Champagne Made in the ‘Champagne’ region approximately 1 hour from Paris.  Champagne is made of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes. Legally, it can only be made using these three grapes and must be aged for a minimum of 18 months. Some iconic names associated best-selling champagne include Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon, Nicolas Feuillatte, Bollinger, Tattinger, Laurent-Perrier and many more.    Sweetness Level of Champagne The majority of champagne or sparkling wines are quite dry in nature and the "sweetest" champagnes are dry or demi-sec. This is confusing, right? The majority of bubbles served in the U.S. tend to be Brut and have a nice finish of fruit without being sweet.  Prosecco is much lighter and sweeter than traditional French sparkling wines or champagnes. So Many Glasses - How do you select the best one? When pouring champagne, choose a tall, bulbous flute glass with a narrow top, shaped like a tulip. It allows your champagne to best showcase all its aromas and fine bubbles. A coupe glass is a great option for a sweeter, sparkling wine, a tulip glass is best for prosecco or rosé. Bottom line, you can drink WHAT makes you happy IN what makes you happy. Cheers! Sparkling Wine Three Traits of a Good Sparkling Wine Fresh : Bright and alive in your mouth, fruity but not necessarily sweet. Precise : On the tongue, the wine should feel dreamy as the bubbles roll around your mouth. Precision is more about the acid, which is mandatory for good sparkling wines. This will give it a crisp mouth feel. Sparkling : Small bubbles are a sign of high-quality wine. Types of Sparkling Wine Cava:  Cava undergoes the same production process as Champagne, but with different grapes.  Hailing from the Penedès region of northeast Catalonia, well known brands include Freixenet Sparkling Cordon Negro Brut Cava, Anna de Codorniu, Segura Viudas and Juve y Camps.  The varietals utilized can include Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada, Chardonnay, Subirat Parent, red Garnacha, Trepat, Monastrell and Pinot Noir. Prosecco:  The wines from the Veneto region of Italy are called Prosecco. These wines have larger bubbles and are produced in large tanks using a method called the Charmat.  The best-known brand is La Marca Prosecco, and other brands include Mionetto, Ruffino, Caposaldo and Massotina. Sekt:  The sparkling wines of Austria and Germany are called Sekt. The wines are made using the tank method with fermentation in stainless steel. The grapes may range from Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Elbling, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. Sekt brands are not very well known in the U.S., but here are a few options to consider Hild Elbling, Schlossgut Diel, Dr. Loosen “Dr. L” Riesling Sekt, and Peter Lauer. Crémant:  France is known for its "Champagne" in which the fermentation occurs inside each bottle. Crémant is a style of sparkling wine produced in France, but outside of Champagne using the “method champenoise” second fermentation, which gives the bubbles a softer, creamier taste in contrast toChampagne.  Depending upon it's region of production, the grape used will vary greatly. It may be chardonnay, pinot noir, chenin blanc, Sémillon, Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Aligoté or Cab Franc grapes . Notable brands in the U.S. include Gerard Bertrand, JCB, Lucien Albrecht, Gratien Meyer and Louis Bouillet. I'm excited for you to try a fun, bubbly champagne and sparkling wine this month. Both are two different price points but scream CELEBRATE! Cheers! This is an incredibly well done explanation of Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine, published by WineCountry.com - Check it out! Sweet Spot Champagne & Sparkling Wine- Chandon California Brut Sparkling Wine: $20.99 This California Sparkling wine offers the balance and elegance that has become Chandon's familiar style. The wine delivers complex apple and pear characteristics accented by citrus spice over notes of almond and caramel in the bouquet. This is a great one to keep on hand. There's always something to celebrate. Special Day Champagne & Sparkling Wine- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut Champagne - $53.99 Coming from the Champagne region in France my favorite old reliable is this Veuve Clicquot Champagne. The aromas of beautiful ripe fruit and light cream are always consistent and familiar. It has a medium body and isn't overly acidic, not to mention the iconic orange label is an indicator of the greatness you're about to enjoy. Cheers! Food Pairing If a lovely glass of your favorite champagne or sparkling wine was searching for the perfect mate, here is what should be on that list. Meats: fried chicken, steak, duck Seafood: oysters, crab cakes, light fish Veggies/Fruits: mushrooms, bruschetta, figs Spices/Herbs: cinnamon, ginger, star anise Cheeses : brie, camembert, baby swiss Sauces: light cream, champagne butter sauce, Dessert: chocolate covered strawberries, tart rhubarb, dark chocolate Serve my Clam Chowder with your favorite champagne or sparkling wine on Christmas Eve. It is the perfect marriage of cream, butter and seafood. Cocktail Try this classic White Russian -with a twist. It has a festive kiss of peppermint and is easy to prepare. Mocktail Try this classic White Russian -with a twist- without the alcohol. It has a festive kiss of peppermint and is easy to prepare. Please drink responsibly. Don't drink and drive. This information is for people over the age of 21. Pregnant women should not drink alcohol. -As Noted by Me-

The Other Mother by Rachel M. Harper Read with me! December's selection is The Other Mother by Rachel M Harper. Jenry Castillo is a musical prodigy, raised by a single mother in Miami. He arrives at Brown University on a scholarship—but also to learn more about his late father, Jasper Patterson, a famous ballet dancer who died tragically when Jenry was two. On his search, he meets his estranged grandfather, Winston Patterson, a legendary professor of African American history and a fixture at the Ivy League school, who explodes his world with one question: Why is Jenry so focused on Jasper, when it was Winston’s daughter, Juliet, who was romantically involved with Jenry’s mother? Juliet is the parent he should be looking for—his other mother. The Other Mother is a daring, ambitious novel that celebrates the complexities of love and resilience—masterfully exploring the intersections of race, class, and sexuality; the role of biology in defining who belongs to whom; and the complicated truth of what it means to be a family. HAPPY READING!   Book Review Questions for November Trespasses The book is set in the time of sectarian violence over control of Northern Ireland that came to be known as the Troubles. How does the conflict manifest itself, and how do the various characters situate themselves in relationship to it? How do Cushla, her mother, and her brother contrast in their attitudes toward it? Cushla lives with her mother, a widow with a drinking problem. As the story progresses, we see how differently mother and daughter view the world. What are the most striking divergences in their perspectives? How do they shift over the course of the novel? Over the course of the novel, Cushla becomes more and more deeply involved with the family of one of her students after his father is savagely beaten. What did you think of her attempts to help Davy’s family? What social and class tensions enter into this relationship as well, and how do they affect it? In the scene where Cushla is reading Cosmopolitan magazine just before she and Michael have sex in his car, what might Kennedy be showing us about differing attitudes to sex and women in the 1970s? In its final section, the book skips ahead to the year 2015, when Cushla and Davy encounter each other again. What has changed for them, and about them? How does Cushla seem to look back at the events of their shared past? What does the ending leave indefinite?

Soup season is here and we're celebrating the 12 Saturdays in Autumn with a soup each Saturday. Come to my blog each Saturday in Autumn and I'll share a favorite soup recipe to help make your soup season extra warm and cozy.  As Noted By Me :: Soup's on Saturday Week Ten: Turkey Thai Soup Leftover turkey is used in this soup that is packed full of flavor - in a creamy coconut broth with just the right amount of spice.

Thanksgiving leftovers might be the best part of the long weekend. If you're one of the lucky ones and get to tote home (or stash in your refrigerator) a big haul of leftovers to enjoy, give this savory new spin on the waffle a try. My family loves when the stuffing gets that yummy, crispy edge. Load it up with all your favorites like potatoes and cranberry sauce and cover it with all the gravy you desire. I promise, no one will judge you! Enjoy!

Soup season is here and we're celebrating the 12 Saturdays in Autumn with a soup each Saturday. Come to my blog each Saturday in Autumn and I'll share a favorite soup recipe to help make your soup season extra warm and cozy.  As Noted By Me :: Soup's on Saturday Week Eight: Clam Chowder This delicious clam chowder is cream-based and is loaded with all of the traditional chowder ingredients: onion, celery, potatoes, diced carrots, cream, and clams. Serve it in a bread bowl for the perfect dinner.

Soup season is here and we're celebrating the 12 Saturdays in Autumn with a soup each Saturday. Come to my blog each Saturday in Autumn and I'll share a favorite soup recipe to help make your soup season extra warm and cozy.  As Noted By Me :: Soup's on Saturday Week Seven: Lasagna Soup This soup tastes exactly like your favorite Italian lasagna - but in a bowl. You can add as much or as little of the "Cheese Yum" to make it exactly how you love your lasagna.

Wine Cabernet Sauvignon -The history of Cabernet Sauvignon- Serve at 60°- 65° Name a region that is producing wine, and chances are they are growing the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. The best part of this grape growing quite literally in every major wine producing country in the world, is that we can enjoy a wide range in price and character from a bottle of Cabernet. It is the big boy , the mass producer , arguably the best blending partner , and an easier to grow grape when compared to some other red’s, like the thinner skinned Pinot Noir grape.   The rise of Cabernet Sauvignon began in France (the Bordeaux region) and is often used as a blend in French wine. In Italy, you will find a Cabernet from Tuscany will be a touch sweeter, due to a higher ripening temperature than Bordeaux, and will be more fruit forward with a black cherry notes. In the United States the California winemakers are basking in the perfect temperature and soil conditions that make Cabernet the King. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley, covering half of the land under the vine. This month I'm highlighting two very different Cabernet Sauvignons at different price points. They both have the big and bold hit from the Cabernet you expect and are from California's beloved wine country. You'll find the Sweet Spot Cab a touch lighter and fruitier than my Special Day Cab that is more earthy with warm spice. Sweet Spot Cabernet Sauvignon- Valravn Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 : $17.99 I found this one at Costco and was immediately drawn to the spooky, Halloween"ish" label. I also noticed it's high 92-point rating from Wine Enthusiast so I gave it a try. I'm thankful I did. This great priced Cab is full of ripe dark fruit flavors, like blackberry and plum, with hints of cedar and tobacco. It's a fantastic match for grilled steaks and savory dishes. It drinks like a much more expensive wine.   Special Day Cabernet Sauvignon- Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles $54.97 This is the perfect wine to serve on Thanksgiving. Austin Hope's Cab has been a favorite at many special moments the last 10 years of my life. It is smooth, dark and complex without being "too much" of all those things that make a Cab just a bit "more" than other reds. I enjoy the fruit, warm spice and the very subtle touch of mocha, tea and tobacco. If you have not tried this pour, run out NOW and treat yourself on Turkey Day or on a day to celebrate an exceptionally good wine. Enjoy it with a big spoonful of my Dark Chocolate Mousse with Coffee Whip (recipe below). You're going to be so happy and that makes me happy, too! Cheers! Food Pairing If a lovely glass of your favorite Cabernet Sauvignon was searching for the perfect mate, here is what should be on that list. Meats: beef stew, ribeye, wild game Seafood: grilled tuna, strong flavored fish Veggies/Fruits: broccoli, tomatoes, black cherries Spices/Herbs: rosemary, lavender Cheeses : cheddar, gorgonzola Sauces: tomato, bleu cheese sauce, red wine reduction Dessert: bittersweet chocolate, dark chocolate truffles or mousse Try this month's wine with my desserts on Thanksgiving (it can't all be about the pumpkin pie) Dark Chocolate Mousse with Coffee Whip & Flaky Salt This is not overly sweet - but pairs perfectly with a Cabernet Basil Ice Cream The first time I tried Basil Ice Cream was on my wine club's "Cabernet" night a few years ago. Very skeptical, I offered to make the designated dessert as prompted by the wine club book. HOLY AMAZING FOOD PAIRING!!! All ten of us sat in complete awe and appreciation for the combination of this ice cream and the beautiful Cabernet we were sipping. I have made a few changes to the original recipe to make it my own (and for ease). I hope you try it and enjoy it with a glass of Cabernet. Cocktail The weather is changing and you need a Dark & Stormy. Easy, refreshing and gorgeous in a glass with the floated dark rum. Mocktail Dark & Spicy NA by Lyre's This is an amazing alternative to the Dark & Stormy with rum. Please drink responsibly. Don't drink and drive. This information is for people over the age of 21. Pregnant women should not drink alcohol. -As Noted by Me-

Wine Zinfandel -The history of Zinfandel- Serve at 60-68° Although Zinfandel's roots go back to Croatia, it has made it's way to the United States and is now most widely produced in California's wine country. Zinfandel was first known for sale during the Gold Rush (between 1852-1857) and is now the third-leading varietal grown in California's 58 counties. In Italy, the same grape is known as Primitivo and has many of the same qualities as the California Zinfandels, yet it does lack some of the spice and the blue/black fruit notes of the California grape. This is much to the credit of the soil and climate California can offer. Zinfandel is typically full of dark fruit: Plums, dark cherries, blackberries, and blueberries are common notes, those fruits are beautifully married with plenty of spice, ranging from peppercorn to star anise. If the Zinfandel has been aged in new oak , you can expect cinnamon, clove, caramel, vanilla, and other classic baking spices to shine. Zinfandel vs Cabernet They are both fruit filled and a bit "spicy". Zinfandel is also known for being high in alcohol content, which can give it a bit of a kick. Cabernet is known for its more complex flavor with notes of black cherry, and cedar, as well as a hint of vanilla. It is usually more tannic than Zinfandel, which can give it a more structured mouthfeel. Another key difference between Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon is how they age. Zinfandel is known for being a drink now wine, meaning it’s best enjoyed within a few years of bottling. Cabernets, on the other hand, can be aged for several years, or even decades, to develop a more complex flavor profile. Enjoy my two choices for this month - both coming from California. My Sweet Spot is from the Paso Robles region and my Special Day is from the Napa Valley region. One is a bit lighter than the other and both are awesome choices in two very different price points. Sweet Spot Zinfandel- Castoro Cellars Double Black Zinfandel Paso Robles - $13.99 A great value when looking for an easy drinking Zinfandel that pairs with many foods. This would be incredible with BBQ or your favorite Italian red sauce. It is dark fruit forward yet has the perfect amount of spice to balance the jammy sip. You'll love this one! It's the easy pour you're looking to put with any meal or snack. Special Day Zinfandel- Frog's Leap Zinfandel 2020 - $46.99 Powerful and spicy, this incredible favorite of mine has more body than most Zinfandels but still has the fruity notes you expect from the varietal. With mild hints of vanilla and black pepper it makes this a lovely wine with spicy dishes, beef, game, and bbq. If you're wanting to celebrate something special, choose this one and if you're in Napa Valley you should visit the Frog's Leap Winery. It is at the top of my list each time we visit. The wine tasting and grounds are incredibly well done, and their gardens are a must see! Food Pairing If a lovely glass of your favorite Zinfandel was searching for the perfect mate, here is what should be on that list. Meats: smoked pork, spicy sausage, duck Seafood: blackened fish, tuna Veggies/Fruits: grilled peppers, eggplant, cranberries Spices/Herbs: pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon Cheeses: smoked gouda, parmesan, feta Sauces: spicy, bbq, cajun, tomato Dessert: carrot cake, spice cake, gingersnap cookies Try this month's Sweet Spot wine with one of my favorite new dishes! I have been working on perfecting this for a few years and I think you'll love it as much as my family, too! Deconstructed Lasagna by As Noted By Me Cocktail Apple Cider Mimosa This simple, fun mimosa is Fall in a cute coupe glass. It is a perfect tailgate cocktail or the best way to kick off your upcoming Thanksgiving celebration. I'm a sucker for anything with bubbly ;) The Mocktail version is simply a substitution of n/a champagne, n/a Prosecco or club soda. Mocktail Apple Cider Mimosa Mocktail Please drink responsibly. Don't drink and drive. This information is for people over the age of 21. Pregnant women should not drink alcohol. -As Noted by Me-

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy Read with me! November's selection is Trespasses by Louise Kennedy. Trespasses greatly captures time and place in Northern Ireland during the 1970's and how difficult the co-existence was for Catholics and Protestants. Cushla is young and naive; she’s still grieving her father. Working full time as a teacher, part time at her family’s pub, all while being a caregiver to her mother. She falls in love with Michael, and he is the wrong choice for so many reasons. Louise Kennedy is a gifted storyteller, t he characters are beautifully written, and the landscape is captured in such a way that you feel transported. You'll not quickly forget this story. HAPPY READING!   Book Review Questions for October Florence Adler Swims Forever 1. Florence Adler Swims Forever opens with Florence’s death and ends with the birth of Fannie’s baby. In what ways do life and death frame this novel? Describe Fannie and Florence’s relationship. Do they have roles that they fall into? What do you think is gained by a seven-year age gap? What complications are introduced? When Florence dies, Esther’s first instinct is to keep Florence’s death a secret to protect Fannie and her pregnancy. If you were in each character’s shoes, do you think you could have kept this secret? Fannie is devastated by the death of her infant son, Hyram. Her mother, Esther, doesn’t understand her grief, saying he doesn’t need a gravestone because Fannie “didn’t need a place to go and wallow. What does it mean to Fannie to be pregnant again? How do these two mothers—Fannie and Esther—handle the death of their respective children? Near the end of the novel, Joseph strikes a deal with Isaac to entice him to leave the family forever. What do you think of Isaac’s decision? Do you think—if he stayed—that he could have changed? The novel ends without the reader learning of Fannie’s reaction to the news of Florence’s death and Isaac’s departure. Based on what you know about Fannie, how do you think she took the news? How would you have reacted if put in the same position?