unwind cooking
Bored of popping ready-made meals in the oven – and realizing how unhealthy it was to eat ready-made and frozen foods over the long-term – I decided one night to put on my apron and make the effort to use fresh ingredients and cook a real healthy meal. The result was a lovely meal that my family enjoyed. And me? I sipped some wine while cooking, and discovered that cooking can be a great way to Unwind while sipping a glass of Wine!
Talk about instant gratification from the stove to the table – it’s an amazing feeling but only when I like the outcome of my dishes. I’m rather hard on myself when I don’t get things right. But that won’t stop me from trying again, especially when there’s a glass of good wine still to enjoy. – Liuba
My recipes are a combination of my own ideas with variations of recipes from cookbooks, magazines and other food blogs (with the exception of blogs that have copyrighted their recipes – with the exception of photos - which kind of defeats the purpose of a recipe blog??)
I enjoy fine dining but only on occasion to celebrate a closing or a special date with my hubby. Eating out regularly just isn’t economical anymore.
Photos: I snap all my photos with my Android. So the photos are mine.
Wine
I started wine tasting some 15+ years ago and went wine tasting anytime I could in Napa Valley and more recently in Livermore and Santa Clara Valley.
When I shop for wine I look at the region of where the wine is from. The region determines the type of wine grape. If a region is well known for producing fabulous Pinot Noir I look for that region on the wine bottle. Perhaps the wine maker counts for good wine and how good of a crop year they had. But if I don’t know the wine maker (which I usually don’t) I figure out how good the wine might be by the region it comes from. And most of the time I’m right!
Here is a list of local wineries I have enjoyed visiting.
Cook, sip and unwind! – Liuba
I have nominated you for the Shine On Award
You can check it out here: http://thehomeheart.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/macaroni-salad-a-shine-on-award/
Posted by thehomeheart | April 5, 2013, 6:25 amWow, thank you for the nomination! I’m honored. Take Home Chef Curtis Stone did say in one of his episodes that drinking wine helps one to cook. I agree!
Posted by Unwind Cooking | April 5, 2013, 11:41 pmLOL! Yes! I love that show
Posted by thehomeheart | April 6, 2013, 6:36 amHi
I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Award, you can find it here: http://welcomebackbelly.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/the-liebster-award-d/
Posted by shikoomkoom | April 2, 2013, 8:13 amHi! Thank you so much for the blog award nomination. I’m honored. I’ll check to see what it’s all about.
Posted by Unwind Cooking | April 2, 2013, 12:38 pmI love your blog so… I have nominated it for Blog of the Year Award 2012. I hope you will receive your star and participate in this exciting blog award. For details about participation and receiving your badge icon, please see this post:
http://yummyfoodmadeeasy.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/blog-of-the-year-2012/
Posted by yummyfoodmadeeasy | December 30, 2012, 7:17 pmThank you yummyfood! I’m honored.
Posted by Unwind Cooking | December 31, 2012, 10:12 amHi ,
I am so happy to nominate you for the award for this lovely ‘REALTY AWARD’! Please visit http://vinicooksveg.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/thanks-for-the-awards/ For further details.
Thanks you,
Vinita
Posted by vinicooksveg | October 31, 2012, 9:20 pmsweet! thank you for the compliment!
Posted by Unwind Cooking | CA Realtor | October 31, 2012, 11:47 pmHi ,
I am so happy to nominate you for the award for this lovely ‘REALTY AWARD’! Please visit http://vinicooksveg.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/thanks-for-the-awards/ For further details.
Thanks you,
Vinita
Posted by vinicooksveg | October 31, 2012, 9:19 pmI have nominated you/your informative/creative blog for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award! Congratulations!
Pick up your badge and information/rules on how to pass the torch at:http://cookingwithmamamiyuki.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/very-inspiring-blogger-award/
Posted by Mama Miyuki Easy Pantsy | October 12, 2012, 6:03 pmI’m honored especially coming from such a great food blogger such as yourself. Thank you Mama Miyuki!
Posted by Unwind Cooking | CA Realtor | October 13, 2012, 9:29 amPass the love..
Posted by Mama Miyuki Easy Pantsy | October 13, 2012, 10:32 amI like this write up…esp. about copyrighting recipes…so true !
thanks for sharing !
Posted by sspost | October 9, 2012, 4:09 pmThanks! You’re the first to comment on that “copyrighted recipes”.
Posted by Unwind Cooking | CA Realtor | October 10, 2012, 12:30 amLoved your blog! So many amazing recipes! so much of variety!
Posted by vinicooksveg | October 9, 2012, 8:51 amThank you! Yours too! I’m not following any Indian cuisine blogs but yours is definitely on my list. Perhaps I can impress my sister – who lives in the West Indies – with a new Indian recipe.
Posted by Unwind Cooking | CA Realtor | October 9, 2012, 12:27 pmI love wine! I am going to love your blog
Posted by thehomeheart | September 4, 2012, 11:58 amThank you for stopping by! I hope you find some nice recipes here to enjoy with wine (and cook with too.)
Posted by unwind cooking | September 4, 2012, 10:15 pmThanks for the like! How lovely that you enjoy cooking now. Looking forward to checking out your blog.
Posted by pondblog | July 30, 2012, 11:29 amSo, so true! It’s like a recreational activity… a little cooking, a little wine, and then some good food as a result. I, too, am really hard on myself when I mess something up. Ugh!
Posted by lolabees | July 11, 2012, 6:17 pmNow if only washing dishes was that much fun. There’s still dishes in the sink from 2 days ago, just no time, work work work, parenting parenting and other chores. At this late hour I had to choose between blogging and dish washing. Well guess which one I chose. I’ll be cooking dinner for 10 this Friday. I’ve never cooked for that many people before. I’m thinking of a large rigatoni spicy chicken sausage dish with mushroom wine cream sauce and leek potato bake. And a salad. That should be good. And of course, wine! I hope they’ll like it.
Posted by unwind cooking | July 18, 2012, 1:00 amI have to say welcome to the wonderful world of preparing and cooking meals for your family. I am so inspired that you have come to enjoy the whole process, even if it does take wine to unwind. It’s a wonderful feeling when you share a creation with the ones you love and they enjoy it, isn’t it? Glad to have found your blog, you have lovely recipes, which I will be trying.
Posted by flyfishbrat | May 26, 2012, 6:07 amThank you for the welcome and the compliment. Even my sister can’t believe I started a cooking blog. Thanks for stopping by and saying hello.
Posted by unwind cooking | May 26, 2012, 11:43 amI really like your philosophy! (Having a glass of wine while cooking IS the perfect way to unwind!) I saw lots of recipes here I’d like to try – I’m sure I’ll be back often . . .
Posted by KarenCooking | May 10, 2012, 7:11 pmWow, thank you for the compliment! Here’s to cooking, unwinding and a new kitchen for you, Cheers!
Posted by unwind cooking | May 10, 2012, 7:33 pmThanks for liking my blog. I look forward to checking out your home cooked recipes.
Posted by Barbara Garneau Kelley | April 26, 2012, 6:55 pmI think those cheesecake topped strawberries are clever.
Posted by unwind cooking | April 26, 2012, 9:12 pmHello! I have really enjoyed reading your blog and I just nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award! You can read more here: http://thelittlegsp.com/2012/04/16/versatile-blogger-award/
Posted by TheLittleGSP | April 16, 2012, 4:43 pmThank you for the very nice compliment! Love your page on your GSP Bailey. I love dogs. I always wanted one growing up. I got my first dog 7 years ago – a salt & pepper miniature schnauzer. They’re not built for Bailey’s sport but I’m sure she’d love to watch!
Posted by unwind cooking | April 17, 2012, 8:15 pmMiniature schnauzers are adorable! There’s one in Bailey’s agility class and I love his little bushy eyebrows and beard. I’ve never seen a miniature schnauzer compete in Dockdogs, but we have had pomeranians, cocker spaniels, and a very brave yorkie try a jump or two.
Posted by TheLittleGSP | April 18, 2012, 9:41 amLOL, when I read the last line about the brave Yorkie that just made me laugh. I can just picture the little fluff flying into the water then coming out with his fluff all soaked.
Posted by unwind cooking | April 19, 2012, 7:39 pmReally like your blog…and wine too.Here is your Kreativ Blogger Award:
http://acorninmykitchen.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/kreativ-blogger-award/
Posted by acorninmykitchen | April 16, 2012, 9:48 amThank you for the compliment! Kudos on your Kreative Blogger Award!
Posted by unwind cooking | April 17, 2012, 4:11 pmHi – I am happy to hear you’ve learned the secret that cooking can be relaxing. As a food and wine lover I hope to see you explore new foods and tastes. You live in an area blessed with a bounty of fresh foods to cook with and delicious wines. When you are ready to splash out – try a Duckhorn Pinot Noir – I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Best to you on your foodie adventures….
Posted by Audrey | April 11, 2012, 3:15 pmHi! I tried looking for Dockhorn Pinot Noir online and could not find it. I saw some of their other labels for Pinot Noir. I’m familiar with Sonoma County but not the other wine valleys. Where is their Pinot Noir from?
Posted by unwind cooking | April 11, 2012, 8:37 pmHi Unwind, try searching for Duckhorn Pinot which I think is in Napa. Very excellent wine. Another favourite is a somewhat cult wine called Pride. Mostly Merlot and Cab Sauv – delicious!
Posted by Audrey | April 12, 2012, 8:11 amAh, my kind of cook! No one in my family can believe I actually know where the kitchen is & look at me – blogging about recipes. I’m having a fun time exploring your blog.
Posted by dianeskitchentable | April 11, 2012, 2:54 pmHi, thanks for checking out my blog! Funny, those who know me can’t believe I’m cooking. It’s fun.
Posted by unwind cooking | April 11, 2012, 8:41 pmWe have a magnet on the ‘fridge that says “I love to cook with wine, and sometimes I even put it in the food”…how true is that!??!
Posted by Our Kitchen Inventions | April 11, 2012, 2:44 pmOh, that would be cool for an apron!
Posted by unwind cooking | April 11, 2012, 8:43 pmthank you for the “Like” of my post!
Posted by ohiocook | April 9, 2012, 4:07 pmI really enjoy your blog and have nominated you for the Kreativ blogger award. http://kolpona.com/2012/04/04/sharing-the-love-blog-award/ ~ you go girl!! Tahmina
Posted by Desi Chick | April 4, 2012, 9:54 amI really enjoy your blog and nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award. http://kolpona.com/2012/04/04/sharing-the-love-blog-award/ – you go girl! Tahmina
Posted by Desi Chick | April 4, 2012, 9:53 amWow! I’m honored. I will check out what it is. Thank you, Tahmina!
Posted by unwind cooking | April 4, 2012, 12:02 pmHere’s to that! Couldn’t agree more. Drinking wine or the occasional martini accompanies most of my cooking. So wonderful. Enjoy the cooking journey & thanks for visiting Play a Good Knife and Fork.(And your like of yesterday’s soup post – I also have cooking videos that you might enjoy, another one coming up shortly today….) Cheers, PK (@pknewby)
Posted by P. K. Newby | April 3, 2012, 10:20 amThank you for your comment, PK! Yes, your soup looks wonderful. My bowl would have lots and lots and lots of Parmesan sprinkles. I love cheese.
I’m still really new to cooking but I’m loving it.
Posted by unwind cooking | April 3, 2012, 12:26 pmAmazing! I had kids and became interested in cooking too!
Posted by veg-ease | March 29, 2012, 1:07 pmIsn’t it? It took 3 years after having my first child (he’s still the only one) to really become interested in cooking. I can’t believe I’m enjoying it! (Both cooking and parenting.)
Posted by unwind cooking | April 2, 2012, 9:52 am