T.W.O.

VJB Vineyards & Cellars

Published on November 8, 2013November 8, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Wine. Pizza Oven. Deli. Gelato. Music. VJB Cellars has it all! Not only is their wine delicious, the atmosphere in their piazza is excellent. T.W.O. has been going to VJB for many years and takes all their visitors to this family-owned Kenwood winery.

Meet the Belmonte’s

Vittorio, Henry and Maria Belmonte are the family members who started this winery. Just about every weekend, you can see at least one of them roaming around the piazza. Like every visit to VJB, Vittorio and the staff greet us with open arms, just as if we were family. When in Italy…or should I say VJB!

The Piazza

The piazza is an open aired patio that is identical to the ones in a small, Italian town. With a pizza kitchen on one end and long tables on the other, it is a great place to enjoy lunch and some wine on a beautiful day. The food is excellent. Pizza, ribs, paninis and sandwiches are all made fresh to order. T.W.O. highly suggests the traditional margarita pizza. If you decide to go to VJB on the weekend, you can expect live music in the piazza. Close your eyes and you will think you are in Italy!

The Deli

What shall we eat?

Ordering our lunch!

The deli has everything from cold meats, fresh salads, and cheese that you can order to go or to enjoy in the piazza. Don’t forget to pick up some of Maria’s pasta sauce on the way out- it is delicious!

The Tasting Room + VJB Wines

Now to taste some delicious wines! Prosecco, Rose, Zinfandel, Montepulciano, Cabernet, Rosso Family Blend, Dante, Sangiovese and Barbara are some of the varietals you will see at VJB. Even though T.W.O. enjoys all of the wines at VJB, their favorites are the Barbara and the Dante.

Gelateria

After an afternoon of live music, pizza and some great Italian wine- why not end it with some gelato! The dark chocolate is phenomenal!!

*This photo was taken on a previous trip to VJB with more of our family!

Cheers to VJB Cellars and a T.W.O. favorite winery. Thank you to the Belmonte Family for welcoming our family to your winery and making us feel like we are at home every time!

Three Bean Turkey Chili

Published on November 7, 2013November 7, 2013 by twinswithoriginality1 Comment

It’s getting chilly, so it’s time for some chili! T.W.O. loves making chili during the fall and winter months. One of our favorite variations is turkey chili with 3 types of beans. The recipe is very simple and quick, so it makes for a great weeknight meal. The leftovers are delicious “T.W.O.!”

Ingredients

-Ground turkey, lean
-1/2 of white onion, chopped
-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
-2 cans (15 oz) of black beans
-1 can (15 oz) of kidney beans
-1 can (29 oz) of pinto beans
-1 can of stewed tomatoes
-2 cans (7 ounces) of diced, green chilies*
-1 package of chili seasoning
-1 package of crimini mushrooms, sliced
–Crazy Salt
-Ground Pepper

*T.W.O. likes a little spice to their chili, so we use the “fire roasted” Ortega chilies

Begin by sautéing onions and garlic in a pan.

After about 3-5 minutes, add in ground turkey. Cook for about 8 minutes or until meat is cooked thoroughly.

Next, drain all the liquid from the canned beans into a bowl and set aside. Pour all the drained beans into a large pot and turn stove to high heat.

Before adding in the stewed tomatoes, chop the tomatoes into quarters. Add tomatoes with their juice to the pot. Then add ground turkey mixture, green chilies, crimini mushrooms and chili seasoning and stir.

Once the chili is boiling, turn heat down to low to let it simmer. The chili can simmer any where from 20 minutes to 1 hour. The longer the better!

When you are ready to eat, turn off the heat and allow the chili to sit covered for 5 minutes. Ladle the chili into a bowl and garnish with your favorite toppings. T.W.O. likes to top their chili with sliced avocado, cheese, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), cilantro, and hot sauce. Now it’s time to warm up and enjoy a great bowl of chili!

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Tablescape

Published on November 6, 2013November 4, 2013 by T.W.O.1 Comment

T.W.O.’s Inspiration

T.W.O.’s Design Board

1. Fresco Turkey Plates , 2. Bernardaud Louvre Dinnerware, 3. French Country Side Goblets, 4. Bali Dark Placemats, 5. Cross Dyed Linen, 6. Damask Print Table Runner

7. Gold Pumpkin Vase Filler, 8. Lead Terra Cotta Pillar Candle Holders, 9. Marlowe Vases, 10. Gold Pumpkin Candles

A San Francisco Weekend

Published on November 5, 2013November 4, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

T.W.O. reunited in San Francisco this past weekend and had a great time with friends and family! Below are some highlights of the fabulous three days.

Ferry Building

A marketplace, office space, meeting spot and event space – this building has it all. Not only is the architecture of the building spectacular with its high ceilings and natural light, it is also an iconic building to the city with its 245-foot tall clock tower that was designed after the 12th-century Giralda bell tower in Sevilla, Spain. In the 1930’s, the Ferry Building was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, but with the construction of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge, it has become less of a transit terminal and more of a marketplace.

Chili Night Dinner Party

Being the first day of November, T.W.O. deiced to cook chili and cornbread for their small dinner party. In addition to the Fall menu, T.W.O. created a tablescape that gave the small city apartment a cozy feel. It was a wonderful night of good food, views and people. The cornbread recipe can be found HERE and we will be featuring the chili recipe on Thursday.

Golden Gate Bridge Runs

On the weekends, T.W.O. likes to start off the day with a great exercise. It helps that there is a spectacular view along the way! (Well sometimes…if it’s a typical San Francisco morning, you might not see the bridge, yet alone the water.)

Sonoma County Afternoon Drive

Forty-five minutes across the Golden Gate Bridge and you are in wine country! T.W.O. + family took a day trip to get out of the city and enjoy the beautiful scenery, food and wineries. They went to three wineries – VJB Cellars, Imagery and Ram’s Gate. In the next couple of weeks we will be highlighting each winery individually. Stay tuned!

Chili – Cornbread

Published on November 4, 2013November 4, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Fall is in full swing at T.W.O.’s house and that means cornbread and chili are on the menu. Learn how to make a chili-cornbread that is a great addition to your chili supper.

Ingredients:

– 2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix
– 2 eggs
– 2/3 cup milk (T.W.O. used almond milk)
– 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
– 1 can cream of corn, 14.75 oz can
– 1 can diced Ortega chili, 7 oz can

Preheat oven to 400°. In a bowl, mix cornbread mix, egg and milk until creamy. Slowly add in ¾ cup cheese, cream of corn and Ortega chili. Once mixed, pour batter into a greased 8.5 x 11 pyrex dish. Sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese on top of the cornbread before putting in the oven.

Batter is Ready!

Cooking in the oven

Cook for 20-25 minutes. Once done, take the cornbread out and serve immediately. Add some honey if desired and your chili night will be complete! Later this week, T.W.O. will be featuring their chili recipe, so stay tuned!

Happy Baking!

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

Published on November 1, 2013October 29, 2013 by twinswithoriginality2 Comments

Four months ago, T.W.O. traveled to Spain and enjoyed pintxos daily. We felt nostalgic this past week and decided to re-create one of our favorite pintxos we had in Madrid- stuffed piquillo peppers! We ordered them at Lateral the first night in Madrid and loved them so much, we ordered them again on our last night of the trip! This pintxos dish is a great appetizer to serve at your next dinner party and can be prepared ahead of time so you can enjoy socializing with guests. Ole!

Ingredients

-1 can of piquillo peppers
-0.5 lb ground beef or turkey
-1/2 cup of goat cheese*
-1 cup of Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup**
-1/4 cup of Greek yogurt
–Crazy Salt
-Garlic Powder
-Pepper
-Chili Powder

*T.W.O. has also used cream cheese, which makes for a creamier mixture
**T.W.O. would suggest Trader Joe’s Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a sauté pan, begin cooking the meat over medium heat. Season with salt, garlic powder, pepper and chili powder.

While meat is cooking, take the peppers out of the jar and separate. Pour the soup into a sauce pan and heat up. Add the Greek yogurt and reduce heat to low.

Once the meat is cooked, drain some of the grease. Don’t drain all of it for you don’t want the meat to be dry.

While the meat is still hot, add in your goat cheese or cream cheese and mix. Stuff the peppers individually with the meat and place into a Pyrex.

Once all the peppers are stuffed, pour the soup mixture over the peppers.

Place into oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Allow the peppers to sit for about 3-5 minutes before serving. Then it is time to enjoy some pintxos!!

Pumpkin Bread + Roaring Treat

Published on October 31, 2013October 31, 2013 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Dessert – doesn’t matter what time of day you eat Pumpkin Bread. It is good, warm, cold or in some cases frozen! Find out how to make T.W.O.’s delicious pumpkin bread recipe below. In honor of Halloween, there is a special bonus recipe included in the post. Scroll down to get a T.W.O. Trick or Treat!

Ingredients:

– 3 cups sugar
– 1 cup vegetable oil
– 2/3 cup water
– 4 eggs
– 2 cups canned pumpkin (T.W.O. always adds two extra spoonfuls in the dough)
– 3 ½ cups unbleached flour
– 2 teaspoons baking soda
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1 Tablespoon nutmeg
– 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a mixer (T.W.O. uses a KitchenAid), cream sugar and oil together until it becomes a little fluffy. Add eggs, pumpkin and water. Once everything is mixed well, slowly add the flour, soda, and powder. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl so that the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Next, add in nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Place batter into greased pans and put in the oven for about 1.5 hours or until down.

A T.W.O. Trick or Treat!!

Since Halloween is today, T.W.O. decided to dress up their pumpkin bread. That’s right, food can play dress up too! This year, T.W.O. went with the “tiger” theme. Let’s see how this recipe roars! Thanks to T.W.O.’s brother for the vision of combining t.w.o. favorite ingredients…pumpkin and brownie!

The main ingredient to make this tiger pumpkin bread is brownie mix. Follow the directions on the box and set the brownie batter aside. Make the pumpkin bread batter as given above, but instead of pouring all the pumpkin bread batter into the pan, you are going to want to make layers with the brownie batter.

Your final product: sassy bread that is sure to WOW your audience! The rich gooeyness of the brownie mix and the fluffy pumpkin bread is a great combination.

Happy Baking!

A 25 Mile Bike Tour Over The Golden Gate Bridge

Published on October 30, 2013October 28, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

This past weekend T.W.O.’s family was in town to visit San Francisco. And like most visits, we try to accomplish a new activity. This time, T.W.O. & family decided to rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and back. Our 25 mile journey was filled with steep hills, long inclines, great views, perfect weather and wonderful people.

Since some of us didn’t have road bikes, we had to rent hybrid bikes from the local shop on Lombard Street – Bike & View. Book online before going to the shop to pick up your bike…you save $10! T.W.O. highly recommends using Bike & View. The store was located in a convenient location, service was spectacular and the bikes were durable. Each rental comes with a bike lock and helmet. Safety first!

Golden Gate Bridge Crossing

Crossing the GG Bridge on a bike is exhilarating. Being that high up on a bridge with water beneath you while pedestrians and cars are near, gets your heart rate pumping. On the way back, the fog horn was going off which meant that a portion of the bridge was fogged in. Yep, that’s right- we had to ride through a fog bank to get to the other side. Once we crossed, the sun was shining again and it was 10 degrees colder in SF than it was in Marin.

Cavallo Point

Once we dropped down into Sausalito we rode to Cavallo Point to see the hotel and great views this resort has to offer. It’s a great spot to grab brunch or a sunset drink on a clear day.

Sausalito

After leaving Cavallo Point, we rode through the town. The streets were bustling and the restaurants were crowded with people enjoying the beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Fish

Just north of the town center is one of T.W.O.’s favorite lunch spots, Fish. This was a great spot to stop for the halfway point on the ride. Known for their views and seafood, Fish offers a variety of food for everyone’s taste buds. Fish sandwiches, salads, oysters, soups, and hamburgers – you can’t go wrong at Fish. Note – they only take cash, so make sure you hit up the ATM prior to going unless you want to pay the ATM fee onsite.

T.W.O. & family had a great time riding and exploring on Saturday. After 25 miles of some challenging hills (the hill coming out of Sausalito towards the GG Bridge), a great meal and adventures, we all can’t wait to do it again soon! Hopefully with the entire family!

Happy trails ahead!

Never T.W.O. Much Plaid

Published on October 29, 2013October 25, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

1. Mini-plaid market popover by Madewell ; 2. Checked Top with Zips by Zara; 3. Eddie Tweed Blouse by Rhyme Los Angeles ;4. Camel Plaid Scarf by Tildon; 5. Plaid Vegan Leather Sleeve Coat by Hive & Honey

6. Textured Plaid Shift Dress by Coincidence & Chance; 7. Leather-Panel Plaid Dress by Joie 8. Day Dreaming Plaid Loafers by Joie; 9. Marisa Plaid Ankle Pants by Loft

Roasted Butternut Squash with Swiss Chard

Published on October 28, 2013October 24, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Picture this: A cold autumn’s night with green vegetables, toasted pine nuts, butternut squash and goat cheese. Sounds T.W.O. perfect, right? Well it is! Check out how to make this dish below.

Ingredients:

– 1 large butternut squash
– 2 large shallots, quartered
-4 gloves of garlic, skinned and halved
– 1 ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
– 1 ½ Tablespoon nutmeg
-1 large head Swiss chard, stems and leaves chopped separately
-¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
-¾ cups dried cranberries
– ¼ cup honey goat cheese, crumbled
– balsamic vinegar, to drizzle

Preheat oven to 375ᴼ. Peel the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Seed the squash and cut into bite-size cubes. Spray/brush the squash with olive oil and mix in cinnamon and nutmeg. Once the squash is coated, place on a baking sheet and cook for about 30-40 minutes until soft. Check the squash periodically and mix.

At the 20 minute mark, add the garlic and the shallots to the butternut squash on the baking pan in the oven.

While the squash medley is cooking, chop the Swish chard stems and sauté in a fry pan for 3 minutes with a drixzle of balsamic vinegar. After 2 minutes, add the Swish chard leaves.

Mix in the cranberries and the roasted pine nuts.

Remove the squash, shallots and garlic from the oven and add to the Swish chard mixture. Once mixed, remove from stove and plate the ingredients. Add the goat cheese to the top for garnish. Serve immediately.

T.W.O. enjoys having this for leftovers for lunch the next day. Just heat it up in the microwave or on the stove and you will have another tasty meal!

Happy cooking!!!