Food and Drink

2007 Sebastiani Barbera and Orzo with Red Pepper Meatballs

2007 Sebastiani Barbera and PastaToday, my teenager played baseball, and we went to see him. It was the second game he was in, and he made it on base. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to make it all the way home before the last out of the game was called. (In his first game, he got on base, stole second, and ran in to score a run for his team.) We enjoy spending time watching him participate in his various sports (he also runs cross-country and was on his bowling team this year), but sometimes that means we get home a little later than dinner time. What happens when you want to have a home cooked meal, but it’s a little later and you don’t want to make everything from scratch? You cheat a little bit. 

I have a recipe for  you and notes on this great wine, but first, some pictures from the game!

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I used premade frozen meatballs from Target’s Simply Balanced (affiliate link) line of products for the base of this dinner. I then consulted with Wining Husband about which wine from our cellar we should pair with the food. We decided upon this 2007 Sebastiani Sonoma Valley Barbera (affiliate link). 

I put together dinner in 20 minutes, and we all sat down to eat. We then tasted the wine. The nose was tannic with robust fruit and very strong hints of plums. Upon tasting the 2007 Sebastiani Barbera, it was clear that stone fruit, particularly plums, would be the theme. There were also notes of black pepper, cocoa, and cloves. It paired nicely with the dinner I put together, and the pepper was highlighted. This 9-year-old wine could hold up for another 30 or 40 years due to its robust fruit quality. 

Orzo Pasta and Red Pepper Meatballs
A delicious pasta recipe that's filling and healthy.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 Yellow Onion, Chopped
  2. 1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
  3. 5 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
  4. 1 Package of Simply Balanced Red Pepper Meatballs
  5. 1 14oz Can of Green Olives, Chopped
  6. 1 28oz Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
  7. 1lb of Orzo pasta
  8. 1 tsp Oregano
  9. 2 tsp Basil
  10. 1 tsp Tarragon
  11. 1/2 tsp Salt
  12. 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  13. 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  14. 1/3 cup red wine
  15. 1tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
  1. Boil water and prepare orzo pasta according to directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
  2. Heat pan and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add dried herbs and garlic. Once fragrant (about 1 minute), add frozen meatballs, olives, bell pepper, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and red wine. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste; toss with orzo pasta. Serve while hot.
Notes
  1. Add fresh grated parmesan to pasta and sprinkle with parsley for garnish.
The Well-Caffeinated Mom https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/

Ronda Bowen

Ronda Bowen is a writer, editor, and independent scholar. She has a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Northern Illinois University and a B.A. in Philosophy, Pre-Graduate Option, Honors in the Major from California State University, Chico. When she is not working on client projects from her editorial consulting business, she is writing a novel. In her free time, she enjoys gourmet cooking, wine, martinis, copious amounts of coffee, reading, watching movies, sewing, crocheting, crafts, hanging out with her husband, and spending time with their teenage son and infant daughter.

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1 Comment

  1. That looks good! We have softball and baseball, so we often eat later than I would like, too. Looks like you have a similar setup…I make good food and have the hubby choose the wine from the cellar to pair with it. I can usually get close, but he’s the one that tracks all the tasting notes. 🙂

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