Creating comfort food masterpieces before winter ends

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Creating a comfort food masterpiece such as Roasted Sonoma Chicken with Wild Rice and Carrot Butter is a no-brainer when hunger hits. The dish’s warm, captivating spices will help you forget about the frosty climate around you.

But to truly keep winter winds at bay, try pairing your tasty meal with a vibrant, fruit-forward wine, such as Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2014. The wine works well for nearly any occasion, but it’s the perfect complement to bring out the flavors of the roasted chicken thanks to its aromas of raspberry and red currant combining with spice notes of nutmeg and vanilla, which lead to a smooth, elegant finish.

For more wine pairing tips and recipes, visit KenwoodVineyards.com.

Roasted Sonoma Chicken with Wild Rice and Carrot Butter

Recipe courtesy of chef Ari Weiswasser

Serves: 4

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

3/4 cup kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

1/3 cup sugar

1 gallon water

1 cup carrot juice

4 tablespoons butter, diced

11/2 cups wild rice

31/3 cups chicken stock

2 large onions, diced

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons curry spice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons sun-dried tomato, chopped finely

Canola oil or olive oil

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Brine chicken in 3/4 cup salt, sugar and water. Refrigerate 1 hour; pat dry and store overnight, uncovered, in fridge.

Add carrot juice to saucepan and reduce to thick consistency on high heat, 10-15 minutes. Whisk vigorously if juice separates. Whisk in butter. Set aside to cool.

In pot, cover wild rice with chicken stock. Bring to simmer and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season with salt.

Heat oven to 400 F.

In frying pan on medium-high heat, sweat onions in olive oil until soft. Add curry spice and toast until aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Add vinegar and salt; stir well. Fold through sun-dried tomatoes.

Place chicken skin-side up on roasting pan fitted with rack. Brush chicken with canola or olive oil and season with salt. Roast about 25-35 minutes until golden brown; internal temperature should be 165 F. Drizzle with roasting juices; add salt and chopped parsley before plating.

To plate, add carrot butter to wild rice; scoop 1/2 cup onto each dish. Place chicken skin-side up on top of rice. Dollop with onion, curry and tomato mixture.

Pair each serving with a glass of Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2014

Bread Pudding Pick-Me-Up

On cold winter nights, sometimes that one last bite to eat before turning in is the key to finishing your day on a happy note. A warm serving of Pumpkin Butterscotch Bread Pudding with a dollop of cool ice cream is sure to do the trick. Find more dessert options at verybestbaking.com.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Bread Pudding

Recipe courtesy of Nestle

Servings: 12

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 55 minutes

1 loaf (14 ounces) cinnamon challah bread or cinnamon brioche, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

4 large eggs

2 cans (12 ounces each) Nestle Carnation Evaporated Lowfat 2 percent Milk

1 can (15 ounces) Libby’s 100 percent Pure Pumpkin

1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

11/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 cup Nestle Toll House Butterscotch Flavored Morsels

Vanilla Dreyer’s or Edy’s Slow Churned Light Ice Cream

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

On rimmed baking sheets, spread bread cubes in single layer. Bake, tossing occasionally, 10 minutes, or until dry.

In large bowl, beat eggs; stir in evaporated milk, pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Add bread; toss gently to coat. Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish; let stand 30 minutes, or until bread is thoroughly saturated.

Combine brown sugar with remaining granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle morsels over bread mixture; top with brown sugar mixture.

Bake 45-55 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes to set. Serve warm with ice cream.