Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Third Place Winner - 2013 Missouri State Fair (Cooking with Missouri Wine)
Pat Finkes, Steelville, Missouri

3 tablespoons butter
3 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
4 slices bread
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1/2 cup chopped onions
6 baby belle or button mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups sweet red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 teaspoons butter
8 to12 fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Havarti cheese
1/2 cup grated Manchega cheese

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in small saucepan; stir in basil. Brush one side of each piece of bread with butter mixture.

Melt bacon grease in skillet. Add onions and mushrooms; cook and stir until lightly browned.  Add wine, beef stock and 2 teaspoons butter.  Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup.

Place the spinach leaves on unbuttered sides of two slices of bread, dividing evenly. Sprinkle the cheeses on top of spinach-topped slices of bread, dividing evenly. Spoon the wine reduction over the cheese, dividing evenly. Top each with another slice of bread, buttered side on the outside.

Warm a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet and cook until the bread has toasted to a nice golden brown and the cheese has melted; turn to cook other side. (You might have to cook one sandwich at a time, depending on the size of the pan.)

Serve with tomato soup, if desired.

Yield: 2 sandwiches.

Named for the man who coined the term "show-me" this modern twist on a Moscow Mule will have you saying "Show me another, please."

1 oz.  Vodka

.5 oz The Big O Ginger Liqueur

.25 oz Lime Juice

3-4 oz Les Bourgeois Vineyards Brut Sparkling Wine

Shake all ingredients except the sparkling wine and strain into an ice filled copper mug. Top with sparkling wine, and garnish with a lime wedge.

This winetail was developed by Doug Frost in conjunction with The American Restaurant for the 2014 Paris of the Plains Festival.

Named for a Missouri flower, this winetail is appropriately aromatic.

0.5 oz. Lemon Juice

0.5 oz. Benedictine Liqueur

0.5 oz. Cognac

2-3 oz. Hermannhof Vignoles

Shake all ingredients except Vignoles wine and strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with Vignoles, and garnish with lemon wheel between glass and ice.

This winetail was developed by Doug Frost in conjunction with The American Restaurant for the 2014 Paris of the Plains Festival.