Raise your hand if you like wine! Now raise your hand if you’d like to buy it in the grocery store! I thought so. I’m excited to partner with Dine with Wine to share a delicious turkey bolognese recipe and a little about their mission to modernize wine regulations in Kentucky to encourage more choice, convenience and better pricing for consumers.
Did you know the reason Kentuckians can’t buy wine at grocery stores is due to an outdated law dating back to Prohibition? Kentucky is one of only eight states that still do not allow wine to be sold at retail food stores. Surveys show nearly 65% of Kentuckians support wine sales in groceries, and I think it’s time for a change! Dine with Wine is a not for profit organization advocating for that change. Not only would it provide consumers with more choice and competitive pricing, but also give local Kentucky winemakers the ability to market their product to more consumers. Experts also believe additional sale outlets would generate more tax revenue for our state.
I often find myself with a grocery list including a bottle of wine or spirits and I know it sounds silly, but having to make an extra stop after the grocery store for just one bottle is such a hassle! You’ve already got your car full of bags, you’re hungry and want to get home to try the snacks you just bought. Or maybe you’re hosting a party and are already stressed enough without having to make multiple stops. Just the other day I had intended to pick up a bottle of wine, but after leaving the grocery didn’t feel like stopping again, so just went without. I would love to be able to check off my entire list at one store because I love to cook with wine. It adds great depth of flavor without having to use a ton of ingredients. It only makes sense to be able to pick up a bottle of wine to cook with while at the grocery store!
Speaking of cooking with wine.. let’s make bolognese! This is a riff on the traditional recipe, using turkey instead of ground beef. I added a little cream cheese at the end to give it some tang and a creamy texture. When researching bolognese, I found conflicting advice on whether you should use white or red wine, with many recipes giving you the choice of either. I’ve personally made it with both, and prefer white, but that’s also what I typically drink. If red is more your style, go for it!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 7-8 baby carrots, or one large carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 lb ground turkey, 85% lean
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or red if preferred)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 4 oz cream cheese
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat
- Add onion, celery and carrots, season with 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp salt
- Saute for 10 minutes, until onions are translucent
- Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds
- Add ground turkey and season with remaining 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp salt
- Break into pieces with a spoon and brown for 5 minutes, until no longer pink
- Add tomato paste and stir to combine
- Add white wine and stir to combine
- Add crushed tomatoes and let come to a simmer
- Add cream cheese and stir until fully combined
- Bring heat down to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Serve with pasta of choice, or zucchini noodles
Pasta and wine.. how do you top that?! By being able to buy them in the same place 😉 I hope you’ll check out Dine with Wine’s website to learn more about their mission and how you can take action to modernize our laws. You can follow them on Instagram here and Facebook here.
Biscuits & blessings,
Leels
Message for 21+. This post is in partnership with Dine with Wine. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the organizations that support Lex Eats!
