Bena Mae’s Kitchen: I’m sorry, I’m not a wine drinker

I have never gotten into wine. Nor beer, nor any alcoholic beverage for that matter. I’m not against other people who like the stuff if they can keep it under control. But as for me, I just don’t like the taste. And knowing my susceptibility toward becoming an addict when it comes to things I really like (chocolate, for example), I don’t know if I could take it without becoming a tippler or a closet drinker.
I’ve observed that most wine drinkers are really insufferable snobs. My observation comes from watching them on TV or reading about them in novels and occasionally watching them in social situations. They sniff it, hold it up to the light and slosh it around to impress other wine drinkers that they are an authority on the fermented grape.
Several years ago my husband and I were invited out to a posh restaurant. It was a high-end restaurant, the kind we didn’t frequent in our eating out days. I was a little nervous, feeling that I was out of my comfort zone and hoping it looked to others that I was completely at home in such ritzy surroundings.
My nervousness really hit a peak when the waiter brought a bottle of wine to our table, uncorked it, and poured a small amount into my husband’s wine glass and handed it to him to sample. Oh Lord, I thought to myself, what will he do? We had never run into this situation before. Our attempt at being a part of the hoi-polloi would reveal that we were frauds.
But without hesitating, my husband picked up the glass, sniffed it, sloshed it around and took a sip. Bravo! I thought. Just like we had seen in the movies time and time again.
During my socially active days, I attended many functions where alcoholic beverages were served. But I ignored the punchbowl and resisted the urgings of the others to “Come on, have a drink” and opted for a ginger ale or Seven-UP. It saved me the aggravation of informing wine drinkers that wine or anything laced with alcohol was not my cup of tea.
I’ll take my grapes unfermented, thank you. With no apologies.

Delicious, and only 4 ingredients.

Buttery Broccoli Cheese Casserole

2 – 10 oz blocks of frozen chopped broccoli
10 oz process cheese spread (like Velveeta), cut into cubes
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup), divided
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease or spray a 2 quart casserole.
Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain well and set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the cheese spread with 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of butter.
Stir until smooth.
Add broccoli and mix well.
Place in prepared casserole.
In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter and add crushed crackers, mixing well to coat with butter.
Top broccoli mixture with buttered crumbs.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly and cracker crumbs begin to turn golden brown.