Sunday, November 20, 2011

Holiday Drinks & Cocktails

I dont know about you, but I sure love a great cocktail. I personally dont like super sweet drinks. I just have to find that happy medium. Here are some delicious and really easy drinks for all of your upcoming holiday parties.




White Cosmo
Servings: 2

1 cup white cranberry juice
4 oz vodka
2 oz Cointreau

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add cranberry juice, vodka, and Cointreau. Shake to combine well. Strain into two large martini glasses. Serve immediately.

Orange Champagne Cocktail
Servings: 10-12

2 1/4 cups freshly squeezed or frozen blood-orange juice
2 750-ml bottles champagne, chilled
Pour 3 tablespoons juice in each champagne flute. Fill flutes with champagne, and serve.

Lanesborough
Serving: 1
.5 oz Grand Marnier
.5 oz  Cranberry Juice
.5 oz Passion fruit juice
2 oz champagne

Add Grand Marnier, cranberry juice, passion fruit juice or puree to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with champagne and garnish with an orange spiral twist.

Pumpkin Martini
Serving: 1

3 parts vodka
½ part Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
Splash Simple Syrup

Combine all ingredients over ice and shake. Strain in to martini glass, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.


Spiced Apple Cider Sangria (this is the most "difficult" recipe but its soooo worth it!)
Serving: 5-6

For Spiced Apple Cider:
2 cups apple cider (the real stuff - opaque in color & found in the refrigerator section)
1/3 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 orange slices (rounds)

For the Spiced Apple Cider Sangria:1 bottle inexpensive Spanish red wine (we used Tempranillo)
2 cups spiced apple cider (recipe above)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brandy


Photos: Martha Stewart, Huffington Post, Mylifeasamrs, William Sonoma

Monday, November 14, 2011

Thanksgiving Decor

Im so excited to start decorating my kitchen and dining rooms for Thanksgiving. There are so many things you can do to decorate and give your home that Fall and Thanksgiving feel. I also have been using some of my uncarved pumpkins from Halloween for my Fall decorations. Here are some beautiful ideas

I will be posting my DIY pumpkin idea in a few days... its so easy






Photos Courtesy of: Martha Stewart, Casas Sugar, Napa Style, Southern Living

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Apple Dumplings

I ate so much this weekend :( it was great!! :) lol my sister and I made apple dumplings and served it with vanilla ice cream. Wow! Sooo good but this dessert is pretty much the opposite of heathy. Here is the recipe

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/apple_dumplings/