Category: Fall

Friday Fright Nightcaps: Samhain Apple-Spiced Sangria (S.A.S.S.)

Add a little S.A.S.S. to your Halloween with this delicious autumn sangria.

Samhain Apple Spiced Sangria

INGREDIENTS:

1 bottle red wine
1 bottle sparkling apple cider (Martinelli’s)
1 cup spiced rum
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 pear
1/2 apple
1/2 orange
1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries

Directions:

Place the sliced fruit (pear, orange, apple slices, etc.) in the bottom of a pitcher.

Add the red wine, apple cider, spiced rum, and cinnamon sticks. Stir well. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.

This recipe is highly modifiable. I find Red Blends and Cabs are best, but any wine will work. Switch out the rum with brandy for less spice. Choose different fruit if you’d like.

Samhain Apple Spiced Sangria

Happy Halloween!

Recipe of the Month – November: Apple-Cider Mimosas

Freshen up the holidays with this recipe for Apple-Cider Mimosas.

INGREDIENTS:  

  •  3 oz Apple Cider (real or pressed cider, not sparkling or alcoholic)
  • 3 oz Prosecco or sparkling wine
  • 1/2 oz Vodka

Rim and Garnish (optional):

  • 1 tbsp Caramel topping
  • 2 tbsp Cinnamon sugar
  • Apple slices

Switch up the recipe by adding pressed or real pear cider in place of apple.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Recipe of the Month – November: Cranberry Crisp

Since November’s Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving, I’m breaking my own rule and posting a recipe this week.

Let’s be honest, next to green bean casserole, cranberry sauce is the least desirable dish on the holiday table. I suspect that’s because it’s so plain. Well, I found a recipe that might spruce up the trimmings, thanks to the good people over at Gimme Some Oven and their recipe for Cranberry Crisp.

CranberryCrisp3 GimmeSomeOven
Photo ©GimmeSomeOven

INGREDIENTS

CRANBERRY FILLING INGREDIENTS:

  • 24 ounces (about 6 cups) fresh cranberries
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • zest of one orange

CRISPY OATMEAL TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios…you pick!)
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup flour (or almond meal)
  • pinch of salt and ground cinnamon
©GimmeSomeOven
©GimmeSomeOven

For the full recipe and baking instructions, please go here: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cranberry-crisp/

CranberryCrisp GimmeSomeOven
Photo ©GimmeSomeOven

Now, instead of a boring side dish, you can serve a sweet and healthy dessert. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to really make it pop!

 

Haiku of the Week – Happy First Day of Fall

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changing leaves
autumn comes but once a year
living death

Happy first day of Autumn!

Although the summer heat may hang around for a few more weeks, there’s a cheerful enthusiasm lingering in the air. Fall smells of apples, cinnamon, and pumpkins. Soon, the leaves on the trees will turn colors, bright hues of gold, orange, and red, then brown, a death so beautiful, we almost forget to mourn.