life in my empty nest

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Cranberry Apple Sangria

For me, one of the highlights of our Thanksgiving day was this sangria that my daughter Megan made. There was just enough for everyone to have a glass to start the day and it was a lovely festive touch. The glasses looked so pretty full of cranberries, apples and a cinnamon stick.

This is a red wine sangria, so perfect for fall and winter celebrations. We used a Pinot Noir, but I think it would also be good with a Merlot. The only change we made to the recipe was to use light cranberry juice, since that is what I had and to then use half the amount of simple syrup. I would also suggest using unsweetened apple juice if cider is out of season.

It's so easy to make; just pour everything in a pitcher and chop up some apples and you are done. For better flavor, it is best to make it a few hours before serving. We all thought it was delicious and perfect for any special occasion.

Cranberry Apple Sangria

1 bottle red wine

3 cups apple cider

1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice

1/2 cup triple sec

1/2 cup simple syrup ( equal parts sugar and water, cooked over low heat until sugar is dissolved)

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 cup diced apples

Sparkling water to finish

Cinnamon sticks for garnish

Pour all ingredients into a large pitcher. Add cranberries and apples. Mix well. To serve: pour in a glass, add a splash of sparkling water and spoon some of the fruit on top. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

{Linking with these friends}

French Country Cottage

A Stroll Thru Life

Savvy Southern Style

The Charm of Home

Have a Daily Cup

Between Naps on the Porch

Friday, November 25, 2016

Thanksgiving Reflections

It was a lovely Thanksgiving at our house with good food and more importantly family all around. I can't count how many times it was mentioned that this would be the last Thanksgiving celebration in our house (we toasted to our 20th year around this table ) and that next year we would be in sunny Florida. To be honest, I was feeling more excited for what the future will bring, rather than nostalgic, but I think that those feelings will hit me at some point. I'm sad it will be hard on my daughters, but I keep saying it will be different, but different is not bad.

Having my daughters here is everything to me and they are so much fun and such good helpers in the midst of getting dinner on the table. As anyone who cooks a Thanksgiving dinner knows, it becomes a fast and furious process at the last minute, no matter how organized you are. You are juggling things in and out of the oven, making gravy and helping with the turkey carving. Having smiling and willing helpers, who make sure your wine glass is full, can make all the difference.

As I write this morning, most of the cleanup is done although I'll be emptying a full dishwasher soon and taking care of all the china, glasses and serving platters piled on my dining room table as soon as my house wakes up. Then it's leftovers and off to one store (Old Navy) with my daughters for a little fun Black Friday shopping.

It was a good day for us and I hope you all had a wonderful family day as well.

Monday, November 21, 2016

The Weekend

Winter arrived in Michgan this weekend with cold, windy snowy conditions and wouldn't you know I spent most of the day Saturday sitting in Spartan Stadium trying to keep from freezing. Actually it wasn't too bad until the end of the game since we were dressed for it and had a warm blanket to snuggle under. It was snowing and blowing into our faces at times, but the first snow of the season is always exciting, so we didn't mind too much. Melissa and I had a mother daughter game day and it was really fun. We did a little bar hopping before game time, including the bar where she worked as a bartender during college and they took very good care of us. I hadn't been inside that bar for many years and despite a name change, it still looks the same. My favorite drink of the morning was a cidermosa made with hard cider and orange juice - it was really good and different.

Sunday needed to be a lazy morning after a tiring Saturday, so I decided to make some easy pumpkin pancakes to enjoy with my coffee. They were a delicious way to start the morning and gave me fuel to make my second trip to the (crowded) grocery store to make another dent in the Thanksgving dinner shopping list. Now I just have the fresh ingredients to purchase and the list size is a lot more manageable. I love hosting Thanksgiving, but it sure takes a lot of pre planning. Happy Monday!

Bisquick Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups Bisquick baking mix

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 cup pumpkin purée

2 T sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

Mix all ingredients together ( batter will be lumpy) with a wire whisk. Pour about 1/2 cup onto a hot griddle prepared with a coating of melted butter. Cook until bubbles form on top, then flip and cook until until golden brown. Makes 6 large pancakes.