Holiday Winter Sangria for a Crowd

Holiday Winter Sangria! This stuff is like Christmas in a glass! You can rim the glasses with cinnamon sugar or garnish it with a sprig of rosemary (looks like a Christmas tree!). With this sangria recipe, letting it sit overnight will help the flavors meld together better (and one less thing to do before guests arrive).

Holiday Winter Sangria

Ingredients:

• 3-5 cinnamon sticks
• 2 large apples, chopped (I used honeycrisp)
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 (1.5 L) bottle red wine (used Yellowtail Sangria. Any brand will do.)
• 3 cups apple cider (I used honeycrisp cider from Target)
• 1 cup ginger brandy (plain brandy will work just fine)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 Cup Goldschläger  (Or any cinnamon schnapps, I just happened to have the brand) 
• club soda, to top off the glasses

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients EXCEPT club soda. Let marinade overnight or at least an hour.
2. Serve over ice with a splash of club soda.
3. garnish with rosemary / oranges / apple slices / cinnamon sticks / etc.
4. ENJOY!

Caramel Latte Recipe - Tastes like Starbucks!

I love coffee and I love my Keurig machine for making it easy. When the weather starts to cool down in the evenings, my husband and I like to have a coffee or tea after the little one goes to bed. I decided to get crazy with it the other night and I came across a real winner that I wanted to share. I swear it tastes like Starbucks.

Add sugar like you normally would. Brew the coffee (we like Archer Farms from Target), then add a scoop of frozen whipped topping (I always have the light store brand kind on hand.) Lastly, drizzle with a good amount of caramel sauce. Maybe like a tablespoon or two. Viola! So insanely easy and tasty!

Christmas movie marathon with snacks!

I can't believe Christmas is almost here! I really wish I had another week to savor every last bit of this special time of year. Especially with us celebrating baby's first Christmas. I swear, when you have kids - time doubles up on you. It is truly gone in a flash. 

With the dreary weather this weekend, I have revved up the stove for some last minute baking and the tv is full time Christmas movies! Right now I am enjoying homemade eggnog (with rum, what!) and we are watching National Lampoon's for the second time in 24 hours. 

Here is the easy recipe I used to whip up my eggnog:

Ingredients

- 2 cups milk

- 2 strips citrus zest

- 1 vanilla bean

- 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

- 1/3 cup sugar

- 1 tsp corn starch

Directions

Pour 1 1/2 cup milk in a medium sauce pan. Add zest strips. Cut vanilla bean down the center and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and empty pod to the sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and yolk with the sugar and corn starch until light yellow and creamy. Once the milk is simmering, remove from heat and slowly pour into the egg mix while whisking. Then pour back into sauce pan over medium heat - stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thick. About 5-7 minutes. Once thick, remove from heat, chill and enjoy plain or with rum or bourbon!