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Holiday Sangria Gift Basket and Recipe

Holiday Sangria Gift Basket and Recipe

’tis the season for gift giving, parties with friends and some good laughs over a bottle of wine. I am sharing a Holiday Sangria Gift Basket and Recipe to bring a little extra joy to your holiday season! If you need a gift to bring a hostess, something creative for a gift exchange or just a great recipe to entertain friends, I have you covered!

The season is full of gatherings with family, dinner parties and work functions. A bottle of  Chardonnay is the perfect to bring or amp it up with an entire Holiday Sangria Gift Basket.

Holiday Sangria Gift Basket

Creating a beautiful Holiday Sangria Gift Basket is a breeze! Include as many as the items from the list below within the basket so it can be used same day.

Holiday Sangria Gift Basket Checklist:

  • Basket
  • Mixing spoon
  • Small rosemary plant (I placed mine in a stemless wine glass)
  • Hand towel
  • Pitcher (optional)
  • Fruits- apple, orange, pear, cranberries
  • Small container with sugar
  • Small container with vodka or a mini bottle
  • 12 ounce ginger ale
  • 8 ounce bottle apple juice
  • Recipe card
  • Wine glasses (optional)
  • Bottle of chardonnay

Print the recipe card below to add to your Holiday Sangria Gift Basket!

Holiday Sangria Recipe

This Holiday Sangria Recipe is made with freshly diced pears and apples, sliced oranges, cranberries, juice, ginger ale and a chardonnay. Add in some vodka for extra kick and fragrant rosemary to complete the drink. This Holiday Sangria really simple to throw together for entertaining for to enjoy with a friend on the weekend.

Tip

Make sure every glass served has some of the fresh fruit from the pitcher. The fruit soaks up a lot of the alcohol and tastes great!

Holiday sangria, christmas cocktail, christmas drinks, chardonnay, how to make a sangria, gift basket idea, wine lovers gift basket, what to bring a hostess for party
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Holiday Sangria

This Holiday Sangria Recipe is made with freshly diced pears and apples, sliced oranges, cranberries, juice, ginger ale and a chardonnay. Add in some vodka for extra kick and fragrant rosemary to complete the drink.
Course Drinks
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 1 pear, diced
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 8 ounces apple juice
  • 12 ounces ginger ale
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vodka
  • 1 bottle chardonnay
  • rosemary

Instructions

  • Dice the pear and apple. Slice the orange. Add to pitcher along with the fresh cranberries.
  • Pour in the ginger ale, apple juice and vodka.
  • Add sugar. Stir.
  • Add a bottle of Chardonnay and a sprig of rosemary. Let sit in fridge for one hour.
  • Serve over ice.

What are your plans for enjoying this holiday season with friends? Let me know in the comments below.

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls are an easy no-bake dessert made with crunchy peanut butter, rice cereal, butter, confectioners sugar and chocolate.

Here in Ohio, we love our buckeyes with chocolate covered creamy peanut butter balls. These Crispy Peanut Butter Balls are a spin off of Ohio’s favorite made just for my crunchy peanut butter lovers.

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls are super easy to make but a little bit of work to mix the ingredients together and roll each ball and then dip each in chocolate. The work is well worth it though! These little peanut butter balls are delicious.

You can make these Crispy Peanut Butter Balls for any holiday or gathering… just switch up the sprinkles! For myself, peanut butter balls have always been a Christmas food. My mom would make a batch every year for Christmas Day dinner and has always been a family favorite so I hope your family loves them just as much as mine does.

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Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls are an easy no-bake dessert made with crunchy peanut butter, rice cereal, butter, confectioners sugar and chocolate.
Course Dessert
Keyword chocolate, crispy peanut butter balls, crunchy peanut butter balls, dessert, peanut butter, peanut butter balls
Servings 30 Peanut Butter Balls
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
  • 10 ounces chocolate melting wafers
  • 4 teaspoons shortening
  • sprinkles

Instructions

  • Add softened butter and peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl. Cook in microwave for 1 minute and stir well. 
  • Slowly add in confectioners sugar mixing the ingredients into a dough. Use a spatula or even a your hands to thoroughly mix. 
  • Add crispy rice cereal. Stir well. 
  • Roll 1 inch balls and place onto a parchment covered cookie sheet. It helps to use press the ingredients together into a ball with your hands.
  • Place peanut butter balls into freezer for 15 minutes. 
  • Place the chocolate wafers and shortening into a microwave safe bowl. Cook in 30 second increments, stirring between, until chocolate is fully melted. 
  • Dip each peanut butter ball into melted chocolate and place back onto parchment paper. I like to use a toothpick to dip but a fork also works well or whichever method you prefer. Add sprinkles immediately. 
  • Serve when chocolate has hardened. 

Are you team creamy peanut butter or team crunchy peanut butter? Let me know in the comments below.

Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with basic baking ingredients, white chocolate chips and crushed candy cane bits for a festive treat even Santa wants to sneak in this holiday season.

Cookies are made a lot in my home this time of year! Between the holidays and gatherings with co-workers or friends and cookie exchanges and treats for the kids- a whole lot of cookies are being baked. These Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfect for any holiday occasion but we especially love these for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies are everything you love in a cookie. These are soft and chewy with chocolate bites and the added candy cane on top give them another layer of flavor and extra color to brighten up your holiday.

Let’s get baking!

Start by crushing the candy canes into bits. I do this by placing the candy into a storage bag and paddling them with a rolling pin. Set them to the side while you mix the cookie dough.

In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat until creamy and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and eggs. Beat again and then add salt.

Dissolve the baking soda in some hot water and add to batter. Beat while slowly adding in the flour. Once you have a good consistency, fold in the chocolate chips and place the cookie dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a cookie scoop to place batter onto baking sheet giving space between each cookie. Place candy cane bits on the top of each cookie. I like to just dunk the top of the cookie into the bag of crushed candy canes and place back onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack and serve. Make sure to place the cookie dough back in the refrigerator between batches to stay cool.

Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with basic baking ingredients, white chocolate chips and crushed candy cane bits for a festive treat even Santa wants to sneak in this holiday season. 

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • .5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons hot water
  • 11 ounce bag white chocolate chips
  • 5 candy canes
  1. Place candy canes into a storage bag. Use a rolling pin or something similar to crush the candy canes into bits.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat until creamy and smooth.
  3. Add the vanilla extract and eggs. Beat again.
  4. Add salt.
  5. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water and add to batter. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat while slowly adding in the flour.
  6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  7. Place dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  9. Use a cookie scoop to place batter onto baking sheet giving space between each cookie.
  10. Place candy cane bits on the top of each cookie. I like to just dunk the top of the cookie into the bag of crushed candy canes and place back onto cookie sheet.
  11. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  12. Let cool on a cooling rack.

What are you go-to cookies for Santa? Let me know in the comments below!


Pumpkin Sugar Cookies {+ How to Freeze Cookies}

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PrepSealSave #CollectiveBias

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are made with pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and basic sugar cookie ingredients such as sugar, butter and flour. Add a cinnamon cream cheese frosting and these cookies are guaranteed to be a hit! I am also sharing multiple ways to freeze cookies with the FoodSaver® FM3941 Vacuum Sealing System so you can get a start on that holiday baking early.

The holiday season is crazy around here, just as I assume it is in every household! Between Christmas shopping, work, kids, seasonal activities and holiday gatherings with friends and family, time is limited. However, no matter the time constraints, there is no skimping on the seasonal baking. Time to stop by Costco to gather up my supplies in bulk!

FoodSaver® FM3941

Utilizing the FoodSaver® FM3941 is great way to schedule out the holiday hours better by prepping some foods ahead of time. Plus, you can use this for so much more than just holiday baking. FoodSaver® is the solution to save food, save time and save money year round. Keep your food fresh up to 5x longer than with other storage methods saving you up to $2,700 yearly with the ability to buy in bulk and reducing waste.

The FoodSaver® FM3941 is great for: 

  • Keeping food fresh in the freezer or refrigerator with an airtight seal.
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Baked Goods- for soft, cakey textures try the FoodSaver® Canister so your baked goods hold their shape.
  • Liquids such as gravy and soups.
  • Coffee grounds
  • Hard cheese
  • Marinate- not only can you freeze meat but you can get an amazing marinade in minutes, instead of hours, using the Quick Marinate Mode.
  • Cooking meat- by taking all of the air out, you can ensure your meat will be cooked evenly throughout.

Click HERE for more information!

America’s #1 vacuum sealing solution is the FoodSaver®. The FoodSaver® System includes vacuum seal bags, vacuum zipper bags and containers designed to work together with vacuum sealers for optimal performance. They are best for long-term freezer storage, blocking out air and helping to prevent freezer burn.

Costco is the place to go for your FoodSaver® FM3941!

Get $40 OFF the FM3941 Vacuum Sealing System.

Get $10 OFF FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls Value Pack.

(Discount good this November. Must have Costco membership.)

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Time for some baking!

These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are everything you expect from a delicious sugar cookie. They are buttery, soft and chewy but with a little addition of pumpkin flavor from pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to give these cookies a special touch. A cinnamon cream cheese frosting is spread over the top and balances out the pumpkin flavor nicely. Pumpkin and cinnamon are always better together after all and you will love them in this cookie.

The base of these Pumpkin Sugar Cookies is like any other sugar cookie with equal parts sugar and butter. The sugar and butter are beaten together until really creamy and smooth. Add an egg yolk, vanilla extract, and pumpkin are added and mixed in. Stir the remaining dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and slowly add to the butter mix beating until smooth again.

Place the cookie dough into refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and then bake according to instructions below.

These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies smell ahhhh-mazing! A light sugary-pumpkin scent will fill your home and make it smell like the holidays are here.

I want to say the cinnamon cream cheese frosting is optional but is it, really? Frosting is always a good idea in my book and the cinnamon with pumpkin spice are so lovely together that I think you would be missing out if you skipped the frosting over top. The cinnamon cream cheese frosting is just some cream cheese and butter beat together until smooth and then add in ground cinnamon and vanilla extract. The confectioners sugar is then added in slowly in increments and beat until you have this amazing creamy frosting.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

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#ad #CollectiveBias #PrepSealSave Pumpkin Sugar Cookies, How to freeze cookies, FoodSaver System, Holiday cookies

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are made with pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and basic sugar cookie ingredients such as sugar, butter and flour. Add a cinnamon cream cheese frosting and these cookies are guaranteed to be a hit!

Yields: 2 dozen

  • Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2.5 cups flour
  • .5 teaspoon baking powder
  • .5 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 16 ounces confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add 1.5 cups granulated sugar and 1.5 cups softened butter. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat thoroughly for 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add egg yolk, teaspoon vanilla extract and .5 cup pumpkin puree. Beat until smooth and creamy.
  3. In a separate bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder and pumpkin spice together and mix all those dry ingredients.
  4. Add the dry ingredients with the wet in increments and beat until thoroughly blended.
  5. Cover and place dough into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
  8. Use a cookie scoop to portion the cookies and place onto baking sheet giving space between each.
  9. Bake for 15-17 minutes.
  10. Place on a cooling rack.
  11. Once cooled, begin the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup softened butter and 8 ounce block of cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese has been sitting out for awhile to warm up and is not straight from the refrigerator. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
  12. Add the teaspoon of cinnamon and vanilla extract. Beat again.
  13. Add the confectioners sugar in increments and beat until the frosting is creamy.
  14. Frost each cookie and serve or store in refrigerator until serving.
  • Preparation time: 60 minutes
  • Cook time: 17 minutes

How to Freeze Cookies

FREEZE BAKED COOKIES

To freeze baked cookies, start by freezing the cookies on a cookie sheet for one hour to harden. Your cookies should be cooled and non-frosted before placing into freezer.

Once frozen, make a FoodSaver® Bag:

  1. Turn the latch to OPEN position.
  2. Place a roll inside and pull out enough bag material to make the first sealing strip.
  3. Turn the latch to ON.
  4. Press the SEAL button. Light will turn off when seal is complete.
  5. Turn the latch to OPEN position and pull out enough bag material for the desired length you want your bag to be and close the lid.
  6. Turn the latch to ON.
  7. Press the SEAL button to make the seal for your next bag and slide the bag cutter across.

Vacuum Seal a FoodSaver® Bag:

  1. Turn the latch to OPEN position.
  2. Place the frozen cookies inside the bag in a row side-by-side leaving 3 inches of space on the open end of bag.
  3. Place the open end of bag into vacuum channel and close lid.
  4. Turn the latch to OPEN position.
  5. Press the VACUUM/SEAL button.
  6. Once the vacuum/seal light turns off, turn the latch to OPEN position.
  7. Open the lid and remove bag.
  8. Place the bag into freezer.

Your cookies can stay in the freezer for months. When you are ready to serve, place the cookie bags into fridge to thaw out overnight. Frost before serving.

FREEZE READY TO BAKE COOKIE DOUGH BALLS

Another method for freezing cookies using the FoodSaver® FM3941 is by freezing the cookie dough in ready-to-bake balls.

Begin by making the cookie dough. Then, use a cookie scoop to form the cookie dough balls and place them onto a cookie sheet. Freeze the cookies for one hour to harden. Once the cookie dough balls are hard, you can stack the into a FoodSaver® Canister.

Vacuum Seal a FoodSaver® Canister:

  1. Turn latch to the ON position and pull out the retractable handheld sealer.
  2. Remove the clear bottom portion from the handle and insert the tip into canister port.
  3. Press the ACCESSORY button to vacuum.
  4. Place canister into freezer.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, place the cookie dough balls onto a cookie sheet and cook according to the instructions adding 2 minutes of cook time. Frost each cookie and serve.

FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH

My favorite method for freezing cookies is to freeze the entire batch of cookie dough using the FoodSaver® FM3941 and a FoodSaver® Zipper Bag. The cookie dough is thawed before baking and cookies are baked according to recipe instructions.

Vacuum Seal a FoodSaver® Zipper Bag:

  1. Place cookie dough into FoodSaver® Zipper Bag.
  2. Close the bag using the top zipper.
  3. Turn the latch to the ON position and  pull out the retractable handheld sealer.
  4. Place the retractable handheld sealer on zipper bag valve.
  5. Press the ACCESSORY button to vacuum.
  6. Place bag into freezer.

24 hours before baking cookies, remove the bag from the freezer, open and put to the cookie dough into a bowl with plastic wrap over top. Place into the refrigerator. After 24 hours, bake cookies, frost and serve.

Click HERE for more information on FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls Value Pack. 

How do you cram in all of your holiday baking and cooking? Let me know in the comments below how the FoodSaver® FM3941 will be a help to you this holiday season!

How to Create a Decadent Holiday Dessert Bar

Thank you Edwards® Desserts for sponsoring this post. Head to the frozen desserts aisle of your grocery store to pick up your favorite Edwards pie and make entertaining a breeze!

That time of year has arrived again- the time for family gatherings, dinner parties with friends and holiday fun.  I am sharing How to Create a Decadent Holiday Dessert Bar that is simple and gorgeous with Edwards Desserts as the star of the table.

Holiday hams cooked to perfection, creamy mashed potatoes, casseroles galore, gravy on everything….

… are you hungry, yet? I am sure am.

Holiday food is the best kind. Indulgent, comforting and filling. No holiday is complete without a spectacular dessert to top off the night! Creating a decadent holiday dessert bar is easier than you may think and I am sharing just how to do it.

How to Create a Dessert Bar

CHOOSE A THEME

Start by picking a theme for the dessert bar that coincides with your gathering. My theme was Bright Autumn with a lot of white but pulling in those beautiful fall colors with subtle oranges, gold, greens and browns. I found the letters P, I, and E at a local craft store and they are the perfect touch to the table so everyone knows this is the dessert spot.

SET UP YOUR SPACE

Pick a spot in your home that is convenient to where you are entertaining to set up your dessert bar. I picked the buffet in the dining room to give everyone a little tease during dinner. A little motivation for the adults to save room for dessert or for the kids to eat their veggies couldn’t hurt, right?

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • Decor – keep the decorations simple while aligning with the theme. No need to go overboard. A miniature sign and pumpkins alongside the wooden letters to spell out P-I-E was all it took.
  • Plates – a plate for every guest.
  • Silverware – mix of spoons, knives and forks.
  • Pie Server Utensils – one for each pie for serving.
  • Cake Stands – cake stands at different levels to set the pies on add a nice design element. Think about cake stands out of the box too! One of my stands is a small wooden crate flipped over.
  • Flowers – flowers are the easiest way to add color into a space. I used an Autumn wreath with fake flowers but even a vase with fresh sunflowers would be a great touch.
  • Delicious Desserts – pick a variety of  pies to please everyone.

THINK PRE-MADE

Hosting holidays and social gatherings can get a little crazy! There is plenty to do and don’t think you have to make everything homemade from scratch and spend days cooking. Save some time and energy with pre-made items like Edwards pies that offer a homemade taste without all the effort.

Why Edwards Desserts

Edwards makes dessert time so convenient and so darn delicious. With pie flavors like Key Lime, Turtle or Chocolate Crème- you are certain to please all your guests (once they figure out which one to start with).

Get the full scoop on Edwards Desserts by clicking HERE.

Try these amazing pies for great variety at your dessert bar:

Edwards Hershey’s® Chocolate Crème Pie – Chocolate lovers rejoice with layers of chocolate and vanilla crème topped with chocolate pieces, chocolate drizzle on a chocolate cookie crumb crust.

Edwards Turtle Pie – Smooth caramel filling topped with chocolate and pecans on a chocolate cookie crumb crust.

Edwards Key Lime Pie – Your taste buds deserve a vacation. Key lime filling with real Key West lime juice on a vanilla cookie crumb crust.

Edwards Pumpkin Crème Pie – Look for this seasonal decadent dessert as well. Velvety layers of real cream cheese and pumpkin spice on a vanilla cookie crumb crust.

Edwards thaw and serve crème pies are available nationwide and easily found on the frozen dessert aisle at a retailer near you. Look for the box with the gold ribbon detail.

Edwards Contest

Enter to win a limited-edition, dessert-inspired prize pack by sharing your love for Edwards Desserts on their Facebook page. One lucky entrant will win big with an exclusive holiday dining experience for their town.

Enter for a chance to win this sweet celebration!

Click HERE.

Hosting Tips

Don’t let the stress of the holidays get you down. My 5 best hosting tips will help you get through it all and leave a smile on your face.

  1. Plan out your holiday gathering. From the guest list to menu, write every detail down.
  2. Go with what you know. Don’t whip out a brand new recipe book to cook from the day of! Cook the dishes you know already and keep it simple. New recipes should be tested weeks in advance.
  3. Make what you can in advance. Rolls, gravy, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes are all great items to make ahead of time and freeze.
  4. Buy some pre-made items. Go with brands you trust for some pre-made items like Edwards Desserts.
  5. Ask for help. Don’t feel like you have to do everything because you are the host. You can ask guests to bring particular dishes or ask a few people to come over the night beforehand to help you prep. People like to contribute so don’t be afraid to ask for a little help.

Whatever your holiday plans may be and with whoever you may celebrate them with, a beautifully decadent holiday dessert bar is always a good idea! Let me know about your holiday plans in the comments below and how Edwards Desserts will help make this season’s entertaining a breeze.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies made with Crisco butter flavor, milk chocolate, and basic baking ingredients.

Crisco CookiesMy grandmother always baked using Crisco or a ton of butter (literally) and one of my favorites are these Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies that she baked every year around Christmas time. These cookies are really simple and stay soft for a long time. If you prefer your cookies crispy, just bake a bit longer.

Crisco CookiesI feel like baking Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies has become a tradition in the family. My grandmother passed away a few years ago and some traditions have been discontinued… I think that is a normal within families. It is time to start building my own traditions now and these cookies are here to stay.

Crisco CookiesCrisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

I told you earlier that these cookies are easy to whip up and they really are! You just need to beat everything with a hand mixer, stir in those yummy chocolate chips and bake around 10 minutes.

Create gift boxes for your neighbors, friends and co-workers to say Happy Holiday’s. Line parchment into a festive box, place a row of cookies followed by another row of parchment paper and cookies.

Crisco Cookies

Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crisco Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies made with Crisco butter flavor, milk chocolate, and basic baking ingredients.

  • 3/4 vegetable shortening ( I recommend the Crisco Butter flavor)
  • 1.5 cups mini chocolate chips, milk chocolate
  • 1.25 cups brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add salt, baking soda, flour and mix together for your dry ingredients bowl.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat the vegetable shortening and brown sugar. Add in the milk, vanilla extract, and egg.
  4. Mix in the dry ingredients until blended.
  5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  6. Spray a non stick baking sheet.
  7. Use a cookie scoop to place your dough on the baking sheet leaving a few inches between each cookie.
  8. Bake for 10 minutes. You can bake another minute or two if you want them crispier.
  9. Place on a cooling rack.

Crisco CookiesDid your grandmother bake using Crisco? What about you? 

Crisco CookiesCrisco Cookies

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Milo’s Tea Company, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PassTheMilos http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch made with Milo’s Tea, pomegranate juice and ginger ale garnished with fresh pomegranate arils, orange slices, cranberries and a sugared rosemary sprig for a festive non-alcoholic drink everyone will enjoy this holiday season.

The holiday season is in full swing and this Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch is the perfect drink for all your upcoming get-togethers. The holidays are all about creating memories and traditions and this Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch will become your families new go-to drink that pairs perfectly with all those traditional dishes like the turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce.

I just made myself very, very hungry. 

The one ingredient in Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch extra special is our family-favorite, award winning, Milo’s Tea. I really enjoy learning the history behind my favorite products. Yes, Milo’s Tea is fresh brewed, and features natural ingredients without preservatives or added acids. Yes, Milo’s Tea is THE beverage for holiday meal entertaining available sweetened with pure cane sugar, no calorie and unsweet options, as well as lemonade, and a tea and lemonade mix.

What’s the real history behind Milo’s Tea though?

Milo’s was founded as a restaurant in 1946 by Milo and Bea Carlton after Milo returned from serving his country in World War II. Being a military family ourselves, we always stand behind those who serve so hearing Milo served our country makes this company extra special. In 1989, Milo’s began selling their fresh brewed Famous Sweet Tea to local Birmingham grocery stores and now Milo’s beverages can be found in thousands of retailers across the United States.

I found Milo’s at my local Walmart in the refrigerated juice and dairy section but they are available at lots of retailers. Find a store near you by using the store locator. 

Milo’s philosophy was simple – use high quality, fresh, natural ingredients, listen to your customers and never sacrifice taste. This is the same philosophy that Milo’s Tea upholds today. Drink Milo’s and taste the difference. 

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch can be made by the glass or in a large pitcher. This punch goes quickly, so I recommend just making a big batch. Wash your fresh cranberries and remove the arils from a pomegranate. Slice the oranges and sugar coat some rosemary sprigs. The sugar coated rosemary is a nice touch for a little sparkle and is simple to do. Just give the rosemary a quick rinse with water and dip into a sugar filled plate. Gently shake off the excess sugar and that’s it! They smell and look gorgeous.

Before guests arrive, fill the pitcher half way with ice and drop in most of the orange slices and cranberries. Leave some to the side for garnish. Next, add 3 cups Milo’s Tea, 1 cup pomegranate juice and 3 cups ginger ale. Each glass will get a couple ice cubes, a sparkling rosemary sprig, an orange slice, a few cranberries and a few pomegranate arils filled with Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch. Add a festive straw if you wish.

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch

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Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch made with Milo’s Tea, pomegranate juice and ginger ale garnished with fresh pomegranate arils, orange slices, cranberries and a sugared rosemary sprig for a festive non-alcoholic drink everyone will enjoy this holiday season.

Yields: 14 servings

  • Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch
  • 3 cups Milo’s Tea (No-calories Milo's Famous Sweat Tea)
  • 3 cups Ginger ale
  • 1 cup Pomegranate juice
  • 2 oranges, sliced
  • 1 cup fresh Cranberries
  • Ice
  • Garnish
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • .5 cup Cranberries
  • 1 pomegranate
  • Rosemary sprigs (1 per person)
  • Granulated sugar, extra fine
  1. Wash the cranberries.
  2. Slice the oranges and remove arils from pomegranate.
  3. Cover each rosemary sprig with sugar. Give a quick rinse to wet the rosemary and then dip into a plate or bowl full of sugar. Cover the rosemary completely with sugar and then give a gentle shake to remove excess sugar.
  4. Fill the pitcher about half way with ice.
  5. Dump in 2/3 of your orange slices and 1 cup cranberries.
  6. Pour 3 cups Milo's Tea, 1 cup pomegranate juice and 3 cups ginger ale into pitcher.
  7. Serve.
  8. Garnish each drink with a sugared rosemary sprig, a few cranberries and a few pomegranate arils.
  • Preparation time: 10 minutes

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Milo’s Tea Company, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PassTheMilos http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

This post is sponsored by Hatfield and SheKnows Media.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham made in the crock-pot with brown sugar, honey, orange zest, freshly squeezed orange juice, garlic and orange marmalade featuring Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham.

The time of year is upon us for family gatherings, work events and dinner with friends. This Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham is a beautiful centerpiece entrée that’s a real crowd pleasure or just a comforting Sunday dinner on a cold day. This ham can even be prepped at home ahead of time and travels easily in the crock-pot to your dinner party destination.

Hatfield is one of Pennsylvania’s family-owned, American-made, heritage brands creating products of high quality. Hatfield products are all about keeping things delicious, simple and stress-free in the kitchen and promotes the importance of family time.  In my home, mealtime is family time – no matter where the meal takes place.

Locate Hatfield products at a store near you!

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Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham is a favorite classic of mine. Cooking the ham in the crock-pot makes this tasty entrée simple to make and so flavorful!

What about the leftovers? Okay, I will admit, leftovers might be the best part of making this gorgeous Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham with Hatfield’s boneless hams. Cold ham sandwich with gouda cheese, a grilled cheese with cheddar and warmed up ham, diced in a morning omelet or an easy snack paired with crackers.  

 

 

Let’s get slow cooking!

Open your Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham using the easy open tab at the top and place into your slow cooker. For this particular recipe, remove the netting before cooking.

Hop over to your food processor. Add the orange marmalade, brown sugar, garlic cloves, honey and zest from an orange. Squeeze the juice from that orange and blend everything together. Pour over the ham and cover the top with aluminum foil. Put the crock-pot lid on and cook on low 4 hours. Half way through cooking, baste the ham once and cover again. I don’t recommend cooking past 4 hours since the Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham is pre-cooked so you just want to warm up the product.

Once the ham has finished heating up in the crock-pot, pre-heat the oven to broil and place the ham onto a pan. I just use a baking sheet lined with foil. With the juices left at the bottom of the crock-pot, place on the stove-top with a bit of flour. Whisk until the sauce begins to simmer and thicken. Pour over the ham and broil for 5-10 minutes to get that stunning glaze.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham is now ready to serve and the smell is amazing! If you need to take the dish to-go, simply put it back into the crock-pot to keep warm and head out. Serve as soon as possible and keep in mind the longer you have the ham on the warm setting, the more you risk it drying out.

Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

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Slow Cooker Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham made in the crock-pot with brown sugar, honey, orange zest, freshly squeezed orange, garlic and orange marmalade cooked with Hatfield’s Classic Boneless Ham.

  • 3 pound Hatfield’s boneless ham
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 2-4 garlic cloves (use 4 for a stronger garlic taste, just how I like it)
  • 1/4 cup juice from orange
  • 1 orange, zest
  • 1 orange, sliced (garnish of platter)
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  1. Remove netting from ham and place into crock-pot.
  2. In the food processor, add brown sugar, honey, orange marmalade, and 2-4 cloves garlic (4 for my garlic lovers). Zest and juice 1 orange. Blend ingredients.
  3. Pour the sauce over ham.
  4. Cover the top with foil and secure lid.
  5. Cook on low 3.5-4 hours. Baste the ham half-way through placing the sauce back on top.
  6. Pre-heat oven to a broil.
  7. Remove ham from crock-pot and place onto a pan to place in oven.
  8. Place the sauce from the bottom of crock-pot into a saucepan on the stovetop on a medium to high heat. Add the flour and whisk until simmering and thickening.
  9. Drizzle over the ham and broil 5-10 minutes.
  10. Slice an orange to decorate the bottom of the serving platter for an extra special touch and pop of color.

What Hatfield products are you excited to cook this holiday season? Comment below for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

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Cranberry Poblano Relish and Cream Cheese Dip

Cranberry Poblano Relish and Cream Cheese Dip

Cranberry Poblano Relish and Cream Cheese Dip made with fresh, uncooked cranberries, poblano pepper, brown sugar, cumin, coriander and brown sugar placed on top of cream cheese for a simple and flavorful dip.

It is time for Recipe Swap Club again and this month I was tasked with Fix Me A Little Lunch with Ali. Ali lives in Oregon, where I was raised, and she is a member of the Community Supported Agriculture where she gets to visit local farms and learn more about local produce. A lot of Ali’s recipe are based on local fruits and vegetables and there are drink recipes galore!

Visit Fix Me A Little Lunch and see the original recipe!

Click HERE.

Poblano Cranberry Relish and Cream Cheese DipI wasn’t aware of this but a large percentage of cranberries produced are from Oregon and this time of year, cranberries are everywhere! You can’t have a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without a cranberry dish. I chose to make this Cranberry Poblano Relish and Cream Cheese Dip using Ali’s relish recipe for the simplicity, spice and in spirit of the season.

This Cranberry Poblano Relish goes beyond a cream cheese dip. Spread it on a sandwich or place it on some crackers with brie cheese. It is really delicious and makes your mouth do that little happy food dance. Be aware that this is a bit spicy so if you are serving a group of people, think about doing a second dip for those non-spice lovers (hey, they exsist).

Poblano Cranberry Relish and Cream Cheese Dip

Cranberry Poblano Relish and Cream Cheese Dip

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Poblano Cranberry Relish and Cream Cheese Dip
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 poblano pepper, diced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 4 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 16 ounces cream cheese
  1. Place cranberries, poblano, juice of 1 lime, cumin, coriander and brown sugar into food processor.
  2. Blend until all ingredients are finely chopped.
  3. Spread cream cheese into a serving bowl.
  4. Spread the cranberry poblano relish on top.
  5. Serve immediately or cover and place into fridge for 24 hours for the flavors to soak.
  6. Serve with crackers of choice or baguette slices.

Poblano Cranberry Relish and Cream Cheese DipPoblano Cranberry Relish and Cream Cheese Dip

Chocolate Hummus Platter

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boar’s Head for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Chocolate Hummus Platter with pretzels, tomatoes, grapes, pistachios, strawberries, blueberries, dried bananas, pomegranate, smoked gouda cheese and a  Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus for a beautiful snack or appetizer solution while hosting.

This time of year I do a lot of hosting at the house from Sunday football with friends to big holiday events like Christmas dinner with the family. A hummus platter is a really great way to feed the masses a healthy, delicious, filling snack that is zero guilt but still full on indulgence. Plus, the platter is quite stunning with all the different textures and colors throughout.

The Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus Platter really pulls people in and is an instant invitation to eat and be merry. Place it in the room where you want people gathering and watch everyone flock to this platter as they “ooh” and “aah”. I promise every single person will ask about this Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus because it is incredible so be prepared with answers.

Boar’s Head’s has a line of nine premium hummus flavors that are available year-round, however, the dark chocolate hummus is for a limited time available October 2017 through February 2018. They could run out earlier so grab it early! Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus is made with high-quality ingredients – steamed chickpeas are blended with cocoa powder, organic sugar, and real vanilla to produce an extraordinary tasting, healthier indulgence crafted with all Non-GMO Project verified ingredients.

Want more information on Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus?

Click HERE !

Boar’s Head wants to see your own creations with Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus! Snap a photo, share your story on Instagram and Facebook tagging @boarshead_official and the brand may even repost a share!

Have questions or need help locating the Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus? Contact the wonderful people over at Boar’s Head Customer Service and they will happily assist you. They are available M-F, 8a- 5p EST, at (800) 352-6277.

Chocolate Hummus Platter

Let’s start putting together our Chocolate Hummus Platter!

Wash all your fruits well before beginning and find a platter to use. I like to utilize serving trays for my platters because it holds everything in, looks fantastic and you can move it from room to room easily. Wash the serving tray and line with parchment paper.

Creating a Chocolate Hummus Platter is really simple. Place the Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hum-mus and Boar’s Head Smoked Gouda Cheese towards the center and then grab the other larger ingredients to place around those. Think about how colors are distributed. You don’t want one side heavy on a single color or texture. For example, don’t place the strawberries next to tomatoes alongside the pomegranate because the balance will be off. Distribute all those reds throughout different sections for a more visually appealing platter.

Once the largest ingredients are placed, dice the Boar’s Head Smoked Gouda Cheese and fill in the open spaces with the remaining fruits.

The last items to place are the pistachios and sage. I added sage to complete the look of the Chocolate Hummus Platter and it gives off a nice aroma.

Don’t be afraid to make some swaps that work for you! Crackers, pita chips, oranges, kiwi, rosemary, almonds, raspberries would all be great options for your Chocolate Hummus Platter. Even try some crispy bacon!

Chocolate Hummus Platter

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Chocolate Hummus Platter, #ad, Boar's Head Dark Chocolate Hummus, #AllFlavorNoGuilt, #ChocolateHummus, hosting

Chocolate Hummus Platter with pretzels, tomatoes, grapes, pistachios, strawberries, blueberries, dried bananas, pomegranate, smoked gouda cheese and a Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus centerpiece.

  • 8 ounces Boar’s Head Smoked Gouda Cheese
  • 8 ounce container Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 1 cup dried banana chips
  • 1.5 cups pretzels
  • .5 cup pistachios
  • 3/4 quart strawberries
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 2 bunches grapes of choice
  • 3 sprigs basil
  1. Wash all fruits well.
  2. Clean the platter or serving tray being used and line with parchment paper at the bottom.
  3. Place the Boar’s Head Smoked Gouda Cheese and Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus onto the center of the platter.
  4. Arrange the grapes, pretzels and dried banana chips in each corner.
  5. Dice the Boar’s Head Smoked Gouda Cheese and place back onto platter.
  6. Arrange the cherry tomatoes, blueberries, and strawberries on the platter in open spots.
  7. Cut the pomegranate in quarters and place 2 on the platter. Remove the arils (seeds) from the other 2 quarts and you can place them into a small bowl to the side.
  8. Fill in any open spots with the pistachios and decorate with a few sprigs of sage.

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