Sangria in a Stockpot

February 18, 2013February 28, 2014 ~ Angela ~ 9 Comments

Do you know what today is? Yes, it’s Monday and Presidents’ Day. It is also National Drink Wine Day! This is definitely my kind of day – I didn’t have to go to work AND I’m supposed to sit around drinking wine? Awesome!

I figured to honor this special day, I would share my experience with making a copycat version of Carrabba’s Blackberry Sangria. If you go to Carrabba’s and have not tried this yet it’s an absolute must; and if you don’t go to Carrabba’s you should. This is by far the best sangria I have ever had. So of course, I looked for the recipe online and I found it on food.com:

1 1/2 liters Bisanzio Italian wine or 1 1/2 liters any other sweet red italian wine
14 ounces cranberry juice
14 ounces Monin Blackberry Syrup
6 ounces Tuaca liqueur
blackberries

For Garnish

lemon slice
orange slice

Directions:

Mix all liquid ingredients together and add blackberries. Refrigerate and let sit for a few hours. Serve over ice. When ready to serve, add a slice of lemon and orange.

As much as I enjoy wine, I certainly would not consider myself a connoisseur. I like whites and fruity reds (especially wines from local NJ wineries) but I had no idea what would be considered a sweet red Italian wine. Luckily there are many helpful employees at my local liquor store and I was led right to what I needed (under $10 a bottle too!).

I had to order the blackberry syrup from Amazon because while the liquor store does carry Monin syrups, they seemed to have every flavor BUT blackberry. Once that arrived, I was ready to make some sangria!

I quickly realized that there was no way I was going to be able to mix two bottles of wine plus all those other liquids in my measly little pitcher so I grabbed my spaghetti pot. Even that was too small though, so I had to pull out the big guns.

Is it the sign of a problem when you are making sangria in a stockpot?

Once I had everything mixed together I transferred the sangria into two pitchers and let it sit overnight. The next evening, I had my first glass. It was delicious! It tasted ALMOST just like the Carrabba’s stuff and after letting it sit another night, and adding a little ice to my glass it tasted EXACTLY like it. Cheers to Google, for without it I would be spending way too much money at the bar at Carrabba’s to get my fix of their Blackberry Sangria!

Will you be celebrating this dual holiday with a glass of wine? What’s your favorite?

Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2013February 13, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 1 Comment

Whether eagerly anticipated or downright dreaded, I hope you all have a very happy Valentine’s Day!!

I’m Hearing Voices…

February 12, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 6 Comments

My cookies are talking to me, and they’re not just whispering “Eat Me….” like they normally do.

These were inspired by a cookie pop from The Decorated Cookie that I saw on Pinterest. They are adorable – cookie heart pops covered in crushed conversation heart candies (click here to see what I’m talking about!). Since I love cookies AND conversation hearts I decided that I definitely wanted to make them.

There was just one problem…

I could not crush the stupid candy hearts!! True, I have NEVER been a heartbreaker but this was just ridiculous.

I started off by putting the hearts in a ziploc bag and giving them a few whacks with my meat tenderizing mallet. Nothing happened. I hit them harder. STILL nothing. Fearing I would wake my sleeping boyfriend, I took them out onto my back porch and beat the crap out of them. I managed to break three or four, but the rest were still intact – sappy messages and all.

Apparently the creator of these cookies had superhuman strength, or maybe just a really good food processor. I was afraid if I tried to chop them in mine that I would somehow break it, so I just gave up and decided to put one whole heart on each cookie instead.

So they didn’t turn out exactly as I had intended, but I still think they’re pretty cute and I just love the little burst of flavor you get when you eat the section with the candy on it. I think these would make pretty cute Valentine’s gifts, don’t you?

Roses are Red, Violets are Violet

February 9, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 9 Comments

Seriously. Violets aren’t blue. They are purple. Maybe a bluish purple, but purple nonetheless. Just had to get that off my chest.

Anywho, it’s almost Valentine’s Day!

I happen to have received my Valentine’s gift a little early this year in the form of a fabulous new Coach purse. I picked it out from the online outlet, boyfriend ordered it before it sold out as these things tend to do. We had to open the box when it arrived two weeks ago to make sure I actually liked it (of course I did – I’m the one that picked it out!), and then somehow my wallet, keys and phone sort of just fell into it and I have been using it ever since. After 8 years, we are at the stage of “Just tell me what you want for Valentine’s Day and that’s what you’ll get” and it usually ends up being something practical, but slightly expensive: Coach purse for me, WeatherTech floor liners for him (they came early too).

So there is never much mystery surrounding V-Day anymore. However, two years ago I received something that not only surprised me, but cemented the fact in my mind that the boyfriend and I are meant to be:

What is so special about a silly sock monkey card?

This is the card I got him:

Oooooh weeeeeee oooooooh.

The thing is, neither of us has any kind of sock monkey obsession. So the fact that we both picked out the same card (from two different stores) from the hundreds available has to be an indicator of some serious cosmic connection, right? Or maybe just the fact that we’ve lived together too long. Either way, I found it amusing.

I thought it would be cute to make sock monkey cookies for Valentine’s Day, but I don’t have that much faith in my talents yet so I just stuck to hearts.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received for Valentine’s day? Or do you just despise the whole thing? If so, you might actually enjoy these “stalker” conversation heart cookies I made for a friend last year…

Ahoy!

February 7, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 2 Comments

Today’s project was Navy themed cupcakes for a coworker’s son. She wanted cupcakes with anchors on them.

I can’t draw. Even my stick figures are crappy looking.

Despite my faith in my total inability to draw an anchor that actually LOOKS like an anchor, I took the order. I have a little trick. It involves clip art, waxed paper and melted chocolate.

I went into MS Word and found a clip art anchor that I liked the look of, then filled the page with it. When I was ready to make the anchors, I put a piece of wax paper over the sheet with the pictures then traced the shapes of the anchors in melted chocolate that I had placed in a pastry bag with a small round tip.

This technique not only results in cupcake decorations that are edible and (in my case) identifiable, it also ensures uniformity in size.

Anchors aweigh!

February 5, 2013 ~ Angela ~ Leave a comment

YUM!!

The Domestic Rebel

When I was a little kid, I always got pretty stoked for Valentine’s Day.

There was something about picking out the perfect box of Valentine’s cards at the grocery store, filling them out individually with every kid’s name, and attaching some kind of candy to the greeting.

Similarly, I’d be equally stoked to make my “Valentine’s mailbox” which I’d decorate with a ton of brightly colored hearts and stars and things as to attract a simple-minded child’s attention and perhaps they’d drop a few extra Conversation hearts my way.

In first grade, I remember staying up super late one night, drawing everyone in my class a picture in addition to their personalized Valentine’s and candy. I wanted to do this because I wanted to attract the attention of the boy I liked: Robert.

Robert looked like the brother of Zach Morris and had a cutie comb-over in our class…

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Bowled Over

February 1, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 2 Comments

The first thing I saw when I turned on the news while getting ready this morning was the live update from Wing Bowl 21. Every February, gluttons from around the world gather in the early morning hours in Philadelphia to see who can chow down on the most chicken wings (no shortage here folks!). People actually buy tickets to this. And, because it can’t be that fun just sitting around watching people try not to regurgitate their drummies, a bunch of scantily clad women (aka “Wingettes”) are on hand for added…entertainment. Why this event garners more coverage on the morning news than any actual NEWS taking place is beyond me, but whatever.

There it is. — The classy Wingettes from Wing Bowl past…. (Photo credit: Phillyspider)

Next, from my favorite morning radio show – The Preston and Steve Show – came the first annual Possum Bowl. I found watching possums Petunia and Marigold on the webcam to be much more entertaining (and less nauseating) than the slobby guys and excessive amounts of boob at Wing Bowl, and according to the outcome of this bout – the 49ers are favored to win the real thing on Sunday.

English: Baby possum lapping milk out of a bowl — Possum IN a bowl (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Speaking of the real thing on Sunday, I had to get in on the action too. A few weeks ago a coworker showed me these cupcakes in a magazine (my poor brain can’t remember which one) and said, “You should make these!”

So I did. And here they are:

For the grass I used a small closed star tip (Wilton #27), and the footballs are chocolate covered almonds. These were pretty easy to put together and would make a great addition to any Super Bowl party. Too bad for everyone I know – no one invited me to one this year. No cupcakes for them!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering – the Wing Bowl 21 champ, Jamie “The Bear” McDonald, ate 287 wings. Gross. Not quite as gross as last year’s winner though. He devoured THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN wings.

Par-tee!

January 19, 2013June 9, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 4 Comments

I don’t really understand golf. I mean, I get the general concept – get the ball in the hole in as few swings (strokes?) as possible – but I don’t get why anyone bothers. It’s so boring. And watching it? I’d rather be eating cupcakes, even if they are golf themed…

These were for a 50th birthday in my office. I piped on the grass using a Wilton #233 tip. The “golf balls” are mini-gumballs, and the flags are made from coffee stirrers, paper and tape. I figure since they were for a coworker, that it was okay for me to make the flags while I was AT work, right? 😉

December 28, 2012 ~ Angela ~ Leave a comment

Here’s some info on the making of the tags for my leg lamp cookies from my friend at Scrapsecrets!

scrapsecrets

First, I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and/or Hanukkah. This time of year is always crazy and of course this year is no exception. Christmas snuck up on me so fast – I thought I was prepared, but I wasn’t! I was working until Christmas morning on tags and cards for presents. Not that I minded. I love being busy!

One of the things that I was busy with was a collaboration with a friend from high school. She makes the most adorable cookies – she’s so creative. A client of hers asked for the leg lamp from A Christmas Story. She wanted to add “FRAGILE” tags to each wrapped cookie and she very nicely thought of me. I was so excited to work on this project with her! I made a mock up for her and with one small change, she approved and it was a go!

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The 12 Daze of Christmas

December 23, 2012December 23, 2012 ~ Angela ~ 5 Comments

Today I got a little break from the pre-Christmas running around madness. Presents are all wrapped, cookies are baked, make-ahead mashed potatoes for Christmas Eve dinner are made…ahead. What better way to enjoy some downtime than with a cocktail?

This drink was inspired by those chocolate covered marshmallow and caramel santas that you can buy at the drugstore this time of year. I love those things!

While I was whipping this up, I thought of a Christmas song called The 12 Daze of Christmas by Fay McKay. It’s not something they ever play on the radio – I’m not even sure how I ever heard it in the first place – but they should, because it’s freaking hilarious.

So if you too could use a little drink and some music to unwind this evening, play that and make this:

Chocolate Caramallow Cocktail

1 oz Pinnacle Marshmallow Vodka
2 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
splash of half & half
ice
caramel sundae syrup, chocolate syrup and marshmallows for garnish (optional)

Combine marhsmallow vodka, chocolate liqueur, half & half, and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until frosty. Drizzle caramel sundae syrup inside martini glass, then pour in drink. Garnish with marshmallows and chocolate syrup.