Beverages

Recipe—Red Wine Sangria

February 5, 2018February 1, 2018 Diva di Cucina

The big question is, when you take a two-year break from blogging, what do you post? It has to be something amazing, right? Something you are known for by your family and friends.

Is it bad that my mind went right to sangria? LOL What can I say, I have a busy life and this girl loves her wine. One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is have friends over for a relaxing dinner where we can all just sit around and laugh over our crazy lives and yes, wine is almost always involved. Many of my friends have come to know me for my sangria. I make a bomb sangria and it is so easy! So here you have it folks, the Diva’s go to sangria recipe. And guess what, I have one for each season. Here is my summer one if you want to take a peek at that.

Note: I like to let my sangria sit in the fridge for a couple of hours with the fruit. It really allows the sangria to take on some nice flavors from the fruit and allows the fruit to soak up some of the boozy goodness.

INGREDIENTS
750 ml bottle of your favorite red wine
1/2 c brandy
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c sugar
fresh fruit, sliced (I like oranges, limes, and blackberries)
12 oz can of gingerale or sprite

STEPS

In a large pitcher mix together the wine, brandy, orange juice, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
Add in the majority of your prepared fruit. (Set some aside for a nice garnish).
Place in the fridge and allow it to set for a couple of hours. (Or drink it now if you don’t have time. It will still be delicious either way.)
Add in the 12 oz can of soda right before serving.
Pour over ice and garnish.
Drink up!

Beverages

Recipe—Creamy Hot Cocoa in a Crock-Pot

December 10, 2014January 26, 2018 Diva di Cucina

Over the weekend we had a holiday cookie decorating party for my son and his little buddies from school. It was wonderful! All the kiddos huddled around the table eating the cookie toppings quicker than they were putting them on the actual frosted cookies getting all hopped up on sugar. I love this time of year!

I wanted to have a little hot cocoa bar where all the kids (and grown ups) could make themselves a fancy cup of cocoa. I’m not talking little envelopes of dry god knows what. I’m talking thick and creamy REAL hot cocoa. The kind that fills you up and warms your belly, the kind that leaves a thick creamy mustache on your upper lip with every sip. I made this a couple of hours before the party and it was perfect! Along with a big crock pot full of pure joy I had bowls of marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, chocolate sprinkles, whip cream, and then of course some grown up mixers (Kahlua, Disaronno, Baily’s, Frangelico, and peppermint schnapps). Hey if you know me, you know I don’t half ass anything. 😉

This hot cocoa was by far the best I ever had! If you are having a few people and want to make something very special this holiday season then I recommend you make this hot cocoa. It will take every grown up back to their childhood days and will be memorable for all the kiddos.

Note: Makes 8–12 servings.

INGREDIENTS
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
12 oz bag chocolate chips (dark, milk, or white chocolate will all work)
2 c heavy whipping cream
6 c milk (2% or whole)
1 tsp vanilla

STEPS

Combine all of the ingredients in a large crock-pot.
Turn on low.
Cook for 2 hours stirring occasionally using a whisk.
Ladle into a mug, add in your mixer (optional), and top with your favorite treats or leave as is.

Uncategorized

27 Cookout Recipes

May 23, 2014June 29, 2015 Diva di Cucina

‘Tis the season for outdoor BBQs, cookouts, and potlucks. I have put together 27 of my favorite summertime recipes for you to try. You will find everything from drinks to desserts. Now get outside and have some fun with friends and some fabulous food. Enjoy!

REFRESHING BEVERAGES

1. Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
2. Blended Mango Margaritas
3. Summertime White Sangria

APPEALING APPETIZERS

1. Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Ball
2. Off the Chain Cheddar Crackers
3. Creamy Chicken Enchilada Roll Ups
4. Garlic Parmesan Wings
5. Queso Fundido
6. Creamy Smoked Salmon Dip

MUST HAVE SIDE DISHES

1. Broccoli Salad
2. Classic Macaroni Salad
3. Crunchy Pea Salad
4. Italian Pasta Salad
5. Chili (The Classic Kind)
6. Potato Salad

THE MAIN DISH

1. Crock-Pot Pale Ale BBQ Chicken Sandos
2. BBQ Bacon Wrapped Pork Chop with Grilled Onions
3. Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Sammy
4. Mexican Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa
5. Classic Chicken Salad Sandwich
6. Rio Grande Spice Rub Steak with Grilled Red Onions

SWEET TREATS

1. Banana Split Pie
2. Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Dip
3. Individual Blueberry Cheesecakes in Mason Jars
4. Triple Chocolate Parfait
5. Strawberry Pie
6. Personal Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Beverages

Recipe—Homemade Spiked Eggnog

December 17, 2012January 29, 2018 Diva di Cucina

What’s Christmas without a glass or three of spiked eggnog? It is a must have item in our family. I am not a huge eggnog fan but I will drink the occasional glass here and there. However, my sister really loves the stuff so I wanted to be sure and have some on hand for her while we celebrated the holidays early this year. Unfortunately, this eggnog comes with a sad story.

This year I thought I would be adventurous and make my own eggnog. It turned out incredible and was actually really easy to make! This was by far the best eggnog I have ever had. I was so excited to share this fabulous concoction with my sister because I knew she would feel the same way. After slaving over the oven all day (okay I’m exaggerating, more like 20 minutes, this recipe is actually really quick to make) I had the eggnog done and poured it into my brand new glass pitcher. It was a gorgeous site! My mom, sister, husband, son, and I went and walked through a Christmas light display at our local zoo. The perfect end to the evening would be a homemade glass of eggnog. I poured the first glass and then went to pour the second when crack! The handle on my new pitcher literally fell off and the entire batch of eggnog shattered on my counter and went everywhere! I was on the verge of tears. However, the one lonely glass you see above survived. Thank goodness! So we all shared this one lonely glass of eggnog and it was the best glass of eggnog ever!

If you have never had homemade eggnog I highly recommend you give it a try. One thing that I absolutely love about this recipe is that the eggs are par cooked in the hot milk rather than raw, giving this a less eggy flavor. It is the perfect holiday beverage and takes on a superior quality being homemade.

Note: If you want virgin eggnog just omit the rum for a family friendly version.

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of ground cloves
6 egg yolks
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 c rum
1 c heavy cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg

STEPS

In a large saucepan heat the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, cinnamon stick, and cloves over medium heat.
Bring to a gentle boil and remove from heat.
Allow the milk to set for about 2 minutes while the cinnamon stick seeps.
While the milk is cooling, beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl until it’s pale yellow and fluffy.
Remove the cinnamon stick from your milk and slowly pour into the egg mixture.
Beat on low until well incorporated.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat on medium/medium-low heat for 5 minutes until thick and creamy. DO NOT LET IT BOIL OR THE EGGS WILL CURDLE!
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the rum, heavy cream, and nutmeg.
Allow the eggnog to cool on the counter for at least an hour.
Transfer the eggnog to a pitcher or serving dish and refrigerate for 8–10 hours.

Beverages

Recipe—Grapefruit Margarita on the Rocks

November 9, 2012January 28, 2018 Diva di Cucina

Happy Friday folks! What better day to share a margarita recipe than on a Friday. Now that my organic produce deliveries are shifting more towards winter crops I have been seeing lots of great citrus. While I certainly love to eat my fruit, it is fun coming up with fabulous drinkable concoctions too. Last weekend I used fresh squeezed orange juice to make mimosas. They were superb! This week I had some extra grapefruit and limes on hand so I came up with this grapefruit margarita recipe. It was the perfect refreshing beverage after my long day at work. If you like the tartness of fresh grapefruit give this a try. I loved that this margarita was nothing like the syrupy, too sweet, premade margarita mixes you get at the store. These ones are actually good for you! Grapefruits are low in calories and are a great source of inositol, which helps the body to maintain a healthy metabolism. They are also a member of the vitamin B complex and are an excellent source of vitamin C, which everyone needs more of during the cold and flu season. So next time you are craving a refreshing adult beverage give these a try. Cheers!

Note: If you don’t have fresh grapefruit on hand you can substitute the hand squeezed grapefruit juice for some store bought. Just be sure to leave out the added sugar.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (I used 3 medium Ruby Red grapefruits)
juice from half a lime
5 oz silver tequila
1 oz triple sec
1 tsp sugar (optional)
margarita salt
grapefruit slice or lime wedge for garnish

STEPS

Pour your margarita salt onto a small plate.
Moisten the rim of a margarita glass with a lime wedge and dip the glass into the salt until it coats the rim.
Fill the glass with ice.
In a large cocktail shaker combine the grapefruit juice, juice from lime, tequila, triple sec, and sugar.
Fill up the rest of the shaker with ice.
Holding the lid firmly in place, shake the margarita until the outside of the shaker has condensation.
Strain the margarita into the glass and garnish with a slice of grapefruit or a lime.

Beverages

Recipe—Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

May 30, 2012January 29, 2018 Diva di Cucina

Over the weekend I went to my little sister’s house and found that she had the most beautiful citrus trees in her yard. You could just smell the refreshing scent of lemons from a distance. It brought back memories of drinking ice-cold glasses of lemonade with my grandpa as a child. During the summer when we would go for visits he would have a pitcher ready to go in the fridge. It was the most fabulous drink you could ever imagine. Nothing beats it on a hot summer day. Fresh squeezed lemonade truly is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. After lightening the load on my sister’s lemon tree I left with an overflowing bag of beautiful yellow fruit. The smell of citrus wafted through my car the entire drive home. I could not wait to make my son his first ever glass of real lemonade. It was better than I remembered. Over the Memorial Day weekend we went through two entire pitchers of pure deliciousness and almost every glass I had brought back those memories with my grandpa. My son and I loved it! We sat on the patio outside and sipped our lemonade in true summer fashion.

Note: I found that on average 10 lemons produce about 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice. If you’re not a fan of pulp, pour your fresh squeezed juice through a sheet of cheesecloth to filter some of it out. For an adult twist on the perfect summer beverage add a shot of your favorite vodka or Bacardi Limón. Delish!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
6 c cold water
1 c sugar
1 lemon sliced with seeds removed.

STEPS