Giveaway and Sangria Recipe

Today's recipe is not the typical recipe you see on my blog.  I don't drink alcohol and if you don't either, you could exchange the wine and brandy for non-alcoholic substitutes, making it a family friendly recipe, that would be a fantastic drink for summer entertaining.

I am doing a cookbook swap with another blog.  I am giving away and promoting their cookbook and they will be doing the same with mine. 

The sangria recipe comes from a cookbook I will be giving away called, "The Drinking Girls' Guide to...Spanish Food".   Army wife's and authors, Ashleigh Wehmeyer and Tiffani Warner, of The Drinking Girls blog, filled the cookbook with quick and easy recipes to make you the toast of the town.  It has everything from appetizers to main dishes and desserts.  It is also filled with beautiful pictures, wonderful stories, and helpful tips, making it a cookbook you have trouble putting down.

Stumblin’ Home Sangria (Ashleigh and Tiffani's recipe)

1 bottle of your favorite red wine, chilled  (use unsweetened grape juice, for a non-alcoholic version)

1 liter lemon-lime soda, chilled (they like 7UP™)

1 cup brandy (they like Spain’s Torres 5 Imperial Brandy™) (use apple juice. for a non-alcoholic version)

2 medium sweet apples, diced (they like gala or pink lady)

1 mango, diced (peeling is optional)

1 cup strawberries, sliced

1 cup sugar

Put chopped fruit in a clear glass 2-quart pitcher with sugar and brandy. Stir until all fruit is coated with

the brandy and sugar mix. Let it sit overnight in the fridge, or if you just can’t wait, chill at least 3 hours.

When ready to serve, add chilled wine and lemon-lime soda. Garnish with fruit. Makes 8 glasses.

Ashleigh says:  Unlike most sangria's, our does not include citrus, which we think has a tendency to leave the sangria bitter.  Ours is extremely smooth and refreshing on a hot day. Also, we don't soak the fruit in the wine, we soak it in the sugar and Brandy.  Part of what makes it so refreshing is a bit of bubbly lemon-lime soda.  There is just something about bubbles!  Tiffani also worked up a version where she used Splenda Baking Sugar in place of regular sugar for those who are looking to cut some calories.  Just replace the one cup of sugar here with a half of a cup of the Splenda.  Cutting calories without sacrificing the taste.

The Girls, are trying to reach 100 followers on their blog.  To help reach that number, they are giving away Drunken Jams, from their friends at Canning Italy.  Stop by their blog and take at not only the jam but their delicious recipes!

Giveaway!

The rules for the Giveaway are super easy.

1. You must follow my blog with Google Friend Connect, Facebook, or by email.

2.  Leave a comment on this post telling me you follow my blog.

3. For an extra entry, follow, The Drinking Girls blog, and leave a message telling me you follow both my blog and The Drinking Girls blog.

A winner will be drawn on May 1st.  Good Luck!

Stop back by on Tuesday,

 to see pictures from my trip to Mexico. 

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tuesday's Tips & Trick: Another Garilc Trick

A couple of months ago, I got an email asking for a tip on how to peel garlic.  I wrote two posts on the subject, Peeling Garlic and Peeling Garlic II.  When I was at my Mom's last week, she gave me a another tip to pass along to you.

Put the cloves of garlic you want peeled on a microwave safe plate.  

Microwave for 15 seconds.

The garlic heats up and expands, causing the peel to crack.

The clove easily slips out of the peeling!

Thanks Mom, for yet another great tip!
 

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Sinful Brownies

 Sinful Brownies

2 (16.5 ounce) packages chocolate chip cookie dough
1 (15.35 ounce) package Double Stuff Oreo's, crushed
1 (19.5 ounce) package brownie mix, plus the ingredients to make

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  

Press the packages of cookie dough into the bottom of pan. Sprinkle crushed cookies over top.  

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. 

Spread over top of cookies. 

Bake 40 minutes.

Greetings from Chihuahua City , Mexico!  I am here as part of a Passion Play Ministries International support team.  We are here to help the Passion Play of Chihuahua, perform the play for the first time.  You can follow my trip, on my Facebook page.

This recipe was given to me by my friend, Darellyn.  The original recipe had a long list of ingredients, and she cut it down to this simple recipe.  It is rich and gooey!  Very deserving of it's name.  It would be great paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Stop back by on Tuesday, for my

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post.

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks: Unique Kitchen Tool

 My sister Shelley, was in charge of the dessert table at our Easter dinner.

You are never too old to learn something new from your mom!  I spent Easter with my family in Florida this year.  The day before Easter, my mom prepared some recipes ahead of time, set the dinning room table, and pulled out all the serving dishes she was planning on using for the dinner.

It doesn't matter how many dishes you have, it seems you always need at least one more.  My mom was peeling the price tags off of the new dishes she had purchased, when she came to one that was really stuck.  She went to the bathroom and grabbed the blow dryer.  After a couple of seconds of blow drying the sticker, it peeled right off.

I decided to put this method to a test at my own home.  I had a sticker that was really stuck to a soup mug and I couldn't get it off.  I even ran it in the dishwasher, and it still would not come off.

I put my blow dryer on the high heat, and let it sit on the sticker for less than one minute. 

And low and behold, it peeled right off!

Thanks Mom, for another great tip!

 

Check back on Friday, for the

Sinful Brownie recipe! 

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Mom's Mashed Potato Salad

Mom's Mashed Potato Salad

6 cups prepared stiff mashed potatoes
1 3/4 cups Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise
1/2  to 1 teaspoon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
4 stalks celery, chopped
6 eggs, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped

Prepare fresh or instant potatoes to a thick and stiff consistency.  Cool mashed potatoes.  

In small bowl, combine Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise, 

with mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper.  

Add mixture to potatoes.  Mix well.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix well.  

Chill at least two hours before serving. 

I am amazed at how many different types of potato salad there are.  And some people are very vocal about what is and isn't potato salad.  I am not picky; I enjoy all the different versions that are out there.

My Mom, makes several different types of potato salad.  This recipe is one of my favorites.  The potatoes are creamy but firm, and all of my favorite potato salad ingredients are mixed in.  It is a perfect dish to make when you have leftover potatoes.  You can cut down the ingredients to fit the portion size of the leftover potatoes, and customize the flavors to your personal taste.

Stop back by on Tuesday, for my

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post.

Wishing you and your family a very Happy and Blessed Easter!



Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks: Easy Egg Trick

Dividing the yolk from the egg white can be a tricky task.  It is so easy to break the yolk as you try to separate the two.  An easy way to accomplish this kitchen chore, is by cracking the egg into a funnel.

The egg white flow through the funnel, 

while the yolk is trapped in the bowl of the funnel. 

On Friday, I will post

Mom's Mashed Potato Salad.

Congratulations Beverly, you are the winner of the, 

Indian Fast Food cookbook!

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

4 cups instant rice (not cooked)
2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 ( 12 ounce) cans evaporated milk
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoon cinnamon

In slow cooker, combine all ingredients.  Add 2 1/2 cups water.

Mix well. 

Cover with a lid. Cook on low 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Have you ever forgotten you loved a food, and were only reminded of it, when you had it again?  Well, that's what happened to me with Rice Pudding.  I went to a meeting and they served rice pudding.  I liked it so much, I had two servings!

This recipe has the same taste as that creamy, cinnamon infused, Rice Pudding, I had at that meeting.  Only with this recipe, you can toss it all together in the slow cooker, and walk away.  It doesn't get easier than that.

Check out my Giveaway, 

for your chance to win a cookbook from India

Stop back by on Tuesday, 

for my Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post.

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!