Thanksgiving Cocktails

Are you hosting a get together with family or friends for Thanksgiving in the coming weeks? Then you'll need something to serve to your guests while they are waiting for dinner to be done. Check out these awesome Thanksgiving Cocktails (that can all be made non-alcoholic) that are sure to be a hit with everyone.

Fall Punch
1/2 cup apple cider
1 cups hard cider
1 cup Sparkling Ice Crisp Apple
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup lemon juice
Cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Cinnamon sugar rim, for garnish

Rim the glass with a lemon and dip into cinnamon sugar, set to the side. Combine ciders, bourbon, Sparkling Ice Crisp Apple, and lemon juice in a pitcher- stir to combine. Fill glasses with ice, then punch. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and serve.

Orange Cinnamon Blossom
1 bottle of Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG
1/2 lemon
1/2 orange
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup sugar
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice
2 cinnamon sticks

Rinse lemon and orange and thinly slice them, discarding seeds; quarter the orange slices. Put fruit in a 4- to 5-quart pan. Add honey, sugar (use the smaller amount if you prefer drinks on the tart side, the larger if you want a sweeter flavor), cloves and allspice.  With a knife, cut the cinnamon sticks lengthwise into thinner strips. Add cinnamon and 2 cups water to pan; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes. Pour Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG into hot citrus base and heat until steaming, about 8 minutes.  Keep warm over low heat. Ladle into heatproof cups or wineglasses.

Holiday Train
1 Part Sparkling Ice Peach Nectarine
1 Part Grand Marnier
Blood Orange

Slice blood orange and remove slice for garnish. Juice remaining blood orange. Combing Sparkling Ice Peach Nectarine, Grand Marnier and blood orange juice. Garnish with blood orange slice.

Holiday Sangria
1 bottle of Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Riserva
1 large orange, sliced
1 large pear, chopped
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
4 cinnamon sticks

Add fruit to a large pitcher. Top with Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Riserva. Place in fridge for an hour before serving. Spoon fruit into glass before pouring wine. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Sparkle and Spice
750ml bottle aged rum
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 clove
1 cardamom pod
1 star anise pod
1 vanilla bean
3 allspice berries
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime

Combine rum, cinnamon stick, clove, cardamom, star anise, vanilla bean, allspice berries, and nutmeg in an airtight jar. Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into jar along with the bean pod. Close jar and allow infusion to sit in a dark place for at least 3 days. Strain rum into an airtight jar with a fine-mesh strainer, discarding spices. Over ice, pour 2 ounces of rum infusion. Top with Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime and garnish with blackberries.

Lemon Elderflower Cocktail
Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG
1-2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
2-3 drops Angostura bitters
Lemon rind (as garnish)

Place St. Germain Elderflower liqueur into a cocktail glass and add drops of Angostura bitters. Fill glass with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG to mix. Top with twist of lemon.

Whiskey Peach Pit Pie
2 Parts Irish Whiskey
1 Part Sparkling Ice Peach Nectarine
Tablespoon Maple syrup
Peach Slice

Add over ice in rocks glass. Garnish with a peach slice.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Happy Friendsgiving...Friend

When it comes to being thankful at Thanksgiving time next to my family I would have to say my friends are pretty high up on my list. I have one friend that ranks so high she is actually right there beside my family actually. She's been my best friends for quite a few years now and I really don't know what I would do without her. I try to tell her how much she means to me, but I always feel like it's never quite enough. So this year I've decided to do a little something extra. I've decided to celebrate "Friendsgiving". It's not a calendar dated holiday by any means but let me tell you it's becoming quite the thing! There are a few ways you can celebrate Friendsgiving. You can invite some of your closest friends over for a special meal to show them you care, or like me you can give them a little something special to say it instead.

My best friend likes to use the adult coloring books to help her relax during stressful times. And right now she's going through something pretty stressful in her family life. So I thought now was the perfect time to give her the ultimate stress relief coloring bundle. Oh, and a few super cute kitty stress relievers too just to lighten the mood!

To top off the bundle I even picked up a few really neat fabric items that she can color and then use to hold all of her new coloring gems.

Oriental Trading has a wide selection of adult coloring products on their website. I was really excited to find things beyond just coloring books like bookmarks, journals, and even "thank you" cards.

If you're one of many having a Friendsgiving party for Thanksgiving be sure to check out their awesome selection of Friendsgiving Party Supplies.

Need some party time inspiration? Check out these two great suggestions:
• Friendsgiving Pie Tasting Party
• Friendsgiving Dinner Party

Connect with Oriental Trading: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

When I think about Thanksgiving I immediately think about giving thanks for everything I have to be grateful for over the past year. In our household we have always had a tradition of each of us telling everyone the one thing they are most thankful for from the past year. It's always neat to see what the kids have to say, and how it changes as they get older. That's actually what inspired me to expand the tradition to on a larger scale during our annual family Thanksgiving gathering. This year I am setting up a "Give Thanks" jar on the table and asking that everyone write on a piece of paper the things they are thankful for and place it inside. As an added incentive for those that might be a little hesitant to write out their list I have little treat bags with goodies inside for after they are done. Then after we enjoy our meal as a family I am going to read them allowed for everyone to hear. I thought it would be a nice tradition to start, and a nice addition for a page in my family scrapbook.

And who better to celebrate Thanksgiving with other than the original creators of Thanksgiving themselves (okay so maybe not the original)....the Peanuts gang! There aren't too many Thanksgiving cartoons out there and I have to say I'm quite okay with that because this one is my favorite. And I am sure you can agree they make pretty awesome table decor.

Thanksgiving decor and more from Oriental Trading:
Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with festive party supplies and Thanksgiving! Find a variety of decorating themes, including fall, pumpkin and turkey. Get the kids a great holiday activity with a variety of easy-to-assemble Thanksgiving crafts. Create party treat bags with fall-themed treats, kids' stationery and novelty Thanksgiving toys. Choose candy treats for your guests or Thanksgiving mints for the dinner table. Enjoy your family get-together by creating a photo booth complete with stick props, fall accessories and Thanksgiving costumes for the kids! From Thanksgiving home decor to crafts for kids, find plenty of fun ideas at everyday low prices.

Connect with Oriental Trading: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I received product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Want the Best Thanksgiving Turkey? Choose Diestel Turkey Ranch

We've been raising chickens for a few years now so that we have our own fresh eggs to enjoy. I never knew there was such a difference until I started cooking and eating them instead of store bought eggs. Now that I have I don't plan to ever go back to store bought eggs. We actually have friends that come to us for eggs now too. Knowing the difference (like the fact store bought eggs are many weeks old before you get to buy them) has also lead me to making different choices when it comes to other foods I purchase to feed my family. I do a little more investigating and learning where the product comes from, and how it's raised. Meat is definitely no exception when it comes to my new habits, I like to know the animals aren't kept in small living quarters and fed strictly animal feed mixed other additives to make them grow. I want my meat to come from a place where they animal has lived a good life and enjoyed grazing off the land. That's why this year for Thanksgiving my family will be enjoying a Diestal Turkey. At the Diestel Turkey Ranch their turkeys are allowed to grow naturally to their intended weight on their own,  not because they were given supplements to make them grow faster. If you've never tasted a turkey that was raised naturally, or even in the wild let me tell you there's a big difference. My husband is a hunter so we've even enjoyed wild turkey for Thanksgiving that he's gotten. You can definitely tell the difference in the quality and flavor of the meat.

One thing I have to point out that I really like about the turkeys from Diestel Turkey Ranch is that you can purchase them fully cooked, and even smoked. This makes them great to keep in your freezer for holiday part invites or spur of the moment family dinners. We actually are going to be enjoying one of their Naturally Smoke Turkeys for Thanksgiving this year.

Diestel Turkey Ranch:
One of the last small, family-owned turkey grower-processors in the United States, the Diestel’s ranching style, family-farming secrets, and strict sustainable standards consistently produce a better, tender and juicier turkey with real, old-fashioned flavor that is recognized by acclaimed gourmet chefs. Sustainably raising turkeys for four generations, all of Diestel’s birds are:

• Slow grown; raised almost 2x as long and given 3x as much space as conventional birds
• Raised to their naturally intended weight giving the turkeys exceptional taste and texture
• No gluten, casein, carrageenan, phosphates, MSG, artificial ingredients or preservatives
• No antibiotics, growth stimulants, or hormones
• 100% vegetarian diet, enhanced with vitamins and minerals, milled and mixed daily on the ranch
• GAP rated; Diestel’s pasture raised birds received GAP’s highest 5+ rating

Diestel’s turkeys are available at Whole Foods Markets, select natural food stores across the country, and online.

Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.

Country Crock brings you Thanksgiving trends

Country Crock commissioned a survey earlier this month to dig deeper into the food trends and Thanksgiving kitchen stressors and had some pretty unexpected results!

Survey Findings

Squash dishes and Green bean casserole take a back-seat ― Mac ‘n Cheese is in demand
• 47% would nix a squash dish and green bean casserole from the Thanksgiving table; while 50% want mac ‘n cheese added to the table

Dishes must be “photo ready” ― DIY buttery compounds are perfect for Pinterest
• 55% are likely to post photos of their favorite Thanksgiving dish on social media

It’s not just one traditional Thanksgiving anymore
• 44% of people attend two or more Thanksgivings per year

Leftovers are required ― If you’re tired of turkey sandwiches, try a Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
• 96% plan to eat leftovers from the Thanksgiving meal in the days following the holiday
• 42% plan to incorporate leftovers into a new dish, so forget the sandwich and consider a casserole

Pie is still a must ― Don’t forget the pumpkin
• 42% prefer pumpkin pie and 19% prefer apple pie

Make sure you get the stuffing right ― apple pecan holiday stuffing will help you do it
Stuffing is the second most popular dish (22%) after turkey (41%); it’s loved more than sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes combined

It’s not just the host cooking these days ― so be prepared to make a side dish everyone loves, like creamy mashed potatoes
• 64% ask a guest to bring one or more dishes to pass
• 63% prefer their potatoes to be mashed rather than baked, roasted, scalloped, twice-baked or boiled

It’s the most stressful time of the year ― so have easy, go-to recipes on hand
• When hosting a Thanksgiving meal, more than half of people (60%) indicated their stress was food related ― preparing the food (26%); post-holiday meal clean-up (15%); shopping for ingredients (10%); putting the menu together (7%); finding recipes (2%)
• 79% of Thanksgiving hosts spent two or more days preparing for Thanksgiving, whereas 21% spent one day or less
• 66% of people have experienced stress when planning and preparing to host a Thanksgiving meal

It’s about “togetherness” ― whether it’s in the kitchen or at the table
• 53% of respondents are hosting 10 or more guests for Thanksgiving
• 74% involve either their family, kids, friends and/or guests in the cooking and baking process
• 72% of parents with kids at home let them help with food prep; mostly stirring/mixing ingredients (43%) and taste testing (19%)
• 58% plan to include extended family (grandparents, in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins) at their Thanksgiving celebration
• One in three plan to have friends attend

I would have to agree with pretty much all of the results. I know I sure want my pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. How about you? Any must haves on your list?