Do you have big plans for the game tomorrow? I can’t stand football and don’t even know who’s playing in the game. But, I love the social aspect of the Super Bowl! We usually get together with a few friends to watch the game. I typically only pay attention to the half time show, which I’m pretty excited for this year. Lady Gaga always have some interesting surprises up her sleeve.

One thing I’ve learned about the Super Bowl: it’s just as much about the snacks as it is about the game. I make sure I never go empty handed to a party. Whether you’re watching at home or heading to a party to take in the game, here are some ideas for snacks to fuel you well past half time:

Appetizers

Two-ingredient creamy salsa dip

Southwest cheesecake

Everyday salad with homemade croutons

Creamy curry chip dip

Pimento cheese spread

Pepperoni pizza party bread

Parmesan truffle popcorn

Healthy almond butter banana bread

Game day salsa

Curried cashews

Ranch house cheese spread

Entrees

Slow-cooker pulled pork

Lightened-up beer chicken enchiladas

Slow-cooker pork carnitas

Chicago style hot dogs

Desserts

Lemon white chocolate rice krispie treats

The best banana cookies

Coconut citrus upside down cake

Double peanut butter oatmeal cookies

Drinks

Limoncello spritzer

Mint margarita slushie

Summertime sangria

The post Super Bowl Recipe Roundup appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

It’s hard to believe 2016 is coming to a close. The year went by quickly and, while the past 12 months were filled with lots of fun and adventures, I feel ready for a new year. There’s something about an empty planner that feels refreshing and empowering.

I’ve learned over the years I prefer a laid back New Year’s Eve in over a night out on the town. We’ll be celebrating the holiday in Nashville with family when we head south to visit my brother and sister-in-law this weekend. We don’t have any concrete plans aside from munching on some delicious food and sipping some fancy cocktails … probably while wearing our pajamas. After all of the hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas, I welcome a relaxing night on the couch!

This Limoncello spritzer will be one of my contributions to our New Year’s Eve spread. James got me a bottle of Limoncello di Capri for Christmas because I’ve been complaining about how awful the American versions are that I’ve tried since our honeymoon — they don’t even come close to the homemade Limoncello I had while we boated around Capri. Limoncello from the Amalfi Coast gets its wonderful flavor from the famous lemons that grow in the region. James snagged an authentic, high-quality bottle at Eataly in Chicago and it was such a thoughtful gift.

Lemon is hands down my favorite flavor. I love incorporating the juice and zest into as many meals as possible. And citrus makes for the most refreshing cocktails. So, I’m a big fan of Limoncello.

The best Limoncello is strong, so the prosecco in this cocktail makes for a more subtle flavor. If you want to cut back on the amount of alcohol, you can substitute tonic water for the prosecco, which will give you a lemony twist on a traditional gin and tonic. Here’s to a wonderful end to 2016 and a 2017 full of endless opportunities!

Limoncello Spritzer

Makes one cocktail. 

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 oz. high-quality Limoncello
• 1 oz. gin
• 3 oz. prosecco
• Lemon peel or slice for garnish

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Pour Limoncello and gin in a champagne flute and top with prosecco.

[/directions]

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Hey, strangers! I’m sorry I’ve disappeared on you this week. Life got a little crazy over the weekend and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. That’s why we have wine, right?

I’m so happy it’s finally starting to feel like fall in Indiana. The air has been crisp the past few days and the leaves are slowly starting to change to hues of gold and red. Indiana summers are beautiful, but there’s something magical about fall in the Hoosier state. The minute the season starts to change I’m ready to break out my boots, head to Brown County State Park for a hike and indulge in all of fall’s best foods (hello, pumpkin everything). I’m trying to squeeze as many of those activities into just a couple of weeks this year because I’ll be out of the country for most of October — more on that later this week.

One of my favorite places to visit in the fall is Oliver Winery. The grounds are breathtaking and fall is the perfect time to pack up a blanket, a picnic basket and enjoy fall’s beautiful weather with a bottle of local wine. This year Oliver released a new wine that’s perfect for this season: Apple Pie wine. Here’s what the winery has to say about this special bottle:

Oliver Apple Pie features tart, crisp apple, soft vanilla, and comforting notes of cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg. Aroma is of warmth and gentle, sweet spice — bottling the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning.

The wine is certainly on the sweeter side, but it absolutely tastes like fall. I decided to balance out the sweetness a bit by adding a few ingredients of my own to make a delicious fall sangria. I have a feeling I’ll be making at least one batch of this a week all the way through Thanksgiving. Cheers to Mother Nature’s most beautiful season!

Apple Pie Sangria

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 bottle Oliver Apple Pie wine
• 2 oz. Brandy
• 2 oz. high-quality vodka (I like Red Arrow Vodka or Cardinal Spirits Vodka)
• 1 apple, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine wine, brandy, vodka and apple in a large pitcher and stir until combined. Chill until ready to serve.
2. Stir together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Lightly wet the rims of four wine glasses and dip each into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat the rims.
3. Carefully pour sangria into wine glasses, making sure to get pieces of apple in each glass.

[/directions]

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Hey, strangers! I’m sorry I disappeared on you this week. It’s been a hectic few days, to say the least. A bad system of storms rolled through Indiana Wednesday and I headed north to Kokomo to cover the aftermath. Dozens of homes were destroyed but, miraculously, no one was seriously injured. I had a late night putting together some stories and then had another late night the next day seeing the Dixie Chicks in concert in Indy. I was exhausted, but it was so worth it! They put on an absolutely amazing show. I’ve always loved their music and have had it on repeat since seeing them live.

Now we’re spending our Saturday getting ready to host our first party in our house! We’ve been working really hard to make the place feel put together and cozy and we can’t wait to break it in by having our friends over for food and drinks. I spent last night prepping to make today a little bit easier. We’ll have lots of appetizers, pineapple mint sangria, craft beer and this boozy lemonade.

This is by no means a light drink, but it’s easy to throw together and serves a crowd. And it’s the perfect cocktail to sip on humid summer nights. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe a couple of years ago, but I completely forgot about it until this week. I have a feeling it will be a hit with our guests!

The recipe calls for a can of beer and I would highly suggest using 21st Amendment Brewery’s Hell or High Watermelon if you can. It’s the hint of watermelon takes the flavor up a notch!

This lemonade can be served two ways: on the rocks or frozen. I think it’s great both ways! If you prefer a slushie, just pull the lemonade out of the freezer 20 minutes before serving and let it sit on the counter to thaw slightly.

Boozy Lemonade

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 12 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate
• 12 oz. vodka
• 12 oz. can wheat beer
• 2 liters lemon-lime soda
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine all ingredients in an oversized pitcher or large punch bowl. Refrigerate and serve on the rocks or freeze for boozy lemonade slushies.

[/directions]

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Happy Saturday, everyone! What’s on your weekend agenda? We’re heading to a friend’s house for a party tonight but don’t have much else planned — besides attempting to stay cool. It is still so hot outside. It’s almost unbearable. I usually love summer heat, but when it’s so humid the doors and windows start sweating, it gets to be a little much.

So when I saw this recipe pop up on social media yesterday afternoon, it spoke to me. Who isn’t dreaming of cocktails on Friday afternoons?

I will drink just about any cocktail that contains fresh mint in the summer. It brings such a refreshing, unexpected twist to classic drinks and I’ve never tried a fresh mint cocktail I haven’t liked. Mojitos are usually my number one choice, but this margarita changes everything.

I love this drink because it’s not overly sweet like so many other margarita recipes. The lime and mint pair perfectly with just a splash of simple syrup. I like to serve these margaritas with two-ingredient creamy salsa dip for happy hour.

I’m just sad I didn’t discover this drink earlier in the summer because I can’t get enough of it. Luckily, my mint crop is going strong. I plan to keep making these until it runs dry.

Cheers to staying cool! What’s your favorite summer drink?

Mint Margarita Slushie

Recipe from Cooking Light

Serves: 1

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 1/2 oz. tequila
• 2 oz. freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 5 mint leaves
• 2/3 cup ice

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine tequila, lime juice, simple syrup and mint leaves in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add ice and blend until smooth. If necessary, add additional ice to thicken.

[/directions]

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I know lots of people head to picnics, potlucks and cookouts to celebrate Independence Day, so I’m rounding up some of my favorite recipes that you can easily whip up for your get together. When it comes to any holiday, I favor food I can make the night before the event or throw in the crockpot the morning of. Holidays should be about relaxing and savoring time with family and friends — not slaving away all day in the kitchen. Here are some simple but delicious dishes to take along to your July 4th gathering:

Snacks

Prosciutto + Melon Crostini

Pimento Cheese Spread

Two-Ingredient Creamy Salsa Dip

Parmesan Truffle Popcorn

Homemade Salsa

Ranch House Cheese Spread

Curried Cashews

Entrees

Campside Crockpot Carnitas

Slow-Cooker Dry Rubbed Pulled Pork

Lightened-Up Beer Chicken Enchiladas

Desserts

Lemon White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

The Best Banana Cookies

Drinks

Layered Cream and Crimson Margaritas

Summertime Sangria

The post July 4th Recipe Roundup appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Cheers to the long weekend! What are your Memorial Day plans, friends? We’re heading to Illinois to spend some time with family. All that’s on our agenda is spending a lot of time outside grilling, biking and swimming. That’s what holiday weekends are meant for, right?

Anytime there’s a summer gathering, my mom and I whip up a batch of this sangria. She got the recipe from a bartender when my parents were in Spain several years ago and it’s been our go-to summer drink ever since. It’s not overly sweet, which is my big complaint with most sangria. I’ve found this is a recipe that both wine lovers and people who aren’t huge wine fans enjoy.

I like to make this the night before a party so the fruit has time to soak, allowing its flavors to really come through. We served a pitcher during a casual get together on our porch last night and there wasn’t a single drop left!

I will warn you, slip this sangria slowly. It’s so good that you’ll want to have a few glasses, but it will sneak up on you. And there’s nothing worse than starting the work week with a killer headache from a little too much indulging.

Stay safe and enjoy the extra day off!

Summertime Sangria

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 1.5 Liter bottle of Lambrusco, chilled
• 4 oz. light lemonade
• 1 oz. Cognac
• 2 oz. Cointreau
• 2 oz. Gin
• 2 Tbsp. sugar (optional)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 peach, sliced
• 1 nectarine, sliced
• 1/4 cup strawberries, sliced

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine Lambrusco, lemonade, Cognac, Cointreau, Gin and sugar in a large pitcher. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Carefully pour fruit into the pitcher and stir until it’s submerged in the sangria. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.

[/directions]

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I’ve never been a huge college basketball fan, but it’s hard not to get caught up in the madness when you’re living in a college town. There’s nothing quite like watching the Hoosiers play at Assembly Hall or cheering them on with a bar full of fans at Nick’s English Hut. I’ve definitely gotten much more into the sport after living in Bloomington for the past year and a half. The energy and pride is contagious!

Last night’s game was tough to watch, but the team’s given us such a great season and far exceeded expectations. I’m sad we won’t be cheering them on for the rest of the tournament, but at least we have Notre Dame repping our state in the Elite 8!

I whipped these margaritas up in celebration of the season and Yogi’s amazing run as a Hoosier. I can’t stand margaritas that are sickeningly sweet, so these are light on sugar — and lighter in calories — than traditional margaritas. They feature a layer of coconut margarita and a layer of strawberry margarita. I like my margs strong, so you can add more simple syrup or coconut water to adjust the drinks to your taste.

Depending on how much you’re celebrating, this recipe makes two to four margs. Cheers to the Hoosiers!

Cream and Crimson Margaritas

[ingredients title=”Coconut Layer Ingredients”]

• 2 oz. silver tequila
• 1 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
• 2 oz. coconut water
• 1 1/2 oz. cream of coconut
• 1 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 2-3 cups ice

[/ingredients]

[ingredients title=”Strawberry Layer Ingredients”]

• 2 oz. silver tequila
• 1 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
• 2 oz. simple syrup
• 1 1/2 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 2-3 cups ice
• Toasted coconut for garnish

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Start by making the coconut margaritas. Place the tequila, Grand Marnier, coconut water, cream of coconut and simple syrup in a blender and blend until combined.
2. Add two cups ice and blend until smooth. If needed, add additional ice to reach your desired consistency. Pour coconut margaritas into the bottoms of two to four glasses, filling them up halfway, and set aside.
3. Wash out blender before making the strawberry margaritas. Add tequila, Grand Marnier, strawberries, simple syrup and lime juice to the blend and blend until smooth.
4. Add two cups ice to the strawberry mixture and blend until smooth and thick, adding additional ice to reach desired consistency. Pour strawberry margaritas on top of coconut margarita layer in each of the glasses. Sprinkle each margarita with toasted coconut and serve immediately.

[/directions]

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