21 | December | 2012 | Angies Grapevine

I just love the holiday season! Everyone is so giving and generous!

A fabulous blogger Dana who writes Celiac Kiddo nominated me for the Leibster Award, Thank you so much, very sweet and Continuous Image written in Romanian nominated me for another star for 2012 Blog of the Year, Thank you!
When accepting the Leibster Award, I am supposed to share 5 random facts about myself and answer 5 questions posed by Dana. Then I have to nominate 5 other blogs and come up with 5 questions to ask them. This is kind of alot of work. But fun too. Here it goes…

Five Random Facts about me:

1. I absolutely Love Love Love chocolate “Purdys’ is my favorite!!!!

2. I was a Brownie, Girl Guide, and almost a Pathfinder until boys got in the way, played piano, viola, and loved/love ballet.

3. I have a younger brother by 7 years, who loves to tease me about blogging. I think he’s just jealous..

4. I am a Canadian Girl. 😀

5. I have brown hair and brown eyes, so does my brother, my sister however has blue eyes and red hair hmmmmmm? 🙂

Danas questions for me to answer:

1. What is the best gift you’ve ever given or received?

The best gift I’ve ever given would be a GPS to my daughter : a map and compass. Best gift received ….

2. What is (or was) your favorite pair of shoes?

My Birkenstocks by far my all time favorite shoes and usually the only ones I wear.

3. What actor would you want to play you in a movie about your life?

Sandra Bullock or Julia Roberts. Cause they look just like me, I’m just a wee bit prettier though, 😀 and are a little quirky like me 🙂

4. What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

Well first of all that I am only 44, I know quite a surprise many think I’m only 23! 🙂

5. What is your favorite cookie

Soft Oatmeal raisin cookies.

My nominations are:

The Broken Road

Jessie Homemaker

Stuff I tell my sister

Nine Cent Girl

Oh Dizzle

My Questions for you are:

1. What is your favorite food?

2. If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?

3. If you could be anyone in the world for one day who would it be?

4. If you could have only 3 electrical appliances in your house, what would they be and why?

5. What is the most rewarding experience you have had and what made it so?

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Reader Beware: This is a long read 😀

This one of my most favorite drinks EVER! I had no idea there was actually a “National Sangria Day” celebrated on December 20th, had I known I would have taken the day off to celebrate!!!

So to celebrate I have posted 10 great Sangria recipes all of which I will be trying over the holidays….well maybe not, but the Cinnamon Apple Sangria looks delicious.

Cinnamon Apple Sangria

Ingredients

• ½ Cognac (We used Remy Martin V.S.O.P)

• 4 oz. Red wine

• 1 oz. Apple cider

• 1 oz. Cranberry juice

• 1 oz. Pineapple juice

• 1 Dash cinnamon

• Lemon/lime soda

• Apple slices

• Cinnamon stick

Preparation

Combine all ingredients, except soda, in a mixing glass. Fill shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour ingredients into wine glass. Fill with soda. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon stick.

Recipe courtesy of Atrio at Conrad New York Hotel.

Pisco Sangria Punch

Ingredients

• ½ pint of Simple syrup

• 1 pint of Distilled water

• ¾ pint of Lemon juice

• 1 bottle of Pisco (We used Pisco Portón)

• 1 Pineapple

• Raspberries

Preparation

Cut a fresh pineapple in squares about ½ by 1 ½ inches. Put these squares of fresh pineapple in a bowl of simple syrup to soak overnight. In the morning, mix the rest of the ingredients in a big bowl. Use 3 or 4 parts of punch per glass, adding a square of the soaked pineapple to each. Lemon juice or simple syrup may be added to taste. Serve very cold.

Recipe courtesy of Pisco Portón.

Sparkling White Sangria

Ingredients

• ½ pint Raspberries

• 1 part Tequila (We used Tequila Avión)

• 1 part Sparkling wine

• 2 parts Lemon/Lime soda

• 1 Orange

• 2 Limes

• 1 Pear cut into small pieces

Preparation

Squeeze juice from half an orange and half a lime into the pitcher. Add ice and 1 part tequila to pitcher. Gently pour in sparkling wine and soda (so as not to diffuse all the bubbles). Stir gently and top with pear and raspberries. Serve in wine glasses.

Recipe courtesy of Tequila Avión.

Winter Chocolate Sangria

Ingredients

• 1 Bottle of chocolate infused liquor (We used ChocolatRouge Sweet Red)

• 1 Whole apple cut in pieces

• 1 Whole Orange cut in pieces

• Handful of sliced grapes

• 5 oz. Soda water

• Dash of brandy

• 1 Orange twist

Preparation

Add all ingredients, except soda water and brandy, in a large pitcher. Let sit for an hour. Add soda water and brandy. Serve over ice. Garnish with a twist of orange.

Recipe courtesy of ChocolatRouge Wines.

Pomegranate Red Sangria

Ingredients

• 1 Bottle of dry red wine

• 2 cups Pomegranate juice

• ½ cup Brandy

• 1 Lemon, sliced (rind intact)

• 1 Lime, sliced (rind intact)

• 1 Orange, slice (rind intact)

Preparation

Add all ingredients to pitcher and stir. Fill with ice and stir to chill. Serve in mason jars or your favorite tumbler.

Recipe courtesy of Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar in California.

Sangria Flora

Ingredients

• 3 cups Sauvignon blanc or dry white wine

• ¾ cup St. Germain

• 1 Peach diced

• 5 Strawberries halved

• 5 Raspberries

• 10 Grapes halved

Preparation

Add ingredients in a pitcher. Let it sit for 15 minutes (or longer if desire). Pour into ice-filled glasses.

Recipe courtesy of St. Germain.

Venezia Sangria

Ingredients

• 1 Bottle of vermouth (We used MARTINI Bianco Vermouth)

• 1 cup Apple juice

• ½ cup Cranberry juice

• ½ cup Simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)

• 2 oz. Freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1 cup Prosecco (We used MARTINI Prosecco)

• 1 Apple, cubed

• 1 Lemon, thinly sliced into wheels

• 1 Orange, thinly sliced into wheels

Preparation

Combine first five ingredients in a large pitcher and stir in fruit. Chill until ready to serve (24 hours, if possible). Just prior to serving, stir in prosecco. Pour over ice in tall glasses. Makes 8-10 servings.

Recipe courtesy of MARTINI.

Brazilian Sangria

Ingredients

• Orange slices

• Strawberry slices

• Lime slices

• Kiwi slices

• Passion fruit slices

• ¼ oz. Absinthe (We used Lucid)

• 1 ¼ oz. Cachaca

• ½ oz. Spanish brandy

• ½ oz. Orange liquor

• 1 oz. Red Wine

Preparation

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the fruits thoroughly with absinthe, cachaca, brandy and orange liquor. Pour drink in wine glass. Float red wine on top of cocktail. Stir and enjoy.

Recipe courtesy of Lucid.

Winter Spice Sangria

Ingredients

• 1 Bottle of sherry (We used Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto)

• 4 oz. Cinnamon schnapps

• 3 Clementines, quartered

• 6 oz. Cranberries

• 18 oz. Sparkling clementine juice or soda

• 6 oz. Cranberry juice

• 4 Cinnamon sticks

• Ground allspice

Preparation

Combine sherry, cinnamon schnapps, clementine pieces, cranberries, cranberry juice and cinnamon sticks in a large pitcher. Cover tightly and place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Right before serving, add sparkling clementine juice/soda and sprinkle allspice on top.

Recipe courtesy of Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto.

Giant Signature Sangria

Ingredients

• 5 Bottles red wine (merlot or cabernet)

• 1 Bottle triple sec

• 7 Peaches

• 5 Oranges

• 1 pint Blackberries

• 2 pints Strawberries

• 2 Pineapples

Preparation

Add all ingredients in a pitcher and gently stir. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.