For today's boxed wine pitcher cocktail, I combined two flavors synonymous with the winter months: apple cider and rosemary. I added a rich aged rum, dry orange curaçao, crisp white wine, and spiced orange bitters to these classic holiday flavors for this island-inspired drink. It's the perfect pitcher cocktail to ease the tension in a crowded kitchen or just sip on all afternoon.
Rosé has everyone's attention, and now that it has finally received the praise it deserves, I thought one day of this week's series on wintry boxed wine pitcher cocktails should be dedicated this wine that's so often associated with summertime. You can tell by the gorgeous holiday color why I thought it was an appropriate fit this week.
This serious pink cocktail is for those with a slant toward the bitter side. It's a crisp, tart, and herbaceous twist on a gin and tonic.
This may be the easiest of this week's boxed wine pitcher recipes to craft, as it's based solely on purchased ingredients. If you have a box of light, fruity, or even sweet red wine, this recipe is the one for you. Basing a cocktail on this style of wine assures a vibrant, deeply hued sangria-like flavor profile.
Fruity, fresh, and tart, with a swift kick of ginger — this blackberry and pomegranate cocktail may also be the most crowd-pleasing of the pack.
Don't you especially love the parties and get-togethers that happen just after Christmas? I do. The stress is lower, the gifts have been given, and the vibe is all about hanging out with family and friends and welcoming in the new year.
I've already picked up a few boxes of wine for the holiday season — some for sipping, some to cook with, and some to use as a cocktail mixer. This white wine and clementine cocktail is the first of five posts this week that incorporate boxed wine as a main ingredient. I'll keep the recipes pretty simple, and you'll have an option, whether you have a box of crisp white, dry rosé, or bold red.
For me, Christmastime means sipping hot cocoa by the fire and fighting with your siblings over who has more marshmallows in their cup. My mom would inevitably jump in and tell everyone that they have the exact same number of marshmallows floating on top of their cocoa, but I'd always remain skeptical. Luckily I'm a grownup now and can have all the marshmallows I want, or I can be even fancier and whip up a stack of hot chocolate-style pancakes with all of the fixings.
Being a grownup rules.
Sometimes my only ask of a recipe is that it tastes good, looks good, and makes me feel good. That can feel like a steep ask, especially in this age of "quick and easy cooking." But then I put together a recipe like this one and I'm reminded how often those things sort themselves out when you have an honest pantry to pull from.
Since going gluten-free, doughnuts are one of the things I miss most during the holidays. Each year, on December 26, my grandfather would wake up before everyone else and make his way to the local doughnut store. He'd bring back a bakers' dozen of every kind of sugary treat. As each of us awoke, sleepy-eyed, stepping over boxes and leftover ribbon, we would reach into the box for something sweet and find our way to a cup of coffee or tea. We'd sit and laugh and dunk our doughnuts, savoring the moments before we knew it was time to clean up the festive disaster left over in our living room.
With its strong flavors of curry, garlic, and black pepper, you'd assume the inspiration for this ultra-savory baked potato would be a dinner at an Indian restaurant. As it turns out, this is a combination I grew up eating for breakfast, and still continue to make this day, loving that my mornings begin with the fragrance of cooked spices and lightly wilted greens.
I can't imagine getting through the holidays without the sweet and spicy flavors of gingerbread. Unfortunately, the holidays are busy and I don't always have the time or patience to bake up a big ol' gingerbread house. So instead, I've crafted this wonderfully spiced granola that's easy to throw together and will still give you all the gingerbread house nostalgia, with next to none of the fuss.
Pesto isn't just made from basil. You can use any kind of greens — or even, in this case, steamed broccoli! This is an old favorite for me, a way to turn an economical dish of steamed broccoli into a creamy yet nubby pesto to toss with pasta or cooked grains.
It has very little fat and dairy, aside from the feta, and nearly all of its body comes from steamed and blended broccoli. And lest you think that this is a dieter's compromise of a pasta sauce, I'll tell you the broccoli is sautéed with onion, garlic, and Italian parsley, and spun with lemon juice for a fantastically tangy and aromatic pasta dish. It's fresh, easy, and unexpected!
The first thing you need to know about this recipe is that it was a group effort, and I am simply the messenger. It was cooked up for an office party by Chris, our director of sales and marketing. Chris (long ago) was also a writer for The Kitchn and is a crackerjack cook. He set out bowls of this spicy, buttery, bright yellow popcorn that left a little sweetness on the tongue, and a lingering heat.
It was crazy good, and we all wanted the recipe.
Up until recently, I just assumed "the art of sandwich making" was better left to the professionals. I don't mean the basics — like ham and cheese on white or a PB&J — but the more ornate ones, like French dips, Cubans, and spicy Italians. I guess I figured that perhaps a deli had access to top secret restaurant ingredients, or at the very least better quality meats and toppings than I do.
When it comes to essentials, like tomato sauce, originality is overrated. Marcella Hazan's classic tomato sauce is famous and adored, and justly so. Scads of bloggers and food writers have written about it, so I'm just following along. I thought it was worth a spotlight this week, as we talk about simple, fresh, inexpensive dinners. This is one of the best sauces I know, and it only needs four (yes, four) ingredients.
Look out, Starbucks! I've got a simple holiday drink up my sleeve that's easy to make, and even easier to guzzle by the glass. This creamy peppermint mocha breakfast shake will give your morning a kick and ignite your holiday spirit. Did someone say we could add crushed candy canes to breakfast items during the holidays? Yes? Perfect. I'm all in.
I finally cracked the code on a gluten-free Dutch baby with delicious buttery, crispy edges, and a light and airy pancake! This is big news in my pancake-loving household. To make things even more exciting, it's infused with seasonal flare by incorporating eggnog in both the batter and the whipped cream. Can we say perfect holiday breakfast? Yes. Yes we can.
Family-style dining is one of my favorite ways to share a meal with people. It's the ultimate ice-breaker. Once someone makes the leap and digs in first, the meal — whether comprised of family, friends, or soon-to-be friends — is instantly invigorated with a sense of sharing and conviviality.
And then there are the meals when you just want the food that's on your plate. Baked potatoes, by their very nature, get you there. The fluffy potato, wrapped up in a jacket of crisp potato skin, is both filling and vessel. When you think of it that way, what you dream up to put in it runs the gamut from butter, salt, and pepper to this deceptively easy dish of baked potato shakshuka.
The key to a really good pizza is, of course, the crust. I make pizza at home at least once a week, so you can be sure this recipe comes to you after years of very meticulous kitchen testing!
Also, the fact that this dough comes together in just a few minutes and doesn't need time to rise means that you can have pizza for dinner any night of the week. It really is that fast and easy, which is why we believe this is the very best thin-crust pizza dough for a home cook on a weeknight.
Sometimes, dinner as an adult is simply what you make it. A bowl of cereal; a hearty salad; cheese and crackers; or a plate that is perfectly portioned with measured servings of proteins, fats, and carbs. And sometimes, dinner is a baked potato. This sweet and spicy baked sweet potato can feel indulgent, especially with its marshmallow topping, but next to a bowl of dressed arugula, it becomes a fast and flavorful meal to come home and make — even when you don't want to cook.
Many people tend to get excited about smoothies in the summer, when fresh berries and stone fruits are at their best. Not me. My blender usually gathers dust in the summer months (I never let those fresh berries sit long enough to make it into a smoothie), but in the winter, my body craves cool, creamy, fruit-laden drinks. And this smoothie in my current go-to.
Slaws don't have to be made just of cabbage — there are so many other delicious crunchy vegetables out there! Refreshing jicama and beautiful red cabbage get tossed together with tangy lime juice, spicy jalapeños, and cilantro for a great slaw to serve with tacos or tamales.
Never let it be said that I passed up a chance to go all out. Give me a few overnight guests, a lazy weekend morning, and a request for cinnamon rolls, and I will present this cinnamon roll wreath, complete with extra frosting on the side.
How can this glorious specimen of breakfast delight be yours? Glad you asked.
In Mexico, tamales of pork and chicken are most traditional, but vegetarian tamales made of beans, cheese with rajas (or chile strips), and mushrooms are becoming more popular.
