HOLIDAY SANGRIA.

We came home from 90' sunshine and 95% humidity, to some of the colder southern California temperatures I have ever felt. It doesn't bother me, I crave seasons, and it gets me in the holiday mood. The music, decorations, friends getting together for ugly sweaters or wine and cheese - it's all just so cozy and festive. It's not the gifts and shopping that excite me in December, it's the good company.

I looked into some sangria recipes, as I wanted something different to bring to a get together this past weekend. The rules here are like that of vegetable soup, you can kind of get away with tossing in anything that's around. It doesn't seem like you can really mess it up. This combination felt 'holiday-ish' to me with all sorts of winter fruits, and the hint of warm spices. I don't like drinks super sweet, so after the fruit sits for a bit, the bit of honey and ginger ale add plenty of sweetness to this sangria. It travels well, and is a nice change from the typical bottle of wine. Put it in mason jars (without the ginger ale), tie a pretty ribbon, and you've got yourself a unique gift. 'Tis the season.

HOLIDAY SANGRIA // Makes one large pitcher

If you are serving this individually, use the ginger ale as a float. If you are leaving the pitcher out for people to help themselves, stir in about half the can of ginger ale.

1 bottle Zinfandel

1/3 Cup Cointreau

1/3 Cup Gran Marnier

1 Can Natural Ginger Ale

1/4 Cup Honey

1 Honeycrisp Apple

1 Large Orange

1 Fuyu Persimmon

1 Pear

2 inches of Peeled Ginger, in rough pieces

2 Sticks Cinnamon

Pinch of Ground Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Dried Cloves

Fresh Mint for Garnish

1. Cut the fresh fruit into thin slices, width wise (so it looks pretty). Toss the fruit, ginger, cinnamon, cinnamon sticks and cloves into the pitcher.

2. Warm the honey just a tad, add to the fruit.

3. Pour the wine, cointreau, and gran marnier to the pitcher. Mix everything around. I left mine at room temperature for an hour to marinate, and then I put it in the fridge for another few hours to cool.

4. To serve, fill the pitcher with ice. Put a few mint leaves in each glass, fill it 3/4 way full with sangria, and top it with ginger ale.

AWAY.

We leave for Bali, Indonesia this evening for our honeymoon. I am so anxious to share pics and details of our wedding with you, but will wait until I can find words for the utter fabulousness that was this past weekend. Hugh and I can't stop talking about it, but I'm stumped as to how to sum up it in a few descriptive paragraphs. Until then, I leave you with these two frames from our AMAZING photographer,

James

. I am ready for a little break; some time to digest this big event and feel grateful for the abundance of love we have from family, friends and each other. It's a big deal.

We're just eating wedding cake today...all day, but I promise we will be back soon with passion and excitement for this little cubby of the internet.

APPLE & SMOKED MOZARELLA MINI CALZONES

My dad, sister and I have had years of battling with my mom over the stuff she hoards in the garage. If you need a treadmill, non-functioning keyboard, halloween costumes for any age group, old silverware, paint in ANY shade of the color spectrum, it is in my mom's garage. It's a treasure trove of memories, junk, and admittedly useful items that I've taken to fill up our empty apartment.

Yesterday, I came across a box of frames I had on the wall of my room in college. They were all black, in attempt to keep some aesthetic to an entire wall full of pictures. After sitting in my mom's garage for a few years, they'd gathered a thick coat of dust; I cleaned them all off, and I can recall the specific circumstances of each of those captured moments.

We are just about two weeks from getting married now, and in this crunch time, I will confess that I'm at the height of emotion, most things bring me to tears, but the pictures reminded me how full my life has been/is. Not of things, wealth, or huge success', but full of people who have loved me for the majority of my years. Pictures of me laughing with my sister back when she dyed her hair different colors every week; my best friends Terri, Shan and Brit, from a trip to Italy, noses bright pink whilst experiencing coldest day of our lives; different images with my college roomates, who have undoubtedly been the most sincere friends I've ever known; Hugh and I five plus years ago... we were a little sad to see that yes, we are aging, but the carefree expressions are the same in our most recent pictures too. He has consistently made me so happy. These pictures reminded me how wonderful it is to be surrounded by people that are easy to be around. I just love these people SO much, and the greatest part is that each of them are an active part of my life to this day.

Speaking of being filled with goodness, I bring you mini calzones. Something that may look a little standard from the outside, but has warm fall flavors inside. Just little pockets of simple loveliness, like a box of old, dusty pictures.

APPLE + SMOKED MOZARELLA MINI CALZONES // Makes 12

I have included a link to the whole wheat dough I like, but you can buy one from a local pizza place or at some grocery stores to save yourself time.

1 Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (see recipe here)

1 Yellow Onion, sliced thin

1/2 tbsp. Butter

1 Medium Apple (Honeycrisp, Fuji or anything crispy)

1 Cup Diced Smoked Mozarella Cheese

1 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Handful of Fresh Thyme

Handful of Fresh Chives

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for brushing

Dijon Mustard to Serve

Heat oven to 500'

1. Make the pizza dough according to recipe link, or if using a premade crust, let it come to room temperature.

2. In the meantime, warm the butter over medium heat in a saucepan and add the thinly sliced onion. Continue to move them every so often until they begin to caramelize, this whole process takes about 20 minutes give or take.

3. Seed and cut the apple into a rough dice. Pull of the thyme leaves, and give the thyme and chives and nice chop. Get all your fillings in order for easy stuffing.

4. Roll out the dough into a shape resembling a rectangle. You want the dough thin, but not too gentle that it will rip when you stuff and fold. Use a sharp knife to cut across, making about 3x3 inch squares. Lay them on a floured baking sheet in lines, see picture.

5. Pile your toppings in the middle of the square. I did the order of onions, apples, both cheeses, herbs and a twist of black pepper... but I don't believe it makes any difference. Gently fold one corner across to the corner opposite, and gently press and fold the open edges. Repeat with all 12 or however many you end up with.

6. Brush the top of each mini calzone with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 14 minutes until tops are crispy brown. Let them rest just a minute before eating, serve with a little dipping dish of dijon mustard.