// Your Holiday Party Must Have: A Sangria Station!

This post brought to you by Santa Margherita Wines. The content and 
opinions expressed below are that of This Charming Life.

Sangria is quite possibly the best thing to happen to life ever. Wine + fruit?! Count this lady in! Sangria is always such a hit when it comes to get togethers and parties. It's got a little bit of somethin' for everyone. Of course that comes in handy if you're a considerate host because naturally you'll want to ensure all of your guests are accounted for when it comes to what you'll be serving, right? Since holiday parties are about to be in full swing, I wanted to share a super simple and cost effective way to appeal to all of your guests! A SANGRIA BAR! Or "station" because, you know, alliteration. 

A sangria bar is exactly as simple as it sounds. Sangria and a whole lotta options for flavor and garnish! This setup was actually my "test run" for my annual party contribution coming up in a couple weeks. I had 2 bottles of this Prosecco from Santa Margherita Wines so I thought it'd be fun to see it comes together before the actual event. By the way, I had no idea what Prosecco was for the longest time. But it basically takes everything I love about champagne (the bubbles!) and mixes it with wine (white wine!). Prosecco is only made in Italy, whereas champagne is only from France. BOOM! Prosecco Wiki all up in here.  

For my sangria bar I opted to mix all of the liquid ingredients together in a pitcher for easy pouring. I garnished the sangria with cranberries and pomegranate seeds, too. I then cut up and laid out a variety of fruits for mixing and garnishing. There are even a few frozen stirrer sticks (well, they were frozen...) If you're interested in the sangria recipe I used, here you go!

HOLIDAY SANGRIA

• 1 bottle Prosecco from Santa Margherita Wines
• 1 can frozen white grape juice
• 16oz La Croix cran-raspberry sparkling water
• 1oz rosemary simple syrup (1c water, 1c sugar, 4 rosemary sprigs)
• 3oz pomegranate juice
• Cranberries + pomegranate seeds as garnish

The fruit I chose to lay out for the sangria bar included: raspberries, blackberries, pears, granny smith apples, pom seeds, cranberries, limes, grapefruit, and oranges. And of course rosemary sprigs for garnish. I'm loving how easy yet practical this whole set up is. Everyone is free to flavor as they please! This is a stellar way to incorporate a lot of options without a lot out of pocket.

So here's a little info on Santa Margherita Wines in case you haven't tried any of their wine before! They're pretty rad because they're eco-friendly, energy efficient, vegan-friendly, and sustainable. They pride themselves on their commitment to helping preserve the environment, and while that has nothing to do with this recipe really, I felt like that deserved to be mentioned haha! Anyway, I'm a huge fan of Santa Margherita's Pinot Grigio. I've bought that very wine numerous times to give as a gift, and it's always been met with excitement. I've had that Pinot Grigio at brunch, at Thanksgiving dinner, and various other family functions. The pinot was absolutely ace, but give me wine with some bubbly goodness and I am hooked.​

One of my favorite things about this sangria bar is that it's such a fun and fresh take on a super traditional Italian wine. I absolutely cannot wait to entertain with this setup this holiday season. Plus, there's no reason sangria should be a summer-time only drink anyway, right?

Whatever parties you have happening this holiday season, a sangria station is sure to be a big ol' hit! Are you a big sangria fan? If so, what's your favorite concoction? Any suggestions on fruits I should add for the party?

Happy partying! Cheers!

xo KB

// Elderflower Razz Cocktail

I have found the holy grail of delicious boozy sorbet drinks! It's this! THIS! And it's so simple! Grab you some raspberry sorbet and a bottle of St-Germain. Mix those babies together and drink, drink, drink! St-Germain is one of my favorite liqueur to mix with. If you've never had it before, it's an elderflower liqueur and it's especially delicious with champagne! I have a couple of fun cocktail recipes up my sleeve that include a fun bubbly, so stay tuned.

I know it's the very very very end of "Summer" but if you enjoy any hot weather beverage this Labor Day weekend, let it be this one! It's especially delicious once it's all melted and swirled together. YUM!

Any exciting plans for your Labor Day weekend?!

xo KB

// 3 IZZE Ice Cream Float Recipes Sure To WOW!

This post brought to you by IZZE. The content and opinions expressed below are that of This Charming Life.

In the spirit of this hot and humid Tennessee heat, I'm bringing you some snazzy ice cream floats! Awwww yeah! Part of me didn't even want to eat (drink?) these because they were so pretty. But of course I couldn't let them go to waste haha I've partnered up with IZZE to bring you three delicious recipes sure to please at any party! Speaking of party, who wants to have one? IZZE calls it "Friendsday Night" and I'm itching to make these for the masses! ;) So suit up, come over, and let's get our brain freeze on!

This Pomegranate Raspberry float is an instant crowd pleaser! There are very few people that this wouldn't appeal to, I'm sure of it! The flavor combination is just so classic and delicious. I decided to do my own take on it using raspberry sorbet and IZZE Pomegranate sparkling juice. I also added some whipped cream to the float, to give it that traditional creaminess. This combo is so simple! Just scoop, pour, and enjoy!

I debated on using lime sorbet for this recipe, but let me just say that the creamy vanilla bean ice cream mixed with the fresh lime juice and tart IZZE grapefruit is ON POINT! It's so darn good! I sliced up some grapefruit to toss in because who doesn't love a snack in their ice cream float?!

This one right here is the real MVP in my opinion! Blackberry and basil is where it's at! I muddled some basil leave and blackberries together to create a "syrup" that I then layered with the vanilla bean ice cream. The flavor combination is a little unexpected, but they work so incredibly well together!

Are you totally drooling yet? It's hard to choose a favorite honestly. But I have to admit the Blackberry Basil was pretty freakin' awesome. There's something so unexpected and exciting about basil in a cold treat. Linden's favorite was definitely the Pomegranate Raspberry though! He may or may not have ended up wearing most of it. And you can't beat how easy and effortless ice cream floats are. Just take your favorite flavor of IZZE Sparkling Juice and pour it on top of your glass of milky goodness. Instant cool down! There are so many flavors of IZZE available, the combinations are endless! The eight fruit flavors include: Clementine, Grapefruit, Apple, Pomegranate, Blackberry, Cherry Lime, Blueberry, and Peach. They're 70% fruit juice and a splash of sparkling water, so they're a great alternative to sugar-laden sodas. That makes it totally okay to put on top of ice cream, right?

What do you think? Any of these flavor combinations tickle your fancy? Or do you have any flavor mashup suggestions?! My only goal for this weekend is to make more of these and enjoy them in the pool! You're invited, too!  

xo KB

// Movie Night Popcorn Flight

Last week the boys and I had a movie night at home. We ran by Walmart to pick up the supplies or the night, and then we popped some Pop Secret popcorn (with yummy toppings, obviously), piled up on the couch, and watched "The Land Before Time." Toby is always so fascinated when tv shows or movies that he watches are ones that I watched as a kid. Of course in Toby's brain I'm basically a century old, so his wording is always pretty hilarious. Anyway, since we were having a movie night we decided to make some homemade "gourmet" popcorn to satisfy the sweet tooth we all have. I had a set of these small glass condiment bowls and they were perfect for kid-sized portions of the good stuff. Since we had a couple of ideas in mind for the popcorn, I opted to make a "Popcorn Flight" for the boys. I let Toby pick his favorite recipes from a handful of ideas, and he chose S'mores Popcorn, Black and White Popcorn, and Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn. Here's a quick run down of each:

S'Mores Popcorn

+ Melt a handful of marshmallows in the microwave for 45 seconds. Spread melted marshmallows onto bed of popcorn. Crumble graham crackers over the still-sticky marshmallows. Melt milk chocolate in the microwave until it's a smooth and creamy consistency. Drizzle and drop the chocolate over the popcorn and crackers. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes and serve.

Black and White Popcorn

+ Melt white chocolate and milk chocolate separately and drizzle over popcorn. Place in fridge for 30 minutes to harden before serving.

Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

+ Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. In a separate bowl mix 1/4 cup butter with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In a large bowl drizzle the popcorn with the butter mixture and then toss with the cinnamon sugar. 

So The Land Before Time: Complete Collection just came out at Walmart last week and I don't think my house could hold enough tissues for me to make it through the entire thing. But it's on our summer bucket list so I guess we'll be doing it anyway! Y'all totally cried during The Land Before Time, too, right?! Little Foot is just such a sweet little dinosaur. Both Toby and Linden were totally entranced by the movie, so it didn't take them much to be still (though this makes me so excited to take Linden to his first theater!). But neither boy really talked much during the movie. If anything they just snacked and watched. Linden fell asleep about 10 minutes before the end, and I was in heaven. That was a really good night.

If you have a summer bucket list of your own, I suggest homemade gourmet popcorn and The Land before Time: The Complete Collection DVD should be on your list (but hurry because it's only while supplies last!) Feel free to come join us as we snack our way through the entire set! Haha 

What are some of your favorite popcorn toppings?

xo KB

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® , Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Pop Secret, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #Pop4LandB4time http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

// No-Bake Refrigerator Dalmatian Cake

I love me a good no-bake dessert! Yesterday we spent the first part of the afternoon at our neighbor kid's birthday party, and then afterward I decided to come home and get busy in the kitchen. We were planning on having our neighbor friends over later in the evening to watch Pitch Perfect 2 (!!!) so I wanted to make something yummy that we could all enjoy. I decided to default to our go-to dessert: 4 layer Dalmatian Cake! It's not actually a "cake", hence the "no bake" part of the title. But it's delicious! I've been meaning to share it for a year or two now, but later is better than never, right?

I already had all of the ingredients on hand since I went to Walmart last week and picked up the Pitch Perfect 2 dvd and had this dessert on the brain. It was super easy to whip up in no time and after a couple of hours in the fridge it was beyond perfect. Normally we make it once every few months or so, and we leave it in the fridge with a spoon so we can just grab a bite here and there. That might sound silly, but this dessert hits the spot, and a little goes a long way. We sent half home with our neighbors last night but half of this casserole dish will last us a solid week. If you're having friends over or going to a get together, make this! I swear it will be a MAJOR hit!

No-Bake Refrigerator Dalmatian Cake

prep time: 25 minutes

serves: entirely too many (ha!)

INGREDIENTS:

1 package regular Oreos

6 tbsp melted butter

8oz cream cheese

1/4 c sugar

3 1/4 c milk 

(2) 3.9oz packages instant chocolate pudding

12oz Cool Whip

Semisweet chocolate chips

Step One: Put all 36 oreos in a gallon ziplock bag (Yes, all 36! Resist the urge to eat a few! Or don't. Do your thing!) and crush them up. Dump them in a bowl and add your 6 tbsp of melted butter. Transfer this mixture to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and press them into the bottom to form a crust. Pop the dish in the fridge while you prepare the next layer.

Step Two: Mix 8oz cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy. Add 2 tbsp cold milk, 1 1/4c sugar, and 1 c Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crushed Oreo base.

Step Three: Mix your 2 packages of instant chocolate pudding with the remainder of your milk (just under 3 1/4 c). Stir well and let sit for 5 minutes. Once the pudding has thickened, spread it out over the cream cheese/Cool Whip layer.

Step Four: Spread the remainder of your Cool Whip over the top of the pudding layer. (We have the best luck with scooping the Cool Whip out and letting it soften up before spreading it). Finish your dessert off with a sprinkle of semisweet chocolate chips. Place it in the fridge for a couple of hours so it can set. (The Oreos get so soft!) Then eat your hearts out! 

Looks delicious, no? YUM!

Have y'all seen Pitch Perfect 2 yet? Mike and I saw it in theaters the night before leaving for Mexico and oh my lawd! We were rolling! I can think of very few sequels that lived up to the original movie's hype, but PP2 does just that. Our neighbors hadn't seen it yet so it was fun to watch it with them. When I dropped into our local Walmart I scooped up the Blu-Ray/Soundtrack combo pack because it came with a CD featuring some of the most memorable songs from Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2 (but only while supplies last, so scoot to it!) Linden and I popped some popcorn and had a little dance party that afternoon. He loves "Cups" (I do, too! I can't help but belt out the entire thing haha) You should see that kid dance! Anyway, I'm pretty sure everyone got a kick out of the dessert and the movie, so we basically had a pretty awesome Sunday night. No complaints here!

xo KB

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #ThePitchesatWMT http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

// Cocktail Hour: Red Berry Lemonade Spritzer

Another day, another cocktail! (Well, mocktail in my case... but maybe a cocktail for you!) I love me some lemonade. Like, it is probably my all time favorite drink ever and I'd live on it if it were possible. Add in some fresh fruit with that lemonade and then I'm totally hooked. Today I wanted to share a little red berry lemonade spritzer with y'all! This has kept me cool many days so far this Summer and I have a feeling I'll be drinking it until berry season has long passed.

INGREDIENTS:

Simply Lemonade Raspberry Lemonade (or any kind you prefer)

La Croix Lemon Lime sparking water (it's actually better with Sprite!)

Fresh Raspberries + Strawberries

Optional: vodka!

INSTRUCTIONS:

Add your lemonade to your glass of ice, and then top it off with your favorite lemon-lime drink. I used La Croix in this version simply because it's what I had on hand, but my all-time favorite version uses Sprite! (Those extra bubbles and sugar sort of take it to the next level!) Add in some raspberries and sliced strawberries for an extra bit of flavor and texture. I prefer to layer my carbonated drink on top of the lemonade because I love how it looks. Then I garnish with a big ol' ripe and juicy strawberry! - Bonus points if you use a chilled mug or glass. Then it's extra refreshing on a hot and humid day.

The mocktail version is both gorgeous and satisfying, and it's something everyone can enjoy. If you're looking to punch it up a bit, try adding your favorite vodka. If you're not huge on flavored lemonades, use a regular ol' lemonade and then add flavored vodka of your choosing. I bet it'd even be delicious with rum! (I'll let you know in a few weeks haha!) xo

PS; I've been out of the office since last Wednesday, so if you've sent me an email please know a reply will quickly be on its way! I'll be back in the office full time tomorrow morning and I'll be tending to emails, design clients, and sign commissions! Thanks so much for your patience and understanding!

// Cocktail Hour: La Croix Mojito

Hello Summer! If there's one thing I love about this season, it's sitting pool side with a crisp, cold cocktail in hand. Since my cocktail drinkin' is currently on hiatus, I've been trying to whip up some equally delicious mocktails to get the job done. Mike likes to call this one my "faux-jito" haha! Obviously you could easily bump this up a notch for any adult by adding some rum (Mike does!), but this is the version Toby and I like to enjoy together. (And I love that I get to garnish the drink with bits from our garden!)

INGREDIENTS:

La Croix Lemon-Lime sparking water

1 tbsp sugar

Lime - wedged or sliced

2 sprigs of fresh mint
Optional: your favorite white rum!

INSTRUCTIONS:

Muddle some fresh mint in the bottom of your glass and cover with ice. Add your La Croix sparkling water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. (You can opt to mix your ice, water and sugar in a cocktail shaker if you want to ensure it gets nice and mixed up!). Slice a lime to suit and garnish your drink with a spring of mint and a few pieces of lime. Then enjoy!

Toby loves this drink because it makes him feel "fancy like an adult" he says! It's both refreshing and delicious without being packed full of sugar or artificial colors.

If you'd like to see more cocktail (and mocktail!) recipes, feel free to click HERE for a hefty dose of Cocktail Hour!

// Summer Corn, Black Bean + Avocado Dip

My absolute favorite thing to eat in the Summer is this corn and avocado dip. I guess it's technically more of a "salad" since I like to just grab a spoon and eat it (ha!), but it's equally delicious on tortilla chips, homemade pita crisps, or even a regular ol' tortilla! I don't mind putting forth the effort and time it takes to make it, but often I find that we can't eat it fast enough before the avocado turns in the fridge. So to remedy that I've started making "half" portions. Toby actually loves it (surprisingly!) so the half-batch ends up being the perfect amount for a fresh, crisp Summer lunch.

Despite showing a full jalapeno, lime and avocado below, we only use part of them so pay attention to the amounts below if you want to make a serving appropriate for 1-2 people! If you're entertaining a small group, go ahead and double the amounts!

Ingredients:

- 2 fresh, boiled ears of corn - kerneled (or 1/2 can of corn)

- 1/2 can of black beans - drained and rinsed 

- 1/2 avocado - cubed

- Handful of cilantro - diced

- 1/2 lime - juiced

- 1 dozen cherry tomatoes - quartered

- 1/4 jalapeno - seeded and diced

- 4 tbsp red onion - diced (1/4 of an onion)

- Kosher salt

Steps: I always start by rinsing my corn and black beans, then tossing them in the bowl. Then I quarter up my cherry tomatoes and drain them so they don't add too much "water" to the mix. I like to buy the diced onions because otherwise I tear up like crazy while cutting them ha. But then I add my onions, diced cilantro and lime juice. Don't forget to be careful when you're slicing and seeding your jalapeno! It doesn't matter how many times I remind myself not to touch my nose/eyes, I'm always left crying on the couch with an ice cube to my face! (Seriously... it burns so bad!) I always make sure to mix up the salad at this stage so I can then top it off with my cubed avocado. No one likes when the avocado gets all mashed up in there! After getting it all nice and ready, I sprinkle a handful of coarse, kosher salt on top to taste. If you're eating it with tortilla chips, go light on the salt! - It's an insanely simple "recipe" and probably didn't even require the steps to be listed out. But there you go!

I promise that if you make this, you will love it! It's so refreshing! Since I only use half a can/avocado/lime when I whip it up, I'm always set to make it again the next day. Let me know if you decide to give it a go. I'm thinking I might need to head to the grocery store so I can make it this week again!