Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Sangria

Warm spices, sweet pomegranate, and crisp apples come together perfectly in this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider Sangria...

While I know that the turkey, and all the sides, and the pumpkin pie are the stars of that big turkey day coming up next week, I do firmly believe that a Thanksgiving dinner menu is not complete until a fall festive cocktail has been added to the mix. ;) 

Usually, we pick up a bottle of wine that will pair well with turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner, but this year I am changing things up just a bit. 

We will still be sticking with the wine, but I am jazzing it up with fresh pomegranate, apples, and lots of spice in this easy-to-make sangria recipe that I am sharing with you all today.

I know most people think of sangria as just a warm weather thing, but why should summer get all the boozy fun of this delicious cocktail? The fall season offers such wonderful flavors that lend themselves perfectly to a good homemade sangria. 

Since I have been on such a pomegranate kick lately, I really made it the star of this sangria with the addition of pomegranate vodka, pomegranate juice, and fresh pomegranate seeds. The apple cider, spiced rum, and cinnamon smooths out the entire cocktail making for easy sipping for your Thanksgiving feast next week... :)

Cranberry White Wine Sauce

Forget the canned stuff for your holiday dinner! This classy Cranberry White Wine Sauce takes just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes to make...

In case you all have been too busy to notice, Christmas is just two days away.

Two days, folks. Who all is ready? ;)

I can honestly sit here and say for once that I am ready. I did just finish wrapping up the last of the gifts last night, but I am done. Everything is ready to be placed under the tree and then ripped open in less than 48 hours. 

I believe this may be a first for me, friends. 

So now that the whole gift wrapping business is done and crossed off my holiday to-do list, I am focusing on my Christmas dinner menu. 

I actually wasn't planning on hosting a big family dinner for Christmas this year, but my husband kind of changed all that thinking when he came home from work the other day with a 20 pound ham in a bag.  

This thing is huge. So naturally, I decided that hosting family for a big Christmas dinner would be in order. 

10 Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Sides

Save time, oven space, and sanity with this round-up of 10 Thanksgiving Side Dishes you can make in your slow cooker...

This year will my second year hosting my family's Thanksgiving dinner.  I am loving my new role as the hostess of the traditional family Thanksgiving, but I am all about making it as easy & stress-free (& delicious) as possible for myself.  

I mean, who wants to be stuck sweating in the kitchen, fretting that everything will not get done in time due to a shortage of oven space?  Not >>this girl<<.  ;)

I want to be the hostess sipping on a cranberry mimosa while the turkey rests and most of the sides are deliciously nestled in a couple of slow cookers, keeping warm...