Antipasto Bloody Mary

Inspired by a favorite Italian appetizer, this Antipasto Bloody Mary is a tasty twist on the classic brunch cocktail...

This post was created in partnership with Drizly as part of their Top Shelf Blogger program. All opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

When it comes to weekend brunches, I am a Bloody Mary gal all the way. Sure, I can sip on a mimosa or a screwdriver, but you put a Bloody Mary bar in front me and I am in heaven. I think that Bloody Mary bars have to be like the best ever addition to a brunch menu- am I right? 

While the bartender shakes up your Bloody Mary to your spice & heat preference, you can peruse all the delicious ways that you can top your cocktail. From the traditional olives & celery stalks, to thick cut bacon slices, pickles, cocktail onions, and more, you can create a cocktail and a snack all in one. And if you ask me those are the best Bloody Marys- the ones that come with a built-in snack. ;)

This Antipasto Bloody Mary recipe that I am sharing with you all today is inspired by my love for Bloody Mary bars and after one of my favorite Italian appetizers, an antipasto platter. 

Traditional antipasto platters are the Italian version of a charcuterie board. They are usually brimming with hard cured Italian meats like salami, pepperoni, & proscuitto, olives, various peppers, and fresh mozzarella. With this Antipasto Bloody Mary, you get the cocktail with a bonus personal sized antipasto snack skewered right on top.... 

Basil & Garlic Bloody Mary

The traditional Bloody Mary gets a little sophisticated & flavorful twist with a super simple basil & garlic infused vodka...

Football season is in full swing, folks! 

Some of you are fans.  Some of you are crazy fans.... like you start bleeding a color other than red when your favorite team hits the field.

And some of you all could care less. 

But I think we can all say that we are fans of tailgating and football parties and the tasty foods and drinks that those little get-togethers entail. Am I right? ;)

Football game mornings used to always mean bloody marys to start the day.  I mean, you know... like years ago they did.

But I still like to partake in the occasional bloody mary on a crisp football game morning.  

Foodie on a Budget: Arrabbiata Bloody Mary

It is Sunday, and Sundays mean brunch, right?  When I think of Sunday brunch, I think of Belgian waffles, fluffy omelets, crispy bacon... and bloody marys!  ;)

Did you ever think of making your next round of Sunday brunch bloody marys with pasta sauce?  Me neither until I was trying to come up with something clever to use my Delallo Pomodoro Fresco Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce.  Why not a spicy bloody mary? ;)

What you will need:

1 shot of vodka (or a little more... whatever ;) )

1 cup of Pomodoro Fresco Spicy Arrabbiata sauce

1/2 cup of water

juice from 1/2 a lime

a few dashes of celery salt

a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

You will note that I left hot sauce out of this recipe.  Hot sauce is really not necessary in this cocktail.  Trust me on this.  ;)

Basically toss all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with some ice.  Shake well, and then strain into a tall glass filled with ice.  I do stress to make sure you strain the drink.  Unless you like a little chew to your bloody mary.  Garnish with lime, olives, pickles, celery... whatever floats your spicy little boat.  This recipe makes enough for one large (think about 16 oz) bloody mary.  

Well, you know I have to ask.... Have you entered the Delallo Pomodoro Fresco Sauce giveaway yet?  Well, what exactly are you waiting for?  ;)

CLICK HERE to enter!

These all ^^^^ could be yours, my friend! :)

10 Weekend Brunch-worthy Cocktails

Raise a glass to the weekend with one of these 10 Weekend Brunch-worthy Cocktails...

If you ask me, the weekends were just made for brunching. For starters, you don't have to get up early to enjoy brunch. You can sleep in AND still get to enjoy the best of breakfast & lunch. And when I think of a weekend brunch, I also picture inviting a few friends over and sharing plates of bacon, pancakes, & made to order omelettes. In fact, there is nothing I love more than preparing a tasty brunch spread at home on a Saturday or Sunday morning and kicking back with a brunch-worthy cocktail.

I know that when most of us think of brunchy cocktails that Bloody Marys & mimosas usually come to mind. And while I have definitely included a few unique twists on both of these classic libations in this collection of weekend brunch-worthy cocktails, there are also a few boozy concoctions featured below that are sure to kick you out of that brunch cocktail rut. It isn't all about the vodka & champagne, folks! Tequila, gin, Kahlua, & even beer are the stars of some of the tasty cocktail recipes you will find below. 

Ready to get your brunch on this weekend? ;) Let's get you started with this collection of 10 Weekend Brunch-worthy Cocktails... 

5 Reasons to Plan a Family Vacation to Amelia Island

Located on the northeast coast of Florida, Amelia Island is the perfect family friendly travel destination brimming with historic charm & miles of pristine beaches...

This post was created in partnership with Amelia Island tourism. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

Last month I had the pleasure of spending 4 amazing days exploring Amelia Island on the northeast coast of Florida. In addition to discovering the amazing beaches, the fresh from the sea local food scene, & the historic charm of this seaside destination, I also had the chance to stay at not one but two of the island's premier family friendly resorts. 

To say that I was utterly impressed by what all Amelia Island has to offer as a family vacation spot would definitely be an understatement. 

Amelia Island quite literally has something to offer every member of your family- from the foodie to the history buff to the outdoor enthusiast. And many of the resorts on the island offer programs and perks specifically tailored to the kiddos in your family whether they are 3 years old or in their teens. 

While I could probably rattle off at least 100 reasons why you should plan your next family vacation to Amelia Island, here are my top 5... ;)

Exploring the Local Brewery Scene in Columbus, Ohio

With over 40 breweries & microbreweries, Columbus, Ohio is quickly becoming a must-visit destination for craft beer enthusiasts...

This post was created in partnership with Experience Columbus. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

When I moved back to my home state of West Virginia after living in the Columbus, Ohio area for 8 years, Columbus was just then starting to experience a growing craft beer movement. While local breweries were very few in number (think maybe Barley's, Columbus Brewing Company, & Elevator Brewing downtown), craft beer tap takeovers in local bars had started to become more & more popular. In fact, these tap takeovers is how I first experienced and fell in love with craft beers.

Fast forward 8 years later, and the craft beer scene in Columbus has totally evolved into a full-fledged local brewery movement. In fact, there are now over 40 breweries & counting in the Columbus area alone! I knew I had to get back to C-bus to explore the local brewery scene. I spent two days in the city- even embarking on a guided brewery tour- and I didn't even get to a fourth of the breweries in the city!

Even though I didn't get to experience everything Columbus's local brewery scene has to offer on this most recent visit, I did get a good taste of what the city has been brewing up since I moved away. Today I am sharing a few of my favorite craft beer gems from Ohio's state capital...

White Lights On Wednesday is Turning Two! {A Giveaway!}

I am so excited to be joining Julie from White Lights on Wednesday in celebrating her blog's second birthday! :) In case you haven't met Julie before, she is one of the co-hosts of the Get Your Chef On Challenge (which I will be competing in this Tuesday).  I also pop over to her blog every other month as a cocktails contributor.  In fact, I was just over there this past Saturday sharing my recipe for a Basil & Garlic Bloody Mary- perfect for game days! :)

To celebrate two years of WLOW being a part of the blogging world, we are helping Julie give away a $150 gift card to Target, Etsy, or Amazon (your choice!) and 3 of Julie's favorite e-cookbooks...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The SuperBowl of ALL Giveaways! {$500 Paypal Cash Giveaway}

Okay, so here is the thing... I do not care about who wins the Super Bowl.

(I apologize now to all my die hard Seahawks and Broncos fans out there reading this.  And yes, I just had to actually Google who is playing in the Super Bowl next Sunday before I typed that sentence. ;) )

But I will have people over.  I will host a little get-together.  I will sort of watch the game.

Why?

Because I am straight up in it for the food, my friends. 

Game day food is THE BEST.  Am I right?

Now, please don't think that I am one of those gals who is a sports hater. That is far from the truth.

I am just not much for professional sports... except for baseball.  And maybe hockey- but that is just for the fights. ;)

I am all about college football though, folks.  LOVE college football season.

Slow Cooker Vodka Pasta Sauce

I am kicking off Slow Cooking Through Summer Week by sharing this super simple & delicious Slow Cooker Vodka Pasta Sauce recipe with you all.

If you are a fan of the jarred vodka pasta sauce, then this homemade, slow cooked version is going to knock your socks off! 

And you really cannot get much easier than this for a weeknight meal- the sauce is pretty much ready when you walk in the door. Just boil your favorite pasta and add a fresh salad to make the meal complete.  Easy, peasy! :)

I left the sauce chunky because I love the bits of tomatoes in this, but if you prefer a smoother sauce you can hit the sauce with your immersion blender while it is still in the slow cooker crock...

Sparkling Pomegranate Screwdriver

I'm partnering with SMIRNOFF Vodka for National Vodka Day to bring you all this Sparkling Pomegranate Screwdriver, a fall twist on a cocktail classic...

Well, Happy National Vodka Day, friends! Not that I (or you ;) ) really need a boozy holiday to enjoy a good vodka cocktail or anything. But I decided to team up with SMIRNOFF vodka and a few of my favorite cocktail bloggers to celebrate anyways! 

We were each sent a different bottle of one of SMIRNOFF's newest vodkas in perfect for fall flavors. 

I have to admit that I was little excited when I saw that they were sending me the pomegranate vodka. Mainly because pomegranate is one flavor that I have never worked with before on the blog! (I know, can you believe that??) 

After giving it a taste (or maybe two- shhhhh...), I decided that pomegranate would be the perfect way to jazz up a plain ole classic screwdriver. And for fun I decided to add a splash or two of club soda for some fizzy bubble action... 

Whipped Basil Garlic Butter

Fresh basil & sauteed garlic give this creamy butter a rich flavor that is perfect for spreading on sweet summer corn or your favorite crusty bread...

Post updated 8/26/18- This creamy & flavorful Whipped Basil Garlic Butter deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals down below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

Basil is just one of those herbs, flavors that has announced that summer has indeed arrived for me.  I LOVE fresh basil.  It is on my must-have, must plant list of herbs at the start of each spring.  

And basil is one of those herbs that grows so beautifully with very little maintenance and up-keep on your part.  Plus, it is so versatile- you can use it in your main dishes (duh), spreads & dips, salads, drinks, and even desserts! :)

Earlier this week, I shared with you all my recipe for Caprese Risotto.  I actually made this Whipped Basil Garlic Butter the same evening I concocted the risotto.  

I toasted some day old, good quality hamburger buns that I had split and cut in half, and then spread this tasty herbed butter over the warm, toasty pieces.  Yeah... amazing.  And it paired perfectly with the risotto!

Exploring Shenandoah Valley's Culinary Trail

From breweries & wineries to wood fired pizzas & a creamery, this is how you Explore Shenandoah Valley's Culinary Trail in Virginia...

I traveled to Harrisonburg, Virginia as part of a Trekaroo campaign with Go Blue Ridge Travel. While I was provided compensation for this post, all opinions are my very own.

My family and I recently spent two fabulous fun and food packed days in the lovely Harrisonburg area of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Other than driving through Harrisonburg on our way down south, this was our first time really spending time in the area and I can say one thing for sure, folks- we fell in love with it! Like it has made our short list of possible places we would like to move to in around two years from now when my son graduates high school. Yep, Harrisonburg and its surrounding beauty made that much of an impression on us. ;)

As you all are about to find out, I wasn't kidding when I say that our weekend exploring the culinary trail of Shenandoah Valley was packed with fun and food... lots of delicious local foods. To break it down and make it easier to share everything with you all, I am breaking our whole trip down into categories- Hands-On Local Food Experiences, Local Eats & Restaurants, Family Friendly Fun, and lastly I will gush about the lovely Massanutten Resort that we had the pleasure of staying at for 3 nights...