Merry Christmas!

Happy early Christmas! We celebrated in style with mulled wine, cranberry wine, and a white elephant gift exchange. Oh did I mention the food? There was lots of food!! Everything we had was delicious as usual! All of tonight's food and pictures can be found on the recipes page.

The book we read this month was a Christmas theme and it was so cute! We all agreed at 128 pages it was the perfect amount of reading for such a busy month! It was a very cute, family friendly, and humorous Christmas book that we all really enjoyed. Plus who doesn't love a family book that includes a cute dog?!

Now onto the food and wine! The wine was absolutely perfect for our Christmas party. We started with a cranberry wine called Cranberry snow and it should come with a warning label its so good. It tastes like cranberry juice with a little hint of sweetness and holiday spice. It is also from a winery that is not too far from us, so we decided when the weather gets nicer we are going to have to go for a road trip! Towards the end of the night we tried Barb's home made mulled wine which was warm and packed with flavor. The spices are perfect for the holidays and the warm aspect is definitely well suited for Christmas time. Definitely a drink you can curl up next to a cozy fire with or share with family and friends on a cold winter night. The recipe is located on the wines page. 

This month since we were having a Christmas party we all decided to bring a dish and everything turned out so good! We had two dips; one Neimann Marcus dip with crackers and one Crack dip with chips. As I like to say "They don't call it crack dip for nothing" this stuff is addicting! Both surprisingly easy recipes! Speaking of easy our mini Spanakopita bites are insanely easy and insanely delicious. Now with an intimidating Greek name like spanakopita you would think it would be next level complicated but it is the most simple recipe! We had a holiday wreath appetizer which is both incredibly adorable and tasty! The recipe is also oh-so-simple and is from pampered chef! Below are the prettiest photos of the night. The left is Spanakopita and the right is the holiday wreath appetizer. 

We also had some delectable desserts tonight. At the top of our list was a new one; Cranberry Christmas cake. It was moist, buttery, with a hint of tart from the cranberries. Definitely one we were all thinking about making again. We also had some classic favorites; Magic bars that were holiday inspired and chocolate covered peanuts. As well as pretzel bites with Hershey kisses. Oh boy do we love our sweets!

We truly enjoyed celebrating our favorite things about the holidays together and had a blast sharing gifts and laughs throughout the night. Our next book is a completely new genre for us and we are all excited! We love to try new things and we all appreciate that being in this book and wine club together helps us to try things we wouldn't normally choose for ourselves. That being said *drumroll* Our January book is: "Zero Day" by David Baldacci it is book #1 in the John Puller series. Expect to be thrilled! ;)

We are all really excited and hope that even through the craziness of the holidays we can all sit down and enjoy this book and enjoy time with family and friends. Have a very merry Christmas! 

Try to remember to :

Merry Christmas Wine-o's !

Brrr Brownies and Beer

Despite the bitter cold we all did make it to the November edition of Book and Wine night! As per usual we had a great time chatting about our book, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the food, and of course the upcoming frozen holidays. It was Cheri's turn so it is beer night again! We had some amazing new recipes, tasty beers, and enjoyed each others company!

The conversation about our book started with "Well I didn't hate it!" We had a good laugh because come to find out we all had a little bit of trouble with the beginning of the book. In the end we all agreed that it truly is a good read and although most of us didn't necessarily "finish" the book yet we are all planning on getting through it. There are so many things we did not know about the war and about our nation's history that were uncovered by reading this book. It was very interesting to learn new things about something we have all learned and heard so much about over the years. One of the other things we realized when reading is that we all kind of understood the generational stereotypes a little bit more. The racial stereotypes some of us have heard from veterans or family members from that generation make a little bit more sense due to the insight from this book. 

Now onto the delicious food! I can say one thing about our book club--even though we try new things every time--the food is consistently delicious! Tonight we had a creamy shrimp dip, a blend of cheese and crackers, caramel brownies, and dark chocolate wafers. The shrimp dip was perfectly creamy but the cocktail sauce gave it a nice burst of flavor. We had a blend of Swiss, Colby Jack, and smoked Gouda cheeses with an assortment of crackers. Now onto dessert! The brownies were absolutely divine! We all loved them and even took some home ;) The brownies were layered with caramel and therefore not as rich as brownies tend to be. Dangerously Delicious! 

After enjoying all of the food we started talking about how excited we all are for the holidays. We talked about family traditions and things that are special to just us for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was really fun to start talking about the holidays and hearing everyone's special traditions. I am very happy to announce that we will be reading a Christmas themed book! We also discussed doing a white elephant gift exchange and we will each be bringing a dish to share for December. 

Our December book is titled, The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry and we are all hoping it will be a light holiday novel that will be perfect for the craziness around the holidays. I for one, am very excited for everything that comes with the holidays and am greatly looking forward to the December book and wine night. The book information and recipes for this month can be found on their respective pages. If you would like to share your holiday traditions or special family or friend memories please feel free to share! And as usual, especially during the holiday season, remember to drink wine and try to lay off the whine! 

Boo!

October was full of fun as usual! We finished up our scary book Before I Go to Sleep and met up at Tricia's house for a lot of pumpkin and Halloween themed food and drinks! We also had a new person join us for book and wine night, Drew is our one and only male and it was nice to have new perspective.

Lets start with the food since it was so amazing! We had so many delicious new things. First is the taco dip with special pumpkin chips. The pumpkin chips were interesting to try, but they were sweeter than we expected and tasted like cinnamon. We also had jalapeno cheese and a variety of crackers. We also had another dip that was hot, cheesy, and rich with flavor. It is a Swiss artichoke and sun dried tomato dip served with french bread. It was definitely the favorite and was decided a definite keeper recipe. 

The desserts were not only beautiful, but perfectly sweet and fall-ish. We had a pumpkin cake with caramel icing and pumpkin truffles which were divine! Definitely the favorite for desserts. We also had a Halloween dessert wine which was apple cider pumpkin wine. We were excited to try it but it turned out to be a little too weird. It had an unusual aftertaste and it did not go over well. 

Speaking of wine we had a lot of deliciousness to go around! Aside from the apple and pumpkin combination every wine was a smashing success. We had a Riesling from Aldi that was $4.99 and absolutely perfect. It was crisp, sweet, and full of flavor. The next was definitely the happy surprise of the night. A white Merlot made by Beringer, ever heard of it? We hadn't either. It was wonderful. It was light, not dry and semi-sweet. Everyone really liked it. The other favorite of the night was the Halloween sweet red which was incredibly tasty. All were perfect for October and perfect for all of us and to accommodate our new under 21 member we had a special pumpkin apple cider. It was different but overall well liked.





Now onto the book...It was crazy town! Once I got to the end I had to sleep with the light on because of how crazy it was. Most of us found it interesting, but hard to get into at first. Some people thought it was predictable, but others (like me) were totally shocked by the ending. I had a lot of ideas of what I thought was happening, but all were wrong. We discussed a lot of things about relationships and self identity. One of the main topics we discussed was how memories form our own identity and whether or not memories or lack their of change who we are as individuals. Lots of interesting talk surrounding topics in the book. Post-book questions are posted in the books section. It was definitely a psychological thriller and the movie which also looks good comes out on Halloween! We had a really hard time choosing a new book for November--there's just too many to choose from! Eventually we chose Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand. It is a new type for us and we are excited to try something new as usual.

One of my favorite things to talk about at book and wine night is how all of us feel like we are trying something new each time; whether its new food, new wines, or new books we are all trying new things and finding we like them more than we thought. That's what it's really about and I'm so glad we all can enjoy trying new things together. Have a great rest of October! Can't believe November is coming so quick! If you enjoy reading the blog and following along with what we do Please feel free to follow as long as you enjoy wining and not whining. :) I will be updating the Recipes, Books, and Wine pages shortly with all the detailed info from this amazing October!

Update and October Book Reveal

I have just added the new recipes page it should be up and running and can be seen here! So glad we can share all of our favorite recipes with any readers out there! Also I forgot to mention our October book. We discussed doing something scary, suspense, or mystery since we will be so close to Halloween. We discussed reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn since most of us had seen the preview for the movie and thought it looked really good, but we also found the book Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson. There is also a movie coming out for this book starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth and it premieres on Halloween, how perfect?! It  definitely looks like a suspense/thriller so we are all foraging outside of our comfort zone and are hoping we are not too scared before we go to sleep.

Seaside Getaway

Greetings from our not-so-seaside getaway month! For our September meeting we read The Light Between Oceans it is was a truly beautiful book. We celebrated by having all Australian wine, since the book was set in Australia. The food we enjoyed was also sea faring because the characters in this book lived by the sea. My mom and I truly enjoyed hosting this month's wine and book night and we all had so much fun.

We had three Australian wines, two red and one white. The white was deemed the favorite due to its perfect balance between sweet and dry. It was a white blend which we all had never tried and we were surprised in its refreshing and balanced taste. We also had a red blend which was definitely the second favorite it was also a perfect balance between sweet and dry and was even enjoyed by devout white wine lovers. Although we loved the layered cake bottle and label it was a little too heavy and on the dryer side, it did have a very flavorful and distinct taste though and nobody said they didn't like it. 

Now for the food! My favorite ;) We had hot crab dip which I had never made before but it turned out really good. It was creamy, but not too rich and it was bright with flavor. We also had cocktail shrimp shooters with lemon juice rims, cocktail sauce and jumbo shrimp. Although they are creative and cute it was hard to dip the shrimp into the shooter. And for the dessert we had spice cupcakes with amaretto butter cream topped with heath chips. They were delicious and perfect for a fall theme. 

As you can see from my plate below the food turned out wonderful and was definitely enjoyed. Everyone really raved about the crab dip and in discussing all the amazing food we've tried at each other's houses we decided we should start sharing recipes too. So I am starting a book and wine club recipe book to fill with all the wonderful food we've shared with each other. Don't worry I won't leave you out! Within the week I will be starting a new Recipes page that will be filled with our most enjoyed recipes. 

Our seaside book was also enjoyed by all. Although the beginning was a little hard to get through, everyone finished it and we are all glad we did. The beginning was deemed boring and a little dull, but overall we still enjoyed the way the book was written. Once we got through the beginning the twists and turns kept coming and the emotions were strong. We all agreed that this was a book that we would never have picked up for ourselves and that we were glad that the book club pushed us to read and finish this book. We would definitely recommend the book and we would also recommend sharing a glass of wine, some good food, and laughs with friends whenever you can. Just remember--try a glass of wine instead of a glass of whine. 

Last Minute: Quick and Easy

Hey there! It's been awhile! We got kind of behind on meeting up so we finally got together last night for a July/August book and wine night! We originally planned to head out to our local winery for the night, but unfortunately we found out they close early during the week so we headed to Barb's house last minute and we had an absolutely awesome time. Barb had five wines to choose from, a huge platter of cheese and crackers, and the main attraction of the night... Caramel apple dump cake (recipe below, you will want it!)

The wines that Barb provided were from her favorite winery in Missouri that she and her husband visit often. The winery is called Cedar Lake Cellar and the wines she had all had fun names. The red was fittingly called Fire Track that was the perfect balance between dry and sweet. The rose wine was called pink sunset and was absolutely delicious; definitely the favorite of the night! The white wine was a very close second and was called Moon Route; it is named moon route because the winery sits between Route M, Route OO, and Route N. She also provided some staples that we all have tried and loved: Beringer Pink Moscato and White Zinfandel. All the wines are posted here ! Also check out Barb's favorite winery here!

Now to the book, The Accidental Book Club we all thought this was a quick and easy read and overall the review was positive. Some of the things we talked about was that it wasn't exactly what we expected it to be. We thought it would kind of focus on the book club and how they help each other out during tough times, but it mainly focused on the main character and her problems with her family. It was definitely a lot sadder than we thought as well, the grief she is going through is definitely focused on more than we expected as well. Another comment that we all agreed on was that there were some random aspects that at first we thought "why is this even in here?" or "why was that mentioned?" but the best part about getting together to talk about it is we helped each other notice some of the connections that we didn't make on our own and some of those questions we asked to ourselves while reading got answered. There were characters that we loved, disliked, and felt sorry for, but overall it was a heartwarming book and it did give a few laughs through difficult times. The book and its details and review along with all of the books we've read can be found here

While discussing what book we should read next we discovered our September book was on all of our "To-Read" lists and it sounds to be very exciting! It is called... The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman.

We also discussed the next couple of meeting and what kind of books we want to venture out to read so there is a lot of exciting and fun ideas swirling around! So stay tuned for more wining and less whining! 

Recipe for Caramel Apple Dump Cake:

2 cans of apple pie filling (you can also use cherry, blueberry, etc.)

1 box of yellow cake mix

2 sticks of butter, melted (1 cup)

1/2 cup caramel sauce (like you would put on ice cream)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for garnish (optional)

In a greased 9X 13 pan mix apple pie filling and caramel sauce.

Add cinnamon if desired and spread dry cake mix over the apple mixture. Spread evenly. 

Top with melted butter and pecans if desired.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown and apple mixture is bubbly at edges. 

Enjoy!

Beer night, Cheers!

Hello again! We had our June book and wine night on July 1st to talk about The Orphan Train. We were at Cheri's house this month and we all tried home brewed beer for a change! There were three beers a light Kolsch, an amber, and a dark called P-town Brown. Overall the brown was the favorite, but we all tried them and they were all delicious and different! The Kolsch was perfect for summer, light and just a trace of fruit. The amber was well balanced and the perfect middle between light and dark beer. The dark was everyone's favorite for its unique flavor and as many dark beers do, a hint of a coffee flavor.

Our spread with the book!

We also had delicious cheese from Wisconsin! There was white cheddar with blueberry which we all thought was so interesting--something we would have never bought for ourselves--but it was absolutely delicious, definitely the favorite! We also had cheddar with bacon in it which was oh-so-savory! Perfect for bacon lovers and it went well with the beer we had! There was also baby Swiss and array of yummy crackers to choose from. 

All of the yummy food

Also this month we met our new honorary member, Abby Grace, the happiest dog you will ever meet! She was scooting and crawling on the kitchen floor to be near us all and moving from one friend to the next! We all loved her and had some real entertainment out of watching her throughout the night. As you can see from the picture she truly is the happiest dog and shes cute too!

Now onto the book, we all really enjoyed this book that paired a unique part of history with a modern day take on the same situation. There were a lot of parallels between the two main characters and the stories that were told flowed really well with the present day story. 

One of the main things that we talked about was the idea of portage and what, if anything, would we take with us if we had to leave everything behind like the characters had to. Our answers varied from wedding rings, pictures, and jeans (the right fit is hard to come by). 

We all came to the conclusion that we weren't as attached to our possessions as we thought. It's also hard to imagine leaving your life behind on such short notice like the characters had to, but I would like to think there would be some things I would want to take with me, but it's an interesting question to think on. 

Overall we had an absolutely wonderful time talking about the book, talking about things other than the book, eating, drinking, and giving Happy Abby plenty of attention too. We all really enjoy each other's company and enjoy trying new drinks, books, and food together. We're all in different stages of life and it makes for really fun and interesting conversation. The next book is perfectly fitting for our wine and book nights, it's called The Accidental Book Club by Jennifer Scott, which is basically what our book club is! It is sure to be funny and heart warming. See ya whiners! 

Fruity Fun in May

Welcome! Tonight we had our second book and wine night! It was fruit themed and everything was delicious. Our friend Tricia was in charge this time and we had red wine sangria, white wine sangria, apple smoked Gouda cheese, apple smoked cheddar cheese, and fruit pizza. YUM! Pictures and details below of all the fun we had tonight!

The cheese was deliciously smokey and had a wonderful flavor. I personally wanted to take some home ;) Luckily I can purchase it at our local Walmart. Love it when it's convenient! The fruit pizza and Sangria were both obviously delicious and surprisingly easy! Recipes for both at the end of the post!

Overall we all enjoyed the book The Husbands Secret and everyone read it this time! ;) It was a quick and exciting read with many twists and turns. We had a few set questions this time which I've posted on the books page with the book review. There were some things that a few of us predicted or saw coming, but there were a lot of parts and aspects of this book that we didn't expect. Everyone enjoyed discussing the moral dilemmas and the drama  that this book contains. Big two thumbs up!

We had fun talking about all of the characters in this book. We also found out through a little research that the rights to this book has been purchased to turn into a movie. So we decided it would be fun to choose who we would cast for the main characters in the book.

Below are our picks for the cast. We had a blast discussing who would be best for the role as well as who we were envisioning when reading the book. ** If you have not read the book the following may contain spoilers!!

Anne Hathaway as Cecelia Fitzpatrick

The choice came pretty easy we wanted to choose someone strong, but emotional...and obviously gorgeous.

Matt Damon as John Paul Fitzpatrick

We pondered this choice for awhile because beyond being attractive, John Paul's character is capable of many things and keeping secrets; which means he's also troubled and emotional. Besides Matt Damon--he's my favorite :)

Jennifer Lawrence as Tess

I think her performance in both Silver Linings Playbook and The Hunger Games speak for themselves but she's also awesome and gorgeous.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Will

Will was a tough choice as many of us didn't particularly like Will's character and had trouble picturing him. Once everyone saw a picture of this handsome devil it was decided he would be perfect. 

Kate Hudson as Felicity

Felicity was also a tough choice because of the transformation she goes through in the book and how to cast that would be difficult, but since we don't work in casting we chose Kate Hudson because... well... she's perfect. 

Sally Field as Rachel

This was a tough choice between Meryl Streep and Sally Field but ultimately Sally Field could rock the Australian accent and the "grandma" role as well as the very emotional side of this character. I mean... have you seen Steel Magnolias?! **If you haven't please watch** ;)

Ben Affleck as Connor Whitby

As the resident "hot P.E. teacher" the ideas for this character were across the board! I mean we're talking from Toby Keith to short shorts, tall socks, and a whistle! This was our hardest choice! In the end we chose Ben Affleck because he's a hunk and could totally rock the biker/P.E. teacher look. 

Mary Kate and/or Ashley Olsen as Janie

To be honest.. I don't know which twin this picture is even of, but for Janie's character we chose the forever young and beautiful Olsen twins. Also--they kind of look Australian :) 

Pretty amazing and attractive group of people! We had so much fun and and enjoyed each other's company. In my family we are firm believers in trying new things and being able to do that among friends is something really special to us, especially when we can do it with no H's in our wine. 

Our next book was chosen by another group member who is taking on the next wine and book night in June! The book is *drum roll* The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Klein. Looks like it's going to be heartwarming! The Recipes from tonight are below see you in June!

Sangria

1 Bottle of White Moscato + berries or fruit 

1 Bottle of Red Moscato + berries or fruit * we had strawberries, raspberries, and oranges

Fruit Pizza

1 package sugar cookie dough 

1 8oz. package cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar 

Fruit and Berries of choice

Roll or flatten out sugar cookie dough onto pizza pan or cookie sheet and bake for 18 min. Let cool. 

Mix cream cheese and sugar. Spread on cooled sugar cookie crust. Spread with any fruit or berries that you like. We had bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, and kiwi. Arrange it however you like! Be creative or messy it will be delicious no matter what!