Apple Cider Sangria

This a fun and festive holiday drink for any type of gathering. It's beautiful to look at, taste amazing, and looks good in any cup! To go along with appetizers for serving at holiday parties, I decided to throw this drink recipe into the mix too!

• What You'll Need
• 1 bottle of Pinot Grigio
• 3 cups fresh apple cider
• 1 cup lemon-lime soda
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 2 ambrosia apples, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 1 orange, sliced

• What You'll Do
• Chop the apples and slice the oranges. Remove the arils from the pomegranate. Set all fruit aside. 
• In a pitcher, combine the Pinot Grigio, apple cider, lemon-lime soda, and cinnamon. Stir well. 
• Then add the fruit and cinnamon sticks to the pitcher. Stir. Cover with saran-wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour. The longer it sits the better!

Pomegranate Fizzies

You can't have Thanksgiving without a fun and festive drink! And that's just what these Pomegranate Fizzies are. Husband and I made a large batch of this drink last year for Turkey Day and loved them so we are definitely making them again this year! They're simple and perfect for a fall holiday.

• What You'll Need
• 1/2 cup POM juice
• 1 cup Sprite
• Pomegranate arils 
• Mint leaves
• Ice

• What You'll Do
• Combine the POM juice, Sprite, and ice in a glass. Stir well. 
• If using a whole pomegranate, cut it and scoop out the arils. You can also buy arils in a cup in the produce section at the grocery store.
• Top with pomegranate arils and mint leaves.

*This recipe is for a single serving. You can make a large batch following these ratios. 

Witch's Brew

Happy Halloween from the Hills!! I hope you have some spooktacular plans for tonight! We'll be throwing our annual Halloween fest! And this witch's brew will be the drink of the night! This is such a fun and festive Halloween drink. Every age gets excited about it, thanks to the effects of the dry ice. Who doesn't love that wispy look it creates?!

Tonight we will be mixing this recipe up in a large quantity and it will be served in a hollowed out pumpkin! We did something similar last year and loved it! So we're sticking to the same thing again, because you stick with what works! I hope you and yours get as much of a kick out of this drink as we do!

For more Halloween goodies, check HERE. And you should check out the little video of this brew, bubbling over!

• What You'll Need
• Spoonful of raspberry orange sherbert
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• 1/2  cup ginger ale 
• Dry ice

• What You'll Do
• Scoop a spoonful of sherbert into a glass. 
• Pour in the apple juice, cranberry juice, and ginger ale.
• Very carefully and with tongs, plop in a little piece of dried ice. Let the bubbling begin!

Hot Cinna-Apple Cider

Happy Monday all! It might be rainy and dreary out, but I've got a recipe to change that up! All week long, I will be sharing recipes that have been inspired by our most recent apple picking adventure. We brought home so many apples and something had to be done with them; so we baked, cooked, and canned. Now we have a handful of new recipes to share. I hope you love apples! 

It wouldn't be fall without cider. In fact it's one of my favorite parts about this cozy season, and I can't get enough of the hot apple aroma rising from my cup and the hint of cinnamon dancing on my taste buds. Husband and I have been buying gallons upon gallons of apple cider every fall for three years now and I don't see signs of it stopping. It's kind of a Hill tradition, to keep cider in the fridge all season long. 

When we aren't heating up a mug of it at home, I'm grabbing a caramel apple spice from Starbucks. It's the best treat, but an expensive one. So at the first signs of fall, or rather when the grocery stores started lining their shelves with cider, I decided to take a go at making a hot cider similar to the Starbucks version. It turned out just like I had hoped and you can find me making this fall treat at least a couple times a week. 

• What You'll Need
• 2 cups apple cider
• 4 pumps Starbucks caramel syrup (or another caramel syrup for drinks)
• 1/4 TSP cinnamon
• 1/4 TSP pumpkin pie spice
• Whip Cream (for topping)

• What You'll Do
• Combine the first four ingredients in a microwave safe glass. I use a Pyrex measuring cup for easing transfer into a cup. 
• Heat in the microwave for about two minutes, more if needed to reach desired temperature.
• Add whip cream to the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice if you like!

**This recipe makes 16 oz., enough for a travel mug, or about half of a mug for two people.** If you have more time to make this hot cinna-apple cider, you could heat it on stove top on low to medium until it starts to boil. 

Lavender Lemonade

This is the perfect way to end my summer-wrap up recipes. I'm pretty sure I won't be adding cinnamon or pumpkin spice to lemonade any time soon, or ever for a matter of fact. This was a summer go-to drink for the Hills and it will be come the warmer months next year. We're retiring it for the fall and winter though. Lemonade will likely only make an appearance in our home when husband is adding it to his sweet tea.

The reason behind this recipe is because of my love for fresh juice. It's a winner through and through. I decided that homemade lemonade was a must try for my spring/summer drinks this year. Not just any lemonade though, I wanted to make lavender lemonade. I did some research to find out what type of lavender to use (of the culinary kind) and where exactly I could find it. Once my lavender came in, yes I had to order it, I set my sights on figuring out a recipe. Husband (my amazing kitchen partner) and I played around with our ingredients until we got just the taste we desired. Now it's your turn to try it out! Give a cheers to the end of the summer with this lavender lemonade in your hand!

• What You'll Need
• Lavender Simple Syrup
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 TBSP culinary lavender
• 1/4 cup honey
• Lemon Juice
• 2 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 7 lemons)
• 4 cups water

• What You'll Do
• Lavender Simple Syrup
• Bring water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat, then add the honey and culinary lavender. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave to seep for 15-20 minutes.
• Lemon Juice
• While simple syrup is seeping, squeeze the fresh lemons. Once you have the needed amount, strain the juice into a pitcher. Discard the seeds and pulp left in the tiny-hole colander. 
• Lavender Lemonade
• Strain the fully seeped lavender simple syrup into a bowl. Once all the liquid has passed through the colander, use a spoon or plastic spatula to press against the lavender buds to release any extra liquid or honey. Discard the lavender buds.
• Add the lavender simple syrup to the fresh squeezed lemon juice in the pitcher. Stir well. Begin adding the remaining cups of water. I recommend 4 cups, but you may add more or less to reach your desired taste. 
• Serve on ice immediately or put in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Cut some lemon slices for a decorative touch to your glass or for that extra lemony taste in your glass of lavender lemonade.