Jessica

Berries with Wine & Whipped Cream

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

We have projects going on over here. I mean, do we have projects. Chuck has been working right along on the deck, while Alicia and I have been packing up her stuff, moving, it and reorganizing what’s left behind. I find myself asking again, why do we have so much stuff? I feel a purge coming on.

I also feel the need to revamp everything in the house. Crazy? Maybe. Call it a delayed spring cleaning. With all the other changes going on it just seems fitting to update the half moved into house right along with it. I swear one of these days we will actually settle into this place. Sometime in the next 10 years or so.

All this business has not made much time for food and cooking, the main topic on this blog, so the recipe posts have been lacking. We’ve been eating a lot of pizza and tacos. I forced myself to get together enough for this one though. It’s a simple light summer desert that really hits the spot. With only a handful of ingredients and a little bit of forethought it’s a great dish to make for an adult gathering as well as a quick after dinner treat.

Berries with Wine & Whipped Cream

Prep time: 4 hours

Total time: 4 hours

Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 lb mixed berries of choice
1 cup red wine of choice (I used Malbec)
1 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup sugar

Instructions

Combine the berries and wine. Cover and set in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
Place a metal mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for roughly 10 minutes. Once cold remove from freezer and combine the sugar and cream. Whip continuously until the crema begins to form peaks.
Portion the berries into separate bowls, and top with the whipped cream. Add a drizzle of the wine used to soak the berries and serve immediately.

Recently

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I’m feeling it, man. Oh, am I ever feeling it.

The last couple months have been wild. Lots of ups and downs happening over here. That’s life right? It tosses you up, throws you down, then flips you over and tosses you again.

We aren’t going to get into the details on here, because really, you don’t care about my petty problems. You have your own stuff to worry about. Just know that I realize this place has taken a hit like it usually does when I’m all stressed out, but also know that I’m working on remedying that. It’s not going to be right away, but it’s coming. That’s what you do when you’re in a funk like this, you keep reminding yourself that it’s not forever, and it’ll be alright. And it will be just fine very soon.

We have a new normal now that we are just settling into and it’s going to change again in a few days when Alicia moves out, and it’s back to just us three (Chuck, Brody & I) in the house. Change is the only constant, right?

Next month we are hoping things will calm down a bit and we can make some more time for the things that fill us up, like hiking, fishing and spending time with friends.

Spent on Groceries in July: $324.82

Total for the year: $1,611.22

Cost of Garden Supplies 2016: $221 (nothing so far this month, just indulging in the bounty of fresh veggies that are coming in)

Weekend Links

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Here’s a list of all the awesome stuff I’ve found around the internet lately. Enjoy!

What would a soda tax mean for the nation? Philadelphia is the first to test it out.

Why Food Stylists Hate Burgers, and More Bon Appetit Photo Shoot Secrets.

What if we did one good deed a day?

Farmers markets and how they are evolving to be less about local farmers.

How to attract more bees to your garden.

Favorite pins recently

My 10 Favorite Summer Wines

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I like wine and after a couple wine tasting tours I’m pretty sure that I am an expert now. I mean I have countless hours of practice at wine tasting in my own home to add to my resume as well, which totally qualifies me right? Right.

Wine preferences are completely subjective anyway. I mean what two humans like exactly the same flavor, let alone are able to describe it the exact same way? So while I think my list of wines is the best one out there, you may disagree. It’s cool, we can still be friends.

I still suggest you try these guys out, because as far as summer sipage goes these are by far some of the best.

A summer heats up I tend to lean toward crisp whites, the occasional buttery Chardonnay, a nice rose, or a fruitier red, leaving behind my drier, softer preferences from spring. That’s what you will find in this list a preferred wine that can be found on my wine rack at any point in time during the summer.

Enjoy!

Chateau de St. Michelle Dry Riesling 2. Fox Run Chardonnay 3. McManis Pinot Grigio 4. Bogle Vineyards Chardonnay 5. Skyfall Pinot Gris 6. Bully Hill Reisling

7. Gnarly Head Malbec 8. Ruffino Chianti 9. Castle Rock Mendocino Pinot Noir 10. Bolla Chianti

20 Laidback & Outdoorsy Date Night Ideas

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

It’s no surprise that we like the outdoors in this house, so we try to work in some fun time outside every chance we get, including our dates. This is a list of some pretty awesome date ideas to help you get out and enjoy the sun with your loved one.

Sunset stroll through town – ice cream is an obvious must.
Go to the farmers market – shopping, sampling, chatting, all wonderful things.
Tour a local farm – Many local farms will gladly give you a tour or you can probably find a pick your own farm and bring home some berries!
Go on a picnic – a blanket, some bubbly and a little take out sounds like a great idea. FYI the last picnic we went on was this one.
Bike ride – Working out together can get those endorphin’s all going which is always a good thing.
Hit up a park – strolling through the flowers can be relaxing and people watching is usually a good time also.
Have cocktail hour on the patio – get a little extra fancy with the drinks and order some food.
Hit the drive in – movies, snacks, and some even let you bring puppies! It’s the perfect date!
Go tubing in a river – This might come in handy on this particular date.
Take a class together – maybe you can learn to weld and he can learn to cook. Either way learning together always helps to build relationships
Go skinny dipping – a little danger and excitement does a lot for a couple, if thats what your into.
Have a game night – we play cards when we camp fairly often, but nothing says we can’t pull them out on the deck also.
Go for a drive – maybe a little less environmentally friendly, but a drive along the coast or through the mountains is always a nice drive. I might suggest a motorcycle if you have one, but that’s just personal preference speaking.
Stargaze – see how many constellations you can count, now that’s romantic.
Go to a fun park – whether its batting cages, go karts, mini golf or roller coasters just go do something a little different because why not?
Cook out & make smores – if you don’t have a back yard for a camp fire hit up your local park and enjoy an afternoon of hot dogs and marshmallows.
Go boating – whether you rent a canoe, kayak or speed boat getting out on the water can be super romantic.
Try hiking – again with that work out thing, but really hiking can be more like a slightly intense stroll with a really great view at the end.
Go to an outdoor concert or festival – good music can heal.
Go to a baseball game – it doesn’t have to be the big leagues, lots of towns have their own small time teams.

Jessica

Footer