Six weeks, four days. That’s a mere 46 days — or 1,104 hours, if you prefer. Though it’s probably slightly less than 1,104 hours.

What’s the countdown? It’s the number of days until the school year ends and the kids and I can officially — really and truly — head off the shoreline for a summer of sand and surf. I can’t wait for every salty, breezy, sunny moment of it.

In the meantime, a few friends and I discovered our official beach cocktail of 2013 (not to be confused with the kid-friendly summer drink of 2013). We were sampling a variety of Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato wines (more on that in a minute) when we decided to muddle a berry into a glass and add ice cold Pink Moscato. It was heavenly — sweet, with a hint of bubbles.

I’ve dubbed it the Strawberry Moscato Sparkler. It’s so, so simple, but also super tasty. Especially when the Moscato is ice cold.

So what is this Moscato? It’s a variety of wine that’s a little different than anything you’ve had before. I think of it as a dessert wine, but it can be enjoyed with spicy food too. Moscato is a sweet, slightly carbonated wine that is best served ultra-chilled (stick it in the freezer to get it as cold as can be). I was introduced to Moscato last year in a project I did with Gallo Family Vineyards so when they asked me to join a similar project this year, I couldn’t say no. I am kind of a Moscato groupie.

I love a project that teaches me new things… And this one did just that. Turns out that there isn’t just one variety of Moscato — there’s three. Gallo was kind enough to send over a bottle of each, so, I gathered a group of friends and had a quickie tasting of Pink, Red and the traditional white Moscato.

We sipped and slurped and compared all three varieties, commenting on them as we passed them around. Moscato has a nuanced sweet flavor. Some varieties, like the Pink Moscato have a hint of berries in the finish. While others, like Moscato (the white variety) have hints of peach and citrus. Gallo Family Vineyards’ Pink Moscato was our absolute favorite. I think it might have bad something to do with the group fantasy of watching the sunset on the beach with a glass of Moscato while writing some new fiction.

Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Celebrate the Second Annual National Moscato Day

Gallo Family Vineyards created the first National Moscato Day last year, and they are ready to celebrate big this year on May 9. As part of that, there’s a fab Twitter party happening.

Gallo Family Vineyards (@GalloFamily) will be hosting a National Moscato Day Twitter party from 9-10pm EST. To join in, use hashtags #MoscatoDay #gno.

Will I tweet you there?

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Disclosure: I am being compensated by Gallo Family Vineyards and Mom It Forward for my participation in this campaign. All opinions are my own.

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Once when I was a tween living in Poughkeepsie, New York, my family took a bike ride around our neighborhood with another family we were friends with. It was a cool spring day, and the blossoms were on the trees. Our friends had recently moved into the neighborhood, and — for me — it was thrilling to learn how close by they’d be living.

Anyway, while we were on this fun bike ride, I got a little nervous. See, I was convinced that my tire was leaking since it was making this scary swissshhhhhhhhh whenever I would pedal. So, I became insistent that something was very, very wrong and we headed for the air pump at a nearby gas station.

As it turns out, the tire was fine. It was just rubbing against one of those blue plastic coated chain locks that I had so smartly attached to my bike. You know, so that no one would steal it from the inner basement of my house. Or something like that. Really, I just thought it looked cool. (Lesson: “because it looked cool” is never a good reason to have something attached to your bike.)

Anyway, although I am still occasionally reminded of my little error, I will say that the stop at that gas station was fortuitous — because the attached convenience store was a 7-Eleven. The kids among the group managed to convince the parents among the group that since we were there, we might as well get Slurpies (right?!?). So, all’s well that ends well.

Gosh, I love Slurpies. Even if I rarely buy them anymore.

My kids have tried Slurpies too and love them. And recently Cheryl Budge from Middlesex County Parent and I got on the topic of the sweet-tart slushie-esk Frozen Strawberry Lemonades at a certain fast food joint, and the idea of making my own slushie kind of got stuck in my head. Because while I don’t often go to that fast food joint, I do love me a good sweet-tart slushie drink.

So I had to. And it had to be Strawberry Lemonade Slushies. Seriously. My kids now think I am totally awesome because I surprised them with these this weekend. But my husband is a little jealous that we didn’t save any for him. Next time.

Making these is easy but I will warn you that you need to plan ahead — the strawberry puree needs to sit overnight to be perfect for this. Trust me, it’s worth it.

When you are ready for your heavenly slushie, you whip up an easy, homemade sweet-tart lemonade. Sometimes I like lemonade to be sweet-sweet, but for this a more tart version is perfect. Once that’s made, you whirl together a little lemonade and ice in the blender until the ice is totally pulverized. To serve, spoon your slushie into a glass and top with a good dose of the strawberry puree.

OMG. It’s so good.

And A Quick Video Tip …

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Confession: I’ve been known to carefully plan holiday dinners but totally forget about drinks. Usually it’s my husband who clues into the conspicuous absence of beverages. He asks me if I bought anything to serve for drinks. And my response? Usually something like “Well, there’s water!”

He’s not fond of that answer.

Don’t worry — I am trying hard to change that little habit. Beverages matter. So for Thanksgiving, I usually buy a few bottles of sparkling lemonade, fill a pitcher with ice water and perhaps another with iced tea. That ensures their is something for everyone — the kids, the adults, everyone.

Of course, if you enjoy adult beverages, having a nice bottle of wine that complements the turkey and all the fixin’s is good to have on hand too. And — if you want — a signature cocktail like this Cranberry Citrus Martini is fun too. It’s sweet, citrus-y and has a hint of tartness. And making it? Super easy … especially if you make the cranberry reduction ahead of time and just keep it chilled until you are ready to serve it.

And a little hint … If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, just use your favorite tightly-sealing, dishwasher safe water bottle and shake it up.

What does your family love to drink on Thanksgiving?

Cranberry citrus martini
serves 4

2 cups cranberry cocktail
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
4 oz chilled pineapple vodka

Start by making a cranberry reduction. In a small saucepan, heat the cranberry cocktail to boiling. Reduce heat slightly and boil for 20-30 minutes, until reduced to about 1/3 cup

In a cocktail shaker, combine the cranberry reduction, orange juice and pineapple vodka with ice. Shake thoroughly to combine.

Strain the drink into four glasses. Garnish as desired.

Optional: For a tasty boozy garnish, soak dried cranberries in pineapple vodka for 1-2 hours. Skewer with pineapple chunks and drop into the glasses.

The post Stress-Free Thanksgiving: Cranberry Citrus Martini (and Don’t Forget the Drinks) appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

On Friday, I rushed into my kids’ school to pick them up and passed a friend with her kids leaving. “We’ll be playing outside for awhile,” she said. I responded with something like “Fun!” thinking that I just couldn’t. In my head, I thought about I had to get back to work. I couldn’t lose that time because I wanted to have a relaxed weekend where the kids and I could have fun without work catch up hanging over my head. But as the kids and I walked outside moments later, the warm air and sounds of laughter hit me. Why did I need to rush off so that we could have fun later, when it was right there waiting for us? So when the kids eagerly asked if we could stay and play in the school yard, I said yes.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not easily swayed when I make a decision. So, that certainty that we needed to go should have been it. But this was different. In fact, it’s part of a larger life theme for me lately. I’m making a big effort to slow down and enjoy the moments. To accept the chances for fun when they arise, instead of trying to force fun into the times I designate for it.

This shift is doing wonders for my psyche. I’ve been reading more, reassessing my work life and taking more time to play with the kids. And I have been literally counting down the days to summer vacation (is it here yet?). I literally can’t wait. Most importantly, I have been happier — and that happiness rubs off on everyone.

In the meantime, while we wait for our summer break to arrive, I am enjoying a cocktail now and again and savoring life’s little moments — like the kids saddling up to the counter to wash potatoes and kale for dinner.

Let’s get to the cocktail, shall we?

It’s a Strawberry Banana Pomegranate Cocktail. Some might even call it a martini, but I am a martini purist and could never call something like this one. But serving it in a martini glass? Nothing wrong with that. It’s pretty!

Anyway, this chilly cocktail (it’s almost a slushie!) is sweet, fruity and has a hint of tang.

This is made in a blender because you swirl ice into it to give it that icy, frostiness to it. Most of the time when I use my blender, it’s to make something for my kids. Milkshakes or smoothies or something like that. But for summertime, my blender comes in super handy for making really refreshing frosty cocktails like this. And the fact that you can just toss a bunch of ingredients in, push a button and have an amazing drink is pretty cool too.

Anyway, if you are looking for something fun and fruity to sip on in the evening, this is just right. It might just be my go-to cocktail for summer 2012.

What’s your go-to evening drink in the summertime?

Strawberry Banana Pomegranate Cocktail
yields 3-4 drinks

1 cup halved fresh strawberries
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 banana
1 oz pineapple flavored vodka
1 cup ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend to smooth. Enjoy (responsibly, of course).

The post Strawberry Banana Pomegranate Cocktail appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Lately, I have gotten really into smoothies and juices. Not in a juice-fasting or cleansing sort of way, but in a supplementing all the water I drink way. It’s nice to have something other than coffee and water once in awhile, and juices and smoothies are much better for you than soda. Plus they taste good — I love all the fruit mixes.

Of course, buying the premade ones at the store adds up fast, especially when your kids discover how delicious they are and want some too. Yea. That happened. The premades come with a hearty price tag that just makes them impractical for frequent purchasing. Making them at home? It’s way better — less expensive and you can totally control what flavors go into them. It’s nice to have that control sometimes.

For my Chilled Tropical Smoothie, I set out to make a smoothie with the flavors of the islands that’s refreshing and satisfying. Score.

This smoothie has ice, but isn’t icy. Instead, once blended it’s a smooth, ultra-chilled drink that is so refreshing and delicious you’ll want more. And more. The combination of pineapple, mango and coconut milk is just amazing … and it’s lactose-free with the new Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt. Kind of awesome, especially if you need to avoid lactose (I don’t, but I know plenty of people who do).

What’s your favorite variety of smoothie?

Chilled Tropical Smoothie
serves 2-3

1 6-oz cup Yoplait Lactose Free French Vanilla Yogurt
1/4 cup pineapple chunks (fresh)
1/4 cup mango chunks (fresh)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup ice

Combine the yogurt, pineapple, mango and coconut milk and puree until smooth. Add the ice and blend to smooth again.

Enjoy immediately.

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Disclosure: This recipe was created for Yoplait. I was compensated for its development, but not for posting it on my blog. That was my choice.

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Who likes milkshakes? This girl! While I have never been a fan of those triple thick, can’t get it up a straw, milkshakes (hello, tummy ache!), I am a huge fan of the slightly thinner, creamy, cold variety. And this year, I finally learned how to make ‘em. Thanks to Bobby Flay.

Earlier this year, Shawn bought me a copy of Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Shakes and Fries, which is a great book — and perfect if you want to learn to make a mean burger, killer shake or … perfect fries. So it was using that book that I conquered my inability and started making awesome shakes. But just for me. Until today, I never shared.

What?

I was practicing!

Today’s milkshake was Bobby Flay’s Banana-Milk Chocolate Crackle Milkshakes from that cookbook. It’s a rich, creamy milkshake that isn’t too thick. It has the perfect balance of vanilla and banana, and is dotted with smooth bits of milk chocolate. It’s divine. And making it? It takes all of five minutes and just a few ingredients. Easy as it comes.

I tested the milkshake this afternoon while the kids were at school. Oh, it was good. So, seeing as I had extra ingredients, I decided to surprise my kids with shakes of their own when they got home from school.

I think they liked them. Seeing as there was nothing left when they were done.

Scrappy went for a look ...

Scrappy was disappointed. The little bellies were definitely not.
Are you a milkshake fan?

Click through and scroll all the way down for a chance to win a signed copy of Bobby Flay’s cookbook.

Banana-Milk Chocolate Crackle Milkshake
serves 2 (8 oz portions)
Recipe from Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes

1/4 cup whole milk
1 large very ripe banana, peeled and cut into quarters
1 2/3 packed cups vanilla bean ice cream
1 oz milk chocolate, melted and still warm

Add the milk and banana to the blender and blend briefly, for about 5 seconds, leaving the mixture still chunky. Add the ice cream and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the blender running on low, drizzle in the milk chocolate. It will harden on contact, leaving little bits of sweet, smooth chocolate all throughout.

Serve immediately.

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Now, who wants to win a signed copy of Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes?

Giveaway Closed!

Congrats to Lynda, the winner of this cookbook.

Disclosure: The prize for this giveaway was provided by Hellman’s because of my affiliation with their Club Sandwich program. That didn’t influence the content of this post. In fact, I already owned a copy of this book and made the shake from my own (sadly unsigned) copy. Hellman’s gave me two signed copies, but I already gave one away to the biggest Bobby Flay fan in my family, leaving one for this contest. That is all.

The post Bobby Flay’s Banana-Milk Chocolate Crackle Milkshakes (and a Giveaway!) appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

When Will returned to school on Monday, he wasn’t as excited as usual. “I want it to be summer, Mommy,” he told me. After a week of spring break, the sun finally emerged on Sunday and we had an amazing day filled with egg hunts and family and good food. I totally understand what he’s talking about — and I want it to be summer too. But it’s not quite yet.

Spring has arrived here. It’s finally warm. At the first sign of the upturn in temperatures, I threw open the windows and didn’t look back. A cool breeze comes in nearly all day long … and I love it. It’s that divine intersection of warm air and brisk wind.

Spring, so late in its arrival this year, is glorious. The birds are chirping, the flowers blooming, the grass growing (ok, maybe the grass, which already needs to be cut, isn’t that glorious). I’m inspired again. Yesterday, I turned up the music and scrubbed the kitchen before testing four recipes. Then, I visited with my cousins for a little while before picking up the kids from school.

When evening arrived, the sun was still bright and strong so I prepared a picnic. Will and Paige spread out a big blanket in our backyard and we sat around, eating hard-boiled eggs, Lemony Pasta Salad, strawberries, homemade bread spread with butter and ice-cold Lemon-Limeade.

The Lemon-Limeade seemed like the perfect drink to accompany such a simple, spring-y meal outside. The flavor falls somewhere between a tangy lemonade and a mild limeade. Served with lots of ice, it’s so refreshing — the perfect sip at the end of a long and busy day.

And in case you are wondering, it’s pretty darn easy to make too. Score.

More Delicious Drinks:

• Pomegranate Lemonade
• Mango Iced Tea
• Smoothies

Lemon-Limeade
serves 6
adapted from Simply Recipes’ Perfect Lemonade Recipe

1 lemon
3 limes
1 cup water
1 cup organic sugar
4 cups cold water
ice

Juice the lemon and limes together. Pour into a pitcher and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup of water with the sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. You are making a simple syrup to flavor the Lemon-Limeade. Once the sugar is fully dissolved into the water, remove it from the heat and pour into the pitcher.

Add the 4 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir well. Add ice, as desired, to chill or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

The post Easy Homemade Lemon-Limeade Recipe appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

My journey to being healthier this year has meant giving up certain things like most fast food (good riddance), soda (though I indulge once in a while) and cutting way down on my sweets-intake. But one thing that didn’t make the chopping block? Coffee.

I savor my morning coffee. It’s a daily ritual, often drank either in bed or standing at my kitchen island. And it kicks off the morning for me. Giving it up? Out of the question.

Eat. Live. Be. For a Better 2011 today is all about what you can’t live without on your healthy journey. Coffee? That’s definitely my thing.

My favorite morning coffee is a caramel latte (or any variation of caramel, cream and coffee). It makes me happy. Look, I know they aren’t the best thing for me, but I love ‘em. Still, I can’t always run to my favorite coffee shop in the morning. Heck, the first six or eight weeks of this year made that near impossible with snow. So, one day I was dying for a latte and came up with a simple homemade version.

Oh, the deliciousness.

It’s super easy: hot, strong coffee, a little milk and sugar and top it off with whipped cream and caramel. It’s the perfect (easy, simple, no fuss required) homemade version for when you can’t get to the coffee shop.

What can’t you live without?

Be sure to check out the other ELB bloggers for their can’t live without things too.

• Cate O’Malley from Sweetnicks
• Joanne from Eats Well with Others
• Chris Arpante – Melecotte
• Jenna – Stop, Drop and Blog
• Casey – The Starnes Family
• Patsy – Family, Friends and Food
• Claire – Cooking is Medicine
• Jen – NJ Epicurean
• Rivki Locker – Healthy Eating for Ordinary People
• Jennifer Schulz – Lick-a-Plate
• Sarah Rogers – Sarah’s Sweet Creations
• Gwen – Simple Healthy Family

Faux Caramel Latte
serves 1

6 oz strong hot coffee
1 tbsp low-fat milk
1 tsp sugar
whipped cream
caramel

Pour the coffee into your favorite coffee cup — the one that makes you smile in the morning. Stir in the milk and sugar. Top with copious amounts of whipped cream and a generous (in moderation) drizzle of caramel. Drink immediately.

The post Faux Caramel Latte appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

If there is one thing my kids love, it’s options. So, when I suggested that we make our own smoothies this afternoon, they were both totally psyched. We were in the grocery store when I mentioned it and Will’s reaction was priceless. “Smoothies? Really?!? Yay!” Then, when they saw the array of ingredients spread out on the counter, they were beyond delighted.

I started out by asking each of them if they wanted a creamy or an icy smoothie. They both choose creamy, so we started with a half cup of plain yogurt each. Then, they choose their fruit (strawberries and pineapple for Paige and banana and strawberry for Will). Finally, we topped it off with a 1/4 cup of milk and blended it all to perfection.

They loved that they got to dictate the flavors and also blend the drinks themselves. I love seeing the sense of accomplishment when they do things like this. It makes every spill and drip 100 percent worth it.

They both loved their creations. Paige’s was lightly sweet with a flavor that made her say “Oh! Yum!” Honestly though, I wasn’t as big a fan of her combination (no matter — it only really mattered that she liked it). And Will sucked his Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie down in record time. Yes, he loved it.

For my part, I made a Banana Pineapple Smoothie … a light, chilly, refreshing drink with coconut water, banana, pineapple and ice. It was A-MAZING. Totally a must-make.

What’s your favorite smoothie combination?

P.S. Cate and I joke about being on the same wavelength … so you’ll imagine my surprise when I checked her blog tonight. This was a total coincidence. But head over to Sweetnicks for a Pineapple Orange Smoothie Recipe.

The post Cooking with Kids: Smoothies! appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Our family is off having fun this week (check in Friday for pics, details and more!), so we’re pretty busy. But don’t worry: There is a whole great line-up of recipes that will post this week.

Today’s is a great, easy homemade iced tea. We all love iced tea and this one is a wonderful, refreshing one, perfect for any adventure. And hey, how timely! This month is National Iced Tea Month. Who knew that such a thing even existed!

This is a great, fast thing to make with children. My kids and I gathered in the kitchen this morning, measuring and counting out tea bags to get this ready to go.

It’s a fantastic way to practice counting skills and reinforce number recognition with your kids. We counted the tea bags by 2s, which is a great skill for my almost-5-year-old. And Paige, who is wise beyond her years, helped me figure out when I hit the four cup line on my measuring cup when measuring the water and apple juice.

As for the beverage itself? This is a ridiculously easy recipe for making iced tea. Sweetened with apple juice (a trick I picked up from my cousin when she introduced me to a fab Barefoot Contessa iced tea), you don’t have to worry about settling sugar or getting the proportions perfect since the measurements are just so easy. We use a funnel to make pouring the brewed tea way easier.

You’ll need a 1-gallon pitcher for this one. I picked mine up at Target. Splurge for a good one … the seal is so much better and you are way less likely to have spillage.

Off to our adventure … but be sure to check in this week — I have a great orzo recipe for tomorrow and a wonderful guest post on Wednesday. Total must-read from a fabulous blogger.

Easy Mango Iced Tea
yields about 1 gallon

8 cups water
16 mango black tea tea bags
8 cups chilled apple juice
ice

Boil the water. Add the tea bags and let brew for 10 minutes.

While the tea is brewing, add the apple juice to a 1 gallon pitcher.

Strain the tea bags using a heavy duty spoon and a fine mesh strainer. Discard the used tea bags. Pour the brewed tea into the pitcher. Add enough ice to make it one-gallon. Chill until ready to serve.

The post Cooking with Kids: Mango Iced Tea Recipe appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.