Crowd-pleasing sangrias

One of the smartest things you can plan for your drink menu -- for at-home parties, showers, rehearsal dinners, wedding-weekend events and other wedding parties -- is a collection of amazing sangrias for your guests to enjoy.

I've included sangria in several of my bestselling wedding budgeting books, and I thought it was about time I showed you where to get the best recipes! One pitcher of sangria is good for 6-8 guests, so there's your formula for how much you'll need.

Find amazing sangria recipes from your favorite Food Network chefs here, and stock up on great sangria cookbooks here.

It's a great idea to add sangria cookbooks -- as well as other cookbooks -- to your bridal registry, since guests LOVE to give these inexpensive, yet practical and much-loved presents to you for your future parties. From white sangrias to rich, red berry-based sangrias, even a hot sangria for those cold winter nights, the recipes are sure to please.

Vegetarian Menu Inspiration for your wedding

Finding inspired and delectable vegetarian dishes for your cocktail party or wedding isn't a challenge at all when you work with a caterer who has experience with vegetarian or vegan menus. I'm so thrilled to share some samples from VegetarianWeddings.com

Sides, Salads & Dolci — Mediterranean

Vegetables, Grains & Legumes

Platter of Grilled Seasonal Vegetables in light balsamic marinade
Wild Rice with broccoli, bell pepper, tarragon & toasted pecans
White Beans with tomatoes, olives, rosemary, feta, light balsamic sauce
Couscous or Tabbouleh with tomato, cucumber, parsley, mint
Israeli Couscous with julienned vegetables & light vinaigrette marinade
Persian Wedding Rice with caramelized onion, dried fruits,
saffron, cardamom, toasted nuts
Indian Dal garnished with yogurt, tomatoes, cucumber & cilantro
Sicilian Eggplant Caponata


Salads

Mixed Seasonal Greens with grilled vegetables & agrodolce dressing
Salade Niçoise with green beans, potatoes, tuna, tomatoes, eggs, olives & basil
Lebanese-style Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, onions, sumac
Orange Salad with red onions, & mint dressing, served on a bed of greens
Panzanella: Italian bread salad with roasted peppers, olives, tomatoes, basil
Fattoush: Middle Eastern bread salad with cucumbers,
tomatoes, peppers, mint, cilantro
Seasonal or Citrus Fruit Salad with orange flower water & mint

Dolci

Fabulous flourless Italian Chocolate Torte with hazelnuts
Ricotta Tart with seasonal fruit or berries
Platter of Dessert Bars, including triple chocolate fudge brownies,
Slices of moist Lemon or Orange Cake, & hazelnut bars with raspberry jam
Strawberries in red wine
Tarte Tatin (upside down apple cake)

* * *


Sides, Salads & Postres — South of the Border

Vegetables, Grains & Legumes

Platter of Grilled Seasonal Vegetables with light cilantro/lime marinade
Arroz Escarlata (scarlet rice with beets)
Spanish-style Rice with chiles, tomatoes, celery, cilantro
Pineapple Rice: a spicy rice with vegetables & fresh pinapple
Black Beans with mango, tomato, corn, avocado, lime/cilantro dressing
Lentil Stew with pineapple & banana
Zucchini & mushrooms in spicy lime marinade
Eggplant with garlic & spring onions
Quinoa with julienned vegetables, tomato & light marinade

Salads

Red, White & Green Salad with spinach, red cabbage & avocado
Orange & Radish Salad served on a bed of greens with anise dressing
Jicama & Cucumber Salad with orange lime marinade
Salad of Beets & Cabbage with candied pineapple & avocado sauce
Cactus & Jicama Salad with watercress & avocado
Cauliflower Corn Salad with orange dressing
Painted Desert Coleslaw: finely shredded cabbage & veggies in a lime marinade
Peruvian Vegetable Salad with baby vegetables, eggs, olives & thinly sliced pancetta
Mango, Tomato & Red Onion Salad
Avocado, Arugula & Citrus Salad

Postres

Citrus Fruit Salad (tangerines, blood oranges, grapefruit) with light sauce
of kumquat & orange blossom water
Platter of Fresh Fruits (melon, pineapple, strawberries)
Louisiana-style Bread Pudding with dried apricots & bourbon sauce
Jamaican Fruit Trifle (layers of cake, cream, dash of rum & tropical fruit)

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Sample Menus

International Specialties

Indian Specialties
Sides, Salads & Sweets

Take your appetite on a Mediterranean adventure into tangy spices, zesty sauces, salty crunches, cooling dips and subtle sweets from Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Sicily, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, Portugal, and Tangiers.


Our Latin menus include foods from Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Cuba, and the Caribbean, where beans and rice are never ordinary!



For more information on this expert, contact:
Margaret Riesen
805-967-9848
877-967-9848 toll free

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Santa Barbara • Santa Ynez Wineries • Montecito • Malibu • Santa Monica
Southern California • San Francisco Bay area

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Budget-Saver: Use Locally-Grown Foods in Your Menu....But What Are They?

You see the advice everywhere in articles and books on how to save money on your wedding: use locally-grown, in-season foods in your wedding menu. Importing costs extra money, after all. But how do you find out what these foods are?

As I'm researching my newest book, I came across these fabulous resources for you! Check out the following to find lists of the local foods in your region, searchable by season:

LocalHarvest.org
and
NRDC.org, which is organized so beautifully! You just enter your state and the season, broken down by 'early October' and 'late October' and such, to really zero in on what's in-season...as well as what's in-season in states near you. A great resource that's going to help you work so much better with your caterers!