Recent Favorites

Happy Monday! Did you have a nice Thanksgiving? Ours was great; unfortunately I didn’t have Friday off so it didn’t really super feel like a holiday, but we enjoyed the day nevertheless.

I personally love when bloggers do roundups of stuff they are loving. When Megan posted last week, it reminded me that I had a whole bunch of random things making me happy that I just wanted to share. Favorites post almost always introduce me to new things I love, so here a few of the things that I am loving lately.

The Great Vegan Bean Book, by Kathy Hester – I was excited to receive this review copy because I met the author back at Eat, Write, Retreat years ago and she was just delightful. This book is full of easy recipes that all contain beans. There are soups, stews, breakfasts, appetizers, and even bean desserts. I have only made a couple of recipes so far, but I can easily see this book being the base of many of our meal plans.

HiLine Coffee capsules – These are the first non-Nespresso capsules that I have found that fit in my Nespresso machine. I love that they are slightly less-expensive than Nespresso and that they are produced by a small company in New York City. The coffee is fantastic; I am a huge fan of their decaf especially, since I tend to be jittery all on my own. The names and packaging are fun too! I did receive this generous box of samples to review at no charge, but I plan on replenishing our stock once we run out. I’m a huge fan.

As you all know, I am a huge lover of Champagne. The Reserve Champagne bar at the Langham is absolutely perfect for a girls night out or a romantic date around the holidays. We spent a special Sunday afternoon last holiday season at the Reserve, and I can’t recommend it enough for a little bit of fancy in Boston.

Cranberries! I love these jewel-toned little bursts of tartness, plus, they are good for you. I have enjoyed some cranberry cocktails lately, including a simple one made at home. All I did was create a cranberry “syrup” by simmering cranberries, sugar, and bourbon in a sauce pan. Once cooled, I added a scoop of the boozy cranberries to a glass, poured more bourbon over it, added a splash of fresh clementine juice, topped with ice, and thoroughly enjoyed. Cranberries and oranges are staples of the holiday season, and they definitely add a festive flair.

Two Shepherds Grenache Blanc – I love when wine club time rolls around, and one of our favorites is Two Shepherds. This Grenache Blanc was served prior to our Thanksgiving dinner, and we’re kind of obsessed with it. These wines are, to us, like nothing we have really tasted anywhere else, in the best way possible. If you are wine lover looking for some fun, delicious, and unique wines, definitely check out these wines. We’re looking forward to many evenings with friends and a fire this winter, with our latest Two Shepherds wine club shipment.

What are some of your recent favorites?