There are so many wine varietals that circulate in the stores. It is pretty hard trying to figure out the best wines to pick. Most times we have one type of wine we purchase all the time which makes it hard to try others. This year, let’s try some new wines while we expand our palate and travel through places with our selection.

Typically with holiday feasts, you will have some appetizers, a big meal, and don’t forget the delicious desserts. What wine should I drink with that? What do people like? Is this too much alcohol content? Does this taste good with this?!! Here are some good wine varietals that will go with any part of your meals.

Sparkling Holiday Wines

Sparkling! Always start with sparkling wine! It is a celebration!

We are here to eat and have fun! Let’s have a welcome drink, shall we? Now I know what you’re saying! Champagne is expensive! Expensive, but so good! Let’s explore the world of sparkling! Yes, champagne is the head hancho but let’s dig down into a Cava. Cava is an inexpensive sparkling wine that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle, just like champagne. So why not try prosecco, Blanc de Blanc, or a sparkling Rosè! All good options for any holiday party!

Some sparkling wines to try this holiday season:

• Schramsburg Blanc De Blancs
• Pine Ridge Sparkling Wine
• J Vineyards Cuvee
• Taittinger Brut La Francaise
• Feuillatte Brut Blue Label
• Mumm Napa Brut or Rose’

White Holiday Wines

Next up we have our appetizers, grazing boards, & pre-dinner snacks! Off-dry white wine with acidity wins every time!! Vouvray, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, or Riesling. These white wines are likely more acidic than the food and will have a light intensity. White wines are commonly looked at negatively or that it’s only supposed to be sipped during the hotter months.

Uhm no! We are all about the crisp white wines all year round! Especially during the holidays. Chenin Blanc has spicy notes but is slightly sweet with high acidity. Sauvignon Blanc Crisp and light with grassy or herbaceous flavors. Can you imagine having Turkey, ham, or roasted chicken and stuffing with these wines?!! Match made in heaven! Any wine can be had all year round don’t let anyone tell you differently.

Some white wines that will taste heavenly and not break the Christmas budget:

• A to Z Chardonnay
• Stags Leap Chardonnay
• Bougrier V Vouvray
• Dr. Harmann Riesling
• Pacific Rim Riesling
• Hugel Alsace Gewurztraminer

Red Wines & Ports

Main course with sides…. Oh, the sides! This is when it becomes a Chardy Party – goes well with creamy sides, Turkey, chicken, Mac & cheese or you can bring it all back with a little champagne. These are winners when it comes to dinners. But not everyone is into a white or pair of bubbles. That’s when the Beaujolais, the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Red Blends, or my favorite the Zinny Zin Zin aka Zinfandels come in.

Desserts! What you eat must be as sweet or sweeter as your wine! A little port, a little sherry – oh my!!! Nice little razor dazzle to end dinner. Any of these wine choices are a good idea. Pairings are fun but you can also sip these wines with life like I do! hope you find something you’ll want to try and enjoy with friends and family at your next holiday party!

Some delicious reds to finish out the night:

• Decoy Red Blend
• Hess Cabernet Savignon
• In Sheep’s Clothing
• Cabernet
• Love Jadot Beaujolais
• Consentino Zinfandel
• Cigar Zinfandel
• Quevedo NV Crusted
• Gonzalez-Byass Alfonso
• Oloroso Seco

Now that the wine list is made, see how Ashley N. Smith of Chairty Design, sets are kitchen island for the holidays. It is so cute, you don’t want to miss this great idea to include the kiddos in setting the “table”. Click here to read: Don’t Desert Your Kitchen Island this Holiday Season.

As moms, if we’re being honest, we fancify the dining room table each holiday season to not only be pleasing to the eye but also to lay the foundation for the enjoyment of the meal and fellowship to come. However, we send the kids to eat at the kitchen island that may not possess similar aesthetics. Do they not deserve to have a space to dine with a fun-filled holiday vibe as well?

No need to go on a shopping spree. Unless you want to, of course! Simply pull together a few items that you already have in your possession, just as I have. My son and daughter tend to exchange words centered around what belongs to whom. Hence, the Mickey and Minnie plates. I simply took those to identify their specific place setting in lieu of place cards when setting up our kitchen island.

Additionally, I stuffed my Peters Pottery with extra beaded garland and supplemented it with simple, holiday accents and fresh flowers then placed on the kitchen island for that extra element of design.

During this holiday season, my kiddos have a space to eat pancakes on Sundays or celebrate the joy this season brings. The best part? It is an easy set-up to clean-up and refresh.

Check out our Holiday Edition Gift Guide for the ultimate shop-at-home experience and for more holiday articles. This magazine-style gift guide was created by moms for moms to make your shopping experience a little more enjoyable.

Make the holidays festive by adhering to these secrets to a stress-free holiday soirée.

1. Determine Date & Location

While you may save money hosting a party at home, remember that local restaurants with private dining rooms and small event venues offer the option of having fun without the setup and clean up! If you do host at home, do yourself a favor and hire someone to clean the day before the event. This is a big part of stress-free holiday planning.

2. Chose a Festive Theme

If you plan to have your party at home, let your holiday decor do the work. If you already have your tree and trimmings, that’s all you need. For a special touch, you may want to add some fresh seasonal flowers and scented holiday candles for more ambiance. Don’t forget to bring out your holiday China or favorite novelty moose mugs for the occasion.

3. Prepare Your Budget

Determine the focus of your party and be realistic with your finances. Remember that most of your budget will be used for food and beverage, so plan around that accordingly. Ask friends and family to consider co-hosting with you or contributing by bringing a favorite bottle of wine or a fun appetizer.

4. Plan Your Guestlist & Prepare Invitations

Whom would you like to invite to your party? Will this be a small, intimate dinner party or a big, casual affair? Think about your budget when deciding your guest list. As soon as you have your list, print and send invitations at least 2-3 weeks ahead. If you need to save a little money, there are many online invitation sites that allow you to email your attendees.

5. Select Your Menu

What type of party are you planning? Is it Christmas Karaoke with hot cocoa and cookies? A traditional Hannukah dinner party? A Kwanza cocktail reception? Once you know your focus, you can easily find fun-themed recipes from your cookbooks or online. You may also want to consider having a few items catered or ask friends and family to bring their favorite dish.

6. Hire entertainment or Create a Festive Playlist

If live entertainment is within budget, consider hiring local talent to liven up your party. A variety of entertainers can be found through a quick online search for “musicians/entertainers in my town.” If background music is all you require, creating a festive playlist is as easy as a quick iTunes download! Some of MGG’s favorite holiday songs are “All I Want for Christmas” by Mariah Carey, “Marshmallow World” by Darlene Love, and “Sleigh Ride” by Johnny Mathis.

Be sure to check out of Holiday Edition Gift Guide for all your shopping needs.

Step 1 – Add ingredients

• Add frozen or fresh chicken breast
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup of your favorite salsa (or can of rotel – drained)
• 3 tablespoons of chili powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• salt & pepper.

Step 2 – Cook

This is the easy part. Let your Instant Pot or slow cooker do all the work. Cook at the desired temp and time of your cooker. I used 5 frozen chicken breast and cooked in my Instant Pot for 30 minutes.

*Note – while the chicken is cooking, put your rice on to cook. I use a rice cooker and it’s the best thing ever! In the rice cooker it’s 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice. I like to cook my rice in chicken broth. It gives it such a rich taste.

Step 3 – Shred chicken

This is my least favorite part (and this is still pretty easy.) Take two forks and shred the chicken right in the slow cooker or Instant Pot for your burrito bowls. Let it sit while you put together the toppings. The chicken will soak up the juices that it made in the pain.

Step 4 – Toppings!

This is the fun part! Grab the cheese, sour cream, guacamole, jalapenos, and anything else you love on taco and top your burrito bowl. I just grabbed what was in the fridge and put it in my favorite ramekins. Then put it all together on a platter and voila’ – dinner is served!

Step 5 – Plate it up (or should I say bowl)

Add your rice on the bottom. Use beans or both is that’s what your family likes. Then add some shredded chicken and go to town on the toppings. My husband grows his own peppers so we always have fresh pickled peppers in our house. And we are never short of Valentina Salsa Picante.

Mexican Street Corn

This is one of my favorite side dishes when having taco night or burritos bowls. Grill your corn. I boil mine sometimes if I don’t want to turn the grill on, but grilling is much better for sure. While that is cooking, mix together 1/2 cup mayo and chili powder.

If you’re a mayo-hater, don’t worry it’s nothing like you think. Once your corn is done lather the mayo mixture on. Then roll in grated cotija cheese. Sprinkle on a little more chili powder and top with some lime juice. Amazing!!!

I promise this will be a meal your family will be asking for at least once a week! And you won’t mind saying yes because it’s so super easy and always delicious.

Be sure to check out “Five Ways to Make Mealtime Easier for the Working Mom”.

As a little girl that grew up in the early 80’s I remember watching Wonder Woman and wanting to be just like her. When Wonder Woman the movie came out in 2017, it was like I was 8 years old all over again. I was overcome with nostalgia of my childhood. The red and blue suit, the gold arm bands, and the feeling of the ultimate girl power.

I was determined I was going to see the new Wonder Women 1984 movie for myself and decide what my thought was on the movie. But I had to see it on the big screen. Luckily we have an amazing theater in Ridgeland, MS, B&B Theaters, that has been renovated to a state of art facility.

If you watched Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max, you watched it wrong.

Let me just say that if you watched Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max, you watched it wrong. Trust me! We got the opportunity to watch it on a ScreenX and it was like being in the movie. My daughter was mesmerized and I have to admit so was I. You can’t help but be caught up in the surround sound and picture; just the whole experience was unbelievable.

We had the best day at the movies enjoying some popcorn and our favorite Super hero. I encourage you to check your local theater’s safety protocols for Covid-19. B&B has done a wonderful job with sanitizing and making sure social distancing is in place throughout the building. Some theaters even allow you to rent out an entire screening room so your family can enjoy a movie privately.

“Because no matter how small an act of kindness or generosity or simple positivity you put out into the world, it will make a difference.” ~ Wonder Woman

For tips on how to travel during a pandemic check out: Traveling During a Pandemic.