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.

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”.

Approximately every minute in the United States, a woman dies from cardiovascular disease. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that having cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), might increase your risk of severe illness from Covid-19. Those statistics alone should be a powerful motivator to put your health on your priority list, Mama!

Moms Wear Many Hats

As a working woman and a mom, I understand that multiple hats women wear daily to keep the family circus in line. It’s easier for moms to find a needle in a haystack than find time that doesn’t involve carpool, family meals, or domestic duties. But, as your dietitian, I want you to know that you don’t need more time to get in better health. Focus on making decisions that support good health most of the time.

American Heart Month

Since 1964 February has been declared as American Heart Month as a reminder to get families, friends, and communities involved in reinforcing the importance of heart health. Don’t let any more time go by without knowing a number that could save your life: Your blood pressure! Who cares what you weigh, as long as your heart is healthy on the inside. Stop worrying about a number that doesn’t define your actual health, and start better understanding the numbers linked to your overall well being. When moms focus on keeping their blood pressure in check they reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Controlling Your Blood Pressure

How do you control your blood pressure? I’m glad you asked. Getting rid of your husband and kids may reduce your risk of hypertension, but there are less dramatic ways to approach managing your heart’s stress. There are lifestyle factors that are the foundation for good heart health like exercise, and a nutritious diet, such as a DASH diet. DASH – which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – emphasizes eating ample fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and dairy foods while also lowering salt intake. The US News & World Report ranked the DASH Diet as one of the best overall eating plans for good healthy for the 11th year in a row. Research confirms that DASH diet, which includes three servings of low-fat dairy and eight to 10 servings or fruit and vegetables each day, can lower blood pressure as much as some medications.

But please know that regardless of your effort to like kale and exercise, you may still need to be on medication to help treat heart disease, and that’s okay. Two cheers for modern medicine!

The Dash Diet

There is nothing hard about the DASH eating plan except that most of the blood pressure improvements and heart healthy benefits are seen with the increase in fruits and vegetables. Eating more plants may be challenging to many since only about 5 percent of Mississippians meet their recommended intake of fruits and vegetables daily. If you’re not in the habit of eating fruits and vegetables don’t get discouraged. Make small shifts in your food choices, starting with one vegetable serving a day and working your way up to what you’re comfortable with adding.

Getting in enough portions of fruit or vegetables isn’t nearly as daunting as on might imagine. A serving of raw fruit and vegetables equals 1 cup and a 1/2 cup for cooked varieties. If you follow these guidelines and include produce at every meal and snack, it’s easy to hit the heart-protective mark.

Here are a few tips to increase fruits and vegetables throughout the day:

• Add fresh or frozen berries to oatmeal, yogurt, or whole-grain cereal
• Add a cup of fresh spinach to eggs or smoothies
• Use ripened bananas or zucchini to make whole-grain pancakes or muffins
• Keep whole fruits out on your counter of desk for a quick snack
• Replace desserts with fruit and yogurt popsicle or parfait
• Opt for vegetarian style pizzas or fajitas
• Order sandwiches as open-faced salads instead.
• Replace a side of French fries with apple slices or side salad.

Mason Jar Salad

One way to knock out several vegetable servings at once is to fill up on a large Mason jar salad for lunch or dinner. The best part is you can make several at a time and store them in your refrigerator for easy access all week long. Use it as a side dish or as your main meal. First get creative with the ingredients. Start with a wide-mouthed jar, add a heart-healthy olive oil based dressing to the bottom, and then pack in the veggies such as broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes. Layer in a serving of protein-rich cheese or chickpeas; top it off with green leafy lettuce. When you are ready to eat, turn it over and give it a shake. Shake, shake, and partake.

If you haven’t already, make time to get your blood pressure checked. And start eating for a healthy heart today. Your family needs you!

Pear and Spinach Salad

• 1 pear, cored and thickly sliced
• 3 cups spinach leaves, divided
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds or dread cranberries
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinaigrette
• 1 quart-size large-mouth Mason jar

Pour a small amount of dressing on the bottom. Place the pear slices on top of the dressing. Layer 1 cup of the spinach on top of the pear, and then add the pomegranate seeds and the chopped pecans. Finish with the remaining spinach and the blue cheese. Seal the jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes 1 serving.

*******************************************************************************

To read more about how you can get involved with AHA, please visit American Heart Association – Mississippi.

Magnolia Moms is dedicated to working to bring awareness to the importance of heart health. We are able to do so by support from companies like The Winning Smile. Be sure to check out more of our personal stories about cardiovascular disease in our wellness section.

I’ve been in the Turner family for almost 15 full years, and I am just now discovering this homemade gem. I almost feel betrayed that it took this long for my in-laws to let me in on the secret hidden in the freezer.

But if I were honest, years ago, I would have passed on this biscuit topper because it was full of “added sugar” and wouldn’t have “fit my macros.” Saying “no thank you” was more comfortable than feeling the guilt the rest of the day of “giving in” and not “staying on” my strict food plan.

I’m grateful God delayed my introduction to “freezer jam” to when my mind was more open to having food experiences without condemnation.

Our Aunt Fran made this scrumptious strawberry spread. And instead of fretting over the food choice, I gave thanks to God and her for this meal and time spent with family around the kitchen table.

This is my prayer for you and your relationship with food. I want you to enjoy good health, good food, and the good, good Lord.

Although I can’t share Aunt Fran’s recipe with you, I can share this yummy freezer jam from Graceful Little Honey Bee. I hope your family will enjoy this jam as much as our family does.

Coffee is everything to me. Actually, make that an espresso. A small shot of caffeine with beautiful creme floating on top or add water to make it more brewed-coffee like.

One cup is all I need.

It’s strange that I have become that mom, lady, woman that requires coffee for her day to go, at the very least, average. I can’t pinpoint the moment this became a thing. Maybe in my 20s, but since then, my whole family knows: my kids, my in-laws, my sibling, my parents.

It’s better to give me a superficial “Good morning”, until I get that cup and finish it.

I am not one that let’s it get cold. (I have heard that moms invented cold coffee!). Oh no, that is not me. I will drink that coffee in less than 5 minutes. Usually while standing. Summer or Winter.

Did I mention, it’s all I need.

Finding the Perfect Espresso Machine

When I had my second child, I was home bound. He required a lot. I was new to the area. With a two year old and a baby so I did very very little exploring. All this to say there was very little that made my day. One morning, I was online browsing on a deal and steals type of blog and it mentioned that a local store was having a great deal on espresso machines.

I told my husband I wanted one especially if it’s on sale and he knew better than to protest. So off to the store I went, alone, and on the counter a beautiful shiny machine gleaned and called to me. It was The Delonghi Perfecta ESAM5400. It brought back memories of fancy coffee shops and bantering baristas. It brought dreams of future sips from heaven (albeit in my kitchen).

It had a frother, grinder, made espresso and coffee, and had multiple setting for coffee strength. It was the perfect espresso machine.

I mean I felt like that kid Ralphie in A Christmas Story when he is gawking at the Red Ryder BB gun!

Wide eyed, I asked what the price was. The cashier confirmed IT WAS ON SALE, 75 percent off!!

Sold. I bought it.

I carried the box holding the big shiny machine to my car. It was the best day of my life (ok ok, other than marriage and the birth of my children). The year was 2011.

The Year of the Ass

Fast forward. It is 2020. The Chinese year of what? I don’t know. But probably an ass. Ahem. I mean donkey. With everything else going on, what should happen? Yes. You guessed it. My poor espresso machine sputtered it’s last shot of espresso. And I about died along side it.

I banged every possible part of my beloved espresso machine. Peered into it, looked at everything. Nothing was obvious. My husband tried to replace a part, pull it apart, look things up. But it had been discontinued and it’s hard to replace parts. It was not gonna happen. And just like that it was an end of an era.

The End of an Era

I used that machine every day, sometimes twice a day. My kids knew to turn it on if I was not yet awake. It was in some ways my alarm. “Time to get up mama” it would whisper to me as I crawled out of bed. Along with great coffee, I realized it created memories. Scenes of every day life happening in front of me with that cup and my machine.

I know, I know. In a world of chaos this is so unremarkable. But the thing is, it was part of my routine and something I looked forward to. My world has gotten small again, similar to when I had a newborn and a toddler. I cannot control much but I could have that cup of coffee and start these strange days awake and OK.

Over the Christmas holidays I got a small Nespresso machine. Maybe I knew in the back of my head, this day might come. It doesn’t make it any better that I was prepared. I will report that I still get my cup of coffee with the new machine. But, it’s not the same.

That is what life feels like right now. The routine that was once your life is no longer. Yet, life goes on. But let’s face it, it’s not the same.