{friday cocktail: blackberry sage fizz}

Sometimes I pick cocktail ingredients based solely on if they will make the drink a pretty color- that's just the honest truth my friends.  Blackberries give cocktails the richest deep purple color (although it looks red in the photo, but trust me it's purple- not all photos can capture real life).  I added in some sage to keep it feeling seasonal and then topped the whole thing with champagne because...well...why not!?!  This cocktail would be super simple to make in big batches which makes it just perfect for all your upcoming holiday get-togethers.

Cheers!

{raspberry gouda grilled cheese}

When shopping around for what cheese/toppings combo I wanted to use for my own sandwich at our grilled cheese party, I happened across pesto gouda combo cheese at Trader Joe's.  I figured the bright green color would make for a fun looking grilled cheese (and by fun I mean that it would resemble green eggs & ham).  I also picked up some raspberries to toss in to try making it more of a sweet grilled cheese.  People questioned these choices, but I love how this sandwich turned out- especially the tart flavor from the berries.  If you can't find pesto gouda you could always use regular gouda and add in a couple tablespoons of regular pesto.

Check out some other interesting grilled cheese flavor combos at the bottom of this post!

short rib  |  balsamic brussels  |  brie pear  |  avo strawberry  |  blackberry basil  |  caramel apple

{party inspiration: a grilled cheese soiree}

You might have seen on Instagram that last Sunday night we hosted a little grilled cheese soiree at our place and it might just be my new favorite party theme.  We purchased a bunch of bread and butter then asked guests to B.Y.O.C. - bring their own cheese and desired toppings.  Of course there ended up being a little friendly competition among guests to make the best grilled cheese combination- some of the front runners included jalapeño pesto pear with gruyere, baked beans with cheddar, and a surprising combo of american singles with hot dogs!  This is such an easy inexpensive last minute party idea that requires minimal set up and it gets guests involved!