Whether it’s relaxing at home, dining out at a restaurant or celebrating with friends and family, Americans are enjoying wine at a wider variety of occasions than ever before. In fact, 85 percent of frequent wine drinkers now believe that wine is equally appropriate for casual and formal settings alike.

Today’s attitudes and behaviors toward wine drinking were recently captured in the second Gallo Consumer Wine Trends Survey, commissioned by E. & J. Gallo Winery. The survey of 1,000 frequent wine drinkers found that 82 percent enjoy between one and five glasses per week, which they enjoy at a wide range of occasions.

“We are always glad to see Americans’ love of wine expand each year as they experiment with flavors, varietals and packaging formats,” said Stephanie Gallo, third generation family member and vice president of marketing at E. & J. Gallo Winery. “For more than 80 years, Gallo has strived for excellence and will continue its family tradition of crafting innovative wines that cater to Americans’ evolving wine preferences.”

A more casual approach to wine suggests that shoppers are more likely to try new wines across a range of prices. In fact, more than one-third of survey respondents classified themselves as a “wine adventurer,” while only 3 percent of those surveyed self-identified as “wine snobs.”

Exploring and experimenting

More sipping occasions means more opportunities to try new wines. The top factors that inspire a frequent wine drinker to try something new are recommendations from friends, family members and coworkers. Additionally, 86 percent of wine drinkers would be encouraged by a server, bartender or sommelier recommendation, followed closely by a recommendation from a wine store employee.

Not surprisingly, millennials are more influenced by the digital world than older generations. Survey data shows that millennials are more likely to be encouraged to try a new wine if it is featured prominently and positively in the media or if it is recommended on social media.

Thinking inside the box

Mirroring the changes in wine drinkers’ shopping habits, the wine industry is thinking ‘inside the box’ these days. Boxed wine has evolved considerably in the minds of consumers, thanks in large part to its convenience. The extended freshness of boxed wine allows wine drinkers to enjoy it at their own pace and the box’s portability allows for easy transport to all types of occasions. In fact, 1 in 4 surveyed agree that boxed wine is best for large social gatherings and is becoming higher quality.

Wine in a can is a relatively new concept that more than one-fourth of frequent wine drinkers expressed interest in trying – particularly for outdoor excursions. Among fans of alternative packaging, outdoor events remained the primary occasion for the use of these products, which also include mini bottles and tetra packs.

Overcoming wine fears

As wine culture becomes more approachable, common fears among wine drinkers are less prevalent. The survey found that fears, such as mispronouncing a wine’s name or being judged for wine choices, are still on the minds of some wine drinkers, but those who enjoy it regularly are not dramatically affected by these concerns.

“As an industry, we must continue working to remove these barriers in order to nurture wine’s expansion into everyday occasions,” Gallo said. “By exploring the more emotional implications of wine culture and sharing these findings broadly, we hope to welcome more people into wine.”

To learn more about the evolving wine culture, visit gallowinetrends.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

*FF

The post For the Love of Wine appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

My favorite part of the 4^th of July is the big cookout that we host every year!  I am always looking for new, festive recipes to impress all of our friends and family.  This year I got a little help from our friends over at allrecipes.com who sent over their most popular recipes for Independence Day!  Read on to hopefully gain some inspiration, I think this might be our best cookout yet!

I always like to have two choices for the main dish, each featuring a different kind of meat.  This year we will be making (Actually) Delicious Turkey Burgers and Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs.  These are slightly healthier options than typical backyard barbecue food.  As impressive as they sound, they are both surprisingly quick, easy and perfect for entertaining!

Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

• 3 pounds ground turkey
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, onion, egg whites, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Form into 12 patties.
2. Cook the patties in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

Serve with your favorite toppings, I also like to toast the buns with a little butter to make them extra yummy!

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

For side dishes I always do bowls of fruit and chips, but this year I will also be adding the Sweet Restaurant Slaw!

Sweet Restaurant Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
• 2 tablespoons diced onion
• 2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip™)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt  
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Pour dressing mixture over coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

This recipe is as easy as it gets, but note that it needs time to chill!  This is definitely going to be the first thing I make early in the day.

My favorite part of the meal is absolutely dessert!  I always have too many ideas about what to make and end up making it all, but is too much dessert really a bad thing?  Not in my house!  The first dessert that we are going to make is about as traditional as it gets, Southern Peach Cobbler. 

Southern Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• 8 fresh peaches – peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• Cinnamon Sugar (Mix: 3 tablespoons sugar  and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

I love serving warm cobbler with ice cream, it gets melt-y and delicious!

Finally I love baking cakes for special occasions.  This year I will be making two; one that is impressive on the outside, and one that is impressive on the inside!

Red, White and Blue Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 pint blueberries, rinsed and drained   
• 2 pints fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced

Directions

1. Prepare cake according to package directions and bake in a 9×13 inch pan. Cool completely.
2. Frost cake with whipped topping. Place blueberries in a square in the corner, and arrange sliced strawberries as stripes to make an American flag. Chill until serving.

This cake could be made using whatever cake recipe or mix is your favorite.  I am thinking about red velvet cake to make it even festive!

American Flag Cake

Ingredients

• 3 (10.25 ounce) packages white cake mix
• 9 egg whites
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 3/4 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 tablespoon blue food coloring
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 10 cups fluffy white frosting
• 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons white sugar, or as needed
• 1 4-inch round paper or cardboard stencil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and line 4 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Combine white cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds using an electric mixer on low speed. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. The batter will still be slightly lumpy.
3. To make the red cakes, measure half the batter into a separate bowl and whisk in red food coloring. Evenly transfer the red batter into 2 of the 8-inch prepared cake pans; smooth tops of batter with a spatula. Transfer half of the remaining uncolored batter into a 3rd prepared cake pan; smooth top as before. This will be the white cake portion.
4. Add blue food coloring to the remaining uncolored batter in the large mixing bowl; fold 1 cup white chocolate chips into blue batter until combined. Transfer batter to remaining prepared 8-inch cake pan; smooth top of batter with a spatula.
5. Bake all 4 cakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from oven and place onto cooling racks until cooled completely.
6. Run a knife around edge of each cooled cake. Invert cakes, remove pans, and peel off parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to trim tops of cakes flat and even.
7. Cut both of the red cake layers and the white cake layer in half horizontally. You will have 4 thin red cake layers and 2 thin white cake layers.
8. Place a 4-inch round stencil on top of 1 thin red cake layer; cut out a 4-inch red cake round. Repeat, placing stencil on 1 thin white cake layer to make 1 4-inch white cake round. Center the 4-inch round stencil on the blue cake; cut out and remove center portion covered by the stencil to make a blue cake ring.
9. To assemble the cake, you will need 2 thin 8-inch red cake layers, 1 thin 8-inch white cake layer, 1 4-inch thin red cake circle, 1 4-inch thin white cake circle, and 1 blue 8-inch cake ring. Reserve the leftover thin red cake layer and other cake pieces for making crumbs for decorating.
10. To assemble cake, place 1 8-inch thin red cake layer on a cake pan and frost the top generously with white frosting. Place the thin 8-inch white cake layer on top of the red one, and frost the top. Place remaining 8-inch thin red cake layer atop the white one. Frost the red layer.
11. Place the blue ring cake on top of the 2nd red cake layer and carefully frost the inside of the blue cake ring. Gently fit the 4-inch white cake layer into the blue cake ring. Frost the top of the 4-inch white center. Place the 4-inch red cake layer on top of the white one. Gently press small cake circles flush with the top of the blue ring.
12. Frost the entire outside of the cake generously with the remaining frosting.
13. Crumble red and blue pieces of leftover cake into 2 separate bowls. Score lines into the top of the cake’s frosting with a kitchen knife to make a flag design on top of the cake. It should have a 2-inch square at the upper left for blue field and white stars, and 7 thick horizontal stripes about 1 inch wide.
14. Fill the square field at the upper left with blue crumbs and press 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips upside-down into the blue crumbs to make ‘stars.’ Fill the bottom stripe and every other stripe with red crumbs to make red stripes. Sprinkle white sugar generously into the white stripes to make them stand out.
15. To serve, cut cake into wedges. The inside of the cake will reveal its layers of red and white stripes and blue field with white chocolate chip stars in every slice.

I am so excited about this cake, I think I am going to make the extra cake pieces in to cake pops for the kids!

Hopefully this will give you some ideas for your own celebration!  Happy 4^th of July!

Recipes courtesy of Allrecipes.com

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A busy lifestyle can make it tough to find the time to make meals you can feel good about feeding to your hungry family. To help ensure loved ones are eating fresh and wholesome meals and getting to spend quality time together, Zoës Kitchen, a fast-casual Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, is servingup fresh and convenient dining solutions. With delicious menu items like Chicken Kabobs and Dinner for Four, busy moms can step out of the kitchen and enjoy some extra time with the family! Families can even create recipes with Zoës Fresh Take Tubs, a simple solution for grab and go goodness you can make together.

The post Give yourself a gift for Mother’s Day with Zoes Kitchen appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Saint Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and it’s time to plan an Irish meal for the family. For many Americans the first Irish meal that comes to mind is Corned Beef and Cabbage, but Corned Beef and Cabbage isn’t actually an Irish meal. It was created by Irish families after they immigrated to America. If your family would like to have a more traditional Irish meal this Saint Patrick’s Day, try this recipe for traditional Irish Shepard’s Pie.

Traditional Irish Shepard’s Pie:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tsp black pepper
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3-4 large carrots, finely diced
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 glass of red wine
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 cup of stock
• 6 cups of fresh or leftover mashed potatoes
• 1 egg, beaten
• Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2-Sauté carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.

3-Add in the onions and sauté for a minute or two then add the meat.

4-Season with black pepper and thyme.

5-Cook until browned then drain the fat.

6-Add the butter and peas.

7-Sprinkle with flour and stir through.

8-Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire Sauce.

9-Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick, meaty gravy. Season to your taste.

10-Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish (9 x 13) with butter and add the sauce.

11-Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

12-Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.

13-Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop up that yummy sauce!

For an after dinner treat, try out one of these recipes for a Shamrock Smoothie or an Irish Apple Tart:

Irish Apple Tart

To make the pastry:

• 3.5 Cups of flour
• 2/3 generous cup of fine sugar
• 1 1/2 scant cups of unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 Tsp natural vanilla extract

Directions:

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, cut the butter into pieces and work it into the flour with your fingertips. Now make a well in the middle of the flour-and-butter mixture and add the egg, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Stir with a fork to incorporate the flour evenly until you have to begin using your hand. Using only one hand, bring the dry and wet ingredients together (this might take more time in the winter). On a floured work-surface, knead the dough for a few minutes then roll into 1/4-1/2 inch thickness.

For the apple filling:

• 2 1/2 to 3 cups of thinly sliced apples
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 Tsp of cinnamon
•  a squeeze of one lemon
• 1 Tbsp of grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Mix everything together and let sit for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bottom pastry onto plate. Fill with apples. Place top of pastry case over apple filling. Bake for about one hour. Serve with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Shamrock Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lime sherbet
• 1 cup plain frozen yogurt
• 2 ounces pear juice
• 1 Tsp lime juice
• 1 Tsp sugar
• 1/2 Tsp spearmint extract
• 2 Tbsp grated chocolate
• Mint leaves

Directions:

Combine sherbet, yogurt, pear juice, lime juice, sugar and spearmint extract. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses, garnish with grated chocolate and mint leaves. Serve. Makes about 2 servings.

Recipes and images retrieved from:

Dewdropdeb, . “Traditional Irish Shepard’s Pie.” Food.com. N.p.. Web. 10 Mar 2013.

McDonnell, Imen. “Irish Recipes and Food from Ireland.” IrishAbroad. N.p.. Web. 10 Mar 2013.

Perry , Beth. A Celebration of Non-alcoholic Irish-themed Drinks. N.d. HubpagesWeb. 10 Mar 2013.

The post Irresistible Irish Dishes appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

 Tori Spelling planned her very first party (her own roller skate – themed birthday with a hot-pink-and-turquoise color scheme) at the age of eight, and she’s been hosting friends and family in her home ever since.  She knows as well as anyone that “style” and “elegant” don’t often play well with “budget.” With celebraTORI (Gallery Books; on-sale April 3^rd, 2012; Hardcover; $25.99), Tori rolls up her sleeves and turns that notion on its head – expertly showing how creativity, passion, and smart planning are the secret ingredients for throwing a truly unforgettable bas on any “real world” budget.

In this delightfully entertaining, must-have party  companion, Tori share all the tips and tricks she’s learned from her most successful soirees (and a few train wrecks.) It’s like having your own personal party planner for a fraction of the cost!

celebraTORI is not just instruction it’s also inspirational. Hosting an event is not about ticking to-dos off a list; it’s about turning an organic idea into a fun day you and your guests won’t forget – so much so that you just can’t wait to do it again…with a different theme, of course. Tori covers all the basics, from discovering new reason to celebrate and choosing a concept, to decorating, creating flower arrangements, making refreshments, and building the cornerstone of any great party: the dessert table! The best part is that all of her suggestion including her mouthwatering recipes, are 100 percent do-it-yourself.

Filled with lots and lots of great advice, handy blueprints, and hilarious anecdotes, celebraTORI is the perfect guide for making life’s special occasions uniquely memorable, promising to take them up a notch—or five.

CUPCAKE CONE

{how-to}

Here’s how to make cute, yummy, stress-free cupcake cones. Best of all, no melting. Make sure you have some sort of plan for how to keep the finished cones standing. I used an upside-down wire basket to display them. You can also just put them in regular glasses.

1. Bake your favorite cake. I like to make a nine-inch red velvet cake. If you’re short on time, use a mix from a box. Why not? When the cake is done, let it cool completely.

2. In a bowl, mush the cake with cream cheese or icing. Keep adding the cream cheese until the consistency is moldable, but not gooey. You’re going to want to be able to form balls that stick together well.

3. Put the cake/icing mixture in the freezer until it firms up a bit-about an hour. You don’t want it too hard, just firm enough, again, that it will be easy to mold.

4. Now roll the mushy cake into balls, press them firmly onto old-fashioned ice cream cones.

5. Frost with regular icing.

About The Author:

TORI SPELLING is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of sTORI telling, Mommywood, and uncharted terriTORI.  Tori is host and executive producer of the new TLC competition series Craft Wars, which premieres this summer. She is an accomplished designer with a distinct sense of style. Her latest jewelry designs from “The Tori Spelling Collection”  are available exclusively at HSN and she recently launched her own line of craft products also available at HSN. She combines her love for designing jewelry and crafting, in her new DIY fashion jewelry line, Styled by Tori Spelling, which debuts this summer.  Tori also offers ideas and inspiration for elevating everyday life at her ediTORIal online community, ToriSpelling.com. Tori is the star and executive producer of Oxygen’s hit reality series, Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood and Tori & Dean: sTORIbook Weddings, with her husband, Dean McDermott. Together they have three children – Liam, Stella, and Hattie – and live in Los Angeles.

About the Imprint:

Gallery Books is an imprint dedicated to publishing a wide variety of must-read books on a wide array of topics.  The imprint was designed to showcase established voices and to introduce emerging new ones—in both fiction and nonfiction, and across a variety of genres.   Some of Gallery Books’ bestselling titles include Gunn’s Golden Rules by Tim Gunn, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler, Uncharted TerriTORI by Tori Spelling,  Fairy Tale Interrupted by Rosemarie Terenzio, Assholes Finish First by Tucker Max and Left Neglected by Lisa Genova.  Upcoming titles include Marilu Henner’s Total Memory Makeover and Gorilla Beach by Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.  

Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for customers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com

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