I’ve never been one for empty gestures.  And I don’t like doing things just because “that’s what you do” or because ”that’s the way it’s always been done.”  The best example of this is my refusal to give people cards for holidays unless 1) I made them myself, or 2) they are somehow inappropriate, and thus surprising/entertaining (e.g., Our 2007 winter holidays card said “Peace and sh*t.” inside).

Something along these lines that bugs me is Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  Of course, these are important holidays, but the ways we typically celebrate them aren’t.  I mean, I can kinda get behind the idea of sending flowers on Mom’s Day, because they are pretty and usually unique from year to year.  But in that case, what do you send Dad?  A mail-order tie?  So, our solution to all of this is to scrap the holidays all together and combine them into a summer-time “Parents’ Day” for which my brother, husband, and I cook a several course meal for my parents from scratch.  Somehow, this seems to fit my family much better and seems more heartfelt and intentional than a “World’s Best Parent” paperweight.   

For the first course of the Parents’ Day Meal this year, we had White Wine Sangria with Gorgonzola, Caramelized Onions, and Fig Jam on Crostini.  The sangria was the result of my realization that I had forgotten to plan a drink.  So, I mixed the following things in a pitcher:

• 1500 mL Chardonnay/Semillion blend (this is the big bottle)
• 2 shots Triple Sec
• 1 single serving can pineapple juice
• sugar to taste
• cut up apples, oranges, limes, apricots

 

I regrigerated for about an hour and then served with diet Publix-brand Sprite for some fizz.  Pretty decent for dumping stuff in a pitcher.

The crostini were based on this Cooking Light recipe.  As always, I added all ingredients to taste, but the major change I did make was that both the jam and onions took way longer than the recipe says–you have to cook it until you like it.  Also, I microwaved the gorgonzola crumbles for 20 seconds so it would be spreadable.  The end result was delicious!

Stay tuned for the second course!