Rum Runner Sangria #CaptainsTable

I'm tempted to tell you all about the 4-foot mounds of snow in my front yard. Or maybe the fact that if I sit at my computer without my slippers on, my feet don't unthaw for at least 3 hours - while under a blanket! But I know you're sick of hearing about the cold. And you  know what? So am I. So, let's think tropical!

There's not much that I wouldn't give to dig my toes into some sun-toasted sand right about now. Throw in my Jackie-O sunglasses, a good book, and a fruity cocktail and I may build a sandcastle and take up residence.  Enter the classic fruity cocktail: the Rum Runner.

The Rum Runner was developed in a Florida Tiki Bar (Holiday Isle in Islamorada) in the 1950's by a bartender looking to use up some of his inventory of rum and liqueurs in order to make room for a new delivery. So, a little bit of this, a little bit of that and ba-da-boom - the rest is history. It was named after the first rum runners who lived in the Florida Keys during the time of prohibition.

Sticky-Sweet Caribbean Wings #CaptainsTable

For the past week or so, I've been testing out football food. You know, game-friendly food. Food that can be eaten in front of the t.v. while the big game is on. Food that can be held in one hand while the other one is raising the roof or balled into a fist of fury. Food that can be done in advance so that viewing time is fully optimized.

The funny thing about so many things we consider football food...or finger food...is that it is actually messy. Think dips and salsas (I'm a notorious dribbler), nachos (hey, things tumble off, if can't be helped), and of course wings (sticky, glorious, sauce-on-your-cheeks wings)! But there's a solution to that, and it's called the paper towel value-pack. Or a stack of cloth napkins. But these foods tend to stain, and I'm weird in that I like to minimize stains on my cloth napkins. I'm such a study in contradictions.

But back to the matter at hand. Game Day food. Namely, chicken wings. I've been in a wing frenzy this year, which is funny. Some years I can take 'em or leave 'em, but this year I can't seem to get enough. I've been experimenting with all sorts of fun flavors. I've got a couple more to come (and yes, you may even see some after the big game this Sunday - because we all know that there's not enough time in my day to get things done in advance).

Boozy Coconut White Hot Chocolate + Spiked Banana Bread #CaptainsTable

Round two of the #CaptainsTable challenge is underway, and the theme this time round is simply "the holidays".  My mind wandered in so many directions with this one.  I have a little list of ideas that I just add to each time something comes to mind, and it wound up being a page and a half long before I decided it was time to just make something.  As I looked outside at the six inches of snow blanketing everything in sight, my ultimate decision turned to warmth.

So...warmth.  Bundling up against the bitter wind that can make you lose your breath.  Thawing out after a day of snowball fights, snow forts, and sledding.  Wrapped in a blanket in front of a crackling fire while a storm rages outside of your cozy walls.  Wrapping presents while singing along with the endless stream of Christmas songs being played on the radio.  That kind of warmth.

For me, that means a mug of steaming hot chocolate and something warm and freshly baked from the oven.  I was in the mood for white hot chocolate, and I couldn't imagine how anything could tie it and rum together like coconut would.  What a combination!  It warms you from your frozen toes to your Rudolph-nose.

Cranberry Spiced Rum Fizz #CaptainsTable

When I think festive holiday drinks, the first ones I lean toward are FIZZES!  I don't know what it is with me and fizz, but every time I turn around, I come back with a fizzy drink in hand.  I know.  Fizz is festive!  Say it with me now... Fizz. Is. Festive.

So, when trying to decide which alcoholic beverages to offer with Thanksgiving dinner, a fizz naturally came to mind.  I figured I'd either go pumpkin, ginger, pomegranate, or cranberry.  Those flavors are the first to spring to mind when I think Thanksgiving cocktail flavors.  I knew that I wanted it to complement the flavor of Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum.  Heck, more than complement, I wanted it to show-off the rum!

Spiced Pumpkin Rum Flan #CaptainsTable

Do you have a go-to dessert for a specific holiday?  I tend to choose lemon bars and a fresh coconut tart for Easter.  For Christmas I lean towards cookies, candies, and gingerbread.  And Thanksgiving?  Well, Thanksgiving it's always pie.  It really never seemed like Thanksgiving if there wasn't pie for dessert.  Not that it was a rule or anything...technically.  But if it was a rule, I would have broken it this year.

Of course, this year seemed anything but traditional.  I usually spend a solid month planning and re-planning my menu.  I paste together bits and pieces to make what I think will make the perfect meal for the year.  I have a notebook.  It has headings.  If you were to glance at it, you'd see Turkey and Gravy, Stuffing (which I should technically call Dressing, because I never actually stuff it into the bird), Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Applesauce (the applesauce is always the same, but I still list the category and fill it in), Sides (because potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and applesauce are always there in some form or another...but the sides often change from year to year), Bread, Drinks, and Desserts.

Into that notebook also goes a shopping list, a prep schedule, and a cooking schedule.  It goes with me everywhere during the month of November, leading up to the big day.  You know, in case I have any things that need to be immediately added or changed.  Lest I forget those changes before I return home.  This was the first year that two or three pies were not listed under Desserts.  Some years, I just use Pies as the heading, as I know that's all that will be there, anyway.  But really, not a single pie.

Why I'm sitting at the #CaptainsTable this holiday season...

Over the next 3 months, I will be joining 14 other bloggers in the #CaptainsTable Challenge.  We will be creating and sharing some delicious holiday food and drink recipes featuring Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum and/or Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum.  The challenge consists of three parts: Thanksgiving, The Holidays, and Super Bowl.  I will be creating one drink recipe and one food recipe for each of the three challenges.

Chef Hugh Acheson will be reviewing the recipes and photos submitted by each blogger, and he will choose a winner each round to receive a $500 gift card to the retail store of their choice.  At the end of the challenge, an overall winner will also be awarded a trip to a Captain's Table US event in the spring where they will meet Hugh.

But wait, here's the really cool part - each time the #CaptainsTable hashtag is used across social media channels from now through the beginning of February, Captain Morgan will donate $1 to WhyHunger!  So, if you see a post labeled with the #CaptainsTable hashtag, please share it; we want to raise as much money as we can for a great cause.