Moving from Michigan to Colorado 14 years ago was both exciting and scary.  It was a big, new adventure for a small-town girl who only made a few, short moves from her hometown of Clinton, a tiny, rural town in Southeastern Michigan.  Tearful goodbyes among close girlfriends made the move bitter sweet for me and I felt a bit uneasy at the thought of being 1200 miles away from those who knew me best.  The months following my move to Colorado were spent unpacking, looking for a job, and getting settled.  No girlfriends required.  But as time passed, I began to miss the face-to-face girl talks, shopping, frozen margaritas, and nights out dancing, the things that can only be done properly with a girlfriend.  Resistance began to rear its ugly head at the thought of making new friends.  It had been 18 years since I was forced to make any new ones.  The small town I grew up in afforded me the advantage of developing longstanding friendships with individuals who know your backstory, because they themselves have a supporting role.  Making friends in the first grade is quite a bit easier and a lot less intimidating because rejection has fewer ramifications when you’re 6 years old.  My persistance to remain friendless in Colorado lasted many months.  Yet, determination to avoid the superficial introductions and potential incompatibilities kept me isolated, to say the least, and only added to the lonliness I already felt.  Not to mention, I was also setting a poor example for my 7 year old daughter who had also been transplanted.  Although, she was having much better luck, without much effort.

A shift in perspective came when I made my very first friend in Colorado, Megan Panesi, after 6 long months in a brand new state.  She was a co-worker at the day care center I found a job at and we hit it off at an after-work party for another co-worker.  We had a love of dancing in common and that was enough for me to begin making an effort.  I will forever be grateful to Megan for unknowingly teaching me that new friendships are just as valuable and should be treasured as fully as old ones.

Over the 14 years I’ve lived in Colorado, many friends have come and gone from my life, both new and old.  Some have transitioned out due to my own house cleaning, ridding my spirit of toxic energy, and others have left of their own volition.  As I’ve come to learn more about myself and my values, I’ve become more selective about the friends I let into my life.  There are few old ones that remain true, many new friends that are becoming old friends, and countless new friendships I look forward to making. 

Classic Sangria Photograph by Andrea Karapas

Summer is one of the best times of year to spend with friends.  It’s a slower pace for most and a time for rejuvenation.  After a long 10 weeks of making pie, I took a much needed break from flour on my face and my dear friend, the rolling pin, to kick my feet up with a new friend and a glass of deliciously cool and refreshing Sangria.  Sangria is a wine punch from the Spain and Portugal region typically consisting of a light, dry wine (usually red), chopped or sliced fruit such as apple, orange, lime, melon, berries, grapes or peaches; a sweetener such as honey, sugar, simple syrup or orange juice; a small amount of brandy or flavored liqueor; and in some US recipes, Seltzer or Sprite.  Add ice and you have one of the best summer drinks ever invented.  This Sangria recipe is a classic one.  It’s made with Rioja, Spain’s flagship wine that takes its name from the La Rioja region of Northeastern Spain.  Only seven grape varieties are permitted in Rioja wines and the reds are ripe with strawberry-raspberry Tempranillo fruit, a variety of black grapes grown in the region, and underpinned with a warm oaky note, the result of barrel-aging in the winery.  The Granny Smith apples, oranges, limes and grapes in this recipe are the best part of this drink and lead to red-stained fingers due to the undeniable temptation of fishing the fruit out of your glass. 

Warm Bruschetta with Grape Tomatoes, Feta, and Basil Photograph by Andrea Karapas

In order to feed the hunger along with quenching the thirst from the hot, summer sun, we indulged in a selection of savory tapas.  Tapas, meaning “small bites” is a term used to describe a variety of appetizers or snacks in Spanish cuisine.  Tapas has expanded to many other parts of the world and has evolved into a culture of sophisticated eats.  I chose 3 of my favorites to spotlight for you:  Warm Bruschetta with Grape Tomatoes, Feta and Basil;

Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach Photograph by Andrea Karapas

Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach; and Grilled Scallops wrapped in Proscuitto.  All three were very simple to pull together for an afternoon with a girlfriend.  The mushrooms can even be stuffed in advance and baked just before serving.  This was the first time I have ever grilled scallops and they were delicous.  Whole Foods had fresh scallops in their seafood department that were enormous so I decided to go with the smaller, pre-packaged, frozen scallops.  It was an excellent choice because they were a little easier to work with when wrapping and skewering.  Eating light never tasted so good.  Forget the fact that I ate about 5 of each. 🙂 My only mistake here was that I should have invited more friends!

Sangria and Tapas Photograph by Andrea Karapas

 
Classic Sangria
In a pitcher or large bowl, combine 1 orange, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices, 1 lime, thinly sliced crosswise, 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1 inch pieces, 1 cup green grapes, halved, 1/4 cup brandy, and 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine, such as Rioja or Cabernet Sauvignon.  Stir to combine and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to overnight).  To serve, add 4 cups (32 ounces) chilled lemon-lime soda and ice.
Serves 8 (per drink:  182 cal.)
Recipe from:  Everyday Food

Warm Bruschetta with Grape Tomatoes, Feta, and Basil
Preheat oven to 400°, with racks in upper and lower thirds.  In a 9-by-13 inch baking dish, combine 4 cups grape tomatoes, halved, 3 ounces feta, crumbled (3/4 cup), 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, minced, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar.  Season with ground pepper.  On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange 1 baguette, cut into 1/4 inch slices, in a single layer, brush with 2 tablespoons oil  Place bread on top rack and tomato mixture on bottom rack.  Cook until bread is toasted and tomatoes have softened, 10-12 minutes.  Top bread with tomato mixture and 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; season with coarse salt and pepper. 
Serves 6 (per serv:  226 cal.)
Recipe from: Everyday Food

Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach
Ingredients:
24 medium mushrooms (about 1 1⁄2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1- 5-ounce package baby spinach, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Gruyère, grated (2 ounces)
Instructions:
Heat oven to 375° F. Remove the stems from the mushrooms; finely chop the stems and reserve. Coat a baking sheet with oil. Bake the mushroom caps, stem-side down, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped mushroom stems and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes more.

In a bowl, combine the spinach mixture with the bread crumbs and cheese. Spoon into the mushroom caps and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Recipe from:  Real Simple

Grilled Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto
Ingredients:
1 pound paper-thin slices prosciutto
2 pounds medium scallops (about 40)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for garnish
Freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat grill to high. (If using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for 2 seconds.)

Halve 1 slice prosciutto lengthwise. Fold in half lengthwise, and wrap around sides of 1 scallop, overlapping prosciutto ends. Repeat with remaining prosciutto and scallops. Thread several scallops on each skewer.

Drizzle scallops lightly with oil, squeeze lemons over skewers, and season with pepper. Grill scallops, turning once, until just opaque, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with lemon.
Recipe from:  Martha Stewart