Whip up a pitcher of this Tropical Pineapple Sangria Recipe for your next party or special occasion! (Yes, Friday night counts as a special occasion.)
Happy Anniversary, you say? Why thank you! You are right that today marks exactly one year since I started The Weary Chef, and I am ready to celebrate! I decided that a great way to do that was with a brand new white sangria recipe, Tropical Pineapple Sangria to be exact. The recipe is at the end of this post, but first… Before I get to the sangria, I thought it would be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and tell you how The Weary Chef got started.
Why did you start a recipe blog?
I created this blog on a whim. A fellow parent asked me a few months before I got it going: “So, what else do you do besides being a mom?” I honestly had no response. I took care of my boys, did a bunch of PTA stuff, and my hobbies were pretty much cooking, eating, and drinking. I suddenly felt very boring. That was weighing heavy on my mind I guess, and then around Christmas 2012 I had a random conversation with another friend about blogs. During that talk, I had a spark of an idea to make a food blog, an easy dinner blog to be exact. Oh, and it could have weekly dinner menus and grocery lists. Maybe I could write a happy hour recipe every week.
I didn’t know it at the time, but that conversation was about to change my life. A few days later, I decided I was going to go for it. I thought up the name “The Weary Chef” one evening, registered the domain, and hit the ground running. My first weekly menu was full of seven tried and true recipes and originally didn’t include photos. I didn’t care because I was too excited to wait for pictures. I also had no idea what I was doing and didn’t understand the importance of photos for a food blog. In fact, I even wrote an article about how I didn’t have the time, equipment, or skill to take beautiful food photos, which seems ridiculous now.
What has changed in the first year?
So, with a better camera and LOTS of practice, my photos have improved. What else has changed around here? I started out thinking I could be somewhat anonymous, only using my first name and calling my family The Pants, The Short One, and The Tall One. First of all, Google doesn’t believe in author anonymity. You dang well better use your real, full name and show your face if you want to show up in Google searches and whatnot, so I gave up on that. I still don’t use my kids’ names because it makes me nervous from a safety perspective, but I pretty much stopped with the nicknames because it felt silly.
I’ve also tinkered around A LOT with my header, logo, and site design over the past year! In the end, my original mission was to write weekly dinner menus full of easy recipes and throw in a cocktail for Friday Happy Hour. I have stayed true to that theme and will keep it going as long as you keep reading! Thank you all so, so much for all your support, encouragement, and friendship!
Let’s get to the Pineapple Sangria!
Now, who’s ready for a drink? This fruity tropical sangria with pineapple is full of citrus flavor and even a hint of coconut. Make up a pitcher and let’s have a virtual toast to another year together!
Want more sangria in your life? I’ve got some great recipes for you!
Andi Gleeson
Andi Gleeson is a passionate blogger and mom based in San Francisco who focuses on easy and delicious dinner recipes.
24 comments
Fina
9 years ago
Looks delicious. I think I will try it for 4th of July but I would use regular rum as I don’t like a coconut taste. Thank you for posting.
Andi
9 years ago
Thanks, Fina. I guess we can still be friends even though you don’t like coconut ;) It will be great with regular rum too! Have a nice weekend.
Linda
10 years ago
I’m planning on making this for Easter, but I’m trying to figure out how it gets its pineapple flavor. Is it because you don’t drain the pineapple chunks? iUnfortunately, I haven’t left myself much time for experimenting.
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Linda. The pineapple itself and the juice add a lot of flavor. If you want even more pineapple flavor and to make it a little less strong, you could add another cup of pineapple juice. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Easter!
Ruthie
11 years ago
Hi there,
I stumbled onto this post on Pinterest. The sangria sounds delicious, but I think the glass it is served in is just as delicious. Can you tell me about the glass? It is exactly what I have been looking for, but cannot find.
Thanks!
Andi
11 years ago
Hi, Ruthie! Thanks so much for stopping by. I got a set of four of those glasses at my favorite place on Earth, also known as Target ;) I think it was these products.
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner
11 years ago
I’m a little late…but happy 1 year blog-iversary!!! I love hearing about how you got started. :) And this drink is a perfect way to celebrate! That’s actually what drew my attention to this post. I saw it on your home page and thought “That’s gorgeous and I could use a good drink.” Little did I know it was made for celebratory reasons. I’m so glad I’ve met you and I wish you many more years of happy blogging!
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you, Tina! I have been tempted a couple times to come back and delete the section of this post about old photos since people come back for the sangria recipe. I don’t want to make them lose their appetite ;) I’m really happy to have met you too, and I hope we get to know each other better in the coming year!
Florence
11 years ago
Happy Blogiversary! When I read about how you started your blog, it was like reading about my own journey into blogging. Thanks for the recipe! I can’t wait to try it at my own Friday “play date”.
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you, Florence! I think there’s a reason so many moms are bloggers – it must fulfill something we are missing. I love staying home with my kids, but it is nice to have something else to work on now that doesn’t always revolve around being a mom.
I hope you like the sangria! Thanks so much for your comment :)
Kelly
11 years ago
Congrats on your 1 year anniversary Andi, thanks so much for sharing these photos and stories behind the blog and can’t wait to follow along for many more years to come :) This drink is perfect for a celebration! Cheers and hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you, Kelly! I didn’t mean for my stories to get so lengthy and I’m impressed that you made it through the whole thing :) It has been so nice getting to know you, and I appreciate your comments so much!
Liz
11 years ago
Congratulations on the year anniversary, Andi! Love that you shared old photos. Kind of like the high school graduation photos with the big hair, etc. Your beverage looks crazy good. Need to get back on the Happy Hour bandwagon again soon, but will sit out the fruity sangria. We’re shivering here in Polar Vortexland, so have been drinking lots of bourbon :-) Though I do love moscato and you can’t go wrong with coconut rum.
Andi
11 years ago
I’m not a fan of the old high school photos either! Some people are good at laughing at their old selves, but I’m just embarrassed and wish all evidence of poor hair and fashion choices were destroyed ;) I’m working on doing away with all my old food pictures here, but I get overwhelmed when I see how many I want to retake. I’m a wee bit of a perfectionist, so even for photos that I did retake and considered good at the time, I now want to make those even better. Sometimes I just have to look away and keep moving forward knowing that not every picture is going to be my favorite!
I forget that not everyone is in sunny Califorina. Next week I’ll try to come up with a better winter drink! We need to get back to having virtual toasts on Fridays. I miss your photos! :)
Jane
11 years ago
Happy Anniversary!! Yay for the Weary Chef! and, by the way, I think the nicknames for your family are fun and creative.
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you so much, Jane! I hope you will stick with me for this year too :) Have a great weekend!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
11 years ago
Happy Blogiversary, Andi! I love stopping by your blog to check out what you have been up to. So many fabulous recipes to chose from! I really love sangria and could use a glass today to remind me of the warm tropical summers :)
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you, Ashley! Is it very cold where you are? I’m lucky that it is warm and sunny in San Francisco, although we really need rain around here!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
11 years ago
I’m in Florida, so its not as cold as it is in most of the country. But for a Floridian, anything less than 40 is really cold for us and its been in the 20’s a few days this past week!
Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads
11 years ago
Happy anniversary! This sangria is right up my alley. I think I will try it tomorrow night! Pinning! :)
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you, Sheena! Please let me know how you like the sangria. The coconut rum added a different flavor than typical sangria, but I really liked it.
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
11 years ago
I’m sure glad you started blogging for more reasons than one, Andi. Glad I met you through this crazy blogging world! I’m so glad we’re friends! Plus, I LOVE your recipes! Thanks for doing such a fun giveaway, too! I am dying over the pictures, this drink is beautiful! My old pictures are horrible, it’s always fun to go back and have a good laugh. ;) Happy Blog Birthday, Andi!!! XO!
Andi
11 years ago
I am SO happy we met too, Jen, although I need to meet you in person ASAP! I hope we can see each other sooner, but I’m looking forward to TechMunch this fall for sure. Thanks for being such a good friend :) xo
24 comments
Looks delicious. I think I will try it for 4th of July but I would use regular rum as I don’t like a coconut taste. Thank you for posting.
Thanks, Fina. I guess we can still be friends even though you don’t like coconut ;) It will be great with regular rum too! Have a nice weekend.
I’m planning on making this for Easter, but I’m trying to figure out how it gets its pineapple flavor. Is it because you don’t drain the pineapple chunks? iUnfortunately, I haven’t left myself much time for experimenting.
Hi, Linda. The pineapple itself and the juice add a lot of flavor. If you want even more pineapple flavor and to make it a little less strong, you could add another cup of pineapple juice. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Easter!
Hi there,
I stumbled onto this post on Pinterest. The sangria sounds delicious, but I think the glass it is served in is just as delicious. Can you tell me about the glass? It is exactly what I have been looking for, but cannot find.
Thanks!
Hi, Ruthie! Thanks so much for stopping by. I got a set of four of those glasses at my favorite place on Earth, also known as Target ;) I think it was these products.
I’m a little late…but happy 1 year blog-iversary!!! I love hearing about how you got started. :) And this drink is a perfect way to celebrate! That’s actually what drew my attention to this post. I saw it on your home page and thought “That’s gorgeous and I could use a good drink.” Little did I know it was made for celebratory reasons. I’m so glad I’ve met you and I wish you many more years of happy blogging!
Thank you, Tina! I have been tempted a couple times to come back and delete the section of this post about old photos since people come back for the sangria recipe. I don’t want to make them lose their appetite ;) I’m really happy to have met you too, and I hope we get to know each other better in the coming year!
Happy Blogiversary! When I read about how you started your blog, it was like reading about my own journey into blogging. Thanks for the recipe! I can’t wait to try it at my own Friday “play date”.
Thank you, Florence! I think there’s a reason so many moms are bloggers – it must fulfill something we are missing. I love staying home with my kids, but it is nice to have something else to work on now that doesn’t always revolve around being a mom.
I hope you like the sangria! Thanks so much for your comment :)
Congrats on your 1 year anniversary Andi, thanks so much for sharing these photos and stories behind the blog and can’t wait to follow along for many more years to come :) This drink is perfect for a celebration! Cheers and hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you, Kelly! I didn’t mean for my stories to get so lengthy and I’m impressed that you made it through the whole thing :) It has been so nice getting to know you, and I appreciate your comments so much!
Congratulations on the year anniversary, Andi! Love that you shared old photos. Kind of like the high school graduation photos with the big hair, etc. Your beverage looks crazy good. Need to get back on the Happy Hour bandwagon again soon, but will sit out the fruity sangria. We’re shivering here in Polar Vortexland, so have been drinking lots of bourbon :-) Though I do love moscato and you can’t go wrong with coconut rum.
I’m not a fan of the old high school photos either! Some people are good at laughing at their old selves, but I’m just embarrassed and wish all evidence of poor hair and fashion choices were destroyed ;) I’m working on doing away with all my old food pictures here, but I get overwhelmed when I see how many I want to retake. I’m a wee bit of a perfectionist, so even for photos that I did retake and considered good at the time, I now want to make those even better. Sometimes I just have to look away and keep moving forward knowing that not every picture is going to be my favorite!
I forget that not everyone is in sunny Califorina. Next week I’ll try to come up with a better winter drink! We need to get back to having virtual toasts on Fridays. I miss your photos! :)
Happy Anniversary!! Yay for the Weary Chef! and, by the way, I think the nicknames for your family are fun and creative.
Thank you so much, Jane! I hope you will stick with me for this year too :) Have a great weekend!
Happy Blogiversary, Andi! I love stopping by your blog to check out what you have been up to. So many fabulous recipes to chose from! I really love sangria and could use a glass today to remind me of the warm tropical summers :)
Thank you, Ashley! Is it very cold where you are? I’m lucky that it is warm and sunny in San Francisco, although we really need rain around here!
I’m in Florida, so its not as cold as it is in most of the country. But for a Floridian, anything less than 40 is really cold for us and its been in the 20’s a few days this past week!
Happy anniversary! This sangria is right up my alley. I think I will try it tomorrow night! Pinning! :)
Thank you, Sheena! Please let me know how you like the sangria. The coconut rum added a different flavor than typical sangria, but I really liked it.
I’m sure glad you started blogging for more reasons than one, Andi. Glad I met you through this crazy blogging world! I’m so glad we’re friends! Plus, I LOVE your recipes! Thanks for doing such a fun giveaway, too! I am dying over the pictures, this drink is beautiful! My old pictures are horrible, it’s always fun to go back and have a good laugh. ;) Happy Blog Birthday, Andi!!! XO!
I am SO happy we met too, Jen, although I need to meet you in person ASAP! I hope we can see each other sooner, but I’m looking forward to TechMunch this fall for sure. Thanks for being such a good friend :) xo