Recipe Of The Day: Perfect Sangria

Some things just taste better when the sun is shining, and you're sitting outdoors on some lawn chairs, just chatting with friends and watching the world go by. Sangria is one of those recipes. As temperatures continue to rise across America, this refreshing, fruity sangria recipe makes a perfect centerpiece for any gathering.

Low-Alcohol Cocktails Are a Trend That's Here to Stay

The best way to describe sangria is that it's a spiked fruit punch. Typically, this wine cocktail is made up of basic ingredients — red wine, soda water, brandy or rum, cinnamon or cloves and a variety of seasonal fruit. But you can also easily adjust the recipe to fit your own taste. It's best served chilled in a large pitcher or punch bowl.

It's the easiest alcoholic beverage you can make at home for those nights when you need to serve a crowd of people. Making sangria is also incredibly inexpensive if you're on a budget. You don't need the fancy imported wines, simple pinot noir or a red wine blend will do this drink justice.

Traditionally, you can spot apples, grapes, pears, oranges, lemon and limes floating around in sangria. But feel free to add in other fruits such as strawberries, mangoes, pineapples or whatever you have on have to give your drink different dimensions.

But what if you're not a big fan of red wine? Replace the red wine with your favorite white wine if you prefer. Pinot grigio or Riesling work well as a sangria base, too. Sangria is endlessly customizable, honestly. While this recipe calls for lemon-lime soda but you can substitute for seltzer water if you don't want your drink to be too sweet. This sangria recipe gives you the option of including flavored liqueur such as pomegranate or Grand Marnier to take it up another notch. Play around with this recipe all spring and summer until you've made your very own flawless version.

Now that you've mastered this effortless drink, if you're interested in taking on some cocktails and really becoming your own home bartender, these cocktails that you can easily pair with your dinner may be a great start.

Perfect Sangria

Ingredients:

• 1 (25 ounces) bottle of red or white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (or to taste)
• 1 cup diced oranges
• 1 cup diced green apples
• 1 cup diced Bartlett pears
• 1 cup other fruits if desired (mango, peaches, grapes, cherries)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
• A couple of cinnamon sticks if you like a spicier taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup brandy or rum (optional)
• 1/3 cup flavored liqueur such as Grand Marnier, peach schnapps or PAMA pomegranate liqueur (optional)
• 1 cup lemon-lime soda

Directions:

Step 1: In a glass jar, add 1 cup of oranges, apples, pears, and other fruits, along with 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup brandy or rum.

Step 2: Allow the fruit to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Step 3: When you are ready to serve, pour the mixture into a punch bowl or a jug filled with ice, mix in 1 cup lemon-lime soda to desired sweetness.

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