Steeplechase Sangria

It’s that time of year, when we’re all itching to be outside- whether dining al fresco under the stars, spending a lazy afternoon sipping cocktails with friends, or perhaps even hanging at an all-day tailgating party....

Which takes me back to last week, when I pulled out my tattered Williams-Sonoma Complete Outdoor Living Cookbook and turned straight to one of my favorite recipes- Summer Sangria. (Yes, I tried to pass it off as my own by naming it Steeplechase Sangria, but I have to give WS the credit)

Those of you that helped to consume 2 gallons of this stuff on Saturday have been asking for the recipe, so here you go:

Summer Sangria
2 cups (16 fl oz) orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 bottle (24 fl oz) white wine
½ bottle (12 fl oz) red wine
1 cup sparkling water
ice cubes
2 oranges, thinly sliced

In a large pitcher, stir together the orange juice and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add the wines and stir well. If desired, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours or until ready to serve. (the longer it sits, the better the flavors meld, so I have even let it refrigerate for up to 12 hours)
To serve, add sparkling water, ice cubes, and orange slices and stir well. Pour into individual glasses. Serves 6 to 8.

per serving: calories 204, protein 1g, carbs 26g, total fat 0g, saturated fat 0g, cholesterol 0g, sodium 8mg, dietary fiber 1g.

Photo Credit: sip a cocktail with me by bookgrl