Sanity Sangria
Raising a glass of Sangria to leaving town. With my mom. To Portland. Where we can geek out on food, watch TV in bed, fill our hotel room with cooking magazines, and generally be responsibility-free. This is my belated birthday present. Now that the day is here, I feel really tired. It occurs to me that our family's been in a lot of transition these last six months. We've weathered it pretty well, I think, but I need to get out of here. I didn't realize that until I started packing my suitcase.
If you are a mother, allow me to be preachy for a minute and say it doesn't do your children any favors to never leave them. You need it, they need it, and it's worth all the coordinating and hassle. In the middle of your tenth phone call, asking for your friend to pick up your son from preschool or your mom to come over, you'll think, "Why am I doing this? Everything will fall apart without me." Coming home though, I'll bet you'll have missed your kids and be ready to see them again. That's the best feeling in the world for me. So much better than wishing I could be teleported to anywhere but this chaotic house with lethal legos lurking everywhere.
This is my quick, no-fuss, time-tested Sangria. Unfortunately, I could drink a barrel of this stuff. I'm not into sweet drinks normally, but this is a giant exception. And I make it on the sweet side--I don't like Sangria that just tastes like wine. I made this for Priya last weekend to celebrate the end of her summer quarter in school. Then I made it again a couple nights ago just because Yancey and I were home together with time to linger over dinner.
Here's to loving home, and here's to leaving so I can come home and love it again. I'll see you in a couple days.
Sanity Sangria
Priya gave it this name--perfect. I always have a bottle of Triple Sec around--the cheap kind. It's around $7 at the liquor store, and it will last you through several batches of Sangria. And I use cheap wine, too. Once you've dumped all that sugar in, you'll have wasted an expensive bottle.
1 750ml bottle Merlot
juice of one small lime
juice of one small lemon
one lemon or lime, thinly sliced
juice of two large oranges or 3/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. sugar (+ more to taste)
1/3 c. Triple Sec
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir thoroughly. Let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge to let fruit macerate and sugar dissolve. If you can let it sit a couple hours, it's even better.
Pour over ice and toast the good things in your life.
August 26, 2009
Reader Comments (24)
Mmm. Definitely going to have to try this. I also wanted to let you know the things I've tried from your blog. Lemon loaf, granola, taco salad dressing, seems like there was one more... anyway - they all turned out delicious. I've made each several times. Thanks for sharing them.
Have fun with your mom this weekend. I saw her at the store last week - looking cuter and skinnier than ever I might add!
if i can figure out the transporting of this, i'm going to take it to dinner in brooklyn tomorrow pm! perfecto!!
Hey, I think I've heard of Sanity Sangria! Or close anyway... I think that one was called Self-medicating Sangria and it had a lot more triple sec and way less sugar. After some careful consideration I just went with the fruit punch.
In other news, due to my exceptional circumstances which make it drastically difficult to take you good parenting advice, I do my best to bloom where I am chained, uh, I mean planted. I can make some pretty kick-ass stuff out of those deadly legos now. Pretty fun!
dinner in brooklyn? you're sounding like a local already!
Have a great trip sister. You'll be the one coked out a couple days from now :)
I'm here to tell you all that this stuff is so good going down. I
candid drink and drink this stuff. And I begged my way into dinner last night where I drank and drank some more. Yeah. I'm a high quality sort of gal.I love the name of this recipe! Sanity Sangria! haha. And I also agree on using cheap wine! It's amazing how restaurants will overcharge for a pitcher of sangria when you can easily make your own! Thanks for the recipe!
I completely agree with you on needing a mommy break, in order to be a more healthy and full-functioning person in general. Tear down the supermom image that I think I need to be...Amen to top it off with Sangria.
I'm SO making this.
mmm...maybe will just have this for dinner tomorrow night...
I can't find my mango popsicle.
Enjoy Portland! It's my hometown and I miss it like crazy!
I made your favorite cornbread (the recipe from Epicurious) and it was absolutely perfect!
I love Sangria, too. Have fun in Portland and eat great food...and then come make us jealous with stories!
Have fun with your Mom! I agree about leaving the kids - its good for everyone involved!
Our neighbors daughter had never spent ONE NIGHT without her parents. They took her to college last year (she got a full scholarship, was ranked 8 in her high school graduating class) and she was too scared to get out of the car!
So she never left, is starting her second year at our local community college and lost her full ride. So crazy!
I'm embarrassed that I have not commented before, but have wanted to countless times. I swear! I also have to smaller children, and getting the chance to sit at the computer for any length of time is a... well, sometimes a necessity and most of the time a treat. I get sucked into your entries and then have to turn off the computer before I can comment. But whenever I have a spare minute or two I read your site. You make me laugh out loud almost every time. And I have gotten teary as well. One of my favorite's was your Mother's Day entry; it really spoke to me. You're an amazing writer. Thank you for posting all your thoughts and knowledge and recipes and family stories. And this one is timely, I've been searching for a time tested Sangria recipe, and I too, like it a bit sweet. I just got a bottle at TJs on a whim and couldn't have been more disappointed. So thank you!
I am going shopping this morning and these ingredients will surely be on my list. I think all I need is the lemon and the lime :) Two things you can always find in my house wine and olives, maybe cheese....
I shared your other blog with a friend. The one that had the card that said ," Damn the Juice Boxes Mom needs a Cocktail" We were at the Lake and we both had only water bottles for our kids to drink and we were both saying how we should have gone to the grocery store to get more juice boxes, but in the end we got too busy. Anyway, it triggered my memory to your other blog and we had a really great laugh so thank you for that.
Needless to say, this Sanity Sangria sounds like the perfect ending to a busy summer.
Oh, BTW I am in complete agreement about Mommy's taking a break in order to come back and enjoy the role of being a mother once again. Getting a break from my house as well makes me want to come home and (dare I say it..) do the dishes again!!
Hope you have a great time!!
I too have laughed out loud or teared up reading through your musings and the comments of your readers. Thank you for your wonderful words. Oh yeah and the recipes too. :-)
Hi Cate! We had a really wonderful time in Portland. Someday maybe we can meet up there :)
Okay--that IS crazy. I don't think my kids will have that problem :)
Jeneen! Is this Bethany's friend Jeneen? I'm so happy to hear you've been reading and getting "sucked in." Music to my ears! Thanks for poking your head out. Hope you and your family are doing great.
Love all the laughing and crying going on. Thanks for stopping by, Michelle.
Made this tonight during a trip to So Cal to visit a girlfriend. Paired it with some yummy fish tacos with corn, black bean, avocado salsa. We drank the whole thing between the two of us. Will definitely make it again. She even printed out the recipe to keep for herself. Thank you so much.
Perfect timing! My husband has been claiming for some time that he would make some sangria but I might as well do it for myself now that I have a recipe from a credible foodie! Went to the liquor store today with pds and got some triple sec. y.e.s. I'm excited. And I also made some of your granola today. You seem to read my mind for recipes that I've been wanting for a long time and then they just appear on your blog. btw, through your posts i have learned of new foods I have never been exposed to. For example: the galette. I didn't even know how to pronounce it until I asked around... :)
I totally bought a bottle with me.you.key. I haven't made the sangria yet, but am excited too. But miss thing here exposed me to a different drink: kahlua, cream and nutmeg. O.M.G. Sarah - you should make it and then blog about it. The whole world must know about how awesome it is. Shout out to me.you.key for toting me around town to buy cheese and alcohol. Only the truest of friends do that sort of thing.