White Sangria

Other than the glasses of "grape juice" my mom used to give me when I stayed home sick as a kid, I have never really had a palate for wine. But you throw some fruit in my glass, let me pretend it's a healthy fruit cocktail, and I'm sold. 

It probably also helps that I've learned what kinds of wines I do and do not like. I've always had a problem with headaches and migraines, and I've learned that, like many other people, red wine triggers those for me. I've found that I'm a much bigger fan of white wines and embraced my love for light, sweet and fruity flavors. I drink like a girl, bottom line.

In planning for a marathon cooking weekend, I knew that providing some beverages would be key to keep productivity in the kitchen in full swing. I had five girlfriends over and week cooked up a storm--for six hours. We made freezer foods that we could store and save or eat in the next few days. We made pesto. We made pot pies. We made stuff shells. And we drank. Delicious white sangria.

White Sangria

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 shots apple liquor
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 ripe peaches, cut into wedges
• 3 ripe green apples seeded and cut into wedges
• 1 bottle white dry white wine
• 1 pint raspberries
• Sparkling soda water, for topping off glasses 

Directions

Combine sugar, Calvados, lime, lemon, peaches and apples in a large pitcher. Cover with 1 bottle of wine and chill sangria several hours. To serve, spoon fruits into glasses, adding a few fresh raspberries in each glass, pour wine over top of the fruit. Top glasses of sangria off with a splash of soda water and serve.

Strawberry Salsa

You will never buy salsa again. I swear to you. This is, by far, the best salsa I have ever had... The flavors are surprising, but delicious. I could it eat plain. In fact... I may have a bowl of it sitting in front of me, with just a spoon in it...

I've seen recipes all over the web for mango salsa, and had other fruit salsas before, but I was always thrown off by the texture of whatever fruit was used. Something about strawberries, though... They hold up just perfectly. They stay firm, don't turn to mush... And that have that burst of fresh, summer flavor that is just perfect... On its own, or on a chip.

Strawberry Salsa

Photo by Jessica Y.

Yum. Just yum.

1 lb strawberries, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 T chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 T lime juice
1 T lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Eat.

Easy, no?