Mike's Famous Sangria

My stepdad may not cook much but he can make a mean cocktail. You may remember Mike's Famous Eggnog recipe. It's a holiday staple so don't miss out this year. Trust me.

Well, obviously it's summertime and summertime means cool cocktails in the sunshine. Nothing speaks to that better than sangria especially if you are sitting in Napa Valley and have excess quantities of wine at your fingertips like we do.

What I love about Mike's sangria is that he doesn't chop up fruit and let it sit in there. Rather he squeezes everything by hand and blends it all together. No wonder he is in the wine business. Best part of this recipe is that the ex-Stanford football player has been sneaking this drink into his alma matter games for over 40 years.

The KEY to this is mixing 1/4- 1/2 of each glass with club soda. This gives it a cocktail vibe and makes it a little lighter for daytime and summer boozing.

Mike's Famous Sangria

1 can of frozen orange juice
1 orange, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
12 oz of brandy
36 oz of red wine (use frozen OJ can 3 times)
1 tablespoon of bitters
Garnish with lime wedge

Squeeze lime, orange and lemon and add to bowl. Add brown sugar and frozen orange juice. Add bitters, brandy and red wine. Mix well. Add orange slices and chill. Sangria keeps well and improves with age.

Mike's Famous Sangria