Hooray, an excuse to make Sangria — friends coming over for some early-afternoon eatin’ on Thanksgivin’!

Chris says:

Hey, this hits the spot! More please.

Lisa says:

Wow, I love that picture you took! By the way, make sure people know I doubled the recipe shown below.

Sangria
——-
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
1/4 cup sugar
1 750-ml bottle chilled red wine
2 cups orange juice
1/4 cup triple sec
1/4 cup brandy

Slice the fruit, then mash at the bottom with the sugar. Add the wine, orange juice, triple sec, and brandy, and chill. Serve over ice, and garnish with additional fruit.

Makes 5 1/2 cups

Lisa says:

Wow, this is super sweet. My favorite is the whipped cream and the rims.

Chris says:

Gulp… gulp… gulp… Aaaahhhhh….!!! Delicious!

Kahlua Hot Chocolate
——————–
5 ounces dark chocolate, cut into small pieces, plus extra for mug rims
chopped mixed nuts (peanuts and hazelnuts)
3 cups 1% milk
1 cups fat-free half-and-half cream
sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
grated chocolate

To prepare the mugs, heat extra chocolate in a double-boiler until melted and smooth. Dip the rims of each mug into the chocolate, and then roll in chopped nuts. Refrigerate until ready to fill with the hot chocolate.

Heat the chocolate, milk and half and half cream over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, stirring until the chocolate has melted.
Whisk until the mixture is hot and frothy. Add in sugar if desired. Add in the Kahlua and vanilla; contine to whisk until the mixture is hot. Remove from heat.
Pour into prepared mugs and top with whipped cream. Garnish with shaved chocolate.