Spooky Sangria

And so we approach the final spooky-seasonal recipe for 2020. It's been a wild ride. I decided I wanted to have a whole cauldron of sangria at our Halloween HootenAnnie - enter the Spooky Sangria (aka regular sangria but served in a cauldron and accompanied by eyeball ice cubes. 

When I purchased said cauldron, I vastly underestimated just how much liquid a cauldron could hold. I think we stopped at about five bottles of red wine which didn't even cover 3/4 of this vast vessel and called it a night. Nevertheless, it was delicious and promptly devoured. 

Spooky Sangria

serves 10 partygoers 

5 bottles of Spanish red wine (Rioja wine is most popular)

1 cup Grand Marnier (can also sub brandy)

3 oranges, two juiced and one diced

2 apples, diced (I used granny smith)

1 lemon, diced

2 cinnamon sticks

optional sweetener: simple syrup* or maple syrup

optional bubbles: lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, or sparkling water to taste 

Optional ice eyeballs 

Directions:

Add the wine, Grand Marnier, orange juice, diced orange, diced apple, diced lemon and cinnamon sticks to a large pitcher.  Stir to combine.  Taste and add in a few tablespoons of sweetener, if desired.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Serve the sangria over ice, topping off each glass with a splash of bubbly soda (or sparkling water) if desired + gummy ice eyes