Strawberry Sangria

I love sangria....any kind of sangria. I came across this recipe at a friend's party, and just had to share it. Enjoy!

8 cups fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 750 ml bottle white wine
2 cups sparkling water, chilled
1 orange, sliced
1 lime, cut into thin wedges
additional stawberries, sliced

Instructions:

1. Prepare syrup-in large saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar and water. Bring just to boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, cover, and cool to room temerature.
2. Once cooled, press mixture (a little at a time) through a mesh sleeve, the discard solids. You should be left with about 3 cups of syrup.
3. In a 2 quart pitcher, stir together the syrup, wine, and fruit. Cove and chill up to 24 hours.
4. Before serving, stir in sparkling water. Serve in glasses, making sure to have some fruit in each glass.

***8 (8 oz) servings

Chocolate Orange Pastries

These little pastries are great for dessert, for a luncheon, or for a snack. They are so good, you can't eat just one.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 to 3 tsp grated orange peel
1 refrigerated pie crust, softened according to package directions
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup dark chocolate baking chips
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchement paper, of spray with non stick spray.
2. In a small bowl, stir cream cheese and orange peel until blended. Unroll pie crust on work surface. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over pir crust.
3. In small microwaveable bowl, heat marmalade, uncovered on high for 10 seconds, then brush evenly over cream cheese mixture.
3. Cut crust into 16 wedges, using knife or pizza cutter. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over wedges.
4. Roll up each wedge, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Place pastries, point side down, on cookie sheet. Brust with egg on tops and sides of pastries. Sprinkle evenly with sugar.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from sheet to cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

**makes 16

Springtime Sugar Balls

These are a great cookie for anytime, but especially nice and light for Spring time.

Ingredients:

1 tube (16 & 1/2 ounce) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tbl grated lemon rind
1 tbl grated lime rind
1 tsp orange extract
1/4 cup light green, yellow, and/or orange decorating sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. On a well floured surface, knead dough with the flour, lemon rind, lime rind, and orange estract.
3. Using a level tablespoon of dough, roll into balls, then roll in your choice of the colored sugars and place on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake for 12 minutes...then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

***makes 24 cookies