Blueberry Sangria
“Girls just want to have fun”. ~Cyndi Lauper
Women work hard and we’re often pulled in many different directions. A Girls Night Out offers a welcome break from the stresses of juggling work, family and home life. A Girls Night Out is simply an opportunity to have fun.
A week from today on Wednesday March 30, 2016 Puritan of Cape Cod on Main St. in Hyannis will host their 13th annual Girls Night Out event to benefit WE CAN. This will be my first time attending this particular event although I’m a big fan of Girls Night Out with friends.
WE CAN asked me to attend this year as an Author and to bring my book and chat with people. I’ve been a volunteer supporting WE CAN for the past year and they’re an excellent organization. They offer important services and support to women on the Cape.
I want to share my recipe for Blueberry Sangria with you today not only to celebrate the beginning of spring but also to toast the upcoming Girls Night Out event. You can make it at home and invite your own friends over for a Girls Night Out.
A Few Memorable Girls Nights
One of my most memorable Girls Nights Out was years ago when I took a trip to the Vineyard with 13 women friends. When we got off the ferry we realized we needed a ride over to the Chili Fest and decided to squeeze our entire group into a single Subaru. It was a real Clown Car.
Another memorable Girls Night Out was the time I invited a group of women friends over to bake sugar cookies and sip blueberry sangria. There’s always a lot of laughter when women get together. When I moved into my new house I hosted a Girls Night Out and served my favorite appetizers. It was fun to take a little time to get together with women, laugh and celebrate my new beginning.
I’m blessed to have a fabulous lifelong friend. We love to plan our own Girls Night Out whenever we get a chance. We met in second grade and have been close ever since. She’s the kind of friend where we pick up right where we left off. She came for a weekend visit to my house a few weeks ago. We did face masks and body wraps, went for a long walk on the marsh and checked out Embargo in Hyannis. Neither of us had been before. It was fun.
You Go, Girls!
The woman I mentor through WE CAN recently told me she finally went to a Paint Party with a group of women friends. She said it was so much fun and exactly what she needed. She and I had been talking about how important it is for women to take care of ourselves. The gift of a well-timed Girls Night Out can be an important part of good self-care.
Initially I made this sangria in the summer to enjoy with friends while watching the sunset at Sandy Neck Beach. It tastes even better when it has a chance to sit for a while and chill as the fresh fruits blend into the juice and wine. If you attend the Girls Night Out in Hyannis next week please say hello and if you’re not able to attend, consider organizing a Girls Night Out with women friends of your own soon.
Recipe for Blueberry Sangria
Makes 1 pitcher
Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh blueberries
1 large orange, cut into small slices
1 large lemon, cut into small slices
½ cup sugar
2 ½ cups blueberry juice
Bottle of red wine (Shiraz or Merlot works well-doesn’t have to be expensive)
6 oz. triple sec
Directions:
1. Stir all ingredients in a large pitcher and chill for at least two hours.
2. Serve very cold.
— By Linda Maria Steele
Linda Maria Steele is a teacher, writer and baker who lives in Falmouth. She is the author of “Meet me in My Cape Cod Kitchen: Recipes for Seaside Living.”
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