Summertime Cocktails

When you think of summer, what do you think about?  Our fans on Facebook said things like relaxing, lemonade, BBQ, beach, hot, fireworks, swimming, ice tea, and flip flops.  What about cocktails?  There is nothing like a refreshing cocktail on a warm summer day!  Here are a few of our favorite recipes:

BlueberryHard Lemonade Recipe

2 tablespoons fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 fresh mint leaves
Ice cubes
2 tablespoons gin (1 oz)
1/2 cup ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
Lemon wedges, blueberries on a beverage pick, fresh mint, if desired

1. In a highball glass, muddle blueberries, lemon juice and mint.

2. Fill glass to rim with ice cubes. Add gin. Top with ginger ale; stir gently.

3. Garnish as desired.

BLUE OCEAN

1 oz. vodka

1/2 oz. blue curacao

1/3 oz. grapefruit juice

1-2 splashes simple syrup

Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice; shake,

then strain and serve either straight up in a martini glass

or over ice. Garnish with an orange slice & tropical flower.

Slammin'Slimmed-Down Strawberry Daiquiri (Low calorie)

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 121 calories, 0g fat, 10mg sodium, 4g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 0g protein --PointsPlus™ value 4*  

One 2-serving packet (about 1 tsp.) sugar-free strawberry powdered drink mix (any variety, like Crystal Light Strawberry Kiwi or Energy Wild Strawberry)

1 1/2 oz. white rum

1/2 oz. lime juice

3 frozen unsweetened strawberries, slightly thawed

1 cup crushed ice or 5 - 8 ice cubes

Combine drink mix with 4 oz. cold water in a glass. Stir to dissolve. Transfer to a blender.  Add all other ingredients to the blender, and blend at high speed until slushy and uniform.  Pour into a glass and add a straw. Slurp that baby up!  MAKES 1 SERVING

African Fruit Slush (Non-alcoholic)

5 juice of 5 oranges
3 juice of 3 lemons
4 cups sugar
5 cups water
4 mashed bananas
1 cancrushed pineapples
7-Up® soda

Dissolve sugar in hot water and cool. Add all other ingredients and freeze. (Other fruit can be added to the bananas and pineapples such as pears, peaches, strawberries, kiwi, etc.) Spoon frozen mixture into glass and add Sprite, 7-Up, or Ginger Ale.

What cocktails do you like to enjoy during the summer months?

~ Kate & Kristy