Tasty Table ~ Raise Your Glass!

Cheers to a fabulous Summer 2013! It’s not over yet, so I figured we could keep the summertime party going with delicious mixed drink recipes this month! I asked a handful of friends to send me their favorite drink recipe and I ended up with some terrific ideas below. Thanks to all of you who contributed.

If you do not drink alcohol, the last two entries are especially for you! Nonalcoholic, but still cool and refreshing for a summer evening!

And for my personal favorite summertime drink recipe (since I am not much of a liquor drinker) … open the cooler, take out a Michelob Ultra, pop off the cap and enjoy!

White Peach Sangria

1 bottle white wine
3/4 c. peach schnapps
6 T. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/4 c. simple syrup
1 pound peaches, pitted and sliced
3/4 c. red grapes, halved
3/4 c. green grapes, halved
In a large pitcher, stir all ingredients and chill (at least 2 hours). Serve over ice and include fruit in each serving.

Tin Can Margarita

1 lime, cut in wedges
Coarse salt, for glasses
1 large can frozen limeade
1 full can tequila
1/2 can triple-sec
1/2 can lemon juice
Ice
Mix it up and serve!

Key Lime Martini

2 shots vanilla vodka
1/2 shot key lime juice
2 tablespoons cream of coconut (recommended: Coco Lopez)
1 shot pineapple juice
Add all ingredients to a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Serve.
My friend who sent in this recipe says she always lines the glass with crushed graham crackers!
*Recipe courtesy of Food Network.

Strawberry Daiquiri

4 oz frozen strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup lime juice
1/2 lemon juice
3/4 cup rum
14/ cup sprite, mellow yellow or sun-drop
6 cups ice
Combine ice, sugar and strawberries in blender. Pour in lime juice, lemon juice, rum and soda. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Mojito

Fill Glass with Ice
Add ½ Lime – cut into wedges and squeezed into glass
2 or 3 Mint Leaves
Add ½ (oz/shot) simple syrup*
(Muddle the Lime, Mint, and syrup mixture to meld the taste)
Add 2 oz Bacardi Limon (maybe a little more)
Mix by pouring from one glass to another once
Fill the remainder of the glass with Soda
Mix one more time from glass to glass,
**** Be careful to pour slowly this time, the Soda could fizz out of the glass!!! You may need to add a little more Simple Syrup to taste. Garnish with fresh Mint Leaves. You may also serve frozen!