Our Best Summer Drinks
Posted June 3, 2011
The Blueberry Spritzer (right) features fresh blueberries. The recipe and photo were shared by Alison Lewis.
WE RAISE OUR GLASS to the mighty blender. That essential appliance—along with berries and fruits and juices and ice and all manner of ingredients—takes us where we need to go when we’re looking to escape the heat via a cool drink.
From your submissions, we chose some of our favorite summer drink recipes. Take them to parties. Share them with friends. Spread the gift of cool all summer long.
Alison Lewis – Alabama
BLUEBERRY SPRITZER
Prep: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
3 cups blueberry-pomegranate juice
1½ cups sparkling water
1 cup fresh blueberries
Ice cubes
Lime slices
Preparation:
1. For the spritzer, in a 32-ounce pitcher combine blueberry-pomegranate juice and sparkling water; stir well.
2. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice. Pour spritzer into each glass; add blueberries, garnish each with a slice of lime, and serve.
Mickey Mims – Florida
MANGO TANGO TEA
Ingredients:
5 family size tea bags
2 cups hot water
1-12 oz can of frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1-6 oz can of limeade concentrate, thawed
1-33.8 oz bottle or box of mango nectar
4 cups cold water
Preparation:
1. Steep tea in hot water for 10 minutes, then discard the bags.
2. Stir in all remaining ingredients, cover and chill for 3 hours, and serve over ice.
Patty Doucey – Missouri
FRUIT SMOOTHIE
Ingredients:
Fresh or frozen fruit
8 - 14 ounces yogurt
½ cup ice
1/8 cup milk
Teaspoon of sugar-free Jello (right from the box)
Preparation:
Mix ingredients in a blender until no ice chunks remain.
Recommendations:
My favorite combination: fresh fruit - 6 large strawberries, 6 blackberries, strawberry yogurt, orange creme yogurt, lime Jello. Part of the fun of this drink is experimenting to see what you can make. Add more or less of any item depending on what you like.
Roger S. Jones – Georgia
RJ'S CHERRY LEMONADE
Ingredients:
1 cup lemon juice
¼ cup cherry juice
4 cups chilled water
1 cup sugar/sugar syrup
A pinch of salt
Lemon slices
Small jar of cherries (or fresh)
Preparation:
1. Pour the lemon, cherry juice and water into a large bowl.
2. Add the sugar and salt too taste. Stir until sugar and salt have dissolved.
3. Pour into tall glasses and serve. Add lemon slices and cherries for extra summer touch.
Samantha D. Batties – Florida
TROPICAL CITRUS PUNCH
Ingredients:
Kool-aid tropical punch mix with sugar already added
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 liter ginger ale
Preparation:
1. Combine first three ingredients and add enough water to fill up half the container you are using.
2. Finish off with the ginger ale for a bubbly, refreshing drink.
Denise Benny – Florida
MOJITOS (NON-ALCOHOLIC)
Ingredients:
6 large limes
1½ cups sugar (can used non-sugar substitute)
32 oz cold water
½ cup seltzer water
fresh spearmint sprigs (1 for each serving)
Preparation:
1. Infuse the water overnight in the refrigerator with the fresh spearmint leaves.
2. The next day make 1 tablespoon zest from the peel of the limes.
3. Juice the limes.
4. Remove the spearmint leaves from the water and set aside.
5. Pour the water, sugar, lime juice, zest, and seltzer water into a blender or drink mix machine. Blend well.
6. Add 1 sprig spearmint and shaved ice to each glass until frosty and refreshing.
Mike Barber – Florida
SANGRIA (NON-ALCOHOLIC)
Ingredients:
¼ cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
½ fresh lemon
½ fresh orange
1 apple or peach
4 cups chilled club soda
4 cups grape juice
Preparation:
1. In a large pitcher, combine everything except club soda.
2. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in chilled club soda and some ice cubes.
Alison Lewis – Alabama
MARGARITAS (NON-ALCOHOLIC)
Prep: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 can frozen limeade
3 cups water
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 cup ice
4 frozen margarita glasses
Salt, if desired
Lime and orange slices
Preparation:
1. In a blender, combine frozen limeade, water, orange juice, and ice. Blend well.
2. Pour the mixture into the frozen margarita glasses topped with salt, if desired, and serve.
The recipes featured have not been tested by seethegood.com.
comments (3)
Sounds like summer to me!
ChloeParty Punch Ingredients: 4 cups pineapple juice 4 cups hawaiin punch 1 Two liter bottle of Sprite or ginger ale 1/2 gallon sherbert/sorbet any flavor Preparation: Mix all juices together in large punch bowl. Scoop the sorbet and drop into the punch.
Megan ColoniaI like to make a regular pitcher of Lipton Ice Tea using 2 family size tea bags, 4 scoops of sugar, and 1 small tea bag of flavored tea, eg. wild berries, raspberry, etc. Serve in a tall glass with ice!
Teresa Nelson