Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Thirsty For Some Summer


            With warm weather on its way, I think it’s time we start thinking about some summer drinks to keep us cool by the pool. I have seen a couple different posts from other bloggers about homemade margaritas and mint juleps, but I’m thinking about fun drinks for those who aren’t really allowed to consume alcohol yet.



The Classic: The Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri
I have personally always been a HUGE fan of strawberry daiquiris. I think it started when I went to the Bahamas on a family vacation when I was younger, and I have been hooked since. The icy blend of strawberries and vanilla create a beautiful harmony of flavors in my mouth. I looked up a couple different recipes, but the one that stood out to me is from food.com. For ingredients, you need 3oz of fresh strawberries, 1oz of fresh lime juice, ¼teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of Splenda (or another sugar substitute) and cracked ice. To make the drink, add the lime juice, strawberries, vanilla, and sugar into a blender. Put the blender on medium speed and blend until it’s smooth. After that, add in the crushed ice a little at a time and blend until it is smooth again. Voila! You have a yummy fruity drink to refresh your pallet.


The Exotic Drink: Aqua Fresca
            I stumbled upon this drink from Chelsie Kenyon as I was looking for fun summer recipes and it could not be any easier. It can be made with any number of fruits. This drink should take less than 5 minutes, it’s that easy. For a pitcher of this yummy drink, you need 4 cups of drinking water, 2 cups of fresh fruit, ¼ cup of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of lemon or lime juice. Once everything is ready, put the water and fruit in a blender and puree until it’s smooth. After that, pour the drink through a filter or sieve and into a serving container. Add in the lemon/lime juice and sugar and your done. Test it for flavor and adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. I don’t know about you, but this sounds perfect for a day out on the boat when we want something refreshing to take with.


My Favorite Drink in the World!: The Arnold Palmer
I am not joking in the least when I say that this is my favorite drink. Who knew that iced tea and lemonade could be such an incredible combination? I usually only have a glass or two, but there are some days where I have been known to finish 6-8 cans. I’ve been obsessed with these for so long, that I’m not even sure when I first tried one. Arizona Tea has come out with their own Arnold Palmer and begun selling it in cans, gallon jugs, popsicles, etc. I do love their take on the Arnie, but sometimes it’s a little too sweet. When I want a more savory drink, I will make my own. To make your own Arnold Palmer, you need some fresh brewed iced tea, homemade or store-bought lemonade, and ice (sugar is optional). If you want to make everything from scratch, here is how I do it.  
Fill a pitcher with hot water, and put 4 hot tea bags in (depending on the kind and strength of your tea). It doesn’t matter if the little tags fall in too, you’ll be taking them out anyway. Let the tea steep for a solid 5 minutes or so (again, it depends) and then remove the tea bags with a wooden spoon or whatever you have in the kitchen. Let the drink cool while you move on to the lemonade. Get a measuring cup and squeeze your fresh lemons until you have a full cup of lemon juice. Poor that into another pitcher of water and add ¾ - 1 cup of sugar. Stir and the lemonade is done. Now that the tea and lemonade are ready, you can make your Arnold Palmer. What I personally like to do is get out a glass and fill it halfway with ice. Then pour half of it with lemonade and then the rest with tea. Stir it and it’s done! Of course if this is too much work, go ahead and try using some store-bought Arnie. If you’ve never had an Arnold Palmer, I highly recommend trying it at least once! Comment below if you try any of the drinks and let me know how they taste!

Xo-Boo


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