Tidewater Kitchen - July 2011

 

To the Good Life!
by
Pamela Meredith-Doyle

 

We usually pick a drink after we have our meal planned, but how about making the drink the focal point of the meal? Without adding a whole lot of time or extra ingredients, you can make a very enjoyable drink with some ideas I have selected. You can easily give your favorite iced tea or lemonade a splash just by adding some fresh fruit, mint, or even some of your favorite soda.
Cocktail hour can be a special time, but you don’t have to have alcoholic beverages. I have some fun recipes so all ages can enjoy. Sometimes I will have a bottle of something stronger there in case an adult wants to add it for themselves.
Drinks and some healthy snacks can easily hold you over while you are making dinner or waiting for it. Smoothies are a great snack, or a very nutritional start to your breakfast. I always like to add chia seed or flaxseed for the omega 3s. I also like to keep frozen organic berries and frozen peeled bananas in zip-lock bags to create really thick smoothies.

ZING in your TEA
Serves 6
You can serve this hot, or cold with a splash of your favorite sparkling water or fruit puree.

1 whole orange, washed and halved
1 lemon, sliced
8 orange tea bags boiled in 6 cups water
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup dark rum (or orange juice)
2 cups ice cubes
6 sprigs of fresh mint and orange slices for garnish

Squeeze the fresh orange and lemon juice into the steeping hot tea. Mix in the sugar until it dissolves. Let the tea come to room temperature, then put it in the refrigerator.
Remove the tea bags and stir in the rum. I like to fill each glass with ice and then pour the tea on top. Add a mint sprig, a slice of orange and enjoy!

PEACHY BELLINIS
Serves 8
This is a delicious drink that is usually served with prosecco, a slightly sweet sparkling wine, but any sparkling wine or even a lemon-lime soda makes a great substitute. Sometimes I’ll add the wine for the adults and soda for the children.

3 cups fresh or frozen chopped and thawed peaches (white peaches are traditional in this recipe, but if they aren’t available, any peach will do)
1/2 bottle peach nectar
8 fancy glasses or champagne flutes, rimmed with rubbed lemon and then dipped in sugar
1 bottle of your favorite sparkling wine

Combine peaches and nectar in a blender. Puree until very smooth. Chill for several hours. Stir or shake well before serving.
Rim the glasses with the lemon and sugar. Fill each glass half full with the peach puree, then slowly pour in the sparkling wine or lemon soda and serve.

NON-ALCOHOLIC MANGO MARGARITAS
Serves 8
This is a great fruit-filled smoothie or slushy drink that will leave you feeling very refreshed!

3-1/2 cups bottled mango juice
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
6 mint sprigs
3 cups crushed ice
1 mango, peeled, cubed and frozen
8 Margarita glasses, rubbed with lime and dipped in sugar

Place all ingredients in the blender, puree and serve immediately!

COSMOS
Serves 6
Usually these are made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and limes. This is also very delicious without the alcohol. You can substitute seltzer water or club soda for the alcohol.

2-1/2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 cup orange juice
2 T. Rose’s lime juice, or you can use fresh lime juice
6 oz. vodka or soda water
handful of ice
6 martini glasses
6 limes, wedged for garnish

In a large pitcher combine the cranberry juice, orange juice and lime juice. Stir in the soda water or the vodka.
Fill a large cocktail shaker with some ice and pour the juice ingredients in. Shake firmly for 15 to 30 seconds with the lid tightly in place. Only do this if you are using vodka. If you use seltzer water, just put in a glass and stir with a stirrer or straw, or else the fizz will get a bit crazy!

FRUITY JUICY COOLER
Serves 6
These are great drinks to be enjoyed by all. Just add your favorite seasonal fruit. It’s always fun to run a lime or lemon around the edge of the glass, then dip in colorful sugars.

2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries
2 large ripe bananas
3/4 cup grape juice
7 ice cubes
1 T. honey
2 cups seltzer water or club soda (whichever is your favorite)

Clean the berries. Peel the bananas and cut them into chunks. Place the berries and bananas in a blender with the ice cubes and juice.
Divide the mixture among the prepared glasses and then fill with seltzer water and serve.

FROZEN FRUIT SMOOTHIE
Serves 8
I love smoothies as they are a great way to get nutrition in your diet. They make an excellent midmorning pick-me-up, lunch on the run or even a great drink before you work out or after athletic practices.

4 cups frozen fruit (I love blueberries, peaches and strawberries)
1 banana, sliced and frozen (this makes the smoothie extra creamy)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup almond or rice milk
1-1/2 cups Greek vanilla yogurt (or plain which has half the sugar)
2 T. honey
1 t. pure vanilla extract
8 whole fresh strawberries split to put on the rim of the glass for garnish

Combine all the frozen fruit, banana, orange juice, almond or rice milk, yogurt, honey and vanilla in a blender. Blend until thick. If you want it thinner, add more liquid. Divide into the 8 garnished glasses.

SPARKLER with FRESH FRUIT and MINT
Serves 8
It is great to make a pitcherful of these to keep in the refrigerator for a refreshing drink.

1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/3 cup blueberry-cranberry juice
1 T. powdered sugar
8 champagne flutes or other fun glasses
1 bottle sparkling water or seltzer water
8 large mint sprigs for garnish
18 raspberries for garnish

Combine the blueberries, raspberries, juice and powdered sugar in the blender to puree. Fill each glass with 1/4 cup puree and then top off with sparkling water or seltzer water. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and some raspberries to float on top.

CREAMY HOT CHOCOLATE with MARSHMALLOW
Serves 4
Hot chocolate is always great after a rainy day, chilly beach night or even a cool fall night! This is great and to be enjoyed by all.

4 cups almond milk, heated (you may use regular milk)
1/2 cup marshmallow cream
4 packets or 3/4 cup hot chocolate mix
4 candy canes
mini marshmallows for garnish

Heat the milk in a pan, but be careful not to scald the milk. You may microwave it, if you wish.
Stir in the marshmallow cream and the hot chocolate mix. Whisk very well to create a froth or use an electric emulsifier for 30 seconds. Serve it in mugs and have a candy cane for a stirrer. You can also add some mini marshmallows for garnish.