Cheers, I'll Drink to That :)

Hey Everyone,


So it's Thursday night - which means 24 hours until it's the weekend. Everyone knows what a summer weekend means, food, friends, and fun. Usually that fun will involve something alcoholic - you need to unwind somehow after a hard week at work.


So I figured it's time to share some of my favorite backyard and beach drink recipes - there are links to them as well.


So first of all there's a classic Bahama Mama. Love this! So fun plus it gives you an instant nickname for someone. Here's the recipe I like - this is a serving for one so adjust numbers accordingly: http://www.ecurry.com/blog/drinks-cocktails-beverages/bahama-mama/

Ingredients:

• 3/4 ounce coconut rum (Malibu preferably)
• 3/4 ounce banana liqueur (Hiram Walker)
• 1 ounce spiced rum (Captain Morgan - of course)
• 1.5 ounce orange juice
• 2.5 ounces pineapple juice
• 1-2 tablespoons Grenadine
• 1/4 cup crushed ice

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake. Serve!




My second backyard favorite is Dirty Pirate Popsicles! So much fun! Feel like a little kid while doing something fabulously grown up. Here's the recipe and the link: http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2011/09/14/dirty-pirate-popsicles/

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Coke
• 1/3 cup Captain Morgan spiced rum
• 1/3 cup Kahlua

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowel or glass and stir. Pour into popsicle mold. 
2. Freeze for 2 hours then insert popsicle stick and continue to freeze overnight
3. Run a little hot water over the mold to release the popsicles
4. Enjoy!

For something relaxing on Friday as soon as you get home and into your comfies I suggest Lavender Lemonade. I'm going to post the pitcher recipe although the link will also give it to you by the glass. However, let's not kid ourselves - we all know making by the pitcher is the better option - time saving and efficient. Here's the link: http://www.designsponge.com/2009/09/behind-the-bar-lavender-lemonade.html

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups vodka
• 3/4 cups Lillet Blanc
• 1/2 cup Lavender syrup
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chilled soda water for each glass

Directions:

Mix the first 4 ingredients with a spoon and pour into a glass over ice. Add the chilled soda water and enjoy!


So I love going to the movies, but I hate paying for snacks. Here's a twist on a favorite movie snack of mine - Drunken Gummy Bears! Invite the girls over for a slumber party movie fest and have these to play drinking games with instead of taking shots! Super cute! http://partyrehabb.com/post/14297788541/drunken-gummy-bears-what-you-need-to-make-them

Ingredients:

• Alcohol of your choice - I prefer Vodka
• Bowl
• Gummy Bears

Directions:
Put the gummy bears into a bowl. Pour the liquor into the bowl until it covers up over 3/4 of an inch above the gummy bears. You MUST place it in the fridge immediately. You need to leave them in the fridge for at least 5 days and stir 1-2 per day and so that they all get an equal amount of alcohol. Pop in a DVD and pop them in your mouth for fun times.


My next drink is for that classy girls night. Sitting on the back porch with some fabulous finger foods and gossiping about who's doing what and who's sleeping with who. It's called a Peach Melba Cooler and here's the link to this wonderfully refreshing summer night drink: http://www.chow.com/recipes/29746-peach-melba-cooler


Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 medium, ripe peach
• 1/2 pint of fresh raspberries
• 1 bunch fresh lemon thyme 
• 1 liter cold club soda
• Ice

Directions:

1. Bring the water and sugar to a simmer over medium heat stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes). Take off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Put this in a small container with a tight lid
2. Halve, pit, and cut the peach into 1/8 inch slices. Put the slices in the mixture from step one and stir. Then seal the container again and refrigerate for at LEAST 4 hours but NO MORE than 3 days. 
3. When you're ready to serve it pour the mixture through a strainer over a bowl and discard the peach slices. Add half the raspberries and half the thyme sprig into the bowl. Then smash the raspberries until they release their juices. 
4. Put a strainer over a pitcher and pour the mixture from step 3 into it. Lightly press on the solids with a rubber spatula and then discard what remains in the strainer. Add club soda and ice to the pitcher and stir to blend. 
5. Gently crush the remaining thyme - but don't destroy it - and set it aside. Pour the drink into glasses and garnish with the remaining raspberries and the remaining thyme. 

This final drink is a sneaky beach drink. Put it into one of those Simply Lemonade containers and you're good to go. No one will realize the reason you and your friends are having more fun than anyone else on the beach. http://peaceloveguacamole.blogspot.com/2010/07/simply-glorious.html

Ingredients:

• Water 
• Country Time Pink Lemonade Mix
• Fresh Strawberries
• Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka - love this stuff (excellent for jello shots)
• Triple Sec
• Malibu Coconut Rum

Directions:
Wash out a container of Simply Lemonade. Using a funnel pour 4 scoops of the Country Time Pink Lemonade into the container. Then add a 1 cup of Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka, 1/3 cup Triple Sec, and 1/3 cup Malibu Rum (blend these together in a measuring cup before you pour it into the Simply Lemonade bottle via the funnel. Then use cold water and fill the rest of the bottle up to the base of the neck. Cut the strawberries and drop them into the container. Add a little more water to the top and shake the bottle to mix. Then stick it in a cooler full of ice and hit the beach!


These are just a few of my favorite drink recipes to get you through those fun summer weekends and help you forget about all the drama. Although some of them need a little prep time - just think of it as something to do with your Thursday night so you're Friday really is the kick start of the weekend.


Have an awesome weekend and Cheers!


XOXO Lea Mills


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