Basil Lemonade
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup basil leaves, firmly packed
- 6 cups water, divided
- 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
- Vodka, optional
In a medium saucepan, muddle the sugar and basil together with a wooden spoon. Add 2 cups of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all of the sugar has dissolved, making a simple syrup. Remove from heat. Steep the basil in the syrup until cool.
Once cool, strain the syrup into a pitcher. Add 4 cups of water and the lemon juice. Stir well. Serve over ice with a garnish of basil and lemon. Add a splash of vodka, if desired
Recipe by Gertrude Treadaway
Pitcher Palomas
- 2 cups grapefruit juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup lime juice
- 2 cups sparkling water
- Tequila, optional
Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, sparkling water and honey to a large pitcher. Stir to combine well.
Serve cold with ice. Garnish with slices of grapefruit and lime. Add tequila to taste, if desired.
Recipe by Gertrude Treadaway
Frozen Peach Bellini
- 6 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (or use frozen)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3 to 4 cups sparkling white grape juice or sparkling wine
Freeze sliced peaches for 1 hour. Combine peaches, lime juice and sparkling grape juice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve in champagne flutes.
Recipe by Gertrude Treadaway
Strawberry Limeade Punch
- 2 liters ginger ale
- 12 ounces frozen limeade
- 10 ounces frozen strawberry daiquiri
- 2½ cups white rum, optional
- Sliced lemon
- Sliced lime
- Sliced strawberries
Slightly thaw frozen concentrates. Mix all ingredients in a punch bowl or beverage dispenser. Add ice and serve.
Recipe by Gertrude Treadaway
Mojitos by the Pitcher
- ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups white rum, optional
- 1 cup lime juice (about 8 limes)
- 1 lime, thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 cups club soda
Muddle the sugar and mint in a small saucepan. Add water. Heat over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until all sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes. Strain it into a large pitcher.
Add the lime juice and rum, if desired. Add the extra mint leaves and the lime rounds. Fill the pitcher with four handfuls of ice. Gently stir in club soda just before serving.
Recipe by Gertrude Treadaway
Sunshine Smoothie
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 cups grapefruit juice
- 2 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately. If smoothie is too tart, reduce grapefruit juice to 1 cup.
Courtesy of culinary.net
Strawberry Spritzer
- 10 ounces frozen sliced strawberries, sweetened and thawed
- 2 liters lemon-lime soda or ginger ale, chilled
- 12 ounces frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
In a blender, process strawberries until blended thoroughly.
Pour strawberries into a large pitcher. Stir in soda and pink lemonade. Serve immediately.
Courtesy of culinary.net
Cranberry Raspberry Vanilla Punch
- 8 cups cranberry-raspberry juice
- 8½ cups cranberry ginger ale
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 pint raspberry sorbet
- Frozen cranberries, for garnish
In a large punch bowl, add juice, ginger ale and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
Add frozen cranberries and scoops of frozen sorbet. Stir slightly, then serve immediately.
Courtesy of culinary.net
Fizzy Orange Pineapple Punch
- 46 ounces pineapple juice, chilled
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 2 liters ginger ale
- 6 to 8 scoops orange sherbet
- Orange slices, for garnish
- Mint leaves, for garnish
In a large punch bowl, combine pineapple juice, condensed milk and orange juice concentrate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Before serving, add ginger ale. Top with sherbet, orange slices and mint.
Courtesy of culinary.net