Drinks To Keep You Cool

I love Martha Stewart so I decided to share some great summer drinks that she has posted on her website. This weekend's celebration might be a good time to try some new recipes!

Serves 8

• 3 cups blackberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup Simple Syrup
• 1/2 cup white grape juice
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Ice, for serving (optional)
• Seltzer or sparkling wine, chilled
• Patriotic fruit skewers, for garnish (optional)

Place blackberries, raspberries, simple syrup, grape juice, and lemon juice in the jar of a blender; puree until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve, discarding solids.

Fill 8 Collins glasses with ice, if using. Divide mixture evenly between glasses; top with seltzer or wine and serve immediately garnished with fruit skewers, if desired.

Serves 8

• 4 oranges, 2 juiced, 2 halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 bottle dry red wine, chilled
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced
• 2 cups seltzer or club soda
• Ice cubes, for serving

In a large pitcher, combine orange juice, sugar, and brandy; stir well to dissolve sugar. Add wine, orange slices, lemon slices, and seltzer; stir to combine. Fill glasses with ice before serving.

• 3 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 cup ice cubes
• Sugar, to taste

Put watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, ice, and sugar if desired into the pitcher of a blender, and blend for 15 seconds on high speed. (Always put the top on the container before processing.) Stop machine, and stir ingredients with a long wooden spoon. Blend for 15 seconds more on high speed.

After processing the watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, and ice, taste before adding sugar; you may not need any. For the star garnish, an adult can press a cookie cutter through the rind with the back of a wooden spoon.

Serves 2

• 1 pint strawberries
• 8 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons superfine sugar
• 8 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Seltzer water

Puree strawberries and 2 teaspoons sugar in a blender. Set out two glasses, and spoon 3 tablespoons of the resulting strawberry puree, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 4 tablespoons lemon juice into each glass. Stir the lemonade, and add ice. Top off the glasses with seltzer water. Add more sugar if desired.

And this great recipe from Sally Lee by the Sea:

The Red, White and Blue Margarita
Sugar the rim of a glass or a cup with red sugar. (You can do this by dipping the rim in lime juice and then in the sugar to make it stick). Make frozen margaritas - 2 oz tequila, 1/2 oz triple sec for each one, fill with sour mix and ice and blend. Split the frozen margarita into three cups. Blend one third with strawberries to make red. Pour it into the bottom of the glass. Layer another third (plain, white margarita) on top of the red. Then blend the final third with blueberries or just color with 1/2 oz of Blue Curacao and layer the blue on top. You now have a red, white and blue margarita! (This one is my own personal recipe).

Some of these recipes you do not need alcohol, so depending on your party and guests you can use different variations for all to enjoy!

P.S. Please stay safe and be responsible this 4th of July!