Fun Drink Concoctions from Coastal Living Magazine

This is the first time in a very long time that I will not be with my family for the fourth of July... A little weird, but I am kind of excited about being in San Francisco for the holiday.  It will be my first, here in my new city.  We have a great view from our deck of the central part of the San Francisco Bay and the San Mateo bridge - should have a glorious viewing spot for the fireworks in Foster City.
(image courtesy of http://www.alcatraz.us)

Needless to say, I think we will be having our own personal (ah... so romantic!) Independence Day Celebration right on our own lanai.  Need to plan out a fun menu for the two of us.... where to start?

Got to thinking about coming up with some fun new summer drinks to try and stumbled on Coastal Living Magazine's 21 Favorite Cocktails.  Here's a few that I thought might be really fun to try this weekend!

Red ...

Margarita de Sandia - Watermelon


1 cup sugar
1cup of water

3 1/2 cups of cubed, seeded watermelon

3/4 cup tequila

1/2 cup lime juice

crushed ice

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool.

Process watermelon in a blender until smooth. Combine all ingredients, and shake well.  Doesn't this just sound refreshing - perfect for a hot July afternoon?

(recipe and photo courtesy of Richard Sandoval, Richard Sandoval, Coastal Living, JANUARY 2006)

White...

(photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Erynn Hedrick Hassinger)

Frozen White Chocolate

• 1/4  cup  (2 ounces) white chocolate liqueur
• 1/4  cup  (2 ounces) Irish cream liqueur
• 2  tablespoons  (1 ounce) clear crème de cacao
• 3  cups  vanilla ice cream

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth


(Recipe courtesy of Julia Rutland, Coastal Living, 2010)

And Blue!

(photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Erynn Hedrick Hassinger)

Blended Blue Hawaiian

1/3  cup  (2 1/2 ounces) pineapple vodka

2  tablespoons  (1 ounce) blue curaçao

• 2  tablespoons  (1 ounce) coconut rum
• 1  tablespoon  (1/2 ounce) amaretto
• 2  tablespoons  (1 ounce) fresh lime juice
• 1/4  cup  agave nectar, simple syrup, or sugar
• 4  cups  ice 

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth, pour into pretty glasses and serve with a lime or pineapple garnish - yum!

(recipe courtesy of Julia Rutland, Coastal Living, 2010)




Now to plan the appetizers and main dish!  Have a great Wednesday everyone -