This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. I received product samples from sponsors to use in creating #BBQWeek recipes. However, all opinions are mine alone.
Sweet tea is a Southern staple, and every family has their own tried and true recipe they swear by. Did you know you could infuse your tea with fruit to make it an out of this world experience? This Grilled Peach Infused Sweet Iced Tea is a truly refreshing experience.
A quick and easy treat, featuring plenty of healthy fruit, this Copycat Tropical Smoothie Sunrise Sunset Smoothie is a spot on duplicate of your favorite cafe’s frozen treat. An indulgent breakfast to share, a perfect dessert, even a special snack- this smoothie is what sweet memories are made of!
A Winter wonderland in a cup, these Jack Frost Frozen Winter Cocktails are the tastiest way to decompress from the stress of the season. Sip-able, shareable, incredible- it’s a sure showstopper that will impress any guests.
Beat the heat with a refreshing drink that was made for Summer sippin’. This Sweet Black Cherry Limeade is fizzy fun with the perfect blend of sweet cherries with a hint of lime.
Simple, but absolutely stunning this Blackberry Lavender Champagne Cocktail gets it’s gorgeous color from an infusion of a blackberry lavender vodka syrup with sparkling champagne.
The classic dessert has been given an adult makeover. Generous scoops of vanilla ice cream and sweet maraschino cherries swim in a glass full of sparkling red wine- these Red Wine Ice Cream Floats are just what the doctor ordered after a long hard day.
Warmer weather means getting together with good friends and soaking in the afternoon sunshine or enjoying the special light from the days last rays. Pair those moments with a special cold concoction. Frozen Peach White Wine Slushies are an almost effortless cold cocktail. Your favorite fruity wine and juicy frozen peaches are a match made in slushie heaven.
Does anybody else remember where they were and what they were doing in the Blizzard of ’96? I was 9 and in 5th grade. We’d just barely returned to school from Winter Break, and a snow storm hit most of the East Coast (arguably one of the top 3 worst in a century), dropping 8-10 inches of snow on Central Va in less than one day, followed by several inches of sleet, before finishing with another 8-10 inches of snow over the next two days. Everything shut down. A few days later, another system dropped another 6 inches on us. I thought it was great. It was magical. Snow as far as the eye could see. I remember walking with my parents and all of our neighbors to the Elementary School in our neighborhood where we spent every day and most of the evenings sledding down the hills behind it. It was the first, and last time, the snow was so thick that it was safe to ice skate on the lake we lived on. I remember walking up to the neighborhood convenience store with my Dad pulling one of our sleds behind us, to re stock on bread and batteries. School was out for almost another two weeks, before life began to return to normal.
It’s summer and the kids are soaking in every minute of it. There’s been fishing. Plenty of time spent at the pool. And of course bike riding, and any other outdoor activity you can possibly think of. Like running. So much running. And it’s great. Except then they come in soaking wet, clothes stuck to their bodies, dripping salty puddles everywhere and smelling like stinky little puppies. And while a good dunk in the tub solves most of this, it doesn’t help replace all that their losing in sweat alone. It doesn’t do much to re-hydrate them. Even if they do manage to swallow some bath water. Shoot, even the copious amounts of actual water their gulping down isn’t enough. And I’m not trying to keep them cooped up in the house, or have any kids keeling over from dehydration. So a good electrolyte drink is key to keeping the summer fun coming around here.
I’d seen this idea before, but have always been disappointed in my previous attempts at a good for you, and good tasting, homemade electrolyte cocktail. I’m glad I decided to give it yet another go after seeing Heather of Mommypotamus‘ recipe ideas. These drinks are perfect for hydration by replacing vital minerals and electrolytes they’ve lost. They’re also contain easily absorbed simple carbs that help boost energy, too. All of the ingredients contain key components that help during and after their exercise and recovery periods.
Orange Twist Sports Drink
3-4 cups water (depending on the concentration you prefer)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2-3 oranges)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup, or more to taste
a few drops of Concentrace minerals drops (optional)
Herbal Cooler
4 cups herbal tea (citrus flavored teas work well, and we also like using berry flavored ones)
2 -4 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
a few drops of Concentrace minerals drops (optional)
Lemon Sports Drink
4 cups filtered water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup raw honey, or more to taste
a few drops of Concentrace minerals drops (optional)
Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together and STORE in the fridge. Usually we make enough to consume at one time, but using honey (which is naturally antimicrobial) and keeping it cold in the fridge it has kept for up to a week..
Despite its name, it tastes nothing like the ocean. Which is probably a good thing. But it is blue, with a tangy flavor and a hint of coconut. And let me just say, that Sonic hit the nail on the head with this one.
It’s arguably one of the best drinks they offer, and it’s pretty unique to them as well. At least I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere else. It’s just so refreshing. One sip and you won’t be able to stop the ‘ahhhhhh’ from happening after downing that first taste. You might even find yourself staring at your glass wondering how so much flavor got into one little cup. It’s a perfect little summer cocktail for kids and adults to enjoy. I know with the heat wave hitting us this weekend with over 100 temps (where ya at spring?!) an ice cold cup of Ocean Water sounds absolutely perfect.
Copy Cat Sonic’s Ocean Water
4 tbsp of regular white sugar
4 tbsp of water
24 oz of lemon-lime soda (2 – 12 oz cans works great!)
1 1/2 tsp of coconut extract
3 drops of blue food coloring
Directions
1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix the sugar and water and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. This should dissolve most of the sugar. Alternatively, heat the water and sugar over medium low heat, stirring until most of the sugar has dissolved. Add the sugar mixture to the lemon-lime soda, coconut extract and food coloring to a pitcher and mix gently. Allow the mixture to cool slightly if warm or hot.
2. Serve over ice and enjoy!
To be even more true to the original version, if you can find blue coconut snow cone syrup, then a pump of that into a cold glass of Sprite is 100 % authentic, but since I couldn’t we just made our own homemade coconut syrup 🙂 We couldn’t taste the difference, but in case you can, now you know!
