Red, White and Blue - 4th of July Party Cocktails!

Just can't help myself - love summer cocktails and just had to show off a few that I want to try for this weekend.   Thought I would share a few ideas that I am contemplating to serve our weekend guests from Portland!

Pop Rock Cocktails (hilarious!)


Just add red, white or blue "Pop Rocks" to the rim of your summer cocktails to give them that extra little sizzle and pop!

Pop Rocks on the Beach

1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur
1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
3 splashes Pineapple juice

This one might be the winner for me - now to just find the Pop Rocks....
(from Pizzazzerie.com)

 Or how about this pretty fresh fruit con-concoction from PrettyPlain Janes? 

Dang, she knows how to make some beautiful cocktails - wouldn't you love to be invited to her house???

Ingredients

• *1 cup simple syrup (1 part sugar plus *1 part water, boiled until dissolved and cooled)
• *1/2 cup fresh strawberries (sliced in half)
• *1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• *1 bottle dry white wine
•     club soda or tonic water
• *ice
• *few sprigs of fresh mint for garnish

Directions

1. Fill Pitcher with ice and top with berries (save some to place in glasses).
2. Pour in simple syrup and then wine until pitcher is 3/4 full.
3. Top off with club soda or tonic water, stir and serve in ice filled glasses. Garnish with mint sprig.

This pretty cocktail recipe was sent to me from Designs by Lolita (LOVE their creative martini and wine glasses!)

Blueberry Martini
1.25 fl oz SMIRNOFF® Blueberry Flavored Vodka
.25 fl oz orange liqueur
.5 fl oz Lemon-Lime Soda
1. Stir and strain to lose bubbles, and serve in a martini glass.
2. Garnish with a lemon twist and blueberries.


And from Sunset Magazine - I just love how they used star fruit to make the cute skewers!
Raspberry Lemonade (non alcholic)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rinsed fresh raspberries 
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• In a small bowl, with a potato masher or spoon, mash 1 cup rinsed fresh raspberries, with 2/3 cup sugar. Let stand 10 minutes. Press through a fine strainer into a pitcher (at least 1 1/2 qt.); discard seeds. Stir in 1 cup lemon juice and 2 cups water. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Pour into tall, ice-filled glasses.

P.S.  Don't forget to use pretty glassware!

Try a set of Lighthouses for the perfect Patriotic Celebration!

Can't go wrong with a set of Anchors! 

Wishing everyone a fabulous 4th of July!  For more 4th of July party ideas - check out my "America the Beautiful" board on Pinterest.

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 -