Refreshing Drinks for the Last Hot Days of Summer

Watermelonade  Cooler:

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped watermelon (be sure to remove all the seeds)

3/4 c. sugar

2 cups white grape juice

3/4 cup lemon juice

4 cups club soda

Instructions:  Puree the watermelon in a blender.  You may find there are some pulpy portions left that you wish to strain out and discard. Combine sugar, grape and lemon juices and stir in the watermelon puree.  Stir well until the sugar has dissolved.   If you like a minty touch to this, you may want to crush some fresh mint leaves with some lemon peel in a cocktail shaker.  Add the watermelon mixture to the shaker, shake well and strain.  Add the club soda and serve.

Peachy Goodness

Ingredients:

For the drink base (this makes 4 qts. of base):

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 3oz. pkg of peach gelatin

1 29 oz can of peach slices in syrup

48 oz. peach nectar

1/2 cup lemon juice

For each base, you will need 20 oz. of ginger ale or club soda.

Instructions:

Heat the water in a saucepan with the sugar and gelatin.  Bring it to a boil and stir well until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.  Dump can of peach slices along with the syrup into the blend and puree.  In a large bowl, mix together the gelatin mixture, peach puree, peach nectar, and lemon juice.  You can now divide this up into 1 qt. portions and place this in the freezer.  Freeze overnight or until it’s solid – you can keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.  To serve this, place one of the frozen containers in the fridge for about an hour until slushy.  You may need to use a fork or spoon to break it up a bit more.   Add 20 oz. of ginger ale or club soda to each quart of slush and serve.

Chocolate Sno-cone

Combine 1 oz. Creme de Cacao and 1 oz. Raspberry Liqueur.  Pour into a martini glass filled with crushed ice.  Garnish with chocolate shavings.