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Shirley's Finished with Temple.
Shirley's finished with temple. Shirley officially turned 21. Happy birthday. And Shirley has a lot of friends who are thirsty. So she is learning how to make a couple of drinks that are easy for entertaining and easy for drinking.
When I'm planning out a menu that includes some drinks, I try to balance out the beers with a fun cocktail (or two). It has to be easy - but even more so - it has to be fresh. None of those syrups or mixes. I get a stomach ache looking at the bottle (and their ingredient list.) I'm also a big fan of making my own simple syrup - which essentially is just boiled water with sugar.
Lastly, I can't remember ever making a cocktail without using the blender. Who doesn't love an icy, slushy alcoholic drink? It's like I'm in Vegas walking around with a 2 foot tall plastic covered cup and silly straw! No, that's not really me at all - but I still love a slushy drink.
Banana Daiquiri
I didn't think I would like this drink. It doesn't sound good to me. The first time I had it we went over to a neighbor's house for drinks after we finished at the beach. They had this oasis of a backyard that made you think you were on a surfing vacation in Costa Rica. Pan left to Jane who enters carrying a tray of banana daiquiris - her go-to drink. I soon learned why.
Ingredients:
3 ounces rum (like Bacardi)
3 ripe bananas, peeled*
2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
juice of 1 lime
1 cup ice cubes
Directions:
Blend and serve!
Yield: Makes about 3 glasses
*Notes on bananas:
The bananas I use for this recipe are usually ones I've thrown in the freezer. When my bananas are super ripe I will wrap them in plastic to freeze for a time like this. Aka- drink time.
Orange Blueberry Mojito
Whenever I have berries that are on their way out, I pop them in a bag and freeze them for an occasion to make this drink. P.S. - the color of this drink is so gorgeous.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup rum (like Bacardi)
1 tablespoon mint leaves, whole
1/3 cup simple syrup (see below for recipe)
1 1/3 cups ice cubes
Directions:
Blend and serve!
Yield - Makes 4 glasses
Basic Simple Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Boil the water and sugar together in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. It keeps in the fridge for 1 week or frozen for 3 months.
Vodka Gimlet
Ingredients:
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup top shelf vodka
1/2 cup basil simple syrup (see below for recipe)
1 1/3 cups ice cubes
Directions:
Blend and serve!
Basil Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup basil leaves (feel free to use ugly pieces and stems)
1/2 cup sugar (I used cane sugar)
1/2 cup water
Boil all the ingredients in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and basil wilts, about 5 minutes. This recipe will make twice what you need. It keeps in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for 3 months.