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Summer Sips

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Summer Sips

Summer Nights on Hallmark Channel is finally here! Grab your bestie and cool off with some delightful all-new premieres every Saturday in August along with some refreshing drinks.

Mix your favorite soda with creamy sherbet for Sherbet Floats as you watch "Junebug," or let the Lemon Blueberry Tonic Mocktail whisk you away for a moment of pure relaxation as you watch "My Dreams of You." Sweeten your taste buds with a Honey Lemon Twist cocktail while watching "The Magic of Lemon Drops," or dive into the tropics with a Mango Sweet Tea during "A Costa Rican Wedding!" And if you're feeling a little fancy, you can whip up the Ginger Rabbit Cocktail while you watch "Head Over Heels."

Looking for more sips? Check out these 12 drinks to sip and enjoy with Summer Nights, only on Hallmark Channel.

Green Tea Lemonade
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Green Tea Lemonade
Print Recipe
Green Tea Lemonade
Course:
Beverages
Cuisine:
American
Yield:
4 Servings
Time:
Prep Time: 10 mins.
INGREDIENTS:
  • 20 oz. bottled or fresh brewed Green Tea
  • 20 oz. bottled or fresh lemonade
  • White peaches, chunked
  • Fresh Bing cherries with stems
  • 1 package (0.66 oz.) mint plus 1 sprig for garnish
  • Crushed ice

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine tea and lemonade in a pitcher.
  2. Add chunked peaches, cherries and mint.
  3. Muddle (crush) the mint.
  4. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Mango Sweet Tea
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Mango Sweet Tea
Print Recipe
Mango Sweet Tea
Course:
Beverages, Drinks, Cocktails, Mocktails
Cuisine:
Southern, Carribean
Seasonal Event:
Summer
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 c. water
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 2 ripe mango, peeled and diced
  • 1 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 8-10 black or green tea bags
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Ice
  • Fresh mint for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pour water, sugar, mango, and ginger into a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.
  2. As mango and ginger softens, smash pieces against the side of the pan to release more flavors.
  3. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Set aside to cool.
  4. Steep tea bags in hot water for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and pour tea over ice.
  5. Stir in mango syrup and lemon juice.
  6. Serve with fresh mint leaves.

Chef's Tip:
Substitute mango for pineapple, guava, or peaches.
For a "hard" sweet tea, add 1 oz. of dark rum.

Get the Recipe to the Jamaican Curried Shrimp Skewers >>

Georgia Strawberry Peach Tea
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Summer Sips
Print Recipe
Georgia Strawberry Peach Tea
Course:
Beverage, Iced Tea
Cuisine:
American
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 ½ c. water
  • 1⁄2 c. strawberry jam or jelly (not preserves)
  • Peach tea bags—either 1 large family tea bag (makes 1 quart) or 4 small tea bags
  • 3 c. ice water

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a small saucepan combine the 1 1⁄2 cups water, strawberry jam, and large tea bag and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
  2. Remove from heat and let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bag if you wish (peach tea is usually an herbal tea, so it is not necessary to remove from the pitcher and will continue to infuse as it sits) and pour the contents of the saucepan into a pitcher. Pour in 3 cups ice water. Fill tall glasses with additional ice and serve.

*Note: This recipe can be doubled to make 2 quarts of tea for large gatherings.

Sherbet Float
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Summer Sips
Print Recipe
Sherbet Float
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
Yield:
Serves 4
Time:
Prep Time: 5 mins., Cook Time: N/A
INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 bottles ice cold soda
  • 8 (2-oz.) scoops sherbet
  • sweetened whipped cream
  • maraschino cherries

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Fill each glass ⅓ full with soda; top each with 2 scoops sherbet.
  2. Slowly fill glass with soda.
  3. Garnish each sherbet float with whipped cream and a cherry, if desired.
The Bees Knees Cocktail
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The Bees Knees Cocktail
Print Recipe
The Bees Knees Cocktail
Course:
Beverage, Cocktail
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 oz. honey
  • 1 oz. hot water
  • 1 tsp. bee pollen granules
  • 1 oz. lemon juice
  • 2 oz. gin
  • 1 sprig of lavender

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Mix the honey with the hot water to dissolve into a syrup.
  2. Place the bee pollen into a shaker tin and muddle.
  3. Add the honey syrup, lemon juice, and gin into the shaker tin.
  4. Add ice to the shaker tin.
  5. Cover and shake for 5-10 seconds.
  6. Place a strainer over the tin and pour the contents into an ice filled glass.
  7. Garnish the cocktail with the lavender sprig.
Refreshing Summertime Cocktails
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Refreshing Summertime Cocktails
Print Recipe
Refreshing Summertime Cocktails
Course:
Drinks, Cocktails, Mocktails
INGREDIENTS:

Creamy Frozen Nectarine Blitz:

  • 1 Nectarine, pitted
  • 2 oz. Vodka
  • 2 oz. Vanilla ice cream
  • ½ oz. Triple sec
  • ½ oz. Lemon juice
  • ½ oz. Simple syrup

Cherry Bombs:

  • 1 c. grenadine
  • 1 L. clear citrus soda, or seltzer
  • 18 maraschino cherries

Pineapple Slurpee:

  • 2 c. fresh pineapple
  • 10 ice cubes
  • 4 Tbs. agave nectar - might want to add more, depends on your sweetness needs and ripeness of fruit

DIRECTIONS:

Creamy Frozen Nectarine Blitz (Recipe courtesy of ACocktailLife.com):

  1. Place the fruit, vodka, ice cream, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup in a blender and puree until smooth.
  2. Add a couple of ice cubes and continue pureeing until the ice has been broken up.
  3. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with fresh mint.

Cherry Bombs (Recipe courtesy of MarthaStewart.com):

  1. Place 2 cups water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add grenadine; stir to combine.
  3. Pour mixture into two ice-cube trays.
  4. Freeze until solid, 2 hours or overnight.
  5. Fill six glasses with grenadine ice cubes.
  6. Top with soda. Garnish with cherries, and serve.

Pineapple Slurpee (Recipe courtesy of PureMamas.com):

  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth like a Slurpee.
Lemon Blueberry Tonic Mocktail
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Lemon Blueberry Tonic Mocktail
Print Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Tonic Mocktail
Course:
Drinks
Yield:
2
Time:
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 0 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1⁄2 c. + 2 Tbs. blueberries, divided
  • 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1 1⁄2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs. agave syrup
  • 1 c. ice
  • 1 c. tonic water
  • 2 slices lemon

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a blender, purée ½ cup blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice and agave syrup until smooth. Strain purée into bowl.
  2. Fill 2 glasses with ice. Divide strained blueberry purée among glasses and top with tonic water. Garnish each with lemon slice and remaining 2 tablespoons of blueberries.
The Ginger Rabbit Cocktail
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The Ginger Rabbit Cocktail
Print Recipe
The Ginger Rabbit Cocktail
Course:
Beverage, Cocktail
Cuisine:
American
INGREDIENTS:
  • ½ c. freshly sliced ginger
  • 4 slices of an orange
  • 1-2 Tbs. maple syrup
  • 3 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • ½ c. of soda water
  • Rim the glass with caster sugar

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a pint glass: muddle ginger, oranges, and 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup (to your desired sweetness) together.
  2. Fill glass with ice.
  3. Add lemon juice and shake.
  4. Add ½ cup of sparkling or soda water and stir.
  5. Strain into a chilled martini glass that has been rimmed with caster sugar.
Honey Lemonade Twist
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Honey Lemonade Twist
Print Recipe
Honey Lemonade Twist
Course:
Drinks, Cocktails, Mocktails
Seasonal Event:
Summer
INGREDIENTS:

Lemonade:

  • 1 ½ oz. (3 Tbs.) honey syrup
  • 3 Meyer lemons
  • 2 ½ oz. (5 Tbs.) white rum
  • Ice cubes
  • Club Soda
  • Special equipment: cocktail shaker, 2 highball glasses

Honey Syrup (Makes ½ Cup):

  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup water

DIRECTIONS:

Lemonade:

  1. Squeeze enough Meyer lemon juice to yield 4 tablespoons (2 ounces, about 2 lemons). Cut 2 wheels from the remaining Meyer lemon; set side.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the honey syrup and Meyer lemon juice. Add the rum, then fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is very cold, about 30 seconds. Fill two highball glasses with ice cubes. Strain the cocktail into the glasses and top with club soda. Garnish each with a citrus wheel, and a straw if desired.

Honey Syrup:

  1. In a small sauce pan on medium heat, whisk together the honey and water until dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Honey syrup will keep, in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 3 weeks.
Mixed Fruit Smoothie
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Mixed Fruit Smoothie
Print Recipe
Mixed Fruit Smoothie
Course:
Beverage, Smoothie
Cuisine:
American
Yield:
Serves 4
Time:
Prep Time: 5 mins., Cook Time: N/A
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 c. orange juice
  • 1 c. strawberries, frozen
  • 6 oz. yogurt, strawberry flavored
  • 1 banana
  • 1 ½ cups ice
  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey
  • 4 strawberries, fresh (optional), garnish

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine all ingredients (except fresh strawberries) in a blender and puree until smooth.
  2. Serve in glasses and garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.
Chef Anne Sparkler Cocktail
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Chef Anne Sparkler Cocktail
Print Recipe
Chef Anne Sparkler Cocktail
Course:
Drinks, Cocktails
INGREDIENTS:
  • Ice cubes
  • 1 oz. Aperol
  • 5 oz. Prosecco
  • Lemon twist

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Fill a large white wine glass about halfway with ice cubes.
  2. Add the Aperol to the wine glass, then the Prosecco. Top with a twist.
Watermelon Mocktails
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Watermelon Mocktails
Print Recipe
Watermelon Mocktails
Course:
Beverage, Mocktail
Cuisine:
American
INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 c. watermelon, cubed
  • ½ c. Fresh Lime Juice (Reserve Slices for Garnish)
  • 4 c. Crushed Ice
  • 2 Tbs. Superfine Sugar
  • 4 Watermelon Chunks (For Garnish)
  • 4 Grapes (For Garnish)
  • 2 Wooden Skewers (Optional) (Snapped in Half)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Puree the watermelon in a blender. Add the lime juice and crushed ice. Blend until smooth.
  2. Pour the sugar into a saucer. Run a small wedge of lime around the rim of each glass and dip the rim into the sugar. Carefully divide the watermelon mixture among four glasses and serve with mini fruit skewer garnish.
  3. To Make Skewers for Garnish: Thread each half-skewer with 1 watermelon chunk, 1 thin slice lime and 1 grape.
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