YumSugar

Would You Rather Drink Iced Tea or Lemonade?

partysugar — Sun, 17 May 2009 01:30:04 -0700

Happy Hour: Sonoma Sparkler Sparkling Juices

partysugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:15:29 -0700

While I wasn't surprised to sip amazing wine at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, I was not expecting to find an extraordinary nonalcoholic sparkler among the mix. However, the lovely ladies from Sonoma Sparkler were there pouring the bubbly juices. I tasted three of the refreshing sparklers and was highly impressed with the fizzy texture and fresh-fruit flavor. The juice is slightly sweet, easy to drink, and incredibly fruity. They come in six flavors: apple, pear, peach, raspberry, blood orange, and lemonade. With its vibrant pink hue, my favorite was the raspberry. I plan to stock up on Sonoma Sparkler.

It's the perfect option for those who are pregnant or don't drink. Have you tasted this nonalcoholic libation? What did you think?

Come Party With Me: Graduation - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:15:54 -0700

At a graduation party make things feel festive and celebratory by setting up a small bar buffet that allows guests to mix their own drinks. Since the graduate is underage, the bar will have no alcohol. Instead stock the buffet with the fixings for jazzed-up Arnold Palmers! Pitchers of lemonade and iced tea, lemon wedges, sparkling water, grenadine, and fresh berries will sit next to an ice bucket and rows of glasses.

For the adults fill coolers with beer, white wine, and water. To check out the lemonade and iced tea recipes, read more.

Lemonade
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

3 cups lemon or lime juice, about 20 lemons or 25 limes freshly squeezed
2 cups superfine sugar
4 cups cold water
4 cups ice
2 lemons or limes, thinly sliced for garnish

Directions

Into a large serving container, strain the citrus juice, mix it with sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add 4 cups cold water and stir again until well combined. Add ice to fill and a few lemon or lime slices.

Makes 10 cups.

Print recipe with images | without images

Iced Tea
Modified from Tassimo

Ingredients

4-5 bags your favorite tea
Lemon juice (optional)
Sugar (optional)
Ice cubes

Directions

Prepare tea by brewing the bags in boiling water. Add lemon juice and sugar to taste; cool completely. Or, refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pour over ice cubes in two tall glasses. Sit back and relax on a hot day.

Makes half a pitcher.

Print recipe with images | without images

Source

Come Party With Me: Little Girl's Birthday - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:27:31 -0800

When planning a party for children be sure to have lots of beverages on hand to quench the little ones' thirst. Water and milk are acceptable options.

Like many parents, FitSugar prefers not to offer sugary sodas to her girls. So instead of soda, I suggest serving a fruit punch made with juice and ginger ale as a special treat. It's fun to have one signature mocktail. Don't forget to fill a cooler with beer for the parents to enjoy, after all it is a party! For the punch recipe, read more.

Fruit Punch
From Sandra Lee

1 (46-ounce) can red punch (recommended: Hawaiian Punch)
1 (46-ounce) can apple juice
1 (48-ounce) bottle cranberry juice
1 (2-liter) bottle ginger ale
Ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl or pot. Add ice and stir.
Ladle into serving glasses.

Serves 20-25.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Witches' Brew

YumSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:27:19 -0700

No Halloween is complete without a good old fashioned punch. Often times, folks will use dry ice as a way to create a spooky effect. However, dry ice can be quite dangerous, so I found a recipe that will evoke the same feeling without any of the risk. This recipe for a Witches' Brew starts off with a chilled apple cider and ends with a dollop of sweet vanilla ice cream. To get the recipe, read more

Witches' Brew
From How Stuff Works

Makes 4 (6-ounce) servings

2 cups apple cider
1-1/2 to 2 cups vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Process cider, ice cream, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg in food processor or blender until smooth. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with additional nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Homemade V8

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:29:31 -0700

I remember unpacking my lunch in elementary school and being somewhat embarrassed by the V8 juice my mom would lovingly pack. She wasn't too keen on soda, so this was a nice option. However all of my fellow students thought it was weird, disgusting and downright scary. I recall pretending I didn't like it as much as I really did - making it seem like I was forced to drink it. Now, many years later, I realize it wasn't me or my beverage choice, but it was those kids who were weird, disgusting and downright scary. I have no problems with letting everyone know I love the salty, vegetable goodness. However, now that I'm all grown-up I like to purchase fewer processed foods, so instead of drinking V8 as often, I try to whip up my own batch when possible. For a homemade "V8" recipe, read more

I like mine spicy, but you can omit the jalapenos if you'd prefer.

Tom Solomon's Spicy Hot V8
From Chet Day's Natural Health

8 quarts water
4 pounds homegrown tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped
8 green jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 cup vinegar
3 bay leaves
2 Tbs oregano
1 large onion, chopped
1 head garlic, pressed
4 Tbs salt
4 Tbs sugar

In a large pot, combine all ingredients except the sugar, bring to a boil, and cook at a steady boil for 2 hours.
Remove from heat and strain through a relatively fine mesh, making sure to express all the liquid you can.
Discard the pulp, return the liquid to the pot, and boil for another couple of hours, or until the liquid is reduced to roughly three quarts. Add four tablespoons of sugar, remove from heat, stir, and let cool.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Indonesian Avocado Shake

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:18:38 -0700

There's something about avocados that I just love. They're creamy, luscious and downright tasty. So when I saw this recipe for a traditional Indonesian Avocado Shake, I absolutely went wild. Avocado shake, topped with sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup?!? Doesn't that sound intriguing? I couldn't figure out where to rush out and get one, so I'll have to do the next best thing and give it a try at home. To check out the recipe and give it a whirl in your blender, read more

Indonesian Avocado Shake
From Saveur Magazine, March 2002
Image Source

2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
5 tbsp granulated raw sugar
1 tbsp sweetened chocolate syrup
1 tsp sweetened condensed milk

Put 1 cup crushed ice, 3 tbsp. water, avocados, and sugar into a blender and purée until smooth and sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute.
Divide between two tall 10-oz. glasses and pour chocolate syrup and milk into each glass. Serve with a spoon and straw.

Print recipe with images | without images

Image Source

Yummy Link: Strawberry Watermelon Agua Fresca

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:17:38 -0700

If you can't find yourself a nice glass of agua fresca in your neighborhood, you're just going to have to make your own. This recipe for a strawberry watermelon version has got me drooling already. - Simply Recipes

Happy Hour: Butterbeer (Hot & Cold)

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:18:39 -0700

In case you haven't heard, the latest Harry Potter film opens this Wednesday. Since PartySugar and I are ~~total dorks~~ big kids at heart, we're hoping to find ourselves in line for the midnight screening. However, it's bound to be chilly, so I thought it would be nice to pack a flask or two of warm delicious drinks - specifically warm, frothy butterbeer (if you have to ask what that is, then either do yourself a favor and start at book 1, or run as fast as you can to the next post). If you'd like to whip up your own batch of butterbeer (we've got two versions - hot & cold), just read more

Image Source

Hot Butterbeer
From Elanor Isolda at The Leaky Lounge

1 litre cream soda
2-3 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
200ml single cream
4 or 5 Werther's Originals

Put the cream soda in a pan to boil.
Melt the butter and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the butter and sugar mixture into the pan of boiling cream soda (make sure the soda is boiling, or the butter and sugar will solidify).
Add the cream.
Add the Werther's Originals and stir continuously until they melt.
Serve hot.
You can also add a couple of shots of Butterscotch Schnapps for that extra kick!

Print recipe with images | without images

Cold Butterbeer
From Britta Blvd

1 cup butterscotch schnapps
7 cups cream soda (almost one 2 liter bottle)

Carefully mix just before serving, adding the schnapps to the soda then stirring gently to mix well, or the fizz will dissipate too soon.

Serve in beer mugs and enjoy!

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Cosmo-Not

YumSugar — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:42:07 -0700

Most of the time, non-alcoholic drinks are simple, you open the bottle and you pour it into a glass. Sure there are a lot of great non-alcoholic options out there, but what if the drink recipient was hoping for something a little more unique? Well, don't fret, I've got the perfect recipe for you! Taking its cue from a classic Cosmopolitan, a Cosmo-Not is the perfect blend of citrus, pomegranate and cranberry. To start serving these up at your next shindig, read more

Cosmo-Not Martini
From Martini Art

6 ounces of freshly squeezed and very cold orange juice.
2 ounces of freshly squeezed and very cold tangerine juice.
2 orange rind twists.
2 very, very thin orange slices.
1 lime cut in half.
3 ounces of cranberry juice.
1 ounce of pomegranate juice.
4 drops of vanilla extract.
1 ounce of seltzer water.

Add all of your juices and vanilla extract to a shaker 1/2 full with cracked ice.
Shake for a full minute.
Squeeze in the juice of your lime and swirl the shaker ten times.
Strain into 2 large, frozed martini glasses.
Top each glass with an orange slice and one orange twist.
Slowly pour one tablespoon of seltzer into each glass (over the orange).

Print recipe with images | without images