Hey, strangers! I’m sorry I disappeared on you this week. It’s been a hectic few days, to say the least. A bad system of storms rolled through Indiana Wednesday and I headed north to Kokomo to cover the aftermath. Dozens of homes were destroyed but, miraculously, no one was seriously injured. I had a late night putting together some stories and then had another late night the next day seeing the Dixie Chicks in concert in Indy. I was exhausted, but it was so worth it! They put on an absolutely amazing show. I’ve always loved their music and have had it on repeat since seeing them live.

Now we’re spending our Saturday getting ready to host our first party in our house! We’ve been working really hard to make the place feel put together and cozy and we can’t wait to break it in by having our friends over for food and drinks. I spent last night prepping to make today a little bit easier. We’ll have lots of appetizers, pineapple mint sangria, craft beer and this boozy lemonade.

This is by no means a light drink, but it’s easy to throw together and serves a crowd. And it’s the perfect cocktail to sip on humid summer nights. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe a couple of years ago, but I completely forgot about it until this week. I have a feeling it will be a hit with our guests!

The recipe calls for a can of beer and I would highly suggest using 21st Amendment Brewery’s Hell or High Watermelon if you can. It’s the hint of watermelon takes the flavor up a notch!

This lemonade can be served two ways: on the rocks or frozen. I think it’s great both ways! If you prefer a slushie, just pull the lemonade out of the freezer 20 minutes before serving and let it sit on the counter to thaw slightly.

Boozy Lemonade

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 12 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate
• 12 oz. vodka
• 12 oz. can wheat beer
• 2 liters lemon-lime soda
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine all ingredients in an oversized pitcher or large punch bowl. Refrigerate and serve on the rocks or freeze for boozy lemonade slushies.

[/directions]

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Happy Saturday, everyone! What’s on your weekend agenda? We’re heading to a friend’s house for a party tonight but don’t have much else planned — besides attempting to stay cool. It is still so hot outside. It’s almost unbearable. I usually love summer heat, but when it’s so humid the doors and windows start sweating, it gets to be a little much.

So when I saw this recipe pop up on social media yesterday afternoon, it spoke to me. Who isn’t dreaming of cocktails on Friday afternoons?

I will drink just about any cocktail that contains fresh mint in the summer. It brings such a refreshing, unexpected twist to classic drinks and I’ve never tried a fresh mint cocktail I haven’t liked. Mojitos are usually my number one choice, but this margarita changes everything.

I love this drink because it’s not overly sweet like so many other margarita recipes. The lime and mint pair perfectly with just a splash of simple syrup. I like to serve these margaritas with two-ingredient creamy salsa dip for happy hour.

I’m just sad I didn’t discover this drink earlier in the summer because I can’t get enough of it. Luckily, my mint crop is going strong. I plan to keep making these until it runs dry.

Cheers to staying cool! What’s your favorite summer drink?

Mint Margarita Slushie

Recipe from Cooking Light

Serves: 1

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 1/2 oz. tequila
• 2 oz. freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 5 mint leaves
• 2/3 cup ice

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine tequila, lime juice, simple syrup and mint leaves in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add ice and blend until smooth. If necessary, add additional ice to thicken.

[/directions]

The post Mint Margarita Slushie appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.