Hostess with the Mostess™

What are you guys planning to serve on the 4th? These ideas from Everyday with Rachael Ray are looking pretty tasty to me! {clockwise form left} Mango-Ginger Mocktails, Balsamic Potato and Green Bean Salad, Berry Cakes with Cinnamon Whippped Cream (yum!), Grilled Corn with Parmesean Butter (double yum!).

And if you’re on the lookout for some "patriotic" cocktails, I featured a few ideas (pictured below) on GlamDish today…click here for the details.

Berries are an easy way to give sweets a patriotic feel! Case in point - festive treats from Martha Stewart’s Red, White, & Blue Desserts gallery…

• Red, White, & Blue Parfaits
• Red, White, & Blueberry Trifle (This dessert looks so pretty - and store-bought pound cake cuts down your prep time!)
• Flag Cupcakes (Try substituting small blueberries for the piped "stars" to make the flag decoration even easier.)
• Summer Shortcake

Vons.com has some great July 4th cocktail (or mocktail) inspiration. I’m especially loving these watermelon stars - simple idea, but super cute!

For an unique signature drink idea, check out these Blueberry Limoncellos garnished with a blueberry skewer (or alternate blueberries & raspberries for a patriotic feel), or - even easier - try using frozen grapes in place of traditional ice cubes to add some color to clear sodas & cocktails.

Martha Stewart has tons of great inspiration for 4th of July crafts (of course!) - but these adorable drink parasols look particularly fun! Learn how to make them here .

This week’s HWTM feature over at GlamDish is all about dressing up your drinks! Click here to check out some fun garnish ideas or to contribute additional ideas of your own!

Want to serve dad a special drink this weekend? Instead of a traditional cocktail, try something different and whip up one of these beer-themed concoctions! Here are some recipe links for you:

1. Beer Margarita or, as I like to call them "beer-garitas")
{via Rachael Ray}

2. Strawberry Panache - strawberries, lemon-lime soda, & beer
{via cocktailtimes.com}

3. Chambeer - 1 part Chambord, 3 parts beer

4. Basil Shandy - lemonade & lager, garnished with basil
{via cocktailtimes.com}

Thought you might be interested in some Cosmopolitan recipes today for some reason… so I featured a few ideas over at Simply Stated! Click here to check the out.

For those of you that caught our "Tropical Zen" segment on Fox 6 this morning - (or anyone that’s on the lookout for summer signature drink ideas!) - here’s the recipe for one of the cocktails we featured: a Pineapple Martini with a raspberry twist! It’s a quick, 3-ingredient recipe and looks super cute when garnished with a simple, very "zen-looking" pineapple leaf!

Pineapple Martini
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1.5 oz. Vodka
.5 oz. Chambord

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with a wedge of pineapple or a pineapple leaf.

The weather is seriously starting to heat up in San Diego and it’s feeling like summer! We have a few outdoor parties coming up, and – while I do absolutely love to entertain outside – I always find myself worrying about how to keep guests comfortable when the temperature kicks into high gear. You want to keep your guests happy and enjoying the party - not melting in the sun, then making a beeline back to their own air-conditioned cars and houses!

Aside from passing out hand fans, turning on misters (if possible), and timing your get-togethers towards the late afternoon/evening instead of the middle of the day, one of the best - and easiest - ways to keep guests cool is to serve lots of chilly & refreshing drinks! Here are a few of my favorite cocktail and mocktail recipe ideas for hot summer soirées:

MOCKTAILS:

Arnold Palmer (an easy, classic favorite!)

5 oz lemonade
5 oz iced tea

Mix and serve in a highball glass over lots of ice!

*****

Sweet & Refreshing Homemade Lemonade

1 3/4 cups white sugar
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups lemon juice

Combine sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan, then bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Allow the syrup mixture to cool, then cover it and refrigerate until chilled.

Combine the chilled syrup, lemon juice (freshly squeezed or the store-bought, ready-made version), and 7 cups of water in a pitcher. Garnish with lemon slices and enjoy!

*For extra-sweet lemonade, increase sugar to 2/3 cup.

*****

COCKTAILS:

Strawberry Daiquiri

1/2 cup white sugar
4 ounces frozen strawberries
1/8 cup lime juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup rum
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda
6 cups ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Add ice and blend until smooth.
Pour into a cocktail glasses and garnish with fresh strawberries.

*****

Chambord Berry Sorbet (a personal favorite!)

1 Scoop of Raspberry Sorbet or Sherbert
1 oz Chambord
Splash of Champagne
Raspberries for garnish

In a martini glass, add one scoop of raspberry sorbet (vanilla ice cream also works well).
Top with one ounce of Chambord and splash with champagne.
Garnish with fresh raspberries or blackberries.

*****

What are your favorite drink recipes for refreshing on hot summer afternoons?

Feeling chocolate-y today and this Mississippi Mud Cake is looking might tempting! Feel the same way? Click here for the recipe!