Summer Drink Recipes

Every Summer and every summer party should include fresh fruity drinks and delicious cocktails! Check out the recipes to some of my favorites below:

Italian Margarita

• 1 oz amaretto liqueur
• 2 oz sweet and sour
• 1/2 oz tequila
• 1/2 oz triple sec

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake and strain in a chilled margarita or martini glass and garnish with a lime.

Playful Pina (non-alcoholic)

from backyard bartender

• 3 oz pineapple juice
• 1 oz cream of coconut
• 1/3 cup fresh berries
• 1 cup crushed ice

Blend ingredients in a blender until smooth and serve into a margarita or wine glass. Add a mango or pineapple slice for garnish.

Bellinitini

from backyard bartender

• 1 oz orange flavored vodka
• 1 oz peach or apricot nectar
• 3 oz dry champagne or sparkling wine

Mix vodka and nectar in a cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Strain into a chilled flute glass and top with cold champagne. Stir once and add a fresh raspberry or peach slice for garnish.

The Lawn Mower

• 1 cup ripe honeydew melon, diced
• 1 oz vanilla vodka
• 1/2 oz cointreau
• 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup cold dry champagne or sparkling wine

Puree melon in a blender adding 1-2 tbsp water if necessary. Press melon mixture through a strainer into cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, cointreau, lime juice and mint. Shake. Strain mixture into chilled martini glass or flute and top with champagne. Stir once and garnish with a skewer of melon and mint leaves.

Party Theme Ideas for Every Age

Whether you are trying to think of ideas for your little one's birthday, your middle-schooler , high-schooler, or yourself, it is always hard to think of themes that haven't been over done or that are fun and creative. For the next few posts I am going to focus on different themes for all ages and some decor ideas for each party theme.

One of the more creative ideas from this year was a party thrown by former Bachelorette Trista and husband Ryan for their one year old Max. A Candyland theme birthday:) the great thing about this is there are so many ways to pull off this theme. Use pieces from the board game to create decor. use candy for center pieces and take away treats. use lots of colorful plates, napkins and even little furniture ( IKEA is a great place for this stuff). Big lollipops with candyland labels are fun favors , top the cake with different candy treats ( lollipops especially).... Just be ready for the kids to be quite a sugar high:)

Another idea for someone a little older, maybe 5th grade and up is a super mario brothers theme. Make your decor look like scenes from the video games, create cuts outs , incredible cake ideas, mushroom candy tins are fun take home gifts and party games like a yoki egg hunt:)

A great idea for an adult theme party is lady gaga-with her outrageous outfits and popular music this party calls for a costume contest. I have only posted a small fraction of her outrageous outfits and the great thing with this one is she keeps coming out with new looks so the possibilities are almost endless!


More party theme ideas to come!