'Sex on the Beach' as a 'Drink in the Backyard'

I have four words for you: Sex on the Beach. This is my all time favorite drink to order when I’m out at the bar with my friends. So, why not make this bar drink into a backyard shindig treat? This fruit drink may have a provocative name but it’s worth the embarrassment for the first time you order it, I promise!

Photo credit http://www.stepbystep.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sex-on-the-beach-cocktail-400x400.jpg

History Lesson (on the beach, of course): In 1987 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bartender Ted Pizio was using the brand new peach schnapps to win the $100 dollar prize for selling the most peach schnapps. The drink he created: Confetti’s mixed peach schnapps, vodka, orange juice and grenadine. When asked what it was called he immediately thought of Ft. Lauderdale and why people came there on spring break: for the beach and sex, he thought. So he called it Sex on the beach. Thus, the drink was born. So if you were wondering how the drink got named, well there you go!

A Sex on the Beach is a Vodka-based drink with Peach schnapps. The drink is normally made with cranberry juice and then orange or pineapple juice. It can be made in two ways. One: vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice. Or two: vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur, Razzmatazz, pineapple juice and cranberry juice. Grenadine can be used if there is no cranberry juice, but for those of you who are not bar-drink friendly, if you use too much grenadine it can make your drink sickeningly sweet and unbearable to drink. In my opinion, you're better off to stick to the classic recipe! A few other options are ‘Woo Woo’, which is a Sex on the Beach for those of you who do not like orange juice. For anyone under 21 or who don’t drink alcohol there is a variation called ‘Virgins on the Beach’.

Ready to try out a bar drink in your own backyard?

Sex on the Beach (alcoholic)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

What you need:

1.5 oz Vodka

0.5 oz Peach schnapps

1.5 oz Orange or Pineapple juice

1.5 oz Cranberry juice

How-to:

Add all ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a glass. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at

http://liquor.com/recipes/sex-on-the-beach/

Virgins on the Beach (non-alcoholic)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

What you need:

1 part orange juice

1 part cranberry juice

1 oz peach nectar

1 tablespoon grenadine syrup.

How-to:

Mix equal parts of orange juice and cranberry juice, add peach nectar, and pour over ice. Add grenadine. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at 

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink6553.html 

So are you going to surprise your friends with a ‘Sex on the Beach’ next time they come to your backyard party? And if so, I hope you plan on inviting me!

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make a Refressing Summer Drink!

A staple summer refresher drink in the United States is lemonade. The great thing about lemonade is it is non-alcoholic but can now be alcoholic as well!

Photo credit http://www.allrecipes.com/image/bluebery_lemonade/382.html

Ready to learn a little about lemonade? Lemons were first found in North India, China and Burma before introduced to Persia, Iraq and Egypt in 700AD. Though, the first known record of lemonade is from hieroglyphics in Cairo, Egypt. Pretty crazy to think Lemonade has been around for that long, right?

Lemonade is made from lemon juice, water and sugar. Lemonade can be just lemon flavored or can be flavored with all different kinds of fruits. Some popular fruits to use are blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, and guava. It’s pretty simple to make and there are so many delicious pre-packaged lemonades out there. But if you want to get a little fancier than a bottle of Minute Maid Lemonade, then I have some great recipes for you!

Blueberry Lemonade (Non-alcoholic)

Prep Time: N/A

Servings: 4

What you need:

3 cups blueberries

¾ cups sugar

2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 cups cold water

Ice cubes.

How-to:

Place the blueberries and sugar in a blender and puree. Then, place the lemon juice and water in a pitcher and strain the pureed blueberries through a sieve into the pitcher. Stir well. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/blueberry-lemonade-recipe/index.html

Raspberry Vodka Lemonade (Alcoholic)

Prep Time:

Servings: 6

What you need:

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate (a great kind to use is Crystal Light, it’s also low in calories too!)

12 fluid ounces vodka

1 lime

How-to:

In a gallon pitcher prepare the lemonade concentrate according to the package instruction, replacing one can of water with the vodka. Squeeze juice from one lime into mixture. Pour over ice. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rebeccas-rockin-vodka-lemonade/

What’s your mood? Get the summer buzz with Vodka Lemonade? Or cool down with a refreshing glass of Flavored Lemonade.

Te Quiero, Sangría

When I told my mom about my blog she reminded me of her all time favorite alcoholic beverage to drink: Sangria. For those of you who don’t know what Sangria is, it’s wine. And stay with me even if you don’t like wine. I hate wine, but love Sangria. Go figure!

Photo credit http://www.kegworks.com/images/blogpost/sangria.jpg

Historia de la Sangría: Translated from Spanish to English into the history of Sangria. Because, that’s right, Sangria came from Spain. Sangria is named after the Spanish word ‘sangre’ which translates into English as blood, all because of the red color of the wine used in Sangria. But it is also popular in Portugal as well. Normally Sangria is a summer drink for the Portuguese and Spanish but in the States it is consumed year round.

Now that you’ve learned some new Spanish words or brushed up on your high school Spanish, it’s time to get into what Sangria is really made of! Sangria is a punch wine. But it’s not just wine. There is normally brandy, some kind of sweetener, and chopped fruit that is combined with the wine. Sangria is normally made with red wine but can also be made with blush (pink) wine and white wine. My personal favorite is white sangria! A few fruits used in Sangria are oranges, lemons, limes, apples, peaches and berries. Another great thing about Sangria is it can be made non-alcoholic. Sangría Señorial is a flavored non-alcoholic soft drink that can be purchased for everyone under 21 or who do not drink alcohol. Sangria is great for a large gathering because you can make tons of it in a quick amount of time.

Recipe Time!

Classic Spanish Sangria: Red

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ready in : 2 hours, 10 minutes

Serving: 6

What you need:

1 lemon

1 lime

1 orange

1 ½ cups rum

½ cup white sugar

1 (750 mililiter) bottle dry red wine

1 cup orange juice

How-to:

Have fruit, rum, wine, and orange juice well chilled before actually preparing anything. Then slice the lemon, lime and orange into thin rounds and place in a large glass pitcher. Pour in rum and sugar. Let chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Then crush the fruit lightly with a wooden spoon and stir in wine and orange juice. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Classic-Spanish-Sangria/Detail.aspx

Lisa’s Sangria

If you’re like me, you are not waiting 2 hours to have a drink. Instead an inside secret from my mom, Lisa will probably be right up your alley. Believe it or not, Ed Hardy makes pretty awesome bottled Sangria. I normally add about half of a liter of Apple Cider (you can get this from any convenient store) and add some sliced orange pieces. Stir it! And it tastes awesome! It also only takes about a minute to make.

Are you going to try Ed Hardy’s Sangria Mix? Or are you going to make Sangria from Scratch? If you do make your own Sangria from scratch, send some my way!

Smoothies: For Health Nuts and Chocolate Lovers Everywhere!

Hands down, one of my favorite non-alcoholic beverages of the summer is a Smoothie! Just like most of America, I’m riding the new ‘health kick’ wave so here’s a great way to enjoy a delicious snack, and yes I’m saying snack, and be healthy. If you’re not into the health kick, which is completely fine, smoothies don’t just have to be made with fruits and vegetables. They can be made with chocolate and peanut butter.

Photo credit http://www.tablespoon.com/assets/recipe/r34012fp.jpg

A little history lesson on smoothies: Smoothies originated in Brazil, the fruit capital of the world, yet were not the smoothies we know today. The idea began to travel up through Latin America hitting Mexico in the 1950s before traveling up to the West Coast during the 1960s. The first place to sell smoothies in the U.S. was the California Smoothie Company, then eventually branching out all over the states.

Health Benefits of smoothies: There are all kinds of vitamins and minerals found in smoothies. Like Vitamin C, potassium and foliate found in citrus fruits. Vitamin C helps with your immune system, Potassium helps main a normal blood pressure and foliate promotes healthy cells. In berry smoothies there are antioxidants that decrease inflammation and phytonutrients that help fight disease. In tropical fruits there are Vitamin C, potassium, foliate, and manganese. Manganese helps keep your bones, blood sugar, thyroid glands and nerve healthy.

Want to learn more about the health benefits, visit http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-fruit-smoothies-6124.html 

Enough about the health stuff! Now down to the deliciousness that is the smoothie. Smoothies are a blended, typically fruit drink, although they can be made with other ingredients. Smoothies can have a base of milk, yogurt or ice cream. Some popular add-ins to smoothies is soymilk, whey powder, and green tea.

Here are two of my favorite kinds of smoothies!

Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie! Ready for the recipe!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

What you need:

1 ½ cups pomegranate juice

1 ¼ cup blueberries

¾ cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1 ½ cups ice

How-to:

Place the pomegranate juice, blueberries, yogurt, honey and ice in the blender. Turn on high and blend until smooth or you get the consistence you desire. Then enjoy!

Recipte can be found at

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/bobby-flay/blueberry-pomegranate-smoothie.html 

The next is a Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie! I know it’s a mouthful but trust me it’s delicious!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 to 2 smoothies (depending on size)

What you need:

2 frozen, peeled, bananas

½ cup of milk

3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter

¼ cup of old fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate syrup

½ cup to 1 cup of ice

How-to

Add all ingredients into blender with the ice on top. Blend until smooth. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at

http://pamelasalzman.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-banana-oatmeal-smoothie-recipe/

Are you going to ride the “health wave” and blend a smoothie filled with your favorite fruits? Or are you going to enjoy a chocolate dessert-like treat?