Cucumber Cocktails

from Dishing Up Delights

Cucumber Mint Lemonade
(By Esi)

1 1/2 cucumber juice (recipe follows)
6 tablespoons mint simple syrup (recipe follows)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sparkling water
Vodka
Lemons, cucumber, and mint for garnish if desired

Mix the cucumber juice, simple syrup, and lemon juice together in a pitcher. Fill a glass with a few cubes of ice. Add 1/4 cup of the cucumber/lemon mixture, 1/4 cup of sparkling water, and 2 tablespoons of vodka. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

Cucumber juice
(By Esi)

Makes 3 cups

4 English cucumbers, peeled and roughly chopped.

Blend the cucumbers in a blender or food processor until liquefied. Set a strainer over a bowl and strain the juice, making sure to squeeze the extra juice from the pulp. Set aside.

Mint Simple Syrup
(By Esi)

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 springs mint

In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and mint over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator. Once the mixture has cooled, discard the mint.


Basil Simple Syrup
(By Esi)

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
4 large basil leaves

In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and basil over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator. Once the mixture has cooled, discard the basil.

Cucumber Basil Limeade
(By Esi)

1 1/2 cucumber juice
7 tablespoons basil simple syrup
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Sparkling water
Vodka
Limes, cucumber, and basil for garnish if desired

Mix the cucumber juice, simple syrup, and lime juice together in a pitcher. Fill a glass with a few cubes of ice. Add 1/4 cup of the cucumber/lime mixture, 1/4 cup of sparkling water, and 2 tablespoons of vodka. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

Cranberry Apple Crush

5 cups apple cider or apple juice 5 cups cranberry juice 1 1/2 cups guava juice or mango nectar 1/4 cup lime juice 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice Honey (optional) Kumquats (optional) Lime slices (optional) 1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine apple cider, cranberry juice, guava juice, lime juice, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If desired, sweeten to taste with honey. 2. To serve, pour into mugs. If desired, garnish with lime slices and kumquats. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Drunken Donut

Recipe adapted from Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark

Makes 1 serving

• Ice
• 2 ounces espresso-flavor vodka
• 1 ounce chocolate liqueur
• 1 ounce coffee liqueur
• 2 ounces chi$ed or room-temperature coffee
• Splash of hazelnut coffee creamer
• Donut hole

In a shaker with ice, add the espresso vodka, chocolate and coffee liqueurs, coffee and creamer, and shake until mixed and creamy. Pour into mugs. Slice the donut hole halfway through and perch on the lip of the mug.

Blueberry-Limoncello Cooler

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Prep Time: 2 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 1 (750-ml) bottle limoncello liqueur, chilled
* 1 cup sparkling water, chilled
* 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (see Cook's Note)
* 5 fresh mint sprigs, lightly crushed, plus extra for garnish
* Crushed ice

Directions

In a pitcher, combine the limoncello, sparkling water, blueberries, and mint sprigs.

Fill highball glasses halfway with crushed ice. Pour about 1/2 cup of the limoncello mixture over the ice in each glass.

Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Cook's Note

If using frozen blueberries, add them to the pitcher just before serving.

Apple and Mint Punch

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Cook Time: 3 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 5 1/2 cups

Ingredients

* 2 cups water
* 4 green tea bags
* 1 1/2 cups (100 percent) apple juice (recommended: Martinelli's)
* 1 cup Mint Simple Syrup, recipe follows
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
* 1 cup sparkling water, chilled
* Ice

Directions

Garnish: fresh mint sprigs, optional

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags and let steep for 6 minutes. Remove the tea bags and cool the tea to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Pour the cooled tea into a large pitcher. Add the apple juice, Mint Simple Syrup and lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, add the sparkling water and pour the punch into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired.

Mint Simple Syrup

* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 packed cup fresh mint leaves

Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the mint leaves. Allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.