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We've had some unusually frigid weather throughout the spring season, but the recent heat is definitely the signal that summer has finally arrived. It looks like it's time to put the air conditioners in the windows and to keep the refrigerator stocked with cold drinks, so important for keeping our bodies hydrated when temperatures soar.
Though water should always be the beverage of choice, we all have a few other preferences when it comes to thirst-quenching. Cashing in on our desires, fast-food chains are fervently pushing frosty fruit smoothies, icy slushes, sweet teas and iced coffees in an array of flavors and shockingly high prices. Grocery stores, too, are stocking more and more packaged drinks hoping to grab those consumer dollars.
This summer, save some bucks and make your own. You'll be surprised at just how easy it is to keep delicious cold drinks in your refrigerator.
Being a coffee drinker, iced coffee is a personal favorite. Why pay drive-thru prices when it's easy to make two quarts of ready-to-enjoy iced coffee for far less?
The same goes for iced tea. A box of 100 tea bags, a bag of sugar and a little time will yield gallons of delicious iced tea, made to your liking. Now that's a sweet deal.
Cool down with smoothies and slushes, made-to-order in your own blender. Just follow the basic recipes, substituting fruit as desired. This is a great way to use up fruit that needs to be eaten ASAP. If possible, freeze the fruit before blending. That way you can use less ice, producing a more flavorful drink.
Chocolate Iced Coffee
(To lower the calories and fat use fat-free half-and-half and sugar-free syrup.)
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup ground coffee
2 T. sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup chocolate syrup
Directions: In saucepan bring water and ground coffee to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Pour mixture into a bowl through a fine wire mesh strainer or a large funnel lined with a coffee filter. Discard coffee grounds.
Stir sugar and cinnamon into the hot coffee until sugar dissolves; cool. Stir in half-and-half and syrup. Chill 2 hours. Serve over ice. Makes 2 quarts.
Orange Creamsicle Smoothies
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 T. honey
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup ice
Directions: Place the oranges and frozen pineapple chunks in blender container. Add remaining ingredients and puree until the mixture is the consistency of a milkshake. Add more ice if needed. Makes 2 smoothies.
Perfect Iced Tea
1/2-gallon (2 quarts) water
13 orange pekoe/black tea bags
1/2-gallon iced water
Sugar to taste: Tips below
Directions: Bring 1/2 gallon of water to a rapid boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat and add the tea bags. Allow tea to steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags from water and discard. Stir in sugar till completely dissolved.
Pour tea mixture into a heatproof gallon pitcher. Add iced water and stir well. Serve chilled over ice with garnish of choice (i.e. mint leaves, lemon wedges.) Makes 1 gallon tea. Tips: Use 1/3 cup sugar to tame the bitter, 1 cup for semi-sweet tea, 2 cups for sweet tea and 3 cups for down-south sweet tea.
Watermelon Slush
3 cups diced watermelon
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. sugar
1 cup crushed ice
1/2 cup water
Directions: In blender container blend all ingredients till smooth. Serves 4.