Banana Daiquiri & Passion

The summer is really heating up now - even here in Southern California, so I thought I would include two recipes for blended ice drinks which are ideal on a hot, sunny afternoon. They are also great served as a dessert.

The Daiquiri contains alcohol, but Passion (a delicious fruity drink) does not - both will wow your barbecue guests, and they're very simple to make.

Banana Daiquiri

1 ounce Bacardi
1 ounce Pure Lemon Juice
1 ounce Sugar Syrup*
3/4 fresh Banana
Ice

1. Pour all the ingredients into a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a serving glass.
4. Garnish with banana slice and a cherry
   

* To make the sugar syrup, mix equal parts of sugar and water. Boil until the sugar is dissolved. This can be stored in the refrigerator indefinitely.

Passion is a fruity, non-alcoholic blended drink that will make you think you are on a Caribbean island!

Passion

1 Banana
2 ounces Pineapple Juice
1 ounce Orange Juice
1 ounce Mango Juice
3 teaspoons Passion fruit pulp
Ice

1. Pour all the ingredients into a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a serving glass.
4. Garnish with banana and pineapple slice.

Non-Alcoholic Cocktails

I thought I would include some non-alcoholic drinks for a change, as the holiday weekend is just around the corner, and if for some reason you or your guests can't drink, there are still some great concoctions to be made without alcohol.

So put away the Lipton's Iced Tea and Diet Coke, and try some of these fun drinks - they look so good that even the alcohol crowd will want to try them!

1. Cinderella

1/2 cup Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 cup Pineapple Juice
Lemon Juice to taste
Ice

Pour all ingredients into shaker, shake, then pour into serving glass (makes 1 serving).


2. Fruit Fantasy

1/2 cup Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 cup Pineapple Juice
6 Strawberries
Small Slice Honeydew Melon
Small Slice Cantaloupe Melon
Ice

Pour all ingredients into blender, blend until smooth, pour into serving glass (makes 1 serving).

3. Blueberry Limeade

1 Cup Sugar
6 Cups Water
1 2-inch Piece Fresh Ginger, Peeled and Sliced
2 Cups Blueberries
1 Cup Fresh Lime Juice (about 8 limes)
Ice Cubes for serving
Mint Sprigs or Twists of Lime for Garnish (makes 8 servings)

Combine sugar, water and ginger in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour into a heatproof pitcher and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

In a blender, combine the blueberries and the lime juice. Puree until smooth. Remove the ginger from the sugar syrup and discard. Pour the blueberry puree into the sugar syrup. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any blueberry skins. Serve over lots of ice and garnish with mint or lime.