Sweet Success Cucumbers

Our cuc vines have been pushing out some great cucumbers this year. These Sweet Success Cucumbers are so mild and sweet that they have quickly become a summer favorite. Sometimes when cucumbers get too big they become bitter to the taste but even when these sneaky cucumbers don't want to be found until they are giants we have been surprised to find they still have plenty of juice, crunch and continued mild flavor.  

I like to find ways to use them in drinks. The easiest and most refreshing way is simply by adding a few to your water. Throw in a couple lemon slices and mint leaves and you have a beautiful and energizing flavored water to keep you going throughout the day.

My kids can't pass up an after school snack and slicing up cucumbers with some of their favorite dips helps curb their hunger until dinner. Some of their favorites are simply ranch dip and hummas. Or why not sprinkle a few with salt, Tajin or drizzled with a bit of lemon?! Adding flavor keeps my kids from remembering they are eating something healthy. 

Do you have a favorite appetizer or beverage using fresh garden cucumbers? What is your favorite variety of cucumber?

Homemade Cocoa Mix

INGREDIENTS
1-22 oz. jar instant dairy creamer
1-2 lb. bag powdered sugar
1-20 qt. box instant powdered milk
2-2 lb. size boxes Nestle Quick

DIRECTIONS
Blend all ingredients together and store in a large container. Spoon desired amount into mugs and add hot water.

Brazilian Lemonade

One of my favorite drinks. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

INGREDIENTS
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
4 limes
6 T. sweetened condensed milk
Ice

DIRECTIONS
Mix water and sugar well and chill until ready to use.  Wash limes thoroughly with soap. You will be using the whole lime so you need to make sure they are nice and clean. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into smaller pieces. Place half of the limes into a blender. Add half of the sugar water and pulse 5-6 times.

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the remaining pulp from the strainer into the trash. Repeat this process with the remaining limes and sugar water.

Use a whisk to add sweetened condensed milk to the pitcher. Serve immediately over ice.

*This drink does not keep well so don't mix in the blender until you are ready to serve.

Minty Limeade

My friend Teresa J. is an amazing cook! If you are looking of a particular recipe, she probably has it! I love this refreshing summer drink she has shared with us.

INGREDIENTS
Limes
Mint leaves
Simple Syrup
Ice
Water

DIRECTIONS
In a large pitcher, toss in 6-7 mint leaves. Cut 4-5 limes in halves or fourths. Squeeze out as much juice as you can, but throw the lime in to the bottom of the pitcher as well. Using a spoon or whisk, smash everything around to release a bit of the mint flavor. Add 1 cup simple syrup (see recipe below). Pack the pitcher with ice and then fill with water. If you like it sweeter, add more simple syrup or more lime if you want more lime flavor.

SIMPLE SYRUP:

Mix equal parts sugar and water (example: 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water) in a saucepan. Heat and stir until mixture comes to a boil and all sugar dissolves. Cool completely and use to sweeten any type of drink.

Watermelon Slush

Another great recipe from mom! She says, "Here's a refreshing fruit concoction that keeps for weeks in your freezer and tastes as fresh as summer. Enjoy it piled into a dessert bowl, too!"

INGREDIENTS
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1-12 oz. can frozen fruit punch concentrate
5 cups cubed watermelon (seeds removed)
1 T. lemon juice
Lemon-lime carbonated beverage, chilled
Lemon slices, optional

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil gently for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in frozen fruit punch concentrate until dissolved. In a blender, blend until smooth, half of the cubed watermelon and half of the lemon juice. Repeat with the remaining cubed watermelon. Stir the watermelon into the fruit punch mixture. Pour into two freezer containers and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight until firm. To serve, scrape the top of the frozen melon mixture with a spoon to form a slush. Spoon into cups and pour chilled lemon-lime soda over top. Garnish with lemon slices. (Makes 8-12 oz. servings)

Raspberry Slush

This drink is super easy to make and fun to serve at weddings, baby showers, or parties.  The slush is stored in the freezer so you can even pull it out to share with friends and then put the rest back in the freezer for another time.

INGREDIENTS
1- 6 oz. package Raspberry Jello
3 cups boiling water
4 1/2 cups sugar
7 cups cold water
1- 46 oz. can pineapple juice
Sprite

DIRECTIONS
Dissolve sugar in 3 cups of boiling water.  Add package of raspberry Jello and stir until dissolved.   Pour in 7 cups cold water and the can of pineapple juice and stir until well combined. Put in a container and freeze until ready to serve. * I filled 19 cups into a container.

When serving, let the container of slush thaw slightly on the table until you are able to dig a spoon into it.  Scoop slush into cups and pour Sprite over the top.
 

Fresh Mint Lemonade

We enjoy this refreshing drink all summer long. Mint leaves are a great addition to this delicious lemonade beverage.  Also try with regular Country Time Lemonade. 

INGREDIENTS
Country Time Pink Lemonade Powder
Water
Ice
Fresh Mint Leaves

DIRECTIONS
Fill blender with ice cubes until blender is about ¾ full.  Pour in water until it reaches the top of the ice. Add desired amount of lemonade powder. Blend until slushy. Add 2-3 mint leaves and blend well. Add more lemonade powder to make it sweeter if desired or more water and ice if it is too sweet. You can also add additional mint according to your taste.

Valentine's Punch

This is such a yummy drink for all types of occasions. We always make it to go with our Valentine's dinner so we've dubbed it the Valentine's Punch! 

INGREDIENTS

1 (12-ounce) can pink lemonade concentrate
4 cups raspberry sherbet
1 (12-ounce) can of lemon/lime soda (I used Sprite)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water.

2. In a blender, combine the sherbet with 4 cups of the lemonade mixture; mix until combined. Pour into individual glasses. Add the soda, stir gently and serve.

Orange Julius

As I grew up one of the things I remember was spending most Sunday nights making popcorn and Orange Julius. To me, you can't have one without the other. They are just so good together!  

INGREDIENTS
1- 6oz. can frozen orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
5-6 ice cubes  

DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend about 30 seconds. Serve.

Raspberry Pina Colada Punch

I came across a picture of this recipe on Pinterest and the lady posting claimed it was the best punch ever, therefore she calls it The Punch. We made this punch for New Years Eve and she was right, you will go back for refills!

The Punch
INGREDIENTS
1 can frozen pina colada concentrate, thawed (Bacardi makes a good one)
1 can frozen orange pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
4 liters of diet lemon-lime soda (That’s two 2-Liters for the mathematically challenged.)
1 bag of pebble ice (You can buy it at Sonic Drive-In or at most grocery stores in the deli or meat departments.)
1 bag of frozen raspberries

DIRECTIONS
*Pour the thawed concentrates into your punchbowl and stir.
*Use one of the empty cans and fill it with water four times and add it to the mixture. Stir.
*Add your diet soda to the mixture. (You can use regular sugar-filled soda if you want, but I think it gets too sweet and you will also feel guilty when you fill your glass for the sixteenth time. Which you WILL.)
*Next, add about half your bag of pebble ice.
(NOTE: Please do not insult The Punch by using crappy ice cubes from your freezer. The Punch will hate you forever.) (ANOTHER NOTE: Please do not screw up the order and add the ice before the soda. You will get an ugly foam at the top of your punch bowl.) (ONE MORE NOTE: I’m sorry if it seems like I’m micro-managing this recipe. It’s just that I have already suffered bad punch experiences so that you won’t have to. I micro-manage because I care.) Let’s see….where were we? Oh, yes. We’re ready for the crowning ingredient…
*Add your frozen raspberries to the top.

Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

I've been feeling a little sluggish lately and thought if I ate more greens, maybe I would feel better :). I've heard of people putting spinach in their smoothies but when I searched online for recipes and saw the photos of green smoothies, I was totally turned off. Then I wondered if I could incorporate an ingredient that would make the smoothie more pleasing to the eye. Blueberries are the answer! I love blueberries and seriously you can't even taste the spinach! Just don't let it sit too long, it will slowly turn green on you again.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 c. milk
1 cup ice
1 cup blueberries
1 cup fresh spinach
1 6 oz. fat free french vanilla yogurt
1/2 banana

DIRECTIONS
Combine the above ingredients in a blender starting with milk first. Blend until smooth. *You may want to add up to another 1/2 cup of milk depending on how thick or thin you like your smoothies. Serve immediately.

Refreshing limeade

My sister in law Stephanie shared this drink with us at our annual Cinco de Mayo party. No one could get enough of it; I think she whipped up 3 batches that night. I think it would serve great at any wedding reception, bridal or baby shower, or if you're like me, I made it last week all for myself, put it in the fridge, and sipped on it for the next couple of days.

INGREDIENTS
1 two liter bottle of Sprite Zero
1 can frozen limeade, thawed
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into circles
ice

DIRECTIONS
Combine ingredients in a pitcher, stir and serve.

Mormon Champagne

My mom came up with this yummy drink for my sister's bridal shower this summer. I also recently served it at another bridal shower this fall and both times it got rave reviews. It's so simple and it's even better to make extra so you can sip on leftovers for the next couple of days!

INGREDIENTS
1 (2 liter) bottle grapefruit flavored soda (Fresca), chilled
1 (64 fluid ounce) bottle Welch's white grape juice, chilled
8 oz. jar maraschino cherries plus 1/2 the juice

DIRECTIONS
Combine above ingredients and serve.

Citric Acid Punch

The first time I had this drink was at a friend's wedding reception a few years back. I couldn't figure out if the reason I loved it so much was because it was 95 degrees outside or if it was because of the refreshing fruity flavor in the water. Whatever the case, my sister had to finally pull me away from the refreshment table. What I later found out was that they had added citric acid to the mix and that's what really made the water taste...good!

INGREDIENTS
Combine:
5 quarts water
Almost 3 c. sugar
2 tsp. Citric Acid
2 tsp. lemon extract
Ice-lots

Depending on the occasion you can add food coloring, floating flowers, or citrus slices.