7 Refreshing summer drink recipes

Kid-friendly drink recipes

When you're hosting a party at which kids will be present, keep their drink preferences in mind. Cold, fruity and colorful drinks are the perfect option for the young and the young at heart.

Pineapple Orange Slush

This couldn't be easier to make. Simply mix a cup of orange juice with a half-cup unsweetened pineapple juice, two tablespoons lemon juice and two cups crushed ice. Blend the ingredients together, processing until the drink takes on a frothy, thick slush. Pour the slush into chilled glasses and use a swizzle stick with chunks of orange and pineapple as a garnish.

Raspberry Fizzer

This is a fruity, summertime alternative to soda or other carbonated beverages. Simply mix 1 1/2 cups raspberry juice with three scoops raspberry sherbet and a half-cup carbonated water. Blend the ingredients until smooth. Pour the drinks into glasses and drop a few raspberries on top. Serve with a straw and a smile!

Adult-friendly non-alcoholic drinks

Any summertime soirée should offer non-alcoholic drink options for those who prefer to abstain. These summer sips pack a fruity punch without the kick of alcohol.

Lavender Lemonade

This takes about 30 minutes to make, but the resulting drink will leave you and your guests feeling soothed and refreshed. Place one cup of lavender flowers in a pitcher. Boil two cups water and pour the water over the lavender. Cover the water and flowers with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes. Strain out the flowers as you pour the infused water into a second pitcher. Pour two cups cold water, one cup lemon juice and one cup sugar over the lavender infused water. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves, then refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

Cranberry-Grapefruit Sparkler

For a faster drink recipe that's perfect for a summer picnic, try this. Combine two cups cranberry juice, two cups grapefruit juice, two cups sparkling water and juice from a single lime into a pitcher and stir. Place ice and cranberries into four glasses and pour the drink over the ice. Garnish each glass with a slice of lime.

Adult-friendly alcoholic drinks

Watermelon Vodka Slush

Nothing says "summer" like a fresh slice of watermelon. For a fun twist to classic summer fare, serve this drink to the adults while the kids enjoy their fruit. To make the drink, cut up cubes of seedless watermelon and place them in the freezer for at least four hours along with four martini glasses. After the watermelon cubes have frozen, blend them with two ounces simple syrup, two tablespoons lemon juice, one cup vodka and two ounces melon liqueur. Blend until the mixture is smooth, then pour into the frozen martini glasses. Garnish with lemon slices or watermelon chunks.

Fizzy Bee's Knees

This pineapple-grapefruit beverage is the perfect complement to the nonalcoholic Cranberry-Grapefruit Sparkler. Simply combine 46 ounces of pineapple juice, 46 ounces of grapefruit-flavored soda, eight ounces honey and two cups of gin in a blender. Blend the ingredients until they take on a frothy consistency, then pour over ice to serve. Garnish with a slice of pineapple.

Mandarin Cocktail

Serve this during Sunday brunch or as an alternative to the more traditional mimosa. To make a single serving, pour one ounce mandarin liqueur into a champagne flute; pour four ounces of sparkling white wine over the top. Garnish with a twist of an orange peel dropped into the cocktail.

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