pack a punch 002Prepare for upcoming parties with these non-alcoholic drinks and infused ice cubes

By: Abigail Broderdorf

The end of the school year leaves us with many reasons to celebrate: graduations, holidays and summer barbeques. Start preparing for the heat-wave of the season with cool and refreshing non-alcoholic drinks complete with simple, updated ice cubes to satisfy everyone’s thirst during this season’s get-togethers.

These two recipes for punch bring new twists to these old favorites. They start with the basic frozen lemonade and limeade concentrates and get a mouthwatering update thanks to carbonated sodas and sweet juice.

If you can’t find your guests at your party, be sure to look where the punch bowl is sitting: these simple drinks and garnishes are sure to pack a punch at your next party!

Quick holiday punch

Ingredients

  •       1 64-ounce bottle of cranberry-pomegranate juice, chilled
  •       1 12-ounce can of frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
  •       1 2-liter bottle ginger ale, chilled

Instructions

  1.     In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine cranberry-pomegranate juice and limeade concentrate.

2.  Just before serving, gently stir in ginger ale.

3.  Serve over ice, if desired.

 

Yield: 18 (1-cup) servings

Source: Pinterest

All-occasion punch

Ingredients

  •       8 cups of cold water
  •       1 12-ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate

3/4 cup of thawed lemonade concentrate

  •       1 2-liter bottle of ginger ale, chilled
  •       1 1-liter bottle of cherry lemon-lime soda, chilled

 

Instructions

  1.    In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine water and lemonade concentrate.

2.  Just before serving, gently stir in ginger ale.

3.  Add cherry lemon-lime soda.

4.  Serve over ice, if desired.

 

Yield: 22 (1-cup) servings

Source: www.tasteofhome.com

To really wow your guests and leave a lasting impression, serve these punches with colorful ice cubes bursting with flavor.  No more watered-down drinks: with time, drinks will become infused with the tasty prize inside the melted ice by simply adding fresh fruit or herbs to standard ice cubes.

Make these ice cubes uniquely yours by switching up the fruit to complement your punch or adding a zesty new flavor to your drink by adding an herb into the plain ice cube. This is a resourceful and fun way to use up seasonal fruit and herbs that might otherwise go to waste in your refrigerator when you don’t have enough time to eat them all. Another trick to try: make oversized ice cubes in muffin tins, topped with slices of lemon, to serve in a punch bowl or large jugs.

The possibilities for the ice cubes are endless, but an old-time favorite is sweet raspberry ice cubes in a plain glass of lemonade.

 

Infused ice cubes

 

Ingredients

  •       Fruit of choice: raspberries, strawberries or lemons
  •       Herb of choice: basil, mint or rosemary
  •       Water

 

Instructions

  1.     Wash fruit and/or herbs.
  2.     If using fruit, slice larger fruit into small pieces (for smaller fruit such as raspberries, leave whole).
  3.     Place fruit pieces and/or herbs into ice cube trays.
  4.     Pour filtered water over fruit and/or herbs in ice cube trays.
  5.     Freeze ice cube trays overnight.
  6.     Add infused ice cubes to your favorite drink!

Adapted from www.everythingfab.com

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