Five on Friday: Spring and Summer Cocktails

TGIF!! I am so happy the weekend is here!   It's been a doozy of a week around here with my little man fighting sleep and teething.  Not fun at all. 

Whenever the weather starts to warm up I start to dream of cocktails that I would enjoy while lounging by the pool or sitting on my deck after a long day.  I decided to share with you all my favorite spring and summer cocktails and I suggest you try all of them! 

1. Moscow Mule
     - this is hands down my favorite cocktail these days and I cannot get enough of them! So easy to  make and the copper mug makes it taste that much better 

Recipe: 

2 oz vodka 

6 oz ginger beer

1 lime, juiced 

1 tsp simple syrup

 Pour ingredients over ice in a copper mug- garnish with a lime and mint 

2. Skinny Sparkling Margarita

    - I stumbled upon this last year in Shape magazine and it's perfect for me.  I love a good margarita but who wants all the calories and I love my drinks with some bubbles in them! 

Recipe: 

3 ounces Sparkling ICE Lemon Lime
1 1/2 ounces tequila
Fresh squeezed orange juice
Fresh squeezed lime juice
1 lime slice, for garnish

 
Shake first four ingredients and pour into a chilled rocks glass rimmed with salt. Garnish with lime slice.

3. Vodka Soda with a Lime 

     - this is my standard wedding cocktail and was my bar order for years back when I could handle drinking liquor all night!  I'm not big on too many ingredients or too much sugar so this simple drink is perfect for me 

Recipe: 

1.5-2 oz vodka - pour over ice

Fill the rest of the cup with seltzer or club soda of your choice 

4. Sunset Champagne Cocktail 

    -this may have another name but this is a cocktail I invented with my dad at my parents pool two summers ago.  I was in the mood for something fruity so we worked with the ingredients we had on hand.  Again I like to keep it simple. 

 Recipe:

Fill a glass with half champagne, half orange juice

Add 1 shot vodka (this is optional, it's good without it too)

Add 2 oz grenedine last (should sink to the bottom) 

If you're feeling fancy you can garnish with an orange and cherry 

5. Pink Flamingo Punch or the punch we served at every bridal shower hosted for the past 5 years 

    - My sister invented this concoction when she was looking for a punch for my bridal shower in 2009 before Pinterest existed (remember those days when you had to be creative yourself?!).  It's so good that it has been served at everyone of my friends bridal showers since!   

Recipe:

2 jugs of Minute Maid Pomegranate Lemonde

1 bottle champagne 

1 cup vodka 

Stir all ingredients in large punch bowl.  Garnish with lemon slices 

Tell me about your favorite spring or summer cocktail!  I'm always looking for new drinks to add to my selction.