It’s that time of the month where the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society has their monthly scavenger hunt to search out the perfect recipe from other members sites. This month the theme was all about picnics and I was assigned to Stacy from Food Lust People Love. It is an fitting title for a blog that is filled with gorgeous photos of food that you drool over, a lovely selection of cocktails, and fun stories to fit each recipe she shares. If you follow Stacy on social media you will drool over her postings! Stacy is a world traveler and currently lives in Dubai. I’m a little envious of all the cultures she has been able to experience firsthand.
Picnics are not something we do a whole lot here in the Palm Springs area, but we do have a lot of fun poolside. My perfect weekend recipe in the summer involves a cold cocktail, good book and an afternoon in the pool. To me it is almost as good as an afternoon spent in the spa at a fraction of the cost. I knew instantly in my search for the perfect “picnic” food that mine would be liquid and something that could be consumed while in the pool. Stacy had a panoply of great cocktails to select from, and I’ve earmarked quite a few to try over the summer but the one that I kept going back to was her recipe for Minty Cardinal Punch. There were a couple things that drew me to this recipe – it involved fruit juice (which makes it healthy – sort of), vodka and ginger ale. It also looked like it would be easy to adapt into a frozen cocktail which would make Sous Chef pleased as punch (no pun intended).
This recipe is great for entertaining, and if you are in need of a great non-alcoholic virgin cocktail for party guests just leave out the vodka. I would recommend making the morning you want to serve and chilling for at least four hours in the refrigerator. If you want to serve as a frozen cocktail no need for the chilling time.
Get more inspiration for your next picnic or lazy day by the pool by checking out the cool recipes the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society found for you:
- (Almost) Nancy’s Chopped Salad w/ Oregano Vinaigrette by Heather from girlichef
- Apple Chips by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Barbecue Chicken Salad w/ Smoky Barbecue Vinaigrette by Kate from Kate’s Kitchen
- California Quinoa Greek Salad;by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
- Carrot Cake Cookies by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
- Chicken Salad w/ Peanut Dressing by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
- Chicken Waldorf Salad by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
- Duck with Pear Wraps + Limeade with Chia Seeds by Kelli from Kelli’s Kitchen
- Fried Apple Pies by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Green Bean & Corn Salad by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Date Cookies by Rebekah from Making Miracles
- Olive Sables by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
- Puff Pastry Antipasto Squares by Anna from annaDishes
- Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread by Debra from Eliot’s Eats
- Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans + Chickenburger Roll-in-a-Basket by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
- Thomas Keller’s Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kim from Liv Life
- Tuscan Bean Salad by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
- Watermelon Feta Salad by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
- White Bean, Bacon and Rosemary Salad by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Lots of mint - put more or less as your supply moves you
- 1 lemon
- 1 orange
- 2 cups or 480ml pomegranate or cranberry juice (not drink!)
- 2 cups or 240ml orange juice
- 1 lemon (to juice)
- 2 cups or 480ml vodka (we like Vikingfjord)
- 1 can ginger ale
- Orange bitters
- Ice
- Wash mint and slice oranges and lemons.
- Mix orange juice, cranberry juice or pomegranate juice together. Squeeze one lemon into the juice mixture. Add vodka, ginger ale and bitters.
- Add orange and lemon slices to the juice mixture. Pour over a glass filled with ice and garnish with fruit slice or mint.
- To make as a frozen cocktail:
- Mix orange juice, cranberry juice or pomegranate juice together. Squeeze one lemon into the juice mixture. Add vodka, ginger ale and bitters. Add ice and blend until slushy.
Haha the perfect cocktail for picnic/poolside! Is that snowman from your Christmas village?? 🙂
That cocktail sounds incredible and perfect! Growing up afternoons were spent in the pool, I’ll definitely be sharing this recipe with my parents for their next weekend afternoon dip in the pool after yard work.
We’re had about 4 days of August like temps in a row—this slushy cocktail would definitely hit the spot!!!
A poolside picnic works for me!! And I’m thinking you have the perfect cocktail for the event. I’m coming to your picnic!!
I love that you turned this into a frozen drink, Christy! I’m going to try your version soon!
P.S. I’m jealous of where you live too!
Can’t beat a fruity, slushy, pool-side drink like this!
Lucky you getting Stacy’s blog. How did I know you would choose a cocktail LOL