BuffettNews.com

What could be better than a shaded patio or deck on a warm day, a few friends, and a few new frozen drinks for the blender.

Blender drinks are festive, refreshing, and easy, easy easy. Serve some up for dessert, even. Your guests will love the alternative to heavy desserts. And many are excellent with or without the alcohol.

Generally, in a recipe calling for ice, 4 ice cubes per serving makes a slush and 8 makes a frozen drink. Your call. Personally, I usually prefer 6. Use fresh ice only, no been-in-the-freezer-too-long-with-the-fish taste allowed.


Strawberry Mimosa
8 ounces frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, partially thawed
8 ounces orange juice
16 ounces chilled champagne



Combine sliced berries and juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour over ice cubes or crushed ice in a parfait glass. Leave room to top the glass with champagne. Garnish with a whole strawberry and an orange slice.

Peach Delight
2 ripe fresh peaches
8 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
8 ounces vodka
Ice



Combine all ingredients in a bar blender and blend until smooth. Serve in a highball glass.

Mint Daiquiri
4 teaspoon mint syrup (recipe below)
or 6 fresh mint leaves and 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
8 ounces light rum, or 4 ounces light and 4 dark rum
Ice



Combine all ingredients in a bar blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.


Mint Syrup: Bring a handful of fresh mint leaves, 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar to boil. Steep. Cool completely.



Mississippi Mud


6 ounces Southern Comfort
6 ounces Kahlua
8 scoops vanilla ice cream
Shaved chocolate



Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Spoon the mixture into a cocktail glass and garnish with shaved chocolate.

baby boomer

High in enzymes, with a tangy pineapple taste

8 oz. pineapple juice
1 cup nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cup crushed ice
2-inch piece of banana
1/2 cup canned or fresh pineapple

Pour pineapple juice into blender. Add yogurt, ice, banana
and pineapple. Blend at high speed until mixture is smooth
and creamy. Pour into tall glass, and savor.

too cool

Zingy orange-strawberry delight

8 oz. orange juice
1 cup nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cup crushed ice
2-inch piece of banana
4 strawberries

Pour orange juice into blender. Add yogurt, ice, banana and
strawberries. Blend at high speed until mixture is smooth
and creamy. Pour into tall glass and enjoy.

blue bayou

Tart apple and blueberry combination

7 oz, apple juice
1 oz. boysenberry juice
1 cup nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cup crushed ice
1-inch piece of banana
1/8 slice Granny Smith apple
16 blueberries

Pour apple juice and boysenberry juice into blender. Add
yogurt, ice, banana, apple and blueberries. Blend at high
speed until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into tall
glass and enjoy.

peachy-keen

A peach lover's delight.

8 oz. peach juice
1 cup nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cup crushed ice
1-inch piece of banana
1/8 slice frozen peach

Pour peach juice into blender. Add yogurt, ice, banana and
peach. Blend at high speed until mixture is smooth and
creamy. Pour into tall glass, and enjoy.

rainbow symphony

A colorful palette of fruit and juices.

4 oz. raspberry juice
1 oz. boysenberry juice
1 oz. peach juice
2 oz. strawberry juice
1 cup nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup crushed ice
1-inch piece of banana
1 strawberry
2 raspberries
1 boysenberry
1/8 slice peach
2 cherries
1 Tbs. shredded coconut

Pour raspberry, boysenberry, peach and strawberry juices
into blender. Add yogurt, ice, banana, strawberry, raspberries,
boysenberry, peach, cherries and shredded coconut.
Blend at high speed until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Pour into tall glass, and savor.

downbeat

Orange and cranberry juice create a tasty duo.

6 oz. orange juice
2 oz. cranberry juice
1 cup nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cup crushed ice
3 frozen raspberries
6 frozen blueberries

Pour orange and cranberry juices into blender. Add
yogurt, ice, raspberries and blueberries. Blend at high
speed until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into
a tall glass and drink up.