Strawberry Margarita Mocktail Recipe

Ladies and gentlemen, start your blenders!  The 4th of July weekend is here and that only means one thing... POOL PARTY!

Well, OK, 4 things.  Hot dogs, watermelon, pool parties and mocktails.  Yes... Mocktails. You know, non-alcoholic versions of your favorite adult beverages.

Swimming parties are a big part of summer here in the Valley of the Sun.  So, I thought I would share some of my favorite ideas for non alcoholic drinks for you, your kids and your "Designated Life Guard."  You have assigned a Designated Life Guard already, haven't you?

While you are at it, why not take an extra few minutes to make sure your pool party is fun from start to finish.  Here are a some of the things I do before guests arrive for EVERY pool party.

• Make sure the the personal floatation device is in good repair and readily available from the poolside.
• Move all chairs and tables a safe distance from the pool so no one trips on a table leg or falls into the pool.
• Make sure the grill is well away from the "play area."
• My pool is not deep enough for diving so, I put a sign right out in the open, where it can't be missed, and actually TELL each guest as they arrive that there is NO DIVING.
• Make sure young swimmers have a safe area of the pool to play (out of the way of rowdy teenagers).

And, most important of all:

• ASSIGN a "Designated Life Guard" for the party.  If you are busy cooking, make sure you ask someone else.  Be sure they know that they are "the man" (or woman, of coarse) for the party.
• If you do serve alcohol, make sure your life guard is NOT drinking.
• Give your life guard a "head count" of EXACTLY how many children (teens, too) are at the party so they can COUNT heads every so often.  I usually count myself as well, the more eyes... the better.
• Give your life guard breaks and have an ASSIGNED ADULT trade off with them so that they can enjoy the party as well.

Now that that is taken care of... start those blenders and have a blast!

Here are my Strawberry Margarita Mocktail Recipe, Lime Sherbet Mocktail Recipe and some links to other great looking mocktails from around the web.

Strawberry Margarita Mocktail

Ingredients:

1 package (10oz) frozen, sweetened strawberries, thawed
1 can (6oz) frozen limeade concentrate
½ cup orange juice
1 bottle (20oz) lemon-lime soda, chilled
3 cups of crushed ice or small cubes
Fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Combine thawed strawberries, limeade concentrate and orange juice in a blender, cover. Blend the strawberry mixture until smooth. Stop the blender.
Remove the cap from the center of the lid. Replace the lid.
With the blender on, add the ice in small batches through the hole in the top of the blender. Blend until desired consistency, it should still be "slushy."
Pour strawberry slushy mix into a pitcher and add chilledlemon-lime soda.
Serve in chilled glasses.
Garnish with fresh strawberry, if desired.

Here are some other great looking Mocktails-

Simple Pomegranate Spritzer by Sarah's Cucina Bella

Frappucino Style Coffee Milkshake by Marla at Family Fresh Cooking

Watermelon Mocktail and other drinks by The National Watermelon Promotion Board

And A Whole Collection of Recipes by MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving)

Have a fun and safe 4th of July!

-posted by Sandy