The days are long. The weather is hot. The kids are screaming of boredom. What’s a mom to do? Instead of uncorking that wine try one of these more interesting summer cocktails. The Salty Chihuahua is my personal favorite.

Elderflower Sparkler

Ingredients

8 tablespoons elderflower concentrate, or syrup (see Shopping Tip)

2 cups brut or extra-dry Champagne

2 cups seltzer

Edible flowers, or mint sprigs for garnish

Preparation

Place 1 tablespoon elderflower concentrate (or syrup) in each of 8 Champagne glasses; add 1/4 cup Champagne to each glass, then top off with 1/4 cup seltzer. Garnish with flowers (or mint), if desired. Serve immediately.

*Elderflower concentrate or syrup, made from the blossom of the elder tree, has a delicate, lightly floral aroma and mild honey flavor. Popular as a drink ingredient throughout northern Europe, it’s thought to help fight fevers and colds. Look for it in specialty shops that feature northern European foods (such as Ikea). Apricot nectar can be used as a substitute.

54 calories per cocktail. Makes 8 servings

Salty Chihuahua

Ingredients

Coarse salt, (optional)

4 ounces tequila, divided

2 ounces orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau, divided

3 cups grapefruit juice, divided

4 grapefruit slices, for garnish

Preparation

Wet the rims of 4 glasses and coat with coarse salt (if desired); fill the glasses with ice. Pour 1 ounce tequila and 1/2 ounce liqueur into each. Top each with 3/4 cup grapefruit juice and stir. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

188 calories per cocktail. Makes 4 servings.

Summer Fruit Punch

Ingredients

2 cups diced stone fruit, (apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines)

2 cups apricot juice

2 cups sparkling wine

1 cup seltzer

Preparation

Combine diced fruit, apricot juice, sparkling wine and seltzer. Divide among 4 ice-filled glasses. Non-alcoholic version: Substitute sparkling cider for the wine. Boring.

173 calories per cocktail. Makes 4 servings.

Tomato-Jalapeno Bloody Mary

Ingredients

3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 jalapeños, stemmed and seeded

2-3 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

6 ounces (3/4 cup) vodka

4 caperberries, or large green olives for garnish

4 pickled dilly beans, for garnish

Preparation

Puree tomatoes in a blender with lemon juice, jalapeños, horseradish to taste, Worcestershire, sugar, celery salt and pepper, scraping down the sides as necessary. Stir in vodka. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Divide among 4 ice-filled glasses. Spear caperberries (or olives) and dilly beans on toothpicks to garnish the drinks.

136 calories per cocktail. makes 4 servings

*Capers are dried and pickled small flower buds from a shrub native to the Mediterranean. Caperberries are the more mature fruit produced by the shrub. They are about the size of an olive, starchier than the smaller caper and usually sold with the stem still attached. They typically used as a drink garnish, but can also be served as an appetizer—like olives. Look for them in well-stocked grocery stores.

Monkeylada

A lower-calorie version of the classic Pina Colada

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas

1 cup diced fresh pineapple, plus 4 wedges for garnish

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup “lite” coconut milk

3 cups ice cubes

6 ounces (3/4 cup) light rum

Preparation

Puree bananas, diced pineapple, pineapple juice, coconut milk and ice in a blender. Stir in rum. Divide among 4 glasses. Garnish with pineapple wedges.

228 calories per cocktail. Makes 4 servings.

*Cheers!*

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Written by Lea Barlow • 2 Comments