Cool Summertime Slushies

We would love nothing more than to have our own Icee machine. To improvise I make slushies. Actually, my son is the chief slushy maker. His recipes are usually some concoction of whatever juices we have in the fridge with a splash of Sprite. For a more exotic icey brew, try these recipes.

Espresso Icey Pick Me Up ..........

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup instant espresso, prepared
  
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1/2 pint heavy cream (optional)

Directions:
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, stir together the sugar and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil (don't burn it). Cook, stirring, until all the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add the espresso, stir, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid into a very shallow dish or pan. Add the lemon juice and zest.

• Place the pan in the freezer. Using a large fork, crush the mixture every 20 minutes until it is firm but not frozen hard (should be slightly slushy), about 2 hours. To serve, spoon the slush into glasses or bowls. Drizzle with cream and garnish with more zest if desired.
  

Raspberry Fizz ..........

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 cups sweetened cranberry juice
• 3 cups seltzer
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1 pint raspberry sorbet

Directions:
• In a small saucepan over high heat, stir together the sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add the lime juice. Cool to room temperature. (lime simple syrup)

• In a fairly large pitcher, combine 1/2 cup of lime syrup with the cranberry juice, seltzer, and ginger ale. (Can be adjusted to your taste) To serve, pour into glasses and top off with raspberry sorbet scoops.

Sparkling Pineapple Cooler .......... Easy!!!

• 1 12-ounce can ginger ale (or Slice)
  
• 1 cup plus an extra 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
• fresh pineapple - 4 pieces, cut into triangles

Directions:
• Freeze 1/2 cup pineapple juice into cubes (fun shapes are cool)
• In a fairly large pitcher, mix the ginger ale (or Slice soda) and 1 cup of pineapple juice.
• Drop in the juice cubes into glasses and add crushed ice. Garnish with a piece of pineapple.

• For the cocktail version: Stir in 1/2 cup light rum.