Today Show: Strawberry + Sparkling White Peach Sangria Recipe

Today Show: Summer Cocktails

Kathie Lee & Hoda got some fabulous ideas for making summertime cocktails without all the added sugar from commercial mixers. Maureen Petrosky, author of The Cocktail Club, joined the ladies to share some of her fresh fruit-inspired selections.

Using ripe fruits means your drinks will be lower in sugar. Maureen explained that ripe fruits have less natural sugar than unripe fruits. When you are using basil and mint, be sure to roll them around on your cutting board to help bring the flavor to life before adding them to the mix.

Cutting out premade mixers means fewer calories, chemicals, and strange aftertastes. Once you make fresh drinks, you’ll never want to go back to the cheap boxed stuff.

Today Show: Slimmed Down Frozen Gin and Tonic Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup Hendrick’s Gin
• 3 cups Light Tonic Water
• 1/4 cup fresh Lime Juice
• 2 cups Ice
• Lime wheels

Directions

1. Combine liquids with ice in a blender to a milkshake consistency.
2. Spoon into serving glasses and garnish with lime.

Kathie Lee & Hoda: Strawberry + Sparkling White Peach Sangria Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 or 3 sliced White Peaches
• 10 Basil leaves
• 1 chilled bottle Prosecco
• 11 hulled, sliced Strawberries
• 3/4 cup Peach Brandy
• 1 liter Peach flavored Seltzer Water

Directions

1. Combine most of the peaches with strawberries and basil in a pitcher.
2. Add brandy and gently muddle the ingredients together.
3. Use a wooden spoon to stir in seltzer water and chilled prosecco.
4. Pour over ice. Top with remaining peach slices and basil as garnish.

Today Show: Grilled Pineapple Mojito Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 bunch washed Mint
• 3/4 cup Lime Juice
• 1 liter chilled Club Soda
• 6 slices grilled Pineapple (in 1” pieces)
• 2 1/2 cups Light Rum

Directions

1. Grill pineapple for about three minutes per side on medium high or high. Then cut it into cubes.
2. Reserve a small amount of pineapple for garnish. Combine the bulk of the pineapple with lime juice and mint in a pitcher.
3. Muddle mint with pineapple. Stir in rum with club soda. Adjust lime juice to taste.
4. Serve garnished with remaining grilled pineapple and a mint leaf.