Like most, you’re preparing to party your 3-day weekend away with good food, good friends, and GREAT drinks. While you’re sure to have your bar stocked with old favorites (red + white wine, beer, and a few stronger libations), why not make a signature cocktail on one of those days? Instead of having to break away from the fun to constantly mix individual drinks, whip up a few batches of a specialty drinks to tide guests over. Here are a few easy recipes I found (you probably have most of the ingredients lying around): Mango Peach Sangria 1/4 cup mint 1 cup Grand Marnier 2 peaches, cut into thin wedges 1 bottle Viognier 1/3 cup water 1 mango, chopped 1/3 cup sugar In a saucepan, cook the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves; transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the Grand Marnier, Viognier, mango, peaches and mint and serve over ice. Cointreau Berry Rickey 8 oz cointreau 2 oz fresh lime juice 8 blackberries 8 raspberries 20 mint leaves 12 oz club soda Muddle the berries and mint in a carafe. Pour remaining ingredients into the carafe with ice and stir vigorously. REDICAL 2 parts SVEDKA Strawberry Lemonade 1 part cranberry juice cocktail ½ part frozen lemonade 1½ parts lemon-lime soda Pour ingredients into a pitcher and stir. Garnish with strawberries and lemon slices. Rum Punch 80 mint leaves, torn or thinly sliced 8 ounces light rum 8 ounces aged rum 8 ounces fresh orange juice 8 ounces mango nectar or juice 4 ounces pineapple juice Ice 8 pineapple wedges In a pitcher, combine all of the ingredients except the ice and pineapple wedges and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Stir well and serve over ice in red wine glasses. Garnish each drink with a pineapple wedge. What’s your favorite summer cocktail? Sweet and Low | T + J Designs 4 Steps to Find Your Fashion Blog's Niche