Sparkling Punch

As someone who doesn't drink alcohol, I am always on the hunt for non-alcoholic drinks for special occasions.  Growing up the standard 'party' drink around my house was lemon-lime flavored soda with lime sherbet floating around in the punch bowl.  While that recipe is tasty, it's nice to have other options available.  This is a light and refreshing drink; bubbly, not too sweet and a pretty color to boot.

Enjoy!

1 (6 oz) can lemonade concentrate, defrosted (can use pink or yellow depending on what color punch you are aiming for)
1 liter club soda, chilled
2 (750 millimeter) bottles sparkling apple cider, chilled
1 Tbsp. white sugar, optional (I didn't add the extra sugar, taste your punch beforehand to decide if you would like it sweeter)

2 lemons, chilled
3 large oranges, chilled
2 trays ice (I made ice cubes with premade lemonade so it wouldn't dilute the punch.  I read online that other people made ice cubes with maraschino cherries for added color.  Other people sliced their citrus fruits and froze them instead of adding ice cubes.)

1.  Thinly slice the lemons and oranges and place in a large punch bowl.  Pour in the thawed lemonade.  Gently stir in the club soda and sparkling apple cider.  Add sugar to taste.  Stir in ice.

Yield: 20 servings

Kiwi Limeade

10 ripe kiwi
2 twelve-ounce cans frozen limeade concentrate
2 liters lemon-lime flavored soda

1. Peel the kiwis and puree in a food processor until smooth. Press through a mesh sieve to remove seeds from puree.
2. In a large pitcher, stir the limeade concentrate, the soda and the kiwi puree.

Blackberry Lemonade

20 oz. fresh or frozen blackberries
2 twelve-ounce cans frozen pink lemonade concentrate
2 liters lemon-lime flavored soda

1. Puree the berries in a food processor until smooth. Press through a mesh sieve to remove seeds from puree.
2. In a large pitcher stir the lemonade concentrate, the soda and the blackberry puree.

Mango Lemonade

3 ripe mangoes
2 twelve-ounce cans frozen lemonade concentrate
2 liters lemon-lime flavored soda

1. Peel and seed the mangoes and puree in a food processor until smooth.
2. In a large pitcher stir the lemonade concentrate, the soda and the mango puree.

Hot Cranberry Punch

Adam says this needs to become a Christmas staple at our house. It was yummy!

Hot Cranberry Punch

8 c. hot water
1 ½ c. sugar (I tend to use less, stir in about 1 cup then if need be ad the other 1/2 cup)
4 c. cranberry juice
¾ c. orange juice
¼ c. lemon juice
12 whole cloves, optional
½ c. red-hot candies

1. In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine water, sugar and juices; stir until sugar is dissolved. If desired, place cloves in a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag.
2. Add spice bag and red-hots to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until heated through.
3. Before serving, discard spice bag and stir punch.

Yield: 3 ½ quarts