Please welcome Alexis Hadden as a guest blogger on our site today.  You can learn more about Alexis at the bottom of this post.  She is sharing a wonderful patriotic recipe just in time for your 4th of July celebration.
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Independence Day is a perfect opportunity to try a new summer recipe!

If you’re having a get together this Fourth of July, tell your guests not to worry about the drinks! You’ve got it covered!

Last year, my patriotic red, white, and blue punch was a huge hit. Now I’m letting you in on my secret.

Tips to consider before you begin:

• No matter which drinks you choose, the key is in the sugar content. The drinks with the lower sugar contents will layer on top of those with the higher ones.

• You can serve this drink in a large drink dispenser or in individual glasses. There are advantages to both.

• If you serve the punch in a large dispenser, it makes for a great patriotic centerpiece! This method also saves time.

• If you pour the punch into individual glasses or mason jars, each person gets to taste all of the drink flavors. In the large container, people are only getting one flavor at a time. This method, however, will obviously take more time! Add a Twizzler straw for extra pizzazz.

• If you choose to go the centerpiece route, I’ll give you a little tip that I learned from my first trial run: Prepare the punch exactly where you intend to serve it.

Here’s a picture of my boyfriend and me trying to transport our already-prepared patriotic punch from the kitchen to the table. Don’t do this! First of all, it was heavy. Second, when you do this, you risk mixing the colors together!

Ingredients:

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Your red, white, and blue drinks (I used cranberry juice, blue Gatorade, and sprite)
• A lot of ice cubes (regular ones or you can find star-shaped trays in some stores)
• Drink garnishes or decorations (optional – Twizzlers, American flags, etc.)

How to Prepare Your Perfect Punch

And now – the moment you’ve been waiting for!

Step one:

Your punch will be poured in thirds. Whether you’re pouring into a small glass or a large dispenser, you’ll be using the same method.

First, fill the glass a third of the way with ice. Next, pour in the drink with the highest sugar content. For me, this was the cranberry juice. I poured it down the side of the glass and did not go above the ice level, just to make sure it stayed on the bottom.

Step two:

Fill the next third of the glass with more ice cubes. You will now pour in the drink with the second highest sugar content. For me, this was the blue Gatorade. Pour this directly onto an ice cube and very, very slowly.

Step three:

Finally, fill the rest of the glass with ice cubes and repeat step two with the last drink. Go ahead and add a little garnish!

You’re done!  Enjoy!

Check out our  Fourth of July Patriotic Pizza recipe too!

Alexis Hadden is a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Kentucky as well as a full-time student and ghostwriter. She graduated from Juniata College with a degree in communication with professional writing.

She is currently working on her Master’s degree and a graduate certificate in instructional communication. This fall, she will be teaching two sections of an introductory communication course at UK. Her passions include fitness, animals (especially cats), and food. Above everything else, her interpersonal relationships are most important to her.