Summer Lovin'

Cheers!

My new summertime favorite drink!  Sweet Tea Vodka and Lemonade.  My own version of an Arnold Palmer.

Arnold Palmer Cocktail
makes 1

2 oz. Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka
4 oz. Simply Lemonade
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
lemon slices to garnish
ice

Fill small rocks glass with ice.  Pour 2 oz. Sweet Tea Vodka and top with 4 oz. lemonade.  If you would like, squeeze extra fresh lemon juice, give the glass a swirl and garnish with a lemon slice.

Sip cautiously...it tastes so good you forget it's vodka!

The siblings and I and Forbes went through two bottles of this vodka while they were visiting.  Now don't go calling us crazy lushes...they were here for 3 evenings and there were 4 of us sharing those bottles.  Despite that, it was still a feat and only demonstrates how delicious this drink is. 

To accompany those cocktails I prepared a delicious meal for my guests.  Vegan Stuffed Shells is my go-to dish when feeding vegan skeptics.  This dish incorporates the most dubious vegan product, tofu, into a mouth-watering, savory meal that pleases all. 

On the side I prepared Creamed Corn.  We grew up with Creamed Corn from a can.  It was one of my dad's favorites.  And since I had two more Creamed Corn fans in the house, and I had just stumbled upon a homemade version of this canned delicacy, I just had to give it a try!

Creamed Corn
adapted from Eating Well
4 side servings

3 cups fresh corn kernels, divided
3/4 cup Almond Milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place 2 cups corn, milk, cornstarch and salt in a blender; blend until smooth.
Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan, and add the remaining 1 cup corn.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture simmers and thickens and the corn is tender, 5 to 7 minutes