Preggatinis:
Delicious Nonalcoholic Drinks for the Mom-to-Be page 2

Minty Mango Cooler

A great party requires good preparation. Assembling food and drink ahead of time makes entertaining a snap. Preggatini Punches enable guests to serve themselves and are so pretty that they’ll enhance your party buffet!

This punch tastes as good as it looks! Using fresh mint enhances both the flavor and the aroma.

2 cups white grape juice
3 cups mango nectar
1 bottle bitter lemon soda
3 tray’s mango-mint ice cubes*
2 bunches fresh mint

Pour white grape juice, mango nectar, and bitter lemon soda into a large pitcher or punch bowl. Add 1 tray of mango-mint ice cubes. To serve, place 2-3 fresh mango-mint ice cubes into a tall glass. Fill the glass with punch. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint.

(De-Virginize for Dad: Add 1 ounce Bacardi Peach Red rum or 1 ounce vodka.)

*Mango-Mint Ice Cubes

1 1/2 cups mango juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup simple syrup**
Juice from 1 lime
1 bunch mint leaves

Mix the first four ingredients, and pour into an ice cube tray. Place 1 mint leaf in each square. Freeze.

**Simple Syrup

2 cups sugar
1 cup water

Pour sugar and water into a small saucepan, stirring constantly. Allow mixture to come to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and refrigerate in glass jar or plastic bottle. For a slightly different taste, use raw brow sugar instead of white.

(c) 2008 Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, The Liquid Muse, author of "Preggatinis™: Mixology for the Mom-To-Be," published by GPP. Used with permission.