Easy dinner-time libations: Four fun cocktail recipes to ring in the weekend

Long week? Can’t figure out what to fix for dinner? While you’re figuring out the meal, may we suggest some cocktails to help you ring in the weekend? Sip on these ideas:

--Mucho Ultima’s fresas mojito: Bright and lightly sweet, fresh strawberries are a perfect complement to the classic lime and mint in this mojito.

--�Gin�-ger basiltini from the Girl & the Fig: This cocktail marries the bright, fresh flavors of basil and lime with delicate cucumber and spicy ginger. Make the cucumber gin and ginger syrup in advance to chill. You’ll have enough for 15 to 20 drinks, but both keep up to two weeks.

RECIPES: 101 dinner ideas in about an hour or less

--Tasting Kitchen’s Braveheart: A touch of fresh lemon and ginger juice give a subtle tang to blended scotch in this wonderful concoction, sweetened with just a hint of honey. I’ll definitely be making this one again.

--And a white hot peach sangria: Fresh and bright with flavor, this smooth sangria combines a touch of vanilla with just a hint of heat, a very refreshing cure for a hot day -- or a long week! Cheers!

You can find all four recipes below.

And for more ideas, click through our easy dinner recipes gallery and check out our Dinner Tonight page, devoted to recipes that can be made in an hour or less. Looking for a particular type of recipe? Comment below or email me at [email protected].

MUCHO ULTIMA’S FRESAS MOJITO

Total time: 8 minutes

Servings: Makes 1 cocktail

Note: Adapted from Mucho Ultima Mexicana Restaurant in Manhattan Beach. Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated until the sugar dissolves to form a syrup.

3 to 4 lime wedges, to taste

1 to 2 strawberries, to taste

10 mint leaves

1 ounce simple syrup

1 1/2 ounces light rum, preferably Bacardi Superior

Soda water

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the lime wedges, strawberries, mint leaves and simple syrup. Add the rum and shake with ice. Pour into a glass and top with soda water. Serve immediately.

Each cocktail: 166 calories; 1 gram protein; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 14 grams sugar; 8 mg sodium.

‘GIN’-GER BASILTINI

Total time: 3 minutes for the cocktail, plus cooking and steeping time for the infused gin and simple syrup.

Servings: 1 cocktail

Note: Adapted from the Girl & the Fig.

Cucumber gin1/2 English cucumber, peeled and seeded

1 bottle gin, use your favorite gin

Place the cucumber and gin in a clean glass jar. Seal the lid tightly and set aside for 5 days, shaking once a day. Strain the gin through a few layers of cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into the original gin bottle. Label the bottle and refrigerate before using.

Ginger simple syrup1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add the ginger, allowing it to steep until the mixture is fully cool. Strain the syrup through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a clean glass jar. This makes about 1 cup ginger simple syrup, more than is needed for a single cocktail. Cover and refrigerate; the syrup will keep, refrigerated, for 2 weeks.

‘GIN’-GER BASILTINI

6 basil leaves, divided

Juice of half a lime

1 1/2 ounces cucumber-infused gin

1/2 ounce ginger simple syrup

In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle together 5 basil leaves with the lime juice. Fill the shaker with ice, then add the gin and simple syrup. Shake the ingredients vigorously, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the remaining basil leaf and serve immediately.

Each cocktail: 139 calories; 0 protein; 11 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 10 grams sugar; 1 mg. sodium.

TASTING KITCHEN’S BRAVEHEART

Total time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 cocktail

Note: Adapted from Tasting Kitchen. Tasting Kitchen’s fresh ginger juice is a ratio of 2 parts juiced ginger to 1 part simple syrup (its simple syrup is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water). To juice fresh ginger, purée or grate peeled ginger and strain, discarding or saving the solids for another use. Tasting Kitchen shakes and serves the cocktail using single large rocks of ice.

2 ounces blended scotch

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

3/4 ounce ginger juice

1/4 ounce cocktail honey (3 parts honey, 1 part hot water)

2 dashes bitters, preferably Angostura

Combine the scotch, lemon juice, ginger juice, cocktail honey and bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain and serve over ice in a bucket glass.

Each cocktail: 175 calories; 0 protein; 13 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 11 grams sugar; 1 mg sodium.

CAFE DEL REY’S WHITE HOT PEACH SANGRIA

Total time: 25 minutes, plus cooling and refrigerating time

Servings: 8

Note: Adapted from Cafe del Rey in Marina del Rey.

White hot peach simple syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 vanilla bean, scraped and seeded

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, vanilla bean (seeds and pod) and red pepper flakes. Heat over medium heat, stirring gently, until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside until cool, then refrigerate until needed. This makes about one-half cup syrup, slightly more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The syrup will keep for up to 2 weeks, covered and refrigerated.

White hot peach sangria and assembly

1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry white wine

2 tablespoons brandy

2 tablespoons peach schnapps

1/3 cup white hot peach simple syrup

3 white peaches, sliced, plus extra for garnishing the servings

1/2 orange, sliced into wheels

1/2 lime, sliced into wheels

1/2 lemon, sliced into wheels

Seeds from ¼ vanilla bean

1. In a large bowl, combine the wine, brandy, peach schnapps and white peach simple syrup. Stir in the peach, orange, lime and lemon slices. Stir in the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean, discarding the pod.

2. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.

3. To serve, fill a glass three-fourths full with sangria. Top off with soda water or lemon-lime flavored soda, depending on the sweetness desired. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 126 calories; 0 protein; 12 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 10 grams sugar; 5 mg sodium.

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