Cantaloupe Basil Grapefruit Cooler Food

CANTALOUPE BASIL COOLERS

Steps:

• Place basil leaves and vodka in a mason jar and refrigerate for at least an hour up to 24 hours.
• Place cubed cantaloupe in a blender and blend until smooth. Drain mixture through a sieve to get the larger chunks out. Add water and sugar to the drained cantaloupe juice. Makes about 2 cups of juice.
• To make one drink, mix 1 part basil infused vodka and 3 parts cantaloupe juice over ice. Serve cold!

CANTALOUPE-BASIL-GRAPEFRUIT COOLER

Steps:

• In a small heatproof bowl, pour 1/2 cup boiling water over sugar and basil; stir until sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes. Strain syrup into a blender; discard basil.
• Add cantaloupe, grapefruit juice, and 1 3/4 cups cold water; blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Serve over ice, garnished with a basil sprig, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. If using vodka, stir a shot (1-ounce) into each glass before serving.

SUNNY'S GRAPEFRUIT-COCONUT COOLER

Steps:

• Combine the grapefruit juice, cream of coconut and agave in a small pitcher or bowl and stir to blend. Pour into a glass over ice.

GRAPEFRUIT COOLERS

Steps:

• Fill 4 (12-ounce) glasses halfway with ice. Add 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, and a pinch of salt to each glass and stir. Top off each drink with 1/3 cup sparkling water and stir.

BASIL GRAPEFRUIT COOLER

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler remove the zest from 3 of the grapefruit and put the zest in a jar.
• Pour over the vodka and leave to infuse for at least 24 hours.
• Cut all the grapefruit in half and juice - if making ahead of time, freeze the juice until it's needed.
• Pick the leaves from the basil and add the stalks to a small saucepan with the sugar and 1 cup of water. Gently heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then cool, strain and chill until needed.
• Put half the basil leaves in a jug, pour over the vodka, 1 1/4 cups of basil stock syrup and the grapefruit juice and stir.
• Fill 6 glasses with ice, the remaining basil and a little grapefruit zest (use the stuff from the vodka), and fill with cocktail mix.

STRAWBERRY GRAPEFRUIT COOLER

Steps:

• Combine first 3 ingredients in container of electric blender; cover and process until smooth.
• While blender is running, add ice cubes, 1 at a time, processing until smooth.
• Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

CANTALOUPE COOLER

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in the order listed in a blender. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately.

CANTALOUPE AND PROSCIUTTO WITH BASIL OIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• On a baking sheet toast pine nuts until golden, about 5 minutes, and cool. In a blender purée basil with oil until basil is minced. Pour purée through a very fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids.
• Halve and seed cantaloupe. Cut melon into 1/4-inch-thick wedges and discard rind.
• Spoon basil oil onto 4 plates. Arrange melon decoratively over oil and top with prosciutto. Sprinkle melon and prosciutto with pine nuts and cheese.