Name: Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade Mojitos
Yield: serves 2
Ingredients: 1 lemon (get a meyer lemon, if you can find one); 10-12 fresh mint leaves; ice; 4oz sweet tea vodka (I like Jeremiah Weed or Firefly brand); 1 cup lemonade (could use club soda, or a mixture)

Speaking of mojitos… I can’t wait to share the recipe for what will undoubtedly become your new favorite summer cocktail – Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade Mojitos!

One of Ben’s and my current favorite activities is partaking in cocktail hour on the back porch after the tiny gentleman goes to bed. The summer sun is still relatively high in the sky and the patio is dappled by its warm rays shining through the leafy trees. He cracks open a frosty IPA while I decide on a festive cocktail, and then we choose a Pandora station to relax to via our outdoor speakers. I preemptively veto anything hip hop-related while he forbids Fun. radio, of course. We usually end up somewhere between The Beatles, Eagles, and Bob Marley.

I’d been enjoying gin and tonics spiked with a few pickled baby jalapenos a friend gave us (oh my GOSH are they good!) but a couple weeks ago a rather serendipitous occasion occurred which has altered summer cocktail hour forever. #dramatic

First I snagged some leftover tonic from the aforementioned gin and tonics, and then randomly discovered a bottle of sweet tea vodka in the basement fridge as I was digging around for frozen ground beef. Next I spied a super-sweet meyer lemon in a bag Ben had brought home from the store for a martini he was crafting, and THEN I remembered we had extra fresh mint in the fridge from my Mojito Fruit Salad.

Put it all together and you’ve got one HELLUVA cocktail!

Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade Mojitos are so refreshing it makes me sad. Previously my Dad’s Killer Beergaritas were the only drinks that could truly quench a summer thirst, and I had to break the news to Pops earlier this week that it’d been replaced. Noooooooo!! he exclaimed. There, there. I said.

Anyway, a couple nights later I took things up a notch and replaced the tonic with lemonade. Ding, ding, ding, we had a winner! The sweetness from the sweet tea vodka and tart lemonade mixed with muddled fresh lemon juice and fresh mint is craaaaazy good. SO refreshing! If you think you’ll miss the fizz of a traditional mojito, then by all means sub the lemonade for club soda, but do yourself a favor and try it with the lemonade too.

Heck, summer’s short. Try ’em both!

In terms of cocktails, this one’s a cinch to source and make. You’ll need sweet tea flavored vodka, lemonade (or club soda,) fresh mint, and lemons. As I mentioned, I loved this drink with meyer lemons but they can be hard to come by. Regular lemons work just fine!

First squeeze 1/2 lemon into a 16oz mason jar or tumbler then add 5-6 sprigs fresh mint.

Next use the bottom of a wooden spoon and muddle the heck out of both the lemon half and mint.

Next, fill the jar up with ice then add 2oz (1/4 cup) sweet tea flavored vodka. I like Jeremiah Weed and Firefly brands.

Finally add 1/2 cup lemonade. Again, you could use club soda, or a mixture if you don’t like your cocktails too sweet.

Screw the lid on the jar then shake what your mama gave ya’.

Tip: these drinks are AWESOME to make ahead of time. Simply muddle the mint and lemon/lemon juice, add the vodka and lemonade, and then screw on the top and pop in the fridge. When you’re ready to drink, add ice then shake!

Grab a straw and you’re set!

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