Summertime has not arrived yet and we are currently in the midst of our second heat wave.  Temperatures are expected to reach near 99 degrees today and the air is dense with humidity.  I am daydreaming of frozen fruit drinks and a swim in the ocean.   Because it is merely 2:00 and I am not on an island holiday, I’ll stick to a refreshing icy fruit smoothie and will save the cocktail for later when my friends stop over for happy hour on the deck.

I purchased a KitchenAid 5 Speed blender this winter and discovered that it makes fabulous smoothies and frozen drinks.  Popular Mechanics convinced me to buy this blender after they tested premium blenders and determined that the KitchenAid KSB560 outperformed the others.  I am pleased with it and am delighted with all features of its performance.  It works wonders on ice cubes as well as frozen fruit.  I even found a way to make mint mojitos with it.

I experiment with my smoothies and attempt to vary ingredients as often as possible in order to keep the flavors fresh and interesting.  I make use of fresh and frozen fruit equally, but noticed flavors have a tendency to be more intense with frozen produce.  This is simply due to ice diluting the intensity of ingredients.  The more you use frozen produce, the fewer ice cubes you will need.

Following are two easy and delectable blender drink recipes.  Both are ice-cold and are welcome refreshments for a hot summertime day.

Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie

• 2 cups frozen blueberries
• 1 cup chilled pomegranate cranberry juice (100% juice blend)
• 1/2 cup chilled coconut milk

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth.  Immediately pour into a tall glass and indulge!  This smoothie is rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants.

Fresh Mint Mojitos for Two

• 5 cups ice cubes
• 2 cups limeade (frozen concentrate variety, prepared as directed on can)
• 4 oz. rum (use your favorite type:  clear, lemon-flavored, spiced, or golden)
• club soda
• fresh mint leaves from 3 or 4 large sprigs

Pour 2 oz. of rum into each of two tall glasses.  Place the ice, limeade, and mint leaves in a blender.  Using the pulse mode, lightly crush the ice for a few seconds.  Immediately pour into the two glasses and shake or stir.  The mojitos taste delightful as they are or topped with a splash of club soda and garnished with a stick of sugar cane.  Cheers!

Note:  I believe this mojito is as enjoyable as a classic Cuban mojito made with simple syrup and freshly squeezed lime juice.  What I enjoy about this version is the simplicity of it.  Balancing simple syrup and lime juice is so critical for a great mojito.  With limeade, you ensure the ideal balance and you do not have to squeeze limes.

To learn more about the KitchenAid 5 Speed blender and to see our review, kindly visit us at Tools for Kitchens.  We can help you uncover the lowest online prices for the KitchenAid KSB560.