Host a Summer Garden Dinner Party!

Summer is in full-force and that also means lots of backyard dinner parties! I’m so thrilled to have partnered with BACARDI® Mixers to celebrate summer entertaining. It gets even better! After diving into my personality + the “Pizzazzerie” brand, BACARDI® Mixers Mixologists created a cocktail just for me! The drink was created in honor of my love for sweet drinks and at-home entertaining. It’s called the “Basil Blender” and it was the inspiration for my garden dinner party.

The Basil Blender

The cocktail was the star of the party. It’s refreshing, light, and the basil creates a perfect pairing with the BACARDI® Mixers Piña Colada flavor! Those hot summer nights will be a lot more fun with this cocktail in hand. I garnished each with a fresh sprig of basil and a lime wheel.

I can’t wait to try the Margarita and Strawberry Daiquiri Mixers too. What I love is how easy it is to throw a party together around a refreshing cocktail. The BACARDI® Mixers are also very high quality and most are made with real fruit juice and easy to stock in the freezer so you have them on hand for last minute get-togethers! It’s truly the epitome of “effortless entertaining” because you can combine whip up a delightful cocktail for guests in seconds.

I grow lots of fresh veggies and herbs in my backyard including one of my favorites – basil! So I was able to use fresh basil in my blender and throughout the party.  See below, a simple watering can became an easy centerpiece when placed on a cake stand and filled with fresh basil. Serving up the BACARDI® Mixers Strawberry Daiquiri flavor? Decorate with fresh strawberries instead. It’s easy to coordinate your cocktail to your party theme.

Color makes any party more fun so a whimsical, striped fabric made the perfect tablecloth on my deck table. Classic white dishes with lime place cards added a festive pop of color and easy way for guests to find their seat. Cute striped straws made cocktail sipping even sweeter.

Enjoy the recipe for this refreshing cocktail!

Frozen Basil Blender

Serves 4 Cocktails     adjust servings

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Ingredients

• 1 can frozen BACARDI® Mixers Piña Colada Mix
• 3/4 cup BACARDI® Oakheart Spiced Rum
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 10-12 large basil leaves
• 5 cups of ice
• 4 lime wheels for garnishes
• 4 basil leaves for garnishes

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except garnishes in a blender and mix on high for about 30 seconds or until completely smooth.
2. Pour into a piña colada or collins glass.
3. Garnish with basil leaf and lime wheel.

WE WANT TO SEE! Share a photo of your recipe with us by tagging@pizzazzerie on Instagram.

Sweet Party Favors

I’m always a fan of party favors. I was also lucky that BACARDI® Mixers sent over muddlers, hats, and coupons for my guests. I combined these items into a galvanized bucket from the craft store and tucked in Lime Basil Seeds and a cute striped straw too. This was the perfect favor and everyone loved the goodies.  Plant markers made the perfect name cards too.

Don’t forget to like BACARDI® Mixers on Facebook to see a new daily cocktail idea for every day of summer! You can also share your own ideas and photos so that BACARDI® Mixers can transform them into personalized cocktail recipes! Cheers!

BACARDI® Mixers is a premium line of non-alcoholic mixers available in 10 fl. oz cans in the frozen juice aisle. With seven easy-to-make flavors to choose from – including Strawberry Daiquiri, Margarita, and Piña Colada – there are endless ways to make your next party come together instantly! By providing cocktail recipes, party tips and food pairings year-round, we continue to give new reasons to blend every day. Find yours at www.facebook.com/bacardimixers

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. ©2013 THE COCA-COLA COMPANY.

©2013 BACARDI AND THE BAT DEVICE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF BACARDI & COMPANY LIMITED. BACARDI U.S.A., INC., CORAL GABLES, FL. NON-ALCOHOLIC MIXERS.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by BACARDI® Mixers via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of BACARDI® Mixers.