It is officially Summer, and I am loving it! The BBQ’s, days off work, cool drinks, and laughter. Summer’s all about family and yesterday I had the privilege of cooking at my cousin Lloyd’s graduation party. He shared his plans with me about his future and it was a blessing to hear how it all has been planned out so perfectly, which sometimes takes others a lifetime to do.
I made a drink called “the perfect punch” and I will share the recipe with you today and a few tips on how to have the perfect BBQ. Having a memorable party is based on the details and proper planning, your guests will remember everything about your party even if it seems like they are not paying attention.
First make a guest list and rsvp so you can get an exact head count for food and seating. No matter the size of the party or the location, making sure you have enough of everything is better than having too much, which will be a waste of money.
Stay within your budget but add 5 spots for late rsvp’s and ask friends or family members to bring things to cover food and other expenses. Every family has someone who loves to make their favorite dishes or help with decorating.
Decorate to make the party memorable. You can use balloons, cray paper and cut outs, which are cute and inexpensive. Also, make sure you have adequate seating for guests. If it is an outdoor event, ask guests to bring their own chair, which some people may prefer.
Lastly, make sure to food prep the week of the event to lighten the load the day of the party. On the day of the party make sure everything but the cooking is done at least 3 hours before, so you have time to get yourself ready.
As promised here is my recipe for the punch I made for the graduation party. I used a large bin I purchased at Walmart, not as big as a storage bin but a large transparent plastic bin that I was able to put on the table. I have seen people make this drink in a cooler also.
The perfect punch
5 packs of tropical punch Kool-Aid
4 cups of water
2 lbs. of sugar (half the bag) *the ice will dilute it
2 – cartons minute maid berry punch
- Carton minute maid peach punch
- Carton minute maid mango punch
4 – 2 liters of sprite soda
1 – 64 0z bag frozen mixed fruit (pineapple, peaches, strawberries, and mango)
2 small bags of ice (or more as needed)
4 boxes of popsicles (any flavor)
Mix the Kool-Aid and water in bottom of the bin, add the sugar and stir. Mix all other ingredients except the popsicles. Then scoop punch in a plastic cup and dunk in one popsicle, stick end up.
Enjoy your summer and the punch!
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