Graduation: Is it Still a Celebration Without Alcohol? Absolutely, Here’s How

Despite everyone watching their spending these days, we still want to celebrate and not feel like we are giving up anything. So, why not just have fun with it and do something the entire family can enjoy? One great way to have drinks everyone will enjoy is to have mocktails — effervescent, sometimes sparkly, always resfreshing and totally nonalcoholic beverages.  Here are some recipes that are sure to be a hit with everyone. –roz edward

The Mello Jello
2 quarts apple cider
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
3 ounces Cherry Jello
Add the apple cider and the cinnamon stick to the sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add the cherry (or whatever your favorite flavor is) to the cider and stir until it dissolves (about two minutes). Serve warm or chilled and make Jello shots more fun.

Citrus Mint Cooler
1 cup of fresh lime juice
1 cup of orange juice
2 cups of sugar
2 and ½ cups of water
10 sprigs of mint
32 ounces of ginger ale
Water to add as needed
Place first five ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cover and remove from the heat, and let steep until cool. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, fill glasses or pitcher with equal amounts of fruit juice, ginger ale and water. Add ice,  garnish and serve.

Watermelon Slushies
6 ice cubes
2 cups of cubed and seeded watermelon
2 teaspoons honey
Place the ice cubes in a blender and use the pulse button until it is crushed. Add the watermelon and blend until slushy for about a minute. Add honey and blend for 10 seconds. You can also add a little ginger ale or lime juice to give it a little extra kick and effervescence.

Sangria
Make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly chilled
before mixing them. This will make it much easier.
1 ½ liters and 2 ¾ pints of red grape juice
10 ounces of orange juice
3 cups of cranberry juice
2 cups of lemon juice
2 cups of lime juice
1 cup of simple syrup
Ice cubes
Slices of lemon, orange and limes as garnish
Put the grape juice, lemon juice, orange juice, lime juice and simple syrup into a chilled punch bowl and stir well. Add the ice and decorate with lemons, limes and oranges.