Add a little sparkle to your Independence Day menu with these delicious and fun drink recipes:

Fourth of July Cocktail

“Triple D” host Guy Fieri heats things up – literally – with this pepper-infused concoction that’s sure to grab guests’ attention:

Courtesy of Guy Fieri, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1 ounce watermelon schnapps

1 big splash cranberry juice

1 very thin slice jalapeno or serrano pepper

1 slice lemon

1 slice lime

1 1/2 ounces tequila

1/4 ounce blue curacao

1/2 ounce simple syrup

Garnish:  Watermelon wedge

Glass:  Highball

Directions

Mix the schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker; pour into an ice-filled glass.  Muddle the jalapeno pepper, lemon and lime slices, tequila, blue curacao and simple syrup (to make a batch, dissolve sugar in equal parts hot water and chill) in the shaker.  Slowly strain into the glass over the red layer.  Garnish with watermelon, if desired.

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Coconut Blue Hawaiian

A beautiful red, white and blue cocktail that will cool guests down on a hot summer day.

Courtesy of bettycrocker.com

Ingredients

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup (4 ounces) light rum, if desired

1/2 cup (4 ounces) blue curaçao

1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream of coconut (not coconut milk)

10 to 12 ice cubes

Garnish:  Fresh cherries or maraschino cherries with stems

Glass:  Martini

Directions

Chill martini glasses in freezer several hours before serving.  Place all ingredients except cherries in blender.  Cover and blend on high speed about 45 seconds or until smooth.  Pour pineapple mixture into glasses.  Garnish with cherry.

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Frosty Fireworks

A non-alcoholic drink recipe sure to please guests of all ages.

Courtesy of food.com

Ingredients

16 ounces blue Gatorade

16 ounces red Gatorade (or any red Kool-Aid or fruit punch)

12 ounces Sprite or any other clear carbonated beverage

4 -6 plain ice cubes

Glass:  Highball or tall tumbler

Directions

Fill the sections of one ice cube tray with blue Gatorade, and place in freezer for several hours or until frozen solid.  Fill the sections of the other ice cube tray with the red Gatorade (or other red color drink), and place in freezer until frozen solid.  When ready to serve, place about 4 or 5 regular (clear) ice cubes in a highball glass or tall tumbler.  Add two blue ice cubes and two red ice cubes to the glass.  Fill the glass the rest of the way with a clear carbonated soda.  Now wait to see the special effects to begin.  As the cubes melt, colored bubbles will swirl through the soda and create a sparkling “frosty fireworks” effect.