The famous bourbon slush. Once known only as a holiday favorite with my family, has been easily embraced over the years as the official specialty cocktail at our annual Halloween party. Not a liquor fan? Maybe you prefer beer over bourbon? Even if that's the case, I'm confident when I say this tasty concoction is one heck of a crowd pleaser, and you're bound to enjoy it too. 

So how do you make this fine adult beverage? It's so simple! Just follow these easy steps. (Note: you'll need at least 24 hours for the slush mixture to freeze, prior to serving.)

Bourbon Slushes (a.k.a. "Boo"rbon Slushes Come Halloween)

Ingredients:

• 4 tea bags
• 7 c. water
• 1 12 oz can orange juice concentrate
• 1 12 oz. can lemonade concentrate
• 2 c. bourbon
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• Diet or regular 7 UP

Directions:

In two cups boiling water, brew strong tea using all four tea bags. 

Once tea is made, stir in sugar until sugar dissolves. 

Combine tea mixture, bourbon, remaining water, orange juice and lemonade concentrates in a large pitcher or bowl. 

Stir until mixed. Freeze mixture for at least 24 hours.

Hint: We usually split the mixture into three or four containers in the freezer. It promotes quicker freezing and lets you serve a little at a time so it doesn't all end up melted.

After frozen, combine 2 parts slush with 1 part diet or regular 7 UP. 

All that's left to do is stir, serve and enjoy! It's a fun and festive addition to your seasonal celebrations...

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In my family, it's a running joke that people steal other family members' recipes, and pass them off as their own under a new name. We busted my Aunt Judy for her "Aunt Judy's Chess Noels" (which are actually chess cookies), and I'm going to out myself for the Lemonade Cooler. This delectable drink is known by my Aunt Margie's family on Christmas day as "Whiskey Sours." But, I just don't feel that the name does the drink justice, nor does it allude to the thirst quenching summer inspired main ingredient of lemonade.

So how do you make this fine adult beverage? Simple! Just follow these steps, demonstrated in the photos below by my Aunt Margie.

Lemonade Coolers

Ingredients:

• 12 oz can of frozen lemonade (regular or pink, depending on personal preference)
• 6 oz Seagram's 7 Whiskey
• Ice
• Diet or regular 7 UP

Directions:

Pour slightly defrosted lemonade into blender.

Pour 6 oz of whiskey (1/2 of the lemonade can for easy measuring) into the blender. (If you prefer to make the drink non-alcoholic, simply skip this step.)

Fill blender with ice. 

Blend until slushy. 

Pour lemonade coolers into glass (1/2 to 2/3 full) and top with 7 UP.

Note: Do not pour 7 UP into blender! It will explode, and cause a buzz-killing sticky mess to envelop your kitchen. 

Toast with friends and family, and enjoy! 

If you have a special holiday concoction, especially one that would work well to help ease the summer heat, leave us a comment with the deets. We always love to try out new recipes when entertaining. We promise we won't change the name and take all of the credit.

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