Moscow mule

Recipe courtesy wikipedia

A Moscow Mule, also known as a Vodka buck, is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. It is usually served in a copper mug.

Ingredients

• 4 oz Ginger beer, 
• 1 1/2 oz Vodka, 
• 1/6 oz Lime juice

Lime-Ginger Coolers

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

Yield: Makes 6

Ingredients

• Small ice cubes
• 12 dashes bitters
• About 1 cup sweetened concentrated lime juice (preferably Rose's)
• 24 ounces (3 cups) seltzer
• 6 slices peeled fresh ginger

Low-Calorie Margarita

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Channel’s Hungry Girl

Prep: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. (1 shot) tequila
1 oz. (2 tbsp.) lime juice
One 2-serving packet (about 1 tsp.) sugar-free lemonade powdered drink mix (like the kind by Crystal Light)
6 oz. (3/4 cup) diet lemon-lime soda
Optional garnish: lime slice

Watermelon Cooler

Nothing says SUMMER like a watermelon cooler on the patio with good friends after a day on the beach.

2 oz white rum
1 oz lime juice
1 tablespoon grenadine
1/2 cup diced watermelon

Blend all ingredients in a blender with crushed ice. Pour into a cocktail glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish with a slice of lime and sliver of watermelon.

Margaritas

Fresh squeezed lime juice gives this margarita an extra kick. Do not substitute the bottled variety. It's worth the extra effort.

1 part white tequila
1 part fresh lime juice with simple syrup
1 part triple sec
lime slices
coarse salt

First squeeze and strain the lime juice. Mix with just enough simple syrup to take the edge off. Mix in a pitcher with tequila and triple sec with plenty of ice cubes. Rim your margarita glasses with coarse salt, fill with margarita, and garnish each with a slice of lime. Serve with your favorite salsa or guacamole.

Herbal Remedy

2 oz gin
1.5 oz fresh lime juice
2 oz herb syrup

To make the herb syrup, bring a cup each of water and sugar to a boil, remove from heat, and pour into a jar with a few sprigs of rosemary, tarragon, mint, or other herbs from your garden. Cool and refrigerate. This is great for making herbal sodas or adding to hot tea as well.

For the cocktail, combine ingredients in a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a wedge of lime and a sprig of the herb used in the syrup. You'll feel better immediately.