Cocktail: Watermelon Spritzer

Watermelon Spritzer, recipe courtesy Sandra Lee 2009

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy

4 cups watermelon chunks, seeds removed

1-cup ice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 cups of champagne or sparkling wine (use seltzer if you want to keep it nonalcoholic)

Mint leaves or sprigs, for garnish

In a blender, puree the watermelon, ice, sugar and limejuice and blend until completely liquid. Pour into a pitcher and top with the seltzer water. Pour into glasses and garnish with mint.

Because you have to eat, Sandra Lee came up with these great July 4th recipes to go with your amazing cocktails!

(July 4th-themed episode of “Sandra’s Money Saving Meals” airing Sunday, June 28th at 12pm ET/PT on Food Network.)

Cocktails: Tribeca Colada

Tribecca Colada, recipe courtesy of Roger Gonzalez

Yield: 1 pitcher

3 full cans of coco Lopez

1 full can of pineapple juice

2 cans of condensed milk

1 oz of blue Curacao (pour at the bottom of the glass)

1 oz of grenadine (on top)

2 oz of Amaretto Di Saronno

Blend coco Lopez, pineapple juice, milk together with ice in a blender. Pour blue Curacao into the bottom of an oversized glass or pitcher. Pour pina colada mix on top and then pour the grenadine and amaretto on top to create a three layer effect.

Garnish with pineapple slices and cherries

Cocktails: Summer Punch

Summer Punch, recipe courtesy of Claire Smith

Yield: 1 serving

2 oz Belvedere Black Raspberry

4 Fresh Raspberries

4 oz. Lemon juice

4 oz. Crème de cassis

Top with sparkling wine

Shake first 4 ingredients with cubed ice and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice top with sparkling wine, lightly sir and serve with straws.