Creamsicle Smoothie

{originally published in 2013 and updated in 2023}

This smoothie came about as an alternative use for a bag of mandarin oranges I’ve been eating forever. 2 of the 4 of us eat them so they can seem never ending. I figured they’d be a good smoothie addition!

I loved the really orange AND cream flavors. I think frozen mango or frozen peaches add frostiness since the oranges weren’t frozen and tone down the acidity. 

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

Creamsicle Smoothie
Ingredients:
(serves 2)
3 clementines or orange, pealed
1 cup frozen mango or frozen peaches
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup juice

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

Directions:
Add everything to the blender and blend until totally smooth.
Drop in some ice cubes and blend again to make it thicker and more frosty.

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

I hate peeling oranges so this was perfect! It makes me want to get my hands on some blood oranges! Maybe they’ll be next!

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

Cherry Lime Refresher

Bottoms up – cherry season is short so let’s have them every way possible – drinks included! I didn’t spike this one but go for it! This was a perfect mid-afternoon drink to sip while getting some stuff done. I can see this being ideal by the pool or for happy hour.

The Three Bite Rule - Cherry Lime Refresher

This one features some lime juice & simple syrup (or limeade), dark cherries, and topped with a few bubbles.

Cherry Lime Refresher
Ingredients: (for 2 drinks)

~3/4 cup cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons simple syrup
1 1/2 cup ice
1/2 cup bubbles (tonic, soda water, sparkling water, sprite, or soda)

Directions:
Chop the cherries and add to a glass with the lime juice & simple syrup and stir.

The Three Bite Rule - Cherry Lime Refresher

Add in the ice and top with bubbles. Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Cherry Lime Refresher

I loved this. The cherries are great and so sweet so the lime fits perfectly.

The cherry pitting trick is to push the pit through with a metal straw or a wooden skewer or a chopstick since I never want to track down a 1-task tool. I find dark cherries in the freezer section too.

Peach Tea Cocktail

This one is summer in a glass – refreshing tea, sweet peach, and a little spike. Also, when I say peach- I always am using nectarines but if fuzz is OK with you, go for it!

The Three Bite Rule - Peach Tea Cocktail

I usually only drink tea hot and exclusively in the fall and winter but this summer while I was home I embraced (iced) tea time, in the afternoons to have something fun to look forward to. I was surprised to love mint tea iced and blackberry/elderberry tea was a great treat too.

Peach Tea Cocktails
Ingredients:
(for 2 cocktails + leftover iced tea)
2 peach tea bags (mine was peach mango)
3 cups water
1/2 peach, sliced
1-2 oz peach schnapps/cointreau/lemon vodka/raspberry vodka
1 teaspoon simple syrup or 1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups ice

Directions:
Brew the tea and let cool. It should be very strong for iced tea as it will get watered down.

The Three Bite Rule - Peach Tea Cocktail

Add ice to a cocktail shaker with the tea, peach, alcohol, and sugar/simple syrup (if using).

The Three Bite Rule - Peach Tea Cocktail

Shake well and serve over ice.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Peach Tea Cocktail

This was so so good. The tea makes it really light and refreshing and gives you the chance to make it as sweet or not as you’d like with simple syrup or sugar. You could amp up the peach flavor by tossing some peach and the pit into the pot when making the simple syrup (and removing when it cooled). Herbal tea isn’t caffeinated so this is ideal for something fun to sip on a hot night. Cheers!

Strawberry Lemonade & Basil Cocktail

Cheers! Starting with lemonade, these cocktails get some muddled strawberries and basil and a splash of lemon vodka. They’re sweet and fresh. Make one or these would be great as a pitcher batch to spike as desired.

Strawberry Lemonade & Basil Cocktail - The Three Bite Rule

I love love love the herbs in a cocktail. I’ve been adding our boatloads of mint to my water and to iced tea so the basil flavor was a welcome change.

Strawberry Lemonade & Basil Cocktails:
Ingredients (for 2):

~6 strawberries, halved or quartered
1 teaspoon of sugar (or simple syrup)
3-4 basil leaves
2 cups lemonade
1-2 oz lemon vodka

Directions:
Split the strawberries into 2 glasses and add a sprinkle of sugar (or simple syrup) and muddle a few times to crush them. Use a cocktail muddle or the handle of a spoon.
Then add in the basil and gently muddle once or twice.

Strawberry Lemonade & Basil Cocktail - The Three Bite Rule

Pour in the lemonade and the vodka and stir well. Top off with ice and another strawberry or basil leaf to garnish. Add in ice and stir again.
Cheers!

Strawberry Lemonade & Basil Cocktail - The Three Bite Rule

I loved this. I made it first and was too aggressive muddling the basil (thus, why they’re best done separately) and I wanted more strawberry. We had just gone strawberry picking so these were the best of the best BUT muddling would really bring even grocery store ones to life!

Apple Cider Vanilla Hot Cocktail

Fall in a cup! This hot cocktail came out of my love for fall hot drinks so I mixed vanilla tea and apple cider and spiked it. It was delightful!

The Three Bite Rule - Cider Tea Cocktail

Apple Cider & Vanilla Tea Hot Cocktail
Ingredients: (for 2)

1 cup cider
1 cup vanilla tea (or a tiny bit of vanilla extract into black tea)
1-2 shots vanilla vodka
~4 tablespoons whipped cream
sprinkle of cinnamon sugar

Directions:
Brew the tea and warm the cider.

The Three Bite Rule - Cider Tea Cocktail

Mix one part tea (1/2 cup) with one part cider (1/2 cup) and half the vodka and stir. Sweeten to taste – I left my tea unsweetened but normally sweeten when drinking it by itself!
Top with whipped cream and a cinnamon sugar sprinkle.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Cider Tea Cocktail

I loved this! It wasn’t so so sweet since I hadn’t sweetened the tea but could see it being good either way. Rim the glasses with cinnamon sugar and skip the whipped cream if you wish!

This one seems great with brunch since it is light, and would be great at Thanksgiving! These would work well as a big batch, like in a pitcher and guests could spike it (or not). Serve them for day-drinks or tailgating!