I love a refreshing summer cocktail, but I tend to not like cocktails that are super sweet (unless I am having it for dessert).  I looked up a bunch of raspberry mojito recipes before coming up with what I think is the best combo of ingredients.  It is light and refreshing, slightly sweetened, and has a delicious bite of lime.  

Have you ever been raspberry picking?  I have had two experiences, the first was awesome...a sunny warm day in Michigan and my mom was visiting.  We laughed and ate as we picked, we took pictures and just enjoyed the company and the beautiful day.  We picked so many raspberries, we went home and made 2 dozen jars of jam!  

You will need:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup mint leaves, loosely packed, plus a couple leaves to garnish each glass
White Rum (1-2 shots per drink)
Raspberries (a small handful per drink)
Lime juice (1/2 shot per drink)
Club Soda (to top off each drink)

First, bring your sugar and water to a boil.  Once boiling and sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and add your mint leaves.  Stir and and then cover and let steep for 1 hour.  

After your mint water steeps, strain out the mint leaves and you are left with mint infused simple syrup.

To make your cocktails, fill a tumbler glass with ice.  Add 1 shot of rum, 1 shot of simple syrup, a small bunch of raspberries, a couple fresh mint leaves, 1/2 shot of lime juice.  Top off the glass with just enough club soda to fill the cup and serve....or sip...or gulp!

Happy 4th of July!  This is a great summery dessert that I have been making for 5 years now.  I don't know why it wasn't one of the first things I posted, but anyway, better late than never.  I make it when we have friends over because it looks good, individual portions, and after eating and drinking a lot, it's not too too heavy in the whole spectrum of desserts.  

So, here it is:  

Step 1, fruit:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tsp real vanilla extract
4 cups of berries of your choice, washed and set aside in a bowl: raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries...
 
Combine sugar, water and vanilla in small saucepan and cook on high.  Let boil only about 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Once cooled, add 1/2 amount to fruit and toss gently.  Set the rest aside to use in the parfait cream (Step 3), or another use.
***use extra syrup in your morning coffee or in whipped cream.  Keeps in fridge for about 5 days.

Step 2, oats:
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt 
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used a combo of sliced almonds and pecans, and smashed them up in a plastic bag first)
1 cup Quaker "Old Fashioned" oats (these are the big oats)

Preheat to 350'.  In a medium non-stick pan, mix all above ingredients together -EXCEPT OATS- over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.  Once this heats up and gets bubbly, add "old fashioned oats" and toss to coat thoroughly (I use two wooden spoons to toss).  Keep tossing as it continues to cook for another 2 minutes or so.  Then remove from heat, and spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for about 10 minutes at 350', just until slightly browned.  Set aside to cool.  The oat topping will get crunchy once it cools.    

Step 3, parfait cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs simple syrup (you'll make this in Step 1)
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbs acacia honey (or a good honey.  plain honey is ok too but not quite as tasty)

Whip heavy cream, simple syrup and honey in the mixer with wire whisk attachment, on highest speed, about 3 minutes, until looking solid like whipped cream.  Then add the sour cream and whip for 30 seconds more on high.  

To Assemble:
Layer oats, berries, cream in a glass of some sort to see the layers.  Eat immediately, or within a couple hrs (not to be made ahead).  Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.