Pioneer Day Punch - For Adults

All across the world, well in Utah and some parts of Idaho, July 24 is celebrated as "Pioneer Day" - to commemorate the day that the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley and Brigham Young declared: "This is the place" - and they settled the new Zion - now known as Salt Lake City.

And for some reason OTHER than Pioneer Day, Brian and I often find ourselves in Salt Lake that weekend, and we try to have a "Summer Party" with our SLC friends, sadly many of whom are traveling out of town for the holiday weekend.

Whatever, this year we had our Summer Party, hosted by the ever-wonderful and gracious Kyle and Greg.  Our Summer Party often features a punch to be enjoyed by the adult guests (not that there are any children who attend).  This year, I'm sharing the secret Pioneer Day Punch recipe with you!

Here's what to mix in a 3 gallon punch bowl, give or take:

1 can Lime Ade frozen concentrate
1 can Cranberry-Rasberry Cocktail frozen concentrate
(use the concentrate can as your measuring "cup" for the next 3 ingredients:)
4 cans Water
1 and 3/4 cans Gin
3/4 can Rum
1 2-Litre Bottle Fresca (or grocery generic Diet Grapefruit Soda)
1 Lemon - sliced.

Mix the first six ingredients together in a punch bowl.  Cut the lemon into thin slices, removing the seeds, then float the lemon slices in the punch!  Voila!

Of course you can't just serve punch, even to the adults.  So here are some suggested side items:

Assorted Cheese and Crackers - I found a wonderful Wasabi-Horseradish-Cheddar at Costco - it was a love-it or hate-it cheese.  I was on the "Love it" side, as was Denise.








Mozzarella-prociutto pinwheels with crackers.

(as well as a blueberry wrapped goat cheese).




 

Beer-Boiled and Broiled Brats.




Red-Cabbage Slaw.











Sugar Peas, Sliced Baby Bell Peppers and Jicama, with Hummus dip.

Mike's Famous Salsa and Hal's Artichoke Dip.



And don't forget to include several of your favorite friends.

Since it IS Pioneer Day weekend - of course you can expect fireworks!