Delight all of your guests with any combination of these delicious, summertime-approved drinks and punches:

For your friends and first cousins, try Lemon Punch, Rachel Ray. This is the perfect "punch" for the young folk that want a little refreshment without the stigma of walking around with a beer bottle.

It's about 1 part lemonade and 5 parts alcohol (vodka and lightly flavored beer), so it's definitely not for the lightweights in the fam.

For mama and the aunties, go for Sweet Tea, Food Network. This recipe is a great start for authentic, Southern sweet tea. To really take your moms back, alter it a little by letting the tea sit outside in the sun (in a closed jar, of course) for half-a-day and brew. It adds a unique flavor that can only be described as "sun tea."

For the little cousins, nieces and nephews, serve a slushy Fruit Punch, About.com. This recipe has lots of sweet fruit (strawberries, pineapple juice), ice cream and lemon-lime soda for bite. The kids' table will go nuts once they sample a cup of this stuff!

For daddy and the uncles, put Romulan Ale on tap, DrinksMixer.com. This is hard stuff that's perfect for a hot, hot day. And it's super-simple to make: mix rum, everclear and flavored liqueur together and serve.

-- Whitney Teal

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