(ARA) – Summer is the season for entertaining, but there isn’t any reason you have to slave away in a hot kitchen in order to throw a sophisticated summer party.

Opt for simplicity, sophistication and seasonality, and it will be easy to host smashing summer soirees with less time and work involved in preparation. Ingredients like fresh fruits and veggies play to the best tastes of summer, while familiar flavors like coffee can lend an air of sophistication to even the easiest summer treats.

“Convenience is key to making the summer months enjoyable – whether you’re organizing a fun afternoon for yourself or having an adult gathering at your house,” says Robin Miller, a nutritionist and author of “Robin Rescues Dinner” and “Quick Fix Meals,” which is also the title of her show that airs on Food Network. “Having healthy fresh snacks that incorporate seasonal fruits and vegetables to keep everyone refreshed, or fruity drinks mixed with coffee to give a sophisticated and adult flavor, will help make your event fantastic and memorable.”

One way to keep things simple is to blend refreshing and tasty, yet convenient, items like Starbucks VIA Ready Brew into your snacks, drinks and even grill rubs for a fresh take on old favorites.

For a quick and delicious start to your next party, here are a couple of recipes for drinks, snacks and great-tasting foods on the grill:

Cucumber Mint Lemonade

Cucumber Mint Lemonade
Serves about eight

Ingredients:
1 packet Starbucks VIA(R) Ready Brew
4 cups lemonade
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
1 cup loosely packed mint
Ice

Directions:
Dissolve coffee with a tablespoon of hot water in a pitcher. Add lemonade, sugar, cucumber, and mint. Chill for several hours. Serve over ice.

Sweet and Spicy Coffee Grilling Rub

Sweet and Spicy Coffee Grilling Rub

Ingredients:
2 packets Starbucks VIA Ready Brew
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:
Stir coffee, salt, pepper and sugar together. Coat it on the meat and grill. For stronger taste, let the coated meat sit up to an hour in the refrigerator before grilling.

Spicy Cocktail Nuts

Ingredients:
1 cup cashews
1 cup walnuts
1 cup almonds
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon red vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 packet Starbucks VIA Ready Brew
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Chile powder
1/4 cup dried papaya
1/4 cup dried mango
1/4 cup dried pineapple

Directions:
Toast nuts on a sheet pan for 10 minutes at 300 F. While nuts are toasting, combine all ingredients together, except dried fruit, in a heat-proof microwave container. Microwave for 20 seconds to melt and combine the mixture. Remove nuts from oven and turn temperature down to 225 F. Add toasted nuts to mixture and stir to coat. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Stir nuts to evenly coat and bake on all sides. Spread and press dried fruit onto nuts and place back in the oven for 15 minutes. After cooling, break up the mixture and store in an air-tight container.

Virgin Apple-tini
Makes two

Ingredients:
1 packet Starbucks VIA Ready Brew
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup ice
1/2 lime chopped
1 apple, sliced into thin wheels for garnish (core is in the center of the wheel)

Directions:
Dissolve coffee with a tablespoon of hot water in a shaker. Add apple juice, limes and ice. Place lid on top of the shaker and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain liquid into martini glasses. Place a thin apple wheel on top.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Anthony Carroll, green coffee expert for Starbucks, suggests entertaining at home with coffee.

“Served hot or cold, coffee is the perfect beverage for so many occasions,” Carroll says. “During the summer, nothing beats iced coffee.”

While many coffees taste great chilled, Carroll recommends high-quality specialty coffees like Kenya or African Kitamu from Starbucks. Both coffees make a wonderful option for serving cold because hints of citrus and floral notes become more pronounced when iced, and pair beautifully with favorite summertime treats.

African coffees are especially good over ice, with crisp, caramel notes that pair perfectly with fresh berries or a moist lemon pound cake.

After selecting your favorite coffee, brewing the perfect cup of iced coffee at home for guests is easy. To experience the complex flavors of the coffee, Carroll offers these simple steps to brew iced coffee to perfection at home:

* Brew coffee double strength, using one cup (2.5 ounces) of ground coffee to three cups of filtered water (24 ounces), in a coffee press to allow the coffee’s complex flavors to shine through.

* After brewing is complete, pour the coffee into a large pitcher, adding three cups of ice and let it cool.

* Serve the coffee in a tall glass over ice and sweeten to taste.

With Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, no coffee drinker will ever be without a great cup of iced coffee — simply brew it in cold water and ice. A perfected micro-grinding process preserves the naturally roasted flavors and produces the rich aroma and flavor of iced brewed Starbucks coffee.

“From the classic Iced Caffe Latte to the refreshing and simple Iced Caffe Americano, iced coffee beverages are easy to prepare and can be paired with delectable foods to match all occasions,” Carroll says. “Made with freshly brewed coffee, these thirst-quenching chilled beverages will ensure that you and your guests are kept cool in the summer heat.”

To put a twist on iced coffee, try serving one of these iced coffee beverages at your next summer get together.

Cafe con Leche
Coffee with milk, the perfect combination.
Makes four Servings

Ingredients:
1 cup (2.5 ounces) Kenya or Africa Kitamu ground coffee
3 cups (24 fluid ounces/710 milliliter) filtered water
1 cup (eight fluid ounce/236 milliliter) cold milk
Classic syrup

Directions:

Brew the coffee double strength using one cup of ground coffee to three cups of water. After brewing is complete, pour the coffee into a pitcher or carafe. Add three cups of ice to the pitcher and let cool. Fill four tall glasses halfway with ice. Pour 1/2 cup (four ounces) iced coffee over ice. Add 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 milliliters) cold milk to each glass. Sweeten to taste with classic syrup.

Citrus Iced Coffee
Tangy, tasty and tantalizing — a perfect afternoon drink.
Makes four servings

Ingredients:

1 cup (2.5 ounces) Kenya or African Kitamu ground coffee
3 cups (24 fluid ounces/710 milliliter) filtered water
1 orange sliced into thin wedges
1 lime sliced into thin wedges
Classic syrup

Directions:

Brew coffee double strength, using one cup of ground coffee to three cups of water. After brewing is complete, pour coffee into a pitcher or carafe. Add orange and lime wedges (put aside enough lime wedges to garnish glasses). Add three cups of ice to the pitcher and let cool. Serve in a tall glass filled halfway with ice and garnish with lime wedge. Sweeten to taste with classic syrup.

For more iced coffee ideas and recipes, visit www.starbucks.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Coffee Punch

Ingredients

• 2 quarts of vanilla ice cream, softened.
• 2 quarts of strong brewed coffee, cooled.
• 2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of whipping cream, whipped.
• ½ cup of sugar.
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• Ground nutmeg.

Instructions for Coffee Punch:

1. Combine the coffee, milk, sugar, and vanilla; stir thoroughly. Chill.
2. Place the vanilla ice cream in a large punch bowl.
3. Pour the coffee mixture over top of the ice cream, stirring gently.
4. Top with whipped cream, sprinkle with nutmeg, and then serve.

-Katya Coen

Photo by Tomáš Schmidl

Apricot Iced Coffee

Ingredients

• ¾ cup chilled coffee
• ½ cup cup chilled apricot juice
• ½ pt softened vanilla ice cream.
• ½ cup of fresh apricots.

Instructions for Apricot Iced Coffee:

1. Mix the coffee, milk and apricot nectar together in a bowl.
2. Add the softened ice cream and beat until smooth.
3. Blend fresh apricots in a blender until smooth. Pour the apricot mixture into a coffee glass and top with the coffee mixture.

-Katya Coen