It's getting incredibly hot outside in Texas and I've been thinking about getting a baby pool and parking me and my belly in it for the whole summer. It's the kinda hot where you wake up in the morning and can feel the heat rising as the minutes pass. And...it's not even at hot compared to what the rest of the summer will bring! I have gotten used to the fact that I'll basically be sweaty all summer long, but then again Louisiana prepared me for humid and hot days where your skin never dries. The only thing to do is to hydrate. This can mean drinking water all day, or it can also mean sipping on something really delicious to help you deal with the heat. My sparkling blueberry basil lemonade is going to make the heat a little more bearable this summer and if you spike it, it can help with a whole bunch of other stuff too...know what I mean?

Whenever I drink lemonade, it always takes me back to when I was a little girl sitting on the side of the road, where I would sell painted rocks (one of a kind, I assure you) and I would sell homemade lemonade to the neighbors.

Does anything say summer like sweet and juicy watermelon? It's my favorite and I can literally eat my weight in it. It's kind of a problem, sometimes I have to pace myself. I am totally guilty of slicing and eating simultaneously just to ensure that it will fit into the container I am trying to put it in...well that and the fact that I am too impatient to wait until the whole thing is sliced, and why dirty another bowl right? So I got to thinking about my love of watermelon and thought why not make a cocktail out of it?

Meet my new favorite summer drink, a sparkling watermelon basil cocktail!

Seriously, it's the most refreshing drink, and with the heat that Louisiana has been experiencing, I need all the refreshment I can get! The sweet watermelon is balanced with basil and lime and then you add a little gin and prosecco and holy moly...it's going to rock your world.

Since tomorrow is the Fourth of July, I thought I better get this recipe to y'all today because this drink could not be more perfect for any of your holiday activities this weekend! Watermelon is basically an essential ingredient to the Fourth of July anyway, so it just makes sense.

Sparkling Blueberry Basil Lemonade

Sparkling Watermelon Basil Cocktail