Spicy Vodka Lemonade

I'm always going for simple when it comes to cocktails, especially at the end of the summer when laziness is in full force. Anytime a recipe asks me to boil something in order to mix a drink, I'm out. Nothing is easier than a vodka lemonade, but just mixing the two ingredients doesn't do much for me. The vodka just waters the lemonade down. So I devised a new version that appears a bit more hipster mixologist friendly, but no extensive juicing or boiling required. With mandatory heat, obviously.

MAKE IT

3/4 cup of natural lemonade (I like Simply Lemonade)

2 oz of vodka

Juice of 1 lemon

Slices of jalapeño pepper (to taste - I used half a pepper in each cocktail because I like it hot)

Stevia drops - this is my new favorite cocktail ingredient in place of simple syrup! Tastes great and turns any cocktail into a skinny cocktail. You can also use any sweetener of your choice.

Squeeze the juice of the lemon into a shaker along with a bunch of ice, lemonade, vodka, Stevia drops, and jalapeño slices.  Shake it up and serve in a big ol' mason jar. I also made this cocktail as a punch for a party in a canister and it worked perfectly for a big group. It's the perfect end-of-summer last hurrah before we're on to the dark, smokey drinks of fall!