Whiskey sour punch

I hope you've got socks on — not because you have smelly feet, but because they're about to get knocked off.

This slushy whiskey sour punch is a family favorite. I realize my clan has a lot of family favorites, but really, we just super like to eat and may have annual festivities just to have specific food to look forward to.

My mom got this recipe from one of very favorite teachers when I was growing up, and it seems to sneak its way into lots of celebrations — graduations, bonfires, birthday parties. I think sometimes we make up reasons for parties just to have an excuse to make a giant batch. And yes, this punch is very sneaky — because the liquor taste is hidden just-so and you'll be three glasses in until you realize you need a designated driver.

So, try a glass. I mean, really — try to just have one glass. Impossible. Some of my saucier friends even like to add Prosecco on top — like an extra boozy mimosa. Obviously, these are my favorite friends.

Side note: I wrote and photographed this recipe for The Riveter's Women & Whiskey series. The Riveter is a magazine that features long-form journalism written by women and was founded by some of very talented women we used to study with in college. They were also sweet enough to do a Q&A on Theresa & me for their magazine and why we love whiskey so much (as if we needed to explain ourselves).

YOU'LL NEED:

Two 6 oz. cans frozen orange juice
Two 6 oz. cans frozen lemonade
4 tea bags
1 ½ cup sugar
9 cups boiling water
1 fifth of whiskey

Yields two gallons

DO THIS:

In a medium-sized bowl, mix 2 cups boiling water with the 4 tea bags and let steep for about 2-3 minutes. In a separate large bowl, mix 7 cups boiling water with sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Add frozen juice to the tea mixture, mixing until the juice melts and is incorporated, and then add the newly mixed tea mixture into the sugar water. Empty the contents of the whiskey bottle into the bowl (and maybe take a swig or two).
Pour the punch into your desired container — I prefer a punch bowl because of its consistency but a pitcher works great, too — and put it in the freezer (sorry, make some room!). Let sit 8 hours or overnight.
Put the punch out about 30 minutes before you intend to drink and serve with a ladle. And be careful — that whiskey will sneak up on you.

Yum