classic lemonade + a gift

Warm days are here, and if the forecast is accurate, they are here to stay. At least until my beloved Fall greets us with crisp air and apple goodness. But for the time being my sweaters are packed away and I’m soaking up the warm air, sunshine and long days. The breezy, sleepy mornings aren’t too bad either.

On hot days, nothing hits the spot quite like good old fashioned, classic lemonade. I am risking sounding like a cheesy commercial but stopping just short of saying things like, “gee, golly – this lemonade sure is tasty, Ma!”

But really – it is.

A few weeks ago, we put together little gift baskets full of lemonade fixings for the Buddy’s preschool teachers. It was the end of the school year, and we wanted to give his teachers (who we love) something that they would be able to use and enjoy with their families over summer vacation. Lemonade fixings were the perfect idea.

We put together  baskets of lemons, a citrus juicer, adorable mason jar glasses, colorful straws and some bright kitchen towels – because squeezing all of those lemons tends to make a bit of a mess.

My very favorite part of this whole gift was the handwritten recipe cards made by the Buddy, himself. He wrote the recipe out one time and then with just a small amount of computer magic, I shrunk it down and fit it onto little cards to attach to the baskets. I think that was he’s teachers’ favorite part as well.

I’m pretty much in love with his handwriting.

If you’ve never made homemade lemonade, you must give it a try. Admittedly, the juicing of the lemons takes a bit of time, but it’s so worth it. Besides the taste of fresh, delicious lemons, this lemonade also has the ability to be completely customized. Reduce the sugar for a less sweet drink. Add berries or herbs for a fun and unexpected twist.

The possibilities are endless.

To make things go a little more smoothly in the juicing department, I cut all of my lemons in half before squeezing any of them. That way wouldn’t have to repeatedly stop, slice, squeeze, stop, slice, squeeze.

This has become an instant favorite in our house – every single person loved it. Again, what’s not to like?

Enjoy and Happy Monday!

 

Classic Lemonade

Yield: makes 6 - 1 cup servings

Ingredients

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cups of water

Directions

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add sugar to 1 cup of water and stir until sugar crystals dissolve. This is a simple syrup. In a pitcher, add simple syrup, lemon juice and 4 cups of water. Stir to combine. Serve lemonade over ice and enjoy!

Notes:

Make it your own: You can reduce sugar to 3/4 of a cup for a slightly less sweet lemonade. You can also increase lemon juice if you are looking for a more tart lemonade. Try adding berries or herbs to your simple syrup to tweak the flavors. Crushed berries can also be added for a sweet twist. Don't be afraid to play around with this. I'd love to hear about your recipes! What do you like to add to your lemonade?
slightly adapted from Simply Recipes
June 17th, 2013
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This delicious recipe brought to you by Jelly Toast
https://jellytoastblog.com/lemonade-recipe/