A friend shared this recipe a few weeks ago and I can’t count how often we’ve made these smoothies since.  They’re easy to make and so refreshing!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups ice cubes
2 cups chopped watermelon
1 pint strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
juice of half a lemon
1 cup water

Place ingredients in blender and mix until smooth.  My son started adding 1 tablespoon lavender to the mix as well and it’s actually quite good.

Served in my favorite juice glasses for the 4th of July makes them even better.  (Glasses from IKEA on clearance last year)

I hope you’ll try these refreshing summer smoothies!

Jennifer

Looking for a refreshing summer drink?  This is our family favorite, and a favorite of mine because it’s easy to make, clear (meaning no stains) and because I can store most of the ingredients and make it in a pinch.

Good Water

2 Tb. citric acid
1 T lemon extract
3 cups sugar
5 quarts water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
ice cubes
sliced lemons and limes

Mix together sugar, water, citric acid, lemon extract and vanilla until sugar is dissolved.  Add lemons, limes and ice cubes.  Serve and enjoy!

A note about the citric acid.  For many years I purchased it in the pharmacy section at a local grocery store but I found an online source for a better price.  If you buy it, it stores well and will last a long time.  I get mine here.

Jennifer

But not just any lemonade.

Homemade lavender lemonade.  Our favorite summertime drink.  Delicious and refreshing.

My husband just looked at these pictures and said, “If only you could describe how good that stuff is!”

Here’s how to make it:
Boil 10 cups water with 4 cups sugar to make a simple syrup.  Remove from heat and add 4 Tb. dried lavender buds to the syrup.  Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours.  Pour mixture into a large container, using cheesecloth to strain lavender.  Discard lavender buds.

Squeeze up to 10 lemons until you have 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice.
In a large container, mix lemon juice with 12 cups water.

Add lemon water to syrup mixture and watch the color change.  Stir and pour a bit into a glass to taste.  Feel free to add more water if it’s too strong, or a bit more lemon juice if you want it stronger.

Add ice, and serve.

Enjoy the refreshing taste.  Serve some more.

You get the idea.

Makes just less than 1.5 gallons of lemonade.

I poured some into pint sized mason jars to share with friends.  Fabric and a tag finished the gift.  I enjoy sharing gifts from my kitchen.

Hope you try it, and happy August!

Hopeful Homemaker

It’s lemony, but not lemonade.  It’s not just lemon water, either.  With a hint of vanilla, it’s delicious.  I’ve never served it to anyone who didn’t like it.  It’s clear in color so I never have to worry about spills.  It’s easy to make and I try to keep all the ingredients on hand.  The only thing I usually need to add to my shopping list is a couple of lemons.  I’m not kidding when I say that my family LOVES this drink.

That said, here’s the recipe.

Good Water

2 Tb. Citric Acid*
1 Tb. Lemon extract
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 quarts water
ice
lemon slices

In a punch bowl or other large container, combine water and sugar.  Add citric acid, lemon extract and vanilla.  Mix together.  Add ice and lemon slices.  Serve and enjoy!  When I am making this for guests, I usually make 1.5 batches.

Note:  Citric Acid is a product that can be purchased in some pharmacies.  However, I have found that I can get it for less money online.  A good  source I’ve found is the San Francisco Herb Company.  Simply search their site for “citric acid” and you’ll find it!  This product stores very well for a long time, so I purchase it by the pound and have it on hand.

Hopeful Homemaker

A friend of mine passed this recipe along to me when I was planning for my baby’s blessing celebration.  We found it to be a hit:  simple shopping list, easy preparation, and a great taste that people are just a bit surprised by.

Ingredients needed:

2 liters of Sprite or 7-Up, a can of limeade concentrate, water, sliced cucumber (peeled or unpeeled according to your preference), raspberries.

Mix the limeade concentrate with water according to directions, then add a 2 liter bottle of soda.  Mix together, then add sliced cucumbers, raspberries and ice.  Let sit for about 30 minutes before serving so the punch can absorb the flavor of the cucumbers.

It looks pretty in a punch bowl

or in a glass,

and it turns a beautiful pink after the raspberries sit in it for a while.

This has become a favorite in our house.  I hope you like it too!

And it’s so pretty!

The recipe is very simple.  You just have to make it at least 24 hours before you want to serve it so that it has time to freeze.

First, combine 3 cups sugar and 3 cups water in a saucepan.

Bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat to cool.

Meanwhile, open two cans of grapefruit.  With a fork, remove the grapefruit from the cans while preserving as much juice as possible.

Place the grapefruit sections on a cutting board.

Slice the grapefruit into small pieces.

Put the grapefruit back into the cans.  Drain the juice from a bottle of maraschino cherries.
Pour them onto a cutting board.

Now chop them up!

When the sugar syrup has cooled, add the grapefruit to it.

Then add the chopped cherries.

Now open two cans of crushed pineapple and dump them in.  No draining!

Stir it together.

Pour the slush into a large freezer-safe container.
I like to save the big plastic buckets that we sometimes buy ice cream in.
They are perfect for freezing things like this.
Now freeze the slush for 24 hours or until firm.

To serve, remove from freezer and let soften until you can scoop it.
Place slush in a cup and add some 7-UP or Sprite.

Grab a spoon and enjoy!
This is a great summertime refresher.

Here’s the recipe:

Grapefruit Slush

3 cups sugar
3 cups water
2 cans grapefruit sections (around 14 oz.)
1 jar maraschino cherries
2 cans crushed pineapple (20 oz.)
2 liters 7-Up or Sprite (you could also use ginger ale)

Combine sugar and water in large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat to cool.
Remove grapefruit from cans, reserving juice, and chop.
Drain jar of maraschino cherries.  Chop cherries into small pieces.

When sugar syrup has cooled somewhat, add grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
Add maraschino cherries.  Open cans of pineapple and add.
Stir well.  Pour into large freezer-safe container and freeze 24 hours or until firm.

To serve, thaw slush at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
Spoon in to glasses, top with 7-UP or Sprite.
Enjoy!

Makes about 1 gallon of slush.

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