Strawberry Basil Lemonade

After sharing all of those lemonade variations last week, I was seriously craving some good homemade lemonade over the weekend. That in addition to our AC blowing out (another story for another time), it was a perfect time to have a glass (and another and another) of lemonade. I threw in some strawberries we had picked and some of the basil that's growing (yay!) in my mini-herb garden. I loved the combination! Hope your weekend is cool + filled with fruity drinks.

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 8 lemons)

2 cups sliced strawberries

fresh basil

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved; let cool. In a pitcher, combine the syrup with the lemon juice and 4 cups of water. Stir well to combine. Add the sliced strawberries and a handful of fresh basil. Serve over ice. *Note: the longer this lemonade sits, the better it tastes as the basil infuses the drink!

source: recipe adapted from real simple + a beautiful mess

Freckled Lemonade

Please do me a favor:  go buy a bunch of lemons.  Don't wait for life to hand you those lemons, go out there and get them yourself!  And then make this lemonade.  I promise that this is the best lemonade you will ever have.  I made it this past weekend when we had family visiting, and Lauren and I could not stop drinking it/talking about how delicious it was!  This will definitely be my go-to summer drink!

Freckled Lemonade

zest of one lemon

2 cups sugar

2 cups chopped hulled strawberries

2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 10 large lemons)

1/4 tsp salt

Make the lemon syrup:  Bring the lemon zest, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, make the strawberry syrup:  Toss the chopped strawberries and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Gently mash some of the strawberries with a potato masher to release the juices; do not pureé - you want there to still be strawberry chunks.   Let the mixture sit at room temperature until the sugar dissolves, about 45 minutes.  Strain the strawberry mixture with a fine mesh strainer; reserve the strawberry syrup and the berries separately.

Make the lemonade:  Combine the lemon juice, lemon syrup, salt, and 2 cups cold water in a pitcher.

For each drink, put 1 Tbsp of the strawberry syrup in a tall glass.  Fill with ice, then top with the lemonade and some of the reserved strawberries.

source:  recipe from Food Network Magazine, May 2012