Refreshing Lemonade Recipes

Strawberry Lemonade
Via Laylita
What better way to quench your thirst on a hot summer day than with lemonade?  We've found some wonderfully refreshing lemonade recipes.  These recipes go beyond traditional lemonade to liven your beverage recipe collection!  Cheers!



Strawberry Lemonade
Serves 6-8 people

Easy and quick homemade strawberry lemonade recipe, made in the blender using lemons, strawberries and honey. Replace lemons with limes for strawberry limeade.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb strawberries, washed & cut in halves, about 4 cups
2 lemons, washed and quartered (use limes to make strawberry limeade)
1/2 to 3/4 cup honey or sugar to taste, adjust based on your preference and sweetness of strawberries
6 cups of water
Ice

Garnishes:
Strawberry slices, lemon slices and/or fresh herbs (mint, lemon verbena, lemon balm, basil)

Instructions:
Blend the strawberries, lemons and honey with 2 cups of water.
Strain the strawberry lemon mix, add the additional 4 cups of water through the strainer.
Taste and add additional honey/sugar if needed.
Serve cold over ice and garnished with strawberry slices, lemon slices and herbs.

Method 2 (this one helps make the straining easier and keeps all strawberry goodness):
First blend only the strawberries with the honey and 1 cup of water. You don’t need to strain this, it’s better to keep all the strawberries goodness. Then place the blended strawberries mix in a pitcher.

Then in the same blender, you don’t need to wash or rinse it, blend the quartered lemons with the 1-2 cups of water.

Strain the lemon mix into the pitcher, mix well and add the rest of the water. Taste and adjust sweetness level if needed.
Serve as indicated above.

Notes:
For a refreshing summer cocktail, add your choice of alcohol. You can use vodka, tequila, rum and even cachaça – for a quick strawberry caipirihna. You can also mix the strained mixed with white wine or sparkling wine, instead of the additional 4 cups of water, for delicious strawberry sangria



Mint Lemonade (Low Sugar)
Via Pickled Plum

Mint Lemonade (Low Sugar)
Prep Time:  5 mins
Total Time:  5 mins
Serves: 4-6 drinks

Ingredients:
6 lemons
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups cold water
30-40 mint leaves
Ice cubes

Instructions:
Put sugar along with 1/2 cup water in a small pot and cook on low until the sugar has dissolved (1 minute). Let cool for a few minutes.

Juice the lemons and get rid of the seeds. Add the lemon juice to a pitcher and add 4 cups of water.

Add sugar syrup to the pitcher and mix well.

Add more water or plenty of ice cubes if you find the lemonade too strong.

Put 6-10 mint leaves into each cup and muddle for a few seconds using a pestle. Add a little lemonade and muddle for a few more seconds.


Finish this lemonade recipe by filling each glass 3/4 full and adding a few ice cubes.

Cherry Pineapple Lemonade
Via The Kitchen McCabe

Cherry Pineapple Lemonade
Serves: Serves about 12

Ingredients:
1 recipe Lemonade Base, chilled - See Below
1 can Frozen Pineapple Juice
1 bottle Maraschino Cherry Syrup(found in the drink mix section of the grocery store)
Water
Maraschino Cherries
Pineapple slices (for garnish)

Instructions:
In a very large pitcher, mix together the lemonade base and thawed pineapple juice.
Add water to the pitcher to taste, leaving the lemonade a little bit on the strong side because it will be poured over ice.

To Assemble:

Pour 1-2 tablespoons of cherry syrup in the bottom of a glass(depending on how much syrup you prefer). Fill the glass with ice. Pour the pineapple lemonade slowly over the ice until the glass is full. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a slice of pineapple.

Lemonade Base Recipe:
Ingredients
2 C. Fresh Lemon Juice(from about 10-12 lemons)
2 C. Sugar
2 C. Water

Instructions:
Place the lemon juice, sugar, and water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil, stirring the sugar until it is completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and place in a large pitcher.
Refrigerate until cold.


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