Sunday, September 5, 2010

Summertime = Lemonade!!! Part 2: Strawberry Lemonade and Blended Lemonade

 



Earlier this summer I did a post about homemade lemonade.  While straight lemonade is a wonderful summertime drink, there are times when I want to make something extra special.  Out comes the strawberry lemonade or blended lemonade!

Turning regular lemonade into strawberry lemonade is very easy—just add pureed strawberries.  Keep in mind that I don’t pay more than $1/lb. for produce.  When strawberries go on sale, I buy lots!!  We eat them plain, make strawberry smoothies, put them on our waffles or pancakes, and make strawberry lemonade.




I love pureeing a bunch of strawberries and freezing them in ½-cup portions.  Just add two to a pitcher of lemonade and you’ve got strawberry lemonade!  My immersion blender came with a food processor attachment that I use to puree strawberries.  Of course, a regular food processor would work too.







  

Strawberry Lemonade
1½ c. lemon juice
6 c. water
1¼-1⅓ c. sugar
1 c. pureed strawberries

Mix all ingredients in a 2-quart pitcher.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Serve iced or chilled.  Yields about 2 quarts.

 

A fun treat on a really hot day is blended lemonade.

Blended Lemonade
¾ c. lemon juice
½ c. sugar
1½ c. water
2¼ c. ice

In a blender, mix lemon juice, sugar, and water.  Blend at a low speed to combine.  Add ice.  Blend on high to crush ice.  Serve immediately.  Blended strawberry lemonade:  add ¼ c. strawberry puree before adding ice.  Yields about 4 ½ c.

 

When I make strawberry lemonade or blended lemonade I like to go all out when I serve it.  I love the way it looks in my Irish coffee mugs.  A simple and inexpensive trick is to coat the lips of the glasses with sugar.  Simply dip the top of the cup in water, shake off excess, and dip in sugar.  Take care not to disturb the sugar when filling the glasses.  Add a sliced and splayed strawberry or a lemon slice to complete a yummy eye-catching summer treat!  (Unfortunately, I didn’t have any extra strawberries or lemons when I took these photos.)

Dip the rim of the glass in cold water.
Dip the rim of the glass in sugar.
  



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