Lemonade with Leaves

My grandma never made homemade lemonade. My mother-in-law does.

This is one of those family tradition things that my family never did, and my husband’s family ALWAYS does.

My mother-in-law is a great cook: she makes the absolute best potato salad I have ever eaten. She also rocks out some awesome sugar cookies. And she makes incredible lemonade.

Since it’s once again HOT…

My husband will be so happy that I made lemonade.

Start with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water…Simple syrup.

Cook until the sugar dissolves…

Meanwhile, get out the lemons…

4 usually gets me about 1 cup. You can use more or less juice, depending on how intense you want the lemon flavor. 1 cup gives you a nice, soft lemon flavor. Not that scratchy-throat lemon flavor, wow I hate that.

Yup, 1 cup…and a butt-wad of seeds. I like the pulp, but no seeds.

Simple syrup is done, they don’t call it “simple” for nuthin’. It needs to chill in the fridge.

I decided that I wanted to jazz up the lemonade a little…The boys and I were watching an episode of Max and Ruby, and the grandma made lemonade with mint. So, in honor of the rabbit brother and sister that have no parents…Let’s add mint.

I just tore it and threw it in the bottom…this is about 5 leaves…

Then I sliced up some lemons and threw them in…

Then the juice…

Then 4 cups of water and ice…

Joey’s reaction: Oh mommy! you made lemonade with leaves!

Joey’s dad will have a similar reaction, I’m sure: What’s this green stuff floating in the lemonade?

Because of the “green stuff floating in the lemonade”, He won’t drink it, I’ll bet ya $10.

Pour into some glasses…garnish with a lemon…

Bada-bing, you got minty lemonade!

Hot? Wanna make some?

Lemonade with Leaves

Adapted from a recipe from Karen Robinson

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

4 lemons, plus 2 for garnish

4 cups water

5 mint leaves, plus more for garnish

ice

Mix together 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Juice 4 lemons to for 1 cup of fresh lemon juice, slice remaining lemons thinly. Tear 5 mint leaves and drop into the bottom of a pitcher. Add lemon slices, lemon juice and 4 cups of water. Fill pitcher with ice.

Pour into glasses, garnish with more lemon and mint.

And you just made Lemonade with Leaves!