Who doesn’t love ice-cold, freshly squeezed lemonade on a warm day? Here in North Texas, we have a LOT of warm days ahead and little spring and summer traditions like making lemonade with your kids just adds a something extra-special to look forward to…especially we you need a break from the heat 🙂
The best part is, a delicious, homemade lemonade is not hard AT ALL. So don’t worry, we don’t have to be Martha Stewart to make it. It’s a few simple ingredients that you always have around and that’s it. (My biggest challenge is just remembering to buy 10-12 lemons, instead of my usual 3-4 each week.)
Mommies, you can modify your glass to make a ‘mojito-esque’ version!! I love it because the tartness of the lemonade really mimics the crisp lime bite of a regular mojito. I don’t know about you, but mojitos are my all-time favorite warm-weather drink. The first mojito I ever had was while going to college in France (I know, it’s not a “French” drink per say, but I was not yet into wine back then haha). It was a warm, spring Friday afternoon after class and Paris was in full bloom. A friend asked me to meet her at a cafe along the Champs-Élysées for happy hour. I was a poor college student, mojitos were on sale, so I gave one a try…And my favorite drink was established. The bright lime juice paired with beautiful fresh mint makes this drink so light and refreshing. Perfect for enjoying spring and summer nights outside.
Over the last 4 years, I’ve either been pregnant or nursing nonstop, so my mojito drinking has been down to zero. I wouldn’t trade these hard-core “pregnant/momming” years for the world, but every now and then, it would be great to enjoy a nice little cocktail. So, when making this lemonade with your kids, you can opt to modify your glass slightly to create a mojito-like version of everyone’s favorite lemonade 🙂 Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (number of lemons needed may vary, I usually use 10-12 depending on size)
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar (I like mine a little on the tart side, if you like it sweeter, add an extra 1/4 cup sugar)
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small sauce pan and bring to boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill in refrigerator. This will make a simple syrup.
- Strain lemon juice 1-2 times to remove seeds but leave most of the yummy pulp. (I place a large bowl under a small-holed pasta strainer and pour the lemon juice through a few times.
- In a large pitcher, combine lemon juice, 7 cups water and chilled syrup. Stir together and place in refrigerator for an hour before serving.
(Use fresh mint as a garnish or see below for drink adaptation)
*Mommy’s Mojito Lemonade: In your glass of choice, fill halfway with ice and pour in lemonade (leaving some room at the top). Place 5-6 fresh mint leaves in drink. With a straw, muddle (or lightly pound) the leaves around in the drink to break up the mint a bit and combine everything together. The more “muddled” the mint, making the drink a bit ‘cloudy’, the better the taste 🙂 And Viola! You can now enjoy a Mommy Lemonade Mojito (sans alcohol)! C’est si bon!
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