Yum
There is something magical about beautiful, carefree, summer days. It’s almost like the first time you get glasses . . . everything seems brighter– crisper. The fruits and vegetables shimmer with natural health and vibrant colors that we missed all winter long with sickly, out-of-season produce. The weather is hot and sunny, with the sun graciously staying up a few extra hours, just so you can squeeze every drop of fun out of every day. Kids squeal and play in the sprinklers, then go out into the blue, cool evening and catch lightning bugs in recycled peanut butter jars. The stars seem close enough to touch– a million glittering diamonds on a black velvet sky.
To have the blessing of another summer is to be young, no matter what age you are. People spend so much time wishing for time to pass, wishing they looked different, wishing their kids would grow up . . . and before they know it, those things have happened, and there’s no going back. Don’t wish your life away. Relish each moment and wring the joy out of every single day. Grab yourself some limes and let the kids help you squeeze them. Have a contest to see who can lick the squeezed lime peeling without making a face. Make a picnic with refreshing cherry limeade and take it to the park. Laugh together. And enjoy your family. Life goes by way too quickly– savor every second.
What are we waiting for? Let’s do this!
Refreshing Cherry Limeade
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lime juice (Approximately 2 large or 3 smaller (not key) limes)
3/4 cup cherry juice
1/2 cup prepared cherry fruit drink (like Kool-Aid)
1 cup water
1/2 cup simple syrup (more on this, in a minute)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and chill until ready to serve. Garnish with lime wedges and maraschino cherries, if desired.
Now, in pictures! 🙂
This drink is so easy that you’ll be sipping beautiful, summery drinks in no time. 🙂 The basis of any sweet, cold beverage should be simple syrup. Simple syrup is basically just equal parts sugar and water that have been brought to a boil and boiled for 1 minute, then cooled.
This “spa day” for the sugar water just keeps the sugar from settling out and creating that “shifting white sands of time” goop that you get sometimes on the bottom of your glass. When you see that mess, you can bet the sugar water wasn’t boiled, first. Eh . . . we live and learn.
I usually make simple syrup in larger amounts, in the summer (like a cup of sugar and a cup of water), because sweet summery drinks, like Perfect Iced Coffee, and Black and Blue Lemonade take it, and then I can whip my simple syrup out of the fridge anytime I need it. 🙂 Yes. This means that you can have refreshing, summery drinks faster, as you lounge by the pool. You’re welcome.
So, while your simple syrup is rocking and rolling, let’s talk cherry juice. You will need to head into the country, find a nearly extinct cherry farm, and hand-squeeze millions of cherries, agonizingly slowly, to get the juice you need . . .
Haha. Just kidding 😉 I am using plain ‘ole cherry Juicy Juice. Yep. And I also used cherry kool-aid, too. Don’t be a drink snob. The little squidge of ready-made kool aid I added gave the whole ‘shebang a nice, pretty pink color. Of course, you can do what you want. But I prefer my drink pretty and pink. 🙂
Now the next part is really hard. You will need a degree in rocket science and multiple job offers from Intel and Nasa to be able to do it . . .
Are you ready?
(*Wizard of Oz fire and a mysterious voice*) MIX THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER!!!!
Yep. Seriously. That’s it. And voila– you just made amazingly delicious Cherry Limeade. You superwoman, you. Don’t you wish everything were this easy? (*Eyes the pile of unfolded laundry, pointedly*)
One quick note– just as everyone likes different tartness levels of lemonade, everyone has different comfort levels with the tartness of limes. If you’re worried that the drink may be too “limey” for you, add 1 less lime than I recommend, and see if you want to add any more acidity, after you taste the finished product. Your kitchen, your rules.
All I know is that you can whip up a deeeeeeeelicious batch of this fresh, fruity summer beverage as quick as a flash, and suddenly it feels like you’re a kid again on the first day of summer vacation. You can even garnish each glass with an adorable little “lime twist” (kind of like a slinky/coil looking thing, made out of citrus peel– amazingly cool) if you want (cheapie tool to make citrus spirals here
Whatever you do, have fun. Life is delicious and beautiful. And it’s worth celebrating. *Raises glass to you* Cheers.
You did it. And I’m just so proud of you.
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