When life gives you lemons...

Hopefully it also gives you sugar and water or your lemonade won't be very good! There are few things that go together better than hot summer afternoons and an ice cold glass of lemonade (well, perhaps a margarita...), but today we'll stick with lemonade. Sitting on the porch, sipping lemonade, these are the days we dream about all winter.
We get all those lovely mixes and such, but making your own lemonade is really so simple, and it reminds me of going to my grandma's house in the summer! So, if you're in the mood for a bit of nostalgia...
Here'e what you'll need:
1 1/2 Cups Water
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
Zest from 2 lemons
2Cups of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of salt

How you do it:
Boil the lemon zest, sugar and water, stirring until sugar is dissolved. IMPORTANT: LET COOL then pour into pitcher

Stir in your lemon juice and salt, add water and ice and some lemon slices

But doesn't it take FOREVER to juice a lemon?
Not really. I just roll it on the counter under my palm, slice it in half and squeeze over a bowl, then get the seeds out with a spoon. If you have a citrus press, you can also use one of those (if you don't know what a citrus press is, there is a link with a picture of one. It's the second link in my sources, and don't worry, I won't tell)

Fresh lemonade is great for cookouts, to go with muffins for brunch, or just for sipping outdoors with a good book! Enjoy!

Photo from Foodnetwork.com

Sources:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/perfect-lemonade-recipe/index.html

http://www.thekitchenista.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93:how-to-juice-a-lemon&catid=56:how-to&Itemid=87