Tag: lemonade

In Between Seasons Basil Cucumber Lemonade

pic1By Jodi Coffee

It’s Fall, y’all! Well, at least that’s what the calendar is telling us. The temperatures here in Southwest Arkansas have yet to fully give way to the cool days of Fall. We have been teased with a few drops into the 50’s and 60’s and then back up again in the high 80’s and low 90’s. It does wonders for one’s sinuses and can make a mama go mad when trying to pack for a weekend with three littles. Packing enough clothes to cover a range of temperatures TIMES THREE has likened our crew to that of the Beverly Hillbillies…and I have an oversized vehicle!

 As I was saying…

 My garden is in an in-between phase as well. My summer veggies are tuckering out and my newly planted cold crops are taking their sweet little time. It’s hard to go from eating from the garden every day to “watching the kettle boil”… a mistake I hope to avoid next season.jodi fall garden

  One reliable source is my herb garden. I LOVE herbs. I love them for many different reasons, but one that tops the list is the fact that they are fairly low maintenance. I keep most of my herbs in pots. It helps to keep them contained (to an extent) and they each hang out in their own space. 

jodi herbs

 In a time when it’s officially one season and feels like another, I tend to stick with food and drink that pair with the temperature. The fashion world doesn’t seem to be this tolerant). I can’t eat chili or drink hot chocolate when it’s 85 degrees out. Just. Not. Right. SO, fortunately, there are ways to eat fresh and roll with Mother Nature.

I am constantly trying to come up with ways to use the fruits of my labor. Literally. As in, the stuff from my garden. During this ‘tween phase, a nice cucumber-basil lemonade is the perfect way to celebrate the phasing out of summer and the welcoming of Fall. It’s simplistic yet divine. It’s refreshing and fabulous all in one. And speaking of ONE, this recipe is for ONE. My kiddos turn their noses up at my herbal concoctions (in actuality they pinch their little noses…they’re not fond of the smell), SO this is something I enjoy solo. Being SOLO and having the time to sip on some lemonade is a rare occasion. When I am able, I treat this mama right!

I go out and grab a few stems of basil from my herb garden.  I suggest placing them immediately in a mason jar or vase of water as the leaves will brown quickly.  Take one or two lemons (depending on size) and juice the fire out of ‘em. I mean juice the JUICE out of them!  Add your basil and cucumber and get to muddling. 

jodi lemonade collage500

 Since I don’t own a muddler, I used the end of one of my nifty handmade spoons made by my Dad.  This can be rather therapeutic. (Especially if the dogs just tracked in grass on a freshly mopped floor…hypothetically speaking and all.)  Add the sweetener (I used Stevia) and water.  Stir and let the flavors hang out for 10-15 minutes.

This may be a good time to go and start some laundry or move the clothes over to the dryer. Or, you could flip through your favorite magazine. But, you may want to save that until you have your drink in hand.  When the time is right, transfer ingredients to a mason jar filled with ice. And YES, I do recommend a mason jar. It makes it that much better.

 Garnish with cucumber slices and basil.  Walk around, enjoy the weather.  Take it poolside.  Oh no! No glass poolside! (Rules are made to be broken, and besides – you’re home alone. The kids will never know.)   Check out the garden. It will help you cope with those oh-so-slow sprouts.

  And there you have it.  Simplicity at it’s best!

lemonade 500

 But, just in case,  here  is the printable recipe just for YOU.

Is your garden tuckered out? Try this In Between Season Basil cucumber Lemonade from…

Click To Tweet

In Between Seasons Basil Cucumber Lemonade
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  2. 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
  3. 4-5 fresh basil leaves
  4. 3/4 teaspoon stevia (2 packets) OR 1 1/2 tablespoon extra fine sugar
  5. 3/4 cup cold filtered water
Instructions
  1. Combine lemon juice, chopped cucumber, and basil leaves in measuring cup
  2. Mix and muddle ingredients for 1-2 minutes
  3. Add stevia OR sugar
  4. Add water
  5. Stir to combine
  6. Let flavors meld for 10-15 minutes
  7. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. *Tip: this recipe may be doubled to amount needed if you feel inclined to invite someone to join you.
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/

jodi coffee

Jodi Coffee, who blogs at The Coffee House Life, is the mom of three beautiful and energetic little girls that ALWAYS give her something to blog about. She loves to try new things — food, travel and adventure. In her spare time…wait a minute. What is that? She enjoys training for triathlons, and has her sights set on an IRONMAN in the near future. She is a backyard farmer, a farmers’ market manager and enjoys helping bring healthy opportunities to her community.

 

 

Have You Met Herb? Basil-Infused Lemondade {Foodie Friday}

 By Sarah E. White

There’s really no excuse not to grow herbs. Even if you don’t have a back yard big enough for a garden (or any backyard at all), herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme and mint are easy to grow in pots in a sunny window or on a balcony ledge. The only problem – if you want to think of it like that – with growing herbs is that you tend to get a lot all at once, and it can sometimes be difficult to come up with something to do with them. Take basil, for instance. It’s actually better for the plant if you harvest regularly, and all those leaves can add up quickly. I happen to love pesto (here’s my recipe), but I’d rather do other things with some of the bounty as well. All credit for this idea goes to my husband, who is enamored of the basil gimlets served at Theo’s in Fayetteville. We learned that it’s really easy to make a basil infused simple syrup, and of course you could do this with any other herb you’ve got a lot of that would be tasty in drinks (mint, anyone?).

basil-sugar

 Basil Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is a basic recipe of equal parts sugar and water. Start with one cup of each, but if you have a lot of basil or another herb, or are making enough for a party, you can easily double or triple up. Add the water and sugar to a saucepan along with a handful (maybe half a cup if you were the measuring sort) of washed basil leaves. It’s fine if they’re not looking totally pretty. Bring to a slow simmer on medium heat, stirring to melt the sugar. Let it bubble gently for 5 or 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool with the basil inside. Strain and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.syrup-lemon

Uses for Infused Syrups

You can use yours like my husband does, in a basil gimlet (equal parts vodka and syrup, or cut back on the syrup a bit if you don’t like it too sweet, along with a generous application of lime juice), or like I do, in lemonade. You can just add a shot to storebought lemonade if you like, or make your own. Start by squeezing a lemon (or a lime, if you’d rather) into a pint glass, add a quarter cup of syrup and fill the rest of the glass with ice and water. This makes a concoction that’s not too sweet or too sour, so you can add more lemon if you like it tart or syrup if you like it sweet. 

lemonade

Lemonade for a Crowd

  • Two cups of basil infused syrup
  • One gallon water
  • Two cups of fresh lemon juice

Combine all and serve over ice. Garnish with lemon and basil if you’re feeling fancy

sarah

 

Sarah E. White is a knitter, crafter, mom and writer based in Fayetteville. She writes at Our Daily Craft about crafting with and for kids and creating the life you’ve always wanted, as well as writing the knitting websites for About.com and Craft Gossip. She’s just about finished writing her third book on knitting and getting ready to celebrate her daughter’s fifth birthday.