If life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

by Brie There is nothing like a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. Especially if it is homemade.

We have a favorite lemonade recipe that comes from our well used copy of The New Canadian Basics Cookbook. It is one of the husband's favorite party treats to make. It is also one of our favorite treats to give. This year my one and a half-year old and three and a half-year old made a big batch to give to the girl's preschool teachers as an end of the year gift. Needless to say, they loved it!

I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as hard to make as I thought it would be with two kids. My tip is to double the batch and then each child is in charge of their own batch. They each get their own bowl, their own pile of lemons and their own sugar to dump in the bowl.

I will warn you that the sugar, and not the boiling hot water, is the trickiest part of this recipe. I kept a close eye on the girl but when I looked back at her after turning away for only a moment she had her face in the sugar cup trying to lick as much of it as possible. She maintained she was just smelling it but I could see the white sugar crystals on her lips!

Here is our favorite lemonade recipe!

In a heatproof glass jar or a bowl, combine:

- 3/4 cup lemon juice

- 2 tbsp grated lemon rind

- 3 cups granulated sugar

- 2 cups boiling water

Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and refrigerate. For each service, mix 2 to 4 tbsp concentrate with 3/4 cup cold water, or to taste.

 Then enjoy some yummy lemonade. Or, set up a table out front and teach the kids how to run their own lemonade stand!

Brie is the mom of a 3.5 year old daughter “the girl” and eighteen month old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.