Recipe File: Homemade Lemonade

Beat the heat with this classic thirst quencher.

This recipe is really simple and only uses three ingredients. But you can also get fancy and add fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil or mint. (Unless your kids aren’t into green stuff!)

My daughter Edie loves to get her hands dirty, and her favorite part of making this drink is “pouring in the sugar and squeezing the lemons,” she says. You don’t have to let the lemonade sit overnight, but it tastes even better if it does. Pro tip: You can also make a grown-ups-only drink out of it with a splash of bubbly water and some rosé or white wine. Cheers!

Homemade Lemonade

Makes 5-6 cups

4 ripe lemons
1 cup sugar
4 cups water
3 fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)

Directions

1. Slice lemons into ½-inch rounds and put them in a large bowl.

2. Squeeze lemons with hands until you get all the juice out. Let the kids help!

3. Add sugar and keep squeezing until the sugar dissolves.

4. Strain the liquid and place into a pitcher.

5. Add 4 cups of water and 2 cups of ice.

6. Add a few rosemary sprigs (or other herbs), if using and mix with a wooden spoon.

7. Serve immediately or chill overnight.

Judith Rich creates kid-inspired recipes and writes about her family’s dining-out adventures in and around Portland at her blog, Eaty Pie. Find her at eatypie.com.

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Judith Rich

Judith Klein Rich has been blogging about food since 2007. Born in Slovakia, her enthusiasm for food experimentation and creation stems from her deeply seated Eastern European roots. Currently writing under the alias of Eaty Pie (eatypie.com), her blog explores dining experiences, meal creation and travel adventures from a kid and a grown-up perspective.