Raspberry Lemonade

Oh my goodness gracious. Have you raspberries in your house? How about lemons?

I've found the epitome of a summer sipper: Raspberry Lemonade.

The baby and I actually walked to a grocery store yesterday, just so we could make this - and I am ever so glad that we did.

Raspberry Lemonade
-from Joy The Baker who adapted it from Simply Recipes-
Serves 6

1 cup sugar (for a less sweet lemonade, reduce sugar to 3/4 cup)
1 cup water to make simple syrup
1 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 6 lemons)
4 cups cold water
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup raspberry sauce (depending on how much raspberry you like)

Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

While the sugar is dissolving, extract enough juice from the lemons to make one cup. Room temperature lemons give more juice, and it helps to roll the lemon on the counter, under your palm.

Add the lemon juice and sugar water to a pitcher. Add 4 cups cold water, more or less to suit your tastes. Add the prepared raspberry sauce and stir to combine. Refrigerate 30-40 minutes. If the lemonade is too sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice.

Serve over ice.

Easy Raspberry Sauce

6 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon water

Place thawed berries in the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Add sugar and water and mix until the raspberries form a smooth puree. Transfer raspberry puree to a fine mesh strainer fit over a bowl. Press the puree through the strainer.

Joy also suggests making a cocktail with your lemonade: Fill a glass with ice cubes. Fill the glass half full with the raspberry lemonade and top with Prosecco or champagne. Garnish with fresh basil or mint leaves. This is how I discovered Joy's recipe, truth be told - I had a half bottle of Prosecco left over from the weekend, and didn't want it to go to waste. This method was most delicious.

Raspberry Lemonade