Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

With the HOT Texas days coming, I thought starting our Summer off with a cold, fruity drink would be a great way to keep us cool.  Strawberries are in season and lemonade is a second best to sweet tea and who wouldn’t wanna sip on some strawberry lemonade while watching their kids jump on the trampoline?

This recipe is super easy and you can make adjustments to amounts and taste to your own liking.

I found some fresh strawberries at Walmart. If available, I always buy them in the big container ’cause these boys chow through them quickly.  I hulled and sliced up about 3 cups of these, with a few extra for glass and garnish.  Next time, I think I’ll crush up some ice in the blender, add this mixture and make a slush!  How fun would that be!

Here are some strawberry tips to keep in mind for the future!

• Smaller, bright red strawberries will be more flavorful than big ones.  The big ones usually have a little more water to them.
• Strawberries can used in an array of recipes from smoothies to waffles.  Don’t be scared to try them in new things!
• Strawberries freeze well. You can do so with or without sugar. To freeze strawberries using sugar, mix equal amounts of sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear. Cool the mixture completely. Measure 1 cup  of stemmed and sliced strawberries into a 2-cup-size freezer bag. Pour 1/2 to 2/3 of a cup  of the sugar/water mixture into the bag–just enough to completely cover the strawberries. Seal and freeze the bag, keeping berries in a single layer.
• To freeze strawberries without the use of sugar, set whole, firm berries on a cookie sheet, in a single layer and not touching each other, and place in the freezer. After berries are frozen, put them in a sealable plastic bag. This way they are “individually frozen” and do not stick together. Because the moisture content of strawberries varies throughout the season, it’s recommended that home-frozen strawberries be used in beverages and sauces, not in recipes where liquid variations could make a difference.
• Thawing strawberries in the refrigerator will allow them to retain their shape better. When thawing at room temperature, keep the berries in a clean, sanitary environment. Cover and refrigerate unused thawed berries within two hours. Never try to speed up the thawing process by running water over the outside of the container, as that allows bacteria to grow.

If you have lemonade versions you’d like to share, I’d love to hear about them.  I’m all for learning new drink recipes to keep my kids cool and happy this Summer.  Might even be a great idea for the kids’ school parties!

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Author: A Cowboy's Wife

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Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Walmart has provided me with compensation and gift card in return for my time & efforts to create this post. Opinions are my own, always.