For those in the midwest, northern, and eastern part of the US, we are getting to the homestretch of this winter! February is half over and that means March is almost here and that means spring is just around the corner! Who cares what that silly groundhog sees or doesn’t see! By the time February is over I think we are all ready for sunny skies, warmer days and green grass to poke up through the snow. This weekend in our neck of the woods, it’s supposed to get in the mid 50’s!! That’s pretty darn awesome! If you don’t have those holiday lights off your house, this weekend leaves little room for excuses. Get out there and enjoy the sunshine and get some stuff done. Am I the only one who has a few cracked and snow filled plant pots still hanging around on the patio? With helpless dead plants hidden underneath the cold snow – of course! Usually I get them all put away before winter, but a few stuck around and then once they were filled with snow, I just ignored them. Our two oldest will be doing a very thorough post snow melt yard pickup. Not trash, and not leaves though. They are on dog poop patrol. They do it throughout the week, but it needs a really good pick up session. I will send my youngest on a scavenger hunt to bring in all the dog toys they have snuck outside and buried in the snow and then I’ll give them a good scrubbing with some vinegar. I know chances are, we will have more snow yet this season, but these little bursts of warmer weather and the melting of the white stuff give me a little hope that maybe that light of spring is around the corner and nearing closer each day! Yard cleanup sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday, right? I’ll make them this little drink as a special treat with our dinner so that will make it worth it. Stuffed Burgers and Strawberry Lemon Shake Ups – sounds like a winner to me! Yes, I bribe them with food and drinks so they do a good job. Don’t judge me!
Strawberry Lemon Shake Ups
This recipe takes the basics for a lemon shake up – lemons, sugar, water, ice, but with fresh strawberries added in – it takes the flavor up a notch and is really a fun treat.
Use a zester and zest two lemons into a mesh strainer. We’ll save that third lemon for garnish.
And then juice the two lemons, pouring all the juice through the mesh strainer and into a large bowl or measuring cup (at least 5 C). This will keep the seeds and pulp out, but really brings out the lemon flavor since it’s all passing through that zest.
Pour 4 C of water through the lemon zest/pulp in the strainer to add to your lemon juice.
Stir 1/3 C sugar into the lemon juice/water mixture and stir until sugar is dissolved.
In a blender, add 2 C of ice.
Pour the lemon juice and sugar water mixture over the ice.
Puree until most of the ice is crushed up.
Add in most of your strawberries saving a few for garnish.
Continue to puree in the blender.
Pour into glasses.
I slice the third lemon and add a slice of lemon and strawberry to each glass for garnish.
If you want to make this an adult cocktail with alcohol, you could add in some champagne, Moscato, or Vodka, or anything else you like. You could even line the rim of the glass with some sugar and maybe pop in a little umbrella into the glass!
Enjoy!
Strawberry Lemon Shake Ups
Strawberry Lemon Shake Ups
Ingredients:
3 lemons
1 1/2 C fresh strawberries – stemmed and chopped in quarters. Save a few whole ones so you can slice for garnish. You could also use frozen strawberries.
1/3 C sugar
2 C ice
4 C water
Directions:
Zest two lemons into a mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. I like to use a large 4 C glass measuring cup and when I fill it to the brim, I can get 5 C in it.
Juice the two lemons and pour the juice through the mesh strainer, through the zest into the large bowl.
Pour 4 C of water through the lemon zest/pulp in the strainer to add to your lemon juice.
Stir 1/3 C sugar into the lemon juice/water mixture and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Set the lemon juice/water mixture aside. Discard the lemon seeds and pulp from the strainer.
In a blender, add 2 C of ice.
Pour the lemon juice and sugar water mixture over the ice.
Puree until most of the ice is crushed up.
Add in most of your strawberries saving a few for garnish.
Continue to puree in the blender until most of the strawberries are pureed. I like some to still be chunky. Just do it to your liking.
Pour into glasses.
I slice the third lemon and add a slice of lemon and strawberry to each glass for garnish.
If you want to make this an adult cocktail with alcohol, you could add in some champagne, Moscato, or Vodka, or anything else you like. You could even line the rim of the glass with some sugar.
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