Stacy’s Adventures in Lemonade!

This is what I started out with. I was so tickled with myself. You should have seen me bee-bopping around the kitchen. I thought I was really something. I pulled out the lemons, some strawberries, stevia, and lime juice. Oh yeah, I thought I was really going places. I really should have consulted y’all on Facebook first.

I decided to get all fancy with myself and I pulled out my immersion blender. I pureed the strawberries so they’d be all nice and smooth……and for some reason, I totally forgot that strawberries have SEEDS. Good night. You’d think I had never had a strawberry. Hind sight is 20/20.

My berries were frozen, so when they thawed I kept the liquid gold for my “lemonade.” I could have slurped it up, but I try to be a good role model. *Cough*

On our journey to healthy eating, we’ve moved over to using a lot of stevia instead of sugar. I’m still learning exactly how to use it. There is a learning curve for sure. I added 30 drops of stevia which I thought was more than enough. I mean, 30 drops? Heck, it might give us a sugar rush with all that sweetener in it!

I have this handy-dandy juicer that came with my mandoline so I used it to juice all four lemons. All fruit juices better if it’s not cold, so I had let my lemons sit out for several hours. I like juicers because, well……I haven’t cut myself on one yet.

Okay, so I thought I was being SO SMART when I strained the lemon juice to get out the seeds. I should have also strained the strawberry juice to get the seeds out of it…..oh wait, strawberries have seeds? I didn’t know that! I strained the lemon juice right into the strawberry juice container.  Oh, and I’m still bee-bopping around my kitchen at this point.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah. You know all those fancy people on television use lemon zest in just about everything. Well, I’m fancy too (NOT!) so I decide to just put some zest right on in my juice too. (You do realize we’re heading toward pulpy lemonade, don’t you?) Into the juice goes the zest! I’m such a culinary genius.

I hate to waste stuff, so I put part of my lemon peels down the disposal so it wouldn’t smell like dead animals anymore. I froze the rest of them so I’d have lemon zest whenever I need it. Genius I tell ya, genius.

Well, it won’t be strawberry lime lemonade if I don’t add lime juice. Limes weren’t on sale…..so they didn’t make it into my buggy. I had this stuff at home, so I used it. Oh, and by the way – it’s potent. I forgot that part.

I’m almost done!!! I mixed everything up and added about 4 more cups of water.

I put it in a pretty pitcher because well, it’s pretty. I have to admit, I was clucking. How cute! I did it!!!!! My strawberry lemonade limeade is doggone cute!

I poured a big ole glass, and took a big gulp……and spit it out. What the devil is wrong with this stuff? Good night! It would make me grow chest hair if I drank it. Shewwwweeeee! So, I reach for the stevia. More stevia. It needs more. I add 30 more drops. Yes, 30. Another drink…………I didn’t spit it out, but I did jerk my head backwards and roll my eyes around. Thirty more drops…….Yes, 30. Okay. I had to take a break. My mouth felt funny. So, I left it alone for a minute. Can you get heartburn from lemonade? I have heartburn. Where are the Tums? I went to do something with Annie (I think spell words with her blocks). When I came back, all the strawberry had sank to the bottom…..with my heart. I’m a lemonade failure. But no, I’m not a quitter. More stevia. At this point, I have no idea how much I added. Really. But, eventually I get it right. Barry comes home, tries a glass and says “Hey, this is pretty good.” Well, you better enjoy it buddy because I don’t think I’m making it again. It has to be stirred every time, but I’m drinking a glass right now and it’s not too shabby. My $4 pitcher of lemonade has turned out great.

I’ll leave the recipe below. It might be good for teenage boys who need to grow chest hair.