I hope everyone had a super great 4th of July!!  I started my 4th off by the pool (laying out, eating turkey hot dogs, getting splashed by my pup) and ended it at the LA Galaxy game (again).  Even though the game wasn’t that exciting (score of 0 to 0), there were lots of nachos, beer, and fireworks and you pretty much can’t go wrong with that combination.

So I’ve mentioned my watermelon mint lemonade both here and here, and now I want to share the recipe!

Watermelon Mint Lemonade:

• 2 cups pureed watermelon*
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1 to 1.5 cups simple syrup
• 4 cups water
• 1 additional lemon to slice into the pitcher
• a couple handfuls of torn mint leaves
• a couple handfuls of ice

Basically, you add all of the ingredients to a pitcher, stir it up, and serve.  But here is a more in-depth, step-by-step process:

Start by juicing 7-10 lemons.  I highly recommend using a juicer but if you don’t have one, squeezing them by hand will do just fine.

Cut up about 1/4 to 1/2 of a large watermelon (depending on the size) and puree it in a blender.  Pour about 2 cups of pureed watermelon (you can pour through a strainer if you want, I usually don’t) into a pitcher.

Then add about 1 cup of the lemon juice and 1 to 1.5 cups of simple syrup.  You can make your own simple syrup by adding equal parts water and sugar to a pot and simmering it on the stove until the sugar is dissolved.  Once the liquid is cooled, you have a lovely simple syrup that can be used in just about anything, from lemonades to ice teas to popsicles.

Then add about 4 cups of water and a couple handfuls of torn mint leaves.  At this point, I do A LOT of taste testing.  If it’s too sour, I add more simple syrup.  If it’s too bland, I add a bit more lemon juice.  If you can’t taste enough of the watermelon, add some more pureed watermelon.  Once it tastes good, add a few lemon slices so people know it’s lemonade and a couple handfuls of ice cubes to keep it cold.  And then, you have yourself the most perfect summery drink.

Enjoy with a pretty straw and lots of sunshine, preferably outdoors with lots of family and friends!

*by the way, you can swap out the watermelon for just about ANY fruit…sigh, I love fruity lemonade.