Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Watermelon Basil Lemonade

 

    What could exemplify summer more than watermelon?  Add it to your drink menu and bam, you have summer

in a glass.  What could make the watermelon even better than adding in some lemonade to give your drink a little

bit of tart to match the sweet?  With the addition of basil this drink is simple to make and delicious to enjoy.

Basil is by far one of my favorite summer herbs and there are so many flavors to choose from.  We typically

grow three different varieties, traditional basil, purple basil and lemon basil.  For this drink we are going to use

both traditional and purple basil to make the simple syrup.  Give the basil a rough chop before making the syrup

to help release the flavors even more into your syrup.  

Watermelon Basil Lemonade

¼ cup basil simple syrup

3 large lemons, just the inside flesh

4 cups watermelon cubed

1 cup water

Basil to garnish 

To make the basil simple syrup take one cup of water and add in one cup of sugar with another cup of chopped

basil leaves. You should have just about one cup of liquid left after cooking. Store any extra in an airtight

container in the fridge.  Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.  Then remove it from the heat.   Once cooled, strain

the basil leaves out and transfer to an airtight container. Peel the lemons and cut into smaller pieces.  Cube up 4

cups of watermelon.  Combine the ingredients In the blender, along with 1 cup of water.  Blend everything

together for 2 minutes.  Strain through a fine mesh to create a smooth drink.  Store in the refrigerator, and stir

before serving. Garnish with lemon and basil.

As you can see in this recipe this month we do not have any alcohol.  The water can easily be replaced by

gin or vodka to give your drink a punch.  This is the perfect mixer for any 4th of July party, to enjoy by the pool,

or gathered around the night sky to watch fireworks with friends and family.  Keep it a mocktail, for everyone to

enjoy, or go out on a limb and make two batches, since we know those melons are pretty big, and make an over

21 batch along with your mocktail.

If you want your drink to be a little sweeter, feel free to add in more simple syrup to your desired sweetness

level.  Over here we prefer our drinks to be more on the tart side so ¼ cup works just great.  Plus I like for the

flavor and sweetness of the melon to speak out in the drink as well.  Mix it up and try out different ways to make

this drink your new favorite. 

We hope you enjoyed this mocktail, summer recipe, or as a cocktail.  Let us know if you decide to make

one for your event or just because.  This will keep in your fridge for about 3-5 days, depending on the container. 

Please remember to drink responsibly and always have a designated driver. Cheers!

Back to School Bucket List

 

 

Back to School 2019

     The end of summer is rapidly approaching, and the new school year is about to begin. We want to help prepare you for that not to far in the future date and get ready for a new school year.  I know everyone dreads the first day of school and the end of summer.  No more lazy days hanging with friends and family.  It's time to get back into a routine and a schedule.  Let's make life easier with a few tips and tricks.

 

    First lets check that Summer Bucket list to see if everything was accomplished.  Did you make it to the beach or the mountains?  See friends from afar or travel someplace new?  Even if you did not cross the State line your time away from home made memories.  If you still have a visit planned, be sure to take all the pictures and be in the pictures with the kids.  One day you will want those pictures, and your kids will always think the best of you no matter what. 

 

    Back to school shopping.  I'll tell you a secret, with five kids back to school shopping starts at home.  We use what we have first and then buy new.  With four boys, sometimes we have a little more new than used, but that's okay.  At this point my boys do not really care what they wear so it makes picking up new items to supplement their wardrobe pretty easy. 

 

    Shoes on the other hand are a whole new story.  Each year, we start off with new shoes, especially since they keep growing and their feet just want to catch up.  Sometimes we end up with a second round of shoe purchases mid year, because someone mistreated their shoes or their feet got bigger.  Needless to say they put in a lot of hours in those shoes, and the wear and tear adds up. 

 

    One of our favorite back to school purchases is school supplies.  Only two of the boys work off a list now and the older two have to figure out what works for them and how they study.  By letting them determine what works, will help them while in college.  My daughter has told many stories about how she has supplied her classmates in college with supplies because they were not prepared.  Figure out in High School what works for you and then use that when you go on to higher education.  Teach your kids now how to study and take notes, that will lead them to success.

 

    Another great, back to school bucket list item is the first day of school pictures.  I always try to get one with all the kids at home together before they jet off to their first day.  A group and individual pictures to remember the year and how much they grow over the next nine months. 

 

    Meet the teacher is a great bucket list item to add, especially if you have younger aged children who have never gone to school or will be transitioning to a new school.  Meet the teacher allows them to see other students in their classroom, meet the teacher and find their desk before the first day.  As a parent you have the peace of mind to see your child thrive in a new school year and can be reassured of those who will be leading, teaching and guiding them over the next nine months.  If you are so inclined, have your student make a simple “back to school” gift for their main teacher to start the year off right.  After all teachers start well before students, and finish after students so their summer is even shorter than the one you just had. 

 

    Last but not least would be meal prep.  Those first few days of school are going to be crazy with new schedules and sports practice and bus schedules.  You do not want to have to worry about food on top of that.  If your students are not eating school lunch, pack lunches for the week and store them in the fridge until the next school day.  Have some freezer meals planned for dinner, so that all you have to do is pull it out the night before to heat in the oven or crock pot.  You could even plan breakfast ahead of time.  Overnight oats are a great kick start to the day, and simple to make in a big batch for the whole family. 

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