Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

I had some lemons that weren't looking so fresh, so I decided to make some lemonade.  Here's what you need:

Ingredients:
Lemons (I ended up using five.  These were small)
1C Sugar
Water

I did something a little unusual in that I peeled

the lemons and threw them in a pot with water.

I have visions of turning this into furniture polish.

I've seen ones that use lemon juice, but I want 

to use stuff that was going to be throw away

if possible.  I know, I'm weird.

Anyway, on to the lemonade.

Put 1C Sugar and 1C water into a small sauce pan.

Heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.  It doesn't have

to be brought to a boil.  It will dissolve before that.

Fill a pitcher part way with water.  I did this so the (almost) boiling

water wouldn't warp my pitcher when I added it.

  Add your sugar water (simple syrup). 

 I do this in the sink in case it splashes.

Squeeze your lemons into the pitcher.  Stir, then add

water a little at a time until desired taste is acquired.

Pour over ice and serve!  Yummmmmy!

Notes:

While fresh-squeezed lemonade isn't the most thrifty drink, it is a nice way to use up fruit that may have gone bad otherwise.  This 2 quart pitcher came in at $1.92 for 8 (eight ounce) glasses. That's about 24 cents a serving.  It sure was refreshing and tastes so much better than frozen concentrate!

If you're not being a dweeb like me and boiling your peels in an attempt to make furniture polish (LOL!)

you could always try one of the following:

• Throw them on your compost heap if you have one
• You can use them to clean all sorts of things (cutting boards, copper pans, sinks, coffee pot)
• You can freshen up your garbage disposal
• Make a body scrub
• Rub on age spots to make them fade
• Leave by a door where pests are coming in (most pests don't care for it)
• Make some candied lemon peel
• Make some lemon zest for recipes
• Dry some peel (no pith), then grind to use in recipes
• Make some lemon sugar
• Keep your brown sugar soft (peel only, no pith or pulp)
• Make some 'twists' for a fancy drink
• Dry some and save them for tea
• Add to savory dishes for an interesting flavor
• Add to your fireplace while burning for a nice scent
• Or, you could just make your house smell good by boiling them.  

Hope you have a safe and happy 4th!

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