WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LIMES

Oh, how I do love Sundays!
Especially ones like today, which was a true "sun" day. I wore a light cotton dress and went to the park and wrote in my journal at a picnic table, with the warmth of the sun on my arms and the birds as a kind of ambient soundtrack.

Glorious, I tell you.

I also made homemade Ginger Limeade today.
It just seemed appropriate, given the summery nature of the afternoon.
And it's really not as difficult as you might think. At least, not when you're stocked up on lime juice like I am. As many of you well know, my little sister recently got hitched - an unexpected bi-product of this was that I came home with a boatload of limes. (I used them as an element in the centerpieces I designed, and they looked beautiful in their little white bowls, next to kermit-green button mums and delicate pink roses. However, at the end of the day, I walked away with enough limes to feed a small country.) 

Which left me with the quandary - What does one do with a boatload of limes?

I started by giving a bunch away.

I used one or two in some homemade guacamole.

But still, every day they would stare at me from their massive bowl on the counter, like a vast army of tiny green, tropical-smelling invaders, and I could almost hear them screaming, "We're going to go bad soon. Use us! Use us!"

I ended up simply squeezing the juice out of 'um and refrigerating it until I could decide what to make. It was kind of a fun process, actually. And the post-squeezed limes turned out to be unexpectedly pretty in their own right, almost like flowers. Like miniature peonies or something.

Well, of course, pretty though they were, the limes got thrown away, but I kept the lime juice and today seemed the perfect day for pulling it out and making some limeade.

I have to admit, this was the first time I've ever attempted to make limeade from scratch, complete with heating water and sugar to make simple syrup and all of that. But boy was it worth it! Like summer in a glass. As you sip it, you can close your eyes and almost feel the salty wind blowing and the sun on your skin and the sound of waves...

Anyway, as you all know, when I discover something I love, I share it with you!

So here ya go, my recipe for what I'm calling "Ginger Limeade":

First, make the limeade concentrate.

To do this, simply combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan (or double it - I actually used 3 cups of each because I had so much lime juice). Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Let the syrup cool, then add 1 cup lime juice (or 2, if doubled!) and refrigerate. 

Next, when your concentrate is good and cool, combine it with ginger ale in a 1:2 ratio. So, for example, 1 cup limeade concentrate to 2 cups ginger ale.

Stir to dissolve.

Serve over ice.

Enjoy!

Mmmmm.....

{Thanks, OnceWed!}

I also discovered that you can make Limeade Pie super easily from the concentrate, and who wouldn't want a slice of this? 

To make: 

Ingredients

1 graham cracker pie shell (or make your own)

1 8-oz. container Cool-Whip

6 oz. of limeade concentrate

2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

green food coloring (optional)

Directions

Mix together the cool-whip, ice cream, and limeade concentrate. 

Pour into the pie shell.

Freeze for 6 hours.

Yep. It's really that easy.

And then, tah-dah! Deliciousness.

Oh! And I also added a little hint of green food coloring, since the limeade isn't very green. How much you want to add is entirely up to you!

(As a side note, I took a slice of this to my downstairs neighbor and he was thoroughly appreciative. Thanks to all of you who commented/emailed me and encouraged me that doing those types of things isn't totally outdated and weird. I really can't say how wonderful you guys are! Because of you, I got some beautiful words of encouragement, and Dave got a slice of homemade limeade pie. And you get the recipe. Everybody wins!)

Like I said, I love Sundays.

I feel thoroughly refreshed and rejuvenated and alive. 

And I've found the answer to my quandary -

When life hands you limes, make limeade!

Now if only I had this dress and these shoes (in lemon glow), I could coordinate beautifully with all my cooking endeavors today!

Haha, be blessed, friends. The summer cometh...

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