~Take your lemons, and make lemonade!~

Summers here...let's serve up some glasses of........~Fresh fruit juices~!

(Well...it's summer for y'all, but we don't really ever feel like it's summer here. I have to remind myself that it's June...and not November with the rain and the chilly air. I'm burning candles and drinking hot choc. while y'all are outside in the sun...drinking your iced tea. =)
I started learning how to make these fresh fruit juices in Costa Rica...and have learned more here too. Since Colombia is blessed with lots of fruits, we make more juices, but I don't think that y'all have the same fruits there. Latin Americans make fresh juices A LOT!
Lemonade: I just squish about 4 whole limes or lemons in the bottom of a gallon pitcher, add about 2 scoops sugar and fill up the pitcher with water (and ice, if you desire, I'm tooo cold here to want much ice. =) This is not the MOST LEMONY lemonade...but we love it. I just don't like to add tons of lemons...so that my lemons last longer. =) You may want to use 6 lemons for a more lemony taste. Can put some strawberries and water and run through a blender, and add to lemonade...to make Strawberry lemonade. (can dip the glass edge in water, and then in sugar, and put a lemon wedge or strawberry with a stem on the edge of the glass for a fun touch and TASTE!! =)

Orangeade: Use about 4-6 oranges, and juice them, add water to make a gallon and add sugar to taste...can add some ice cubes to make it cold.

LEMONADE/ORANGADE: My sister, Laura, put this comment on my blog, and I made this same juice in Costa Rica and it was yummy...so I just added her comment to my blog!
"Dearest Heather, I do the same lemonade and when I was in Russia, the Russian's LOVED IT. While Lenita was here, she gave me the idea of doing 2 oranges and 2 lemons to make about a 3 liter pitcher of lemonade... and I can't tell you HOW YUMMY it is and PRETTY TOO. A check-out lady from a grocery store in FL gave her that idea... and it is YUMMY and a keeper for Sure. Love Laura in Romania."


Pineapple juice:
Put glasses in freezer! Can add a tiny wedge of pineapple on the side of the glass for fun.
I just take about a half of a pineapple, peel it and slice it, and chop it smaller to fit in your blender. Then blend it with water...and run it through a strainer or colander and add more sugar and water to make a gallon....YUMMY! (can put the other part of the pineapple that's been peeled, and sliced in a freezer bag and freeze...for more juice later if you want!)

Mango juice the same way:
Blend pieces of mango (from about 3 ripe, softer mangoes) with water, strain, add more water and sugar to make a gallon.

Raspberry or Black berry juice: Blend some black raspberries, or black berries with water(about 2 cups or so of berries)... strain, add more water to make a gallon and sweetened to taste. (or for a snack you can blend with milk...but the milk is harder to digest with a meal!)

Strawberry Milk:
Blend strawberries with milk and add sugar and there you have a yummy treat. (Can use Frozen strawberries...or add some ice cubes to make it more like a Fruit smoothie...or a shake!) (If you want to add a couple Tablespoons of that red already-made-up strawberry glaze for pies that they sell...it gives it a fun touch!)

Banana Milk:
(May sound gross, but our family loves it!)
For a quick treat, just blend some riper bananas, milk and sugar (and if you want to add a couple ice cubes to make it cold) and serve.


******E*N*J*O*Y!!!******
I got an email last night saying that due to some road construction, my Daddy and Moma (in their moving truck) didn't get to cross the border of Canada, into the USA until 2:00 AM Wednesday morning. UGH! They drove all day Wednesday, and got a motel last night. They are doing OK, but exhausted! Lord willing they should get to Westfield, IN today...Thursday...sometime! Thanks for your prayers for them! They and I really appreciate them! =)