when life gives you lemons...

... we make lemonade, right?  Generic, I know.  Literally, though, I had a few lemons sitting around and have been wanting to try to make lemonade since it started getting hot out this summer. So I did - pretty simple, short, and sweet.  I only had enough for one cup of lemon juice, so here's what I did:

Lemonade
1 c. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4.5 c. water
2/3 c. sugar

In a small saucepan, put 1 c. water and the sugar; boil until sugar is dissolved, stirring regularly.  Once dissolved, set aside and refrigerate to cool.  Squeeze lemon juice, removing the seeds of course, but keep the pulp.  Once the sugar/water mixture has cooled, pour it and the lemon juice into a pitcher.  Add the remaining 3.5 cups of water, and refrigerate or serve over ice. 

As you know, I'm not the most patient person, so I let the sugar water get luke-warm, and then mixed mine -- immediately pouring over ice and trying it out.  Was good!  I like my lemonade a little tart, so if you like it sweet, increase the sugar a bit.  Viola!