Strawberry Mint Lemonade

In a medium sized saucepan, combine 2 cups of the water and the sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until sugar completely dissolves, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set this simple syrup aside to cool.

Put the frozen strawberries in a microwave safe bowl. Heat them in the microwave until thawed, approximately 30-45 seconds. Once thawed, muddle (mash) the strawberries until they are all mashed and you have made a thick strawberry paste. If you like larger chunks of fruit, don’t mash the strawberries as much.

In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice, the strawberries, and the remaining 5 cups water. Stir to combine. Add about half of the simple syrup into the mixture and stir to combine. Taste. Continue to add the simple syrup, ¼ cup at a time, until the lemonade reaches your desired level of sweetness. I tend to use most of my simple syrup, but it really depends on the sweetness of the lemons and the strawberries.

Add the fresh mint leaves and stir again. If possible, place the lemonade mixture in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. If you can wait this time, you will be rewarded. If not, it will still be super tasty, just not as minty.

Serve cold. If you somehow don’t finish the lemonade and want to store it for the next day, I recommend removing the mint leaves as they will wilt after awhile.