I've learned a lot about shifting gears in the past two weeks. We were all packed up and ready to hit the road for my parents' house when snow and ice derailed our plans. In true Colorado front-range fashion, it melted within two days, but they were two days that saw us fall victim, one by one, to a series of worsening viruses that ultimately caused us to call off our trip. We so missed seeing our family in southern Illinois this year! And our kids...their heartbreak at not visiting their grandparents was hard to see. But we tried our best to make the week at home as fun as we could by baking cookies, making crafts, and introducing them to holiday classics like Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving and Home Alone, which they are finally old enough to appreciate. It wasn't the visit home we had planned, but it taught me to find, create, and celebrate the special moments between just the four of us.
In the spirit of making lemonade from the lemons winter handed to us, I tried out this new-to-me recipe: warm spiced lemonade. It's super simple and really soothing - especially when we were suffering through sinus infections and sore throats. I decided to include it here, just for you. Enjoy!
In a saucepan, combine:
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons, which are supposedly slightly sweeter, but whatever you have on-hand will work)
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed clementine juice (again, use whatever oranges you have on-hand and adjust sweetener below as needed)
- 2 cups water
- 4 tablespoons of any sweetener (I used plain sugar, but I hear maple syrup and honey are good as well)
- 1 split vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 star anise pods
- 3 cinnamon sticks
Warm everything over medium heat until not quite boiling. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, then remove the spices from the mixture and serve.
Several recipes I consulted also recommend adding a small chunk of peeled fresh ginger while the mixture cooks. A couple also called for cloves. Your choice! And if you're in the warmer parts of the world, I think this drink would be just as awesome over ice!
