SRC: Cherry Limeade

It’s that time again, time for secret recipe club reveal day!  I am so excited to share this recipe with you today.  This month I was assigned Amy’s blog, fearless homemaker.  Amy is a northerner now making it in the south!  She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee and is a cooridinator for cultural care au pair during the day and a baker, drink maker, cook and crafter by night!  When she’s not at work, in the kitchen, or crafting she’s spending time with family, friends, hubby (who she married in a surprise wedding…how neat is that, right?..check it out!) as well as shopping, playing with her pup and just enjoying life.  Amy sounds super fun and full of life; I’ve enjoyed getting to “know” her through her blog and I’m sure we would hit it off if we ever got a chance to meet “in real life”!  I’m so glad I was introduced to Amy’s blog and I will continue to follow her chronicles in the kitchen.    

As excited as I am to share this cherry limeade with you, it was definitely a hard decision.  Every page of Amy’s blog is packed with one delicious recipe after another, my mouth was watering by the end of page 1!  I have saved so many recipes from her blog, and I’m sure I’ll continue to do so as she continues to update.  After much deliberation, I finally decided a limeade would be the perfect recipe to share with you today since I’ve been on a limeade kick myself!

How many of you love cherry limeades from Sonic?  Pretty much everyone loves them or some variation of them, right?  It is one of my “go to” drinks during the ever so popular happy hour!  While hardly anything beats a cold Sonic drink, with that delicious ice, I am excited to share this recipe with you for a homemade cherry limeade.

I love limeades, but I’ve had several instances where I was craving one and didn’t really feel like getting out of the house.  Have you ever been in that predicament?  Sure you have!  Well, now you can quench your craving in the comfort of your own home.  This drink is a sinch to put together, and takes little to no time.  You can also adjust the flavors according to your tastes; if you’re feeling super lime-y one day add a little more lime, if you want more cherry flavor just add more cherries.  Plus your options are endless; the limeade base is standard but play with the endles amount of flavor options; cherry, cranberry, strawberry, goodness I could go on and on!  This drink is perfect, and a very welcomed treat on a hot day.  

Cherry Limeade

Ingredients:

For the limeade-
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup water
1 Cup fresh lime juice
4 Cups cold water

For the cherry limeade-
2 Cups limeade (the recipe above or storebought)
2 Cups cherries
Ice

Directions:

For the limeade-
In a small saucepan combine sugar and 1 cup water and place over low-medium heat.  Cook until the sugar has dissolved, this will make a simple syrup.  Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes. 

In a pitcher combine the cooled syrup, lime juice and cold water.  Stir to combine.  Taste, add more water if necassary.  Place in refrigerator and chill.

For the cherry limeade-
Place cherries in a blender, and puree.  Place the puree in a fine, mesh strainer and strain over a bowl to retain all the juices.  Combine 2 cups of the limeade mixture, and the cherry juice and stir to combine.  Pour over ice and enjoy.

Visit the fearless homemaker for her slush verion!

Recipe source: Slightly adapted from Fearless Homemaker