It's getting incredibly hot outside in Texas and I've been thinking about getting a baby pool and parking me and my belly in it for the whole summer.  It's the kinda hot where you wake up in the morning and can feel the heat rising as the minutes pass.  And...it's not even at hot compared to what the rest of the summer will bring!  I have gotten used to the fact that I'll basically be sweaty all summer long, but then again Louisiana prepared me for humid and hot days where your skin never dries.  The only thing to do is to hydrate.  This can mean drinking water all day, or it can also mean sipping on something really delicious to help you deal with the heat.  My sparkling blueberry basil lemonade is going to make the heat a little more bearable this summer and if you spike it, it can help with a whole bunch of other stuff too...know what I mean?

Whenever I drink lemonade, it always takes me back to when I was a little girl sitting on the side of the road, where I would sell painted rocks (one of a kind, I assure you) and I would sell homemade lemonade to the neighbors.  I'm not sure that my lemonade tasted all that good, but I know that I had a blast selling it.  My dog Pepper would be by my side and we would sit for hours in the heat and wait on my five customers of the day.  Even if I only made a dollar the whole day, I felt like I had accomplished something.  I am pretty sure I drank most of the lemonade while I was selling it, which probably wasn't great for business...but when you are five and thirsty, you can't be held responsible for drinking the lemonade that you are trying to sell!

Needless to say, I still love lemonade to this day and with summer officially arriving in a couple of weeks, berries of all kinds are at their peak!  And personally, I can't get enough blueberries during the summer months!  I've been adding them into yogurt, salads, grabbing them by the handful, and lately I've been using them to make this refreshing drink! 

That's the thing about lemonade, it's the perfect base for a super tasty non-alcoholic or alcoholic adult drink!  When you smash some blueberries and basil into your lemon juice, you create some serious flavor harmony!  Add vodka, or don't if you are pregnant like me or want to make this for your kids, but one thing is for sure my sparkling blueberry basil lemonade is going to make your summer a little cooler.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup of Blueberries

• Two Lemons, Juiced

• 5 Leaves of Fresh Basil

• 2 Tbsp. Simple Syrup, add more for desired sweetness (1/2 Cup of Sugar, 1/2 Cup of Water brought to a boil on the stove to dissolve sugar.  Chill.)

• Sparkling or Soda Water for Topping

*This recipe makes one drink, but you can increase all of the ingredients to make a pitcher full. Optional add vodka to the mix.

Directions:

• Smash blueberries, lemon juice, simple syrup and basil leaves in the bottom of glass.

• Add crushed ice.

• Top with sparkling water and stir.  

• Garnish with blueberries, lemon wedges, and a fresh basil leaf.

• Serve immediately.

Note: Add Vodka if desired or swap sparkling water for prosecco to make an adult version.

I'm fairly certain if I opened up a lemonade stand in my neighborhood this summer and sold this grown up version of my favorite childhood lemonade, I would make a little more than a dollar...

Cheers!