Blackberry Lemonade

For your next picnic, make a batch of this blackberry lemonade. It's sweet, and tart, and very refreshing! 

I've found yet another reason to be excited about spring and warmer temperatures: picnic season! Liam and I have already had one "snack picnic." We packed up some snacks (Goldfish, dried fruit, some cookies, and milk boxes), and walked a few blocks to a local park. We ate our snacks in the sunshine, watching kids playing and dogs walking and people riding bikes.

Today's #SundaySupper is all about picnic foods — the most delicious appetizers, entrees, side dishes, desserts and beverages that are easy to pack up and bring along on a picnic, whether that picnic is for two people, or a crowd.

My blackberry lemonade is inspired by a drink I had at a local chain restaurant. I actually had blackberry iced tea, and while it was tasty, I thought the blackberries would pair much better with lemonade than tea. I checked out TheKitchn.com for a tutorial on making lemonade from scratch. The basic ratio is 1 part lemon juice, 1 part sugar, and 5 parts water. That means for every cup of lemon juice and sugar, use 5 cups of water.

Instead of making a "plain" simple syrup (which consists of equal parts sugar and water), I flavored the syrup with blackberries. It's a very easy recipe, and if you start early enough, it can be made in one day. If you plan on having a morning picnic, make the syrup (or the whole lemonade recipe) the night before.

One tip: make lemon-flavored ice cubes. Mix equal parts lemon juice and water. Freeze in an ice cube tray, then add the cubes to your lemonade. It will keep your lemonade chilled without diluting the flavor.

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Blackberry Lemonade

Yield: 2 quarts

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Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 6 cups water, divided
• 12 oz blackberries
• 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 12 lemons

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar with 2 cups of water. Set over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer.
2. Add the blackberries, and cover the saucepan. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and uncover the saucepan. Cool to room temperature. Strain into a storage container, and place in the refrigerator to chill.
3. In a serving pitcher, combine the blackberry syrup (straining again, if necessary), the lemon juice, and the remaining water. If serving immediately, add ice cubes. If not, chill until ready to serve.

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Adapted from The Kitchn

Appetizers:

• Caprese Skewers by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• French Onion Dip, with Greek Yogurt by Casa de Crews
• Mediterranean Spiced Hummus by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Pepperoni Pinwheels by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Watermelon Salad by annaDishes

Beverages:

• Blackberry Lemonade by The Redhead Baker
• Blueberry Mojito Mocktails by NeighborFood
• Grandma's Stuff by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Minty Cardinal Punch by Food Lust People Love
• Pineapple Ginger Lemonade Spiked with Turmeric by Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Sangria Punch by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade by Noshing With The Nolands

Main Dishes:

• Avocado Sriracha Egg Salad by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Barbecue Ranch Quinoa Chicken Salad by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Boneless Chicken Wings by Nosh My Way
• Chicken Salad Sliders by Life Tastes Good
• Spanish tortilla by Caroline's Cooking

Sides:

• Broccoli & Tomato Pasta Salad by Flour On My Face
• Buffalo Macaroni Salad by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Fully Loaded Baked Potato Salad by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Granola Salad by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Greek Style Asparagus Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
• No Mayo Slaw with Poppyseed Dressing by Palatable Pastime
• Spiralized Beet and Goat Cheese Salad by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Soups and Salads:

• Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Dried Cranberries by Food Done Light
• Layered Mason Jar Pasta Salad for Two by The Weekend Gourmet
• Smoked Turkey Salad by Our Good Life
• Spinach Salad with Apples & Pecans in an Apple Balsamic Vinaigrette by Carrie's Experimental Kitchen
• Nicoise Salad by The Petit Gourmet

Desserts:

• Bacon-Bulleit Brownies by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Fudgey Coca Cola Cake by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Earth Day Cupcakes by Savory Experiments
• Gluten Free Cookie Bars by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Lemon Lime Pound Cake by Vintage Kitchen
• Lemon Yuzu Cookies by NinjaBaker.com
• Mini Lemon Chess Pies by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• No-Bake Cookie Butter Chex Mix Bars by Wallflour Girl
• Peanut Butter Bars by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Peanut Butter Carob Bars by Pies and Plots
• Sourdough Chunk Cookies by What Smells So Good?