If you aren’t already aware, I’ll fill you in on a little not-so-secret about me. I love to entertain. I love having a house full of people scattering about. Grownups and children alike. I love the sound of chatter and laughter and love under the roof of my house. It’s always been a passion of mine to host and feed family and friends. While it can indeed be stressful, and while I always without fail get nervous that things won’t turn out just right – in the end it’s always, always, always worth it. I’ve been anxiously waiting to share this fun project with you. Over the last six months I’ve been dreaming, planning, and creating my idea of the perfect dinner party. A collection of recipes that work perfectly with one another to come together and make a stunning yet delicious meal. There’s more to hosting a party than just the food however so I’ll be giving you my tips on what is needed to create the right space for your guests that will wow them without breaking the bank with your budget.
I’m working with the perfect partner in helping make a classy and affordable party: IKEA. If you’ve never been lucky enough to make a trip to IKEA you are certainly missing out. It is one on of my absolute favorite stores that always makes my heart skip a beat the moment I step food inside. If you do go you’ll want to plan a good chunk of your day to enjoy it all. There’s so much to see you will not want to rush your way though. Want a taste of what they have to offer? Be sure to check out my Candy Bar Caramel Apple Salad, No Bake Chocolate Strawberry Icebox Cake, and my involvement in the 3rd Annual IKEA BYOF Event (that I was lucky enough to be a part of two years in a row). Now that I’ve got ALL of that out of the way, how about this dazzling lemonade? I’m bringing you a killer no-refined sugar added recipe that is out of this world. Made with fresh real lemons, honey, fresh rosemary and vanilla. YUM! I served it up in a VÄNLIG clear glass pitcher – which is only $4.99, an excellent steal of a deal! Stay tuned as the rest of the meal unfolds over the next month!
Vanilla Rosemary Lemonade
With no refined sugar added, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how perky this delicious Vanilla Rosemary Lemonade is. Only five ingredients and you'll be set with the perfect beverage to entertain any of your guests of all ages!
Ingredients
- 3/4 c. honey
- 1 vanilla bean split
- 3 small fresh rosemary sprigs
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups fresh lemon juice about 26 to 30 lemons*
- Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs lemon slices (optional)
Instructions
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Combine sugar, vanilla bean, 3 small fresh rosemary sprigs, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a light boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool 30 minutes.
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Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, discarding solids. Stir in fresh lemon juice.
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Cover and chill 3 to 48 hours. Stir just before serving over ice. Garnish, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from My Recipes
*A very special thank you to IKEA Draper who generously provided the product used in this blogpost series. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
Heather
Question – recipe says add sugar, but ingredients do not include sugar in them, can you please confirm amount?