Pretending it's summer!

Winter has returned to Hillbilly Hill Farm with a vengeance today. We got a little ice this morning, and then it turned to snow...and has been snowing pretty much all day. Thankfully not so hard that we have gotten dumped on, but enough that it's white outside again. :(

Since this month on Blush ~n~ Dusty, we are doing Beverages for our cookbooks, I needed to come up with a couple beverage recipes. For some reason, Beverages aren't something we make to much around here, least not ones anyone would need a recipe for, so I've been trying to think of something I could use for my recipe's. They have to be tried and true, so I needed to try it first, and see if we liked it.

I did the smoothie earlier in the month, and the only other thing I could think of is Lemonade, which we love, but never make cause of the sugar. I finally had DH run in and pick up some lemons anyway, cause it sounded good...and it is almost the end of the month, so I needed to get it done.

So here we are...middle of a winter snow storm, drinking fresh squeezed, ice cold, lemonade!

I have to say, it doesn't matter if it's not the middle of summer, its so good!! Yummy! I made enough to share some tonight, when we have some friends over for supper...we will see if they laugh at having it in a snow storm. Guess if they don't want it, we can suffer through a jug of it ourselves over the next few days. *giggle*

What I want to know though, is HOW do these photographers take photos of Lemonade, with slices of lemon floating in it, and have them actually down in it, not floating on the top? I've seen them that way, but mine sure didn't want to stay there...even with ice, they still came up to the top. LOL


I also made a lemon meringue pie with a couple of the lemons...I think I needed to do one and a half recipe's to make it better, but we will survive with a thin pie. I especially prefer a nice mound of meringue, but will live with it like it is. I'm sure the guys won't care...they will just enjoy it however they get it...that is if they like lemon, I've kinda been wondering about that all afternoon, but DH says more for him if they don't and doesn't worry about it, so guess I will try not to also. LOL

Lemon Meringue, isn't something I make all that often...ok, well ALL deserts have slowed way down over the years. They were always my favorite thing to make growing up...really they still are, but we sure don't need to eat them so I just usually don't make much. It's sure fun doing it now and then though...and extra nice to have someone come help eat it, so we don't have to finish it ourselves.

I have steak in the oven with gravy over it for supper. I've discovered that if I brown the grass feed beef steak on top the stove, then put it in a low oven (250 or so) for 3-4 hours, it makes it really tender and yummy! I was just putting it in the oven, in the skillet I browned it in with a little butter...but then thought about putting gravy over it, and cooking it that way and while the first way was really good and tender, with the gravy it's even better! DH said it tasted like more last time we had it. He is licking his chops already...and supper isn't for another hour and a half at least. *giggle*

Ok, I better run and finish cleaning up the kitchen after the day of cooking and baking (made cheese this morning). Also still trying to finish laundry, so need to get another load going of that too.

Have a great rest of the day, and don't forget the lemonade..it might make that snowstorm not seem quite so bad...if you are having one too that is!! :-))