Basil-Infused Watermelon Lemonade

Lemonade is my favorite summer drink.  Who doesn't love a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade on a summer afternoon?  I'm not very picky about my lemonade---I love all kinds, whether its made from concentrate, from powder mixes, or from scratch.  (Although, to be honest, I am partial to Chik-fil-A's lemonade which is so addictive that i'm pretty sure it includes crack as an ingredient.)

I've made homemade lemonade a few times since we've been in Albuquerque, but last weekend (to impress my brother) I decided to try this recipe for Basil-Infused Watermelon Lemonade.  I'm not going to lie, it was a lot of work and involved a lot of dishes.  But the end result was so delectable that I'm tempted to make it again!

Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
8 cups cubed seeded watermelon (I used 3 baby seedless watermelons)
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 5 lemons)

Directions:
1. Combine water & sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in basil; chill 1 hour. Strain sugar mixture through a sieve over a bowl, and discard basil.  (Or, if you're lazy like me, you can skip the straining step & just be content with basil pieces in your lemonade.)
2. Place watermelon in a blender; process until smooth. Pour watermelon puree through a fine sieve into a pitcher; discard solids.
3. Combine watermelon liquid, sugar mixture, and juice in a pitcher; chill.