Homemade Lemon-Basil Jello...

Lemons!!! From cooking to medicinal uses, this is definitely the PERFECT fruit...to me!   So, when I saw this homemade jello recipe on A Cup of Jo (amazing blog),  I immediately bookmarked it and made it right away.  It was the super yummy end to a Summer meal with welcomed guests..."irritatingly perfect"!  

Just think...fresh lemon basil from the farmers market steeped in hot hot hot fresh lemon juice, organic sugar, and water.  Then mixed in with fresh orange juice and of course gelatin...amazing!  

I poured the mixture in little ramekins for individual servings topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a lemon basil leaf.  

 all ready for the fridge...

Joanna from A Cup of Jo was definitely right..."best jello you'll ever have!"

Now, that just screams Summer! 

Pink Lemonade Bars

What do you get when you blend raspberries and lemons together, then add water?  Pink Lemonade!!!  Well, I came across a recipe for Pink Lemonade Bars (what?) on Smitten Kitchen, one of my favorite food blogs.  I printed it out immediately and decided to make it for a Sunday treat.  The husband went completely wild! lol!

Here's what I did...

lemon zest for the dough

wash the berries gently

pureed the raspberries

strain the berry puree

this is what you will get after straining

the end result after straining

juice the lemons (my orange juicer worked perfectly)

mix the juice with eggs and raspberry puree

add the flour, and it will turn a pale pink

the crust after mixing and baking until the edges brown

raspberry mixture meets the cooled crust, ready to bake

what you do with the leftover raspberry puree

refrigerate and use as a topping over greek yogurt w/ a sprinkle of granola or ice cream

fresh out the oven, time to cool before cutting

cut and ready to eat...super yummy

**recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen 

refreshing Summer treat!

do you have a favorite Summer treat?

and I'm off and running...