Easy Entertaining: How to Make a Lemonade Station

Think old-school lemonade stand meets fun, fabulous mix-ins to create a new spin on that old summer standard. Lemonade is a great drink for summer parties. Whether you make it fresh, buy it at the store, or use a powdered mix, it's hard to go wrong with cold lemonade on a hot day. Here are some of my fun ideas to dress up your lemonade by making a lemonade station- an adult version of the old-school lemonade stand- perfect for any party,  wedding, rehearsal dinner, or supper club!

Making a lemonade stand doesn't require a lot of wood and building, a simple table will work. Recently, I wanted to show Daytime Alabama viewers how to make a lemonade stand for a large party or wedding and asked my friends Corey & Jared from the Sonnet House to help me out. Corey decked out the table and I did the lemonades. Burlap from the fabric store, Mason jars, and large containers of lemonade, cute paper straws, and a big sign are all you need.

 

THE HOW-TO

Start with large containers or pitchers of lemonade. Add bowls of your favorite flavors: think spices, fruit, herbs, liquor, or even Kool-Aid mixes for the kids. Be creative. Almost anything tastes good with lemonade as the base!

When I am in a hurry or on the road without a kitchen, I buy pre-made lemonade from the store. If I am in the South, I often get the  Chic-fil-A's gallon lemonade to go. Those are my favorites if I cannot make my own. And let me tell you, if you use the CountryTime mix, add the juice of two lemons and lots of lemon slices into it, guests won't know it's not fresh. Do what you can... I prefer the fresh when time, budget, and location allows:) 

I always put out a little menu board to give guests some ideas of flavors that work well together. I write them on a chalkboard but you can write or print recipes.

BASIC LEMONADE RECIPE

 It's really simple. Four cups of water to one cup fresh squeezed lemon juice plus 1/2 cup of sugar. That's it!

To make enough for 4-5 servings:

2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 cup sugar (more to taste if you like it really sweet)

7-8 cups water

In a pitcher, add the sugar and the lemon juice and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add the water and chill.

Serving Tips:On a hot day, I will use 1 cup less water because I know the lemonade will become diluted with the melting ice. Often, I will freeze lemonade into ice cubes or freeze large plastic containers of lemonade. I put the lemonade into a large plastic milk jug or other repurposed plastic bottle. Freeze solid. A few hours before the party, I remove them from the freezer and allow them to become slushy. Soooo good on a hot day!

MIX-INS AND OPTIONS FOR A LEMONADE STATION

Mint leaves

Basil leaves

Strawberries, sliced plus strawberry puree

Raspberries

Watermelon slices plus watermelon puree

Peach slices plus peach nectar (find it in a can in the international aisle of the store)

Lime wheels

Lemon wheels

Sweet Tea

Grenadine

Vodka - I usually include a plain vodka and one flavored, like citrus or raspberry flavored

Chambord Liqueur

Bourbon

Pama Liqueur

VARIATIONS ON THE CLASSIC LEMONADE RECIPE

PINK LEMONADE

Perfect for kids and adults, too!

Add a tablespoon of Grenadine to the basic recipe. Stir well to color your lemonade bright pink. If you want a soft pink color, for a baby shower, for example, use less grenadine.

ARNOLD PALMER

Half iced tea, half lemonade.

ARNOLD PALMER WITH SPIKES

Add a shot of vodka (I use citrus flavored) to your Arnold Palmer.

CHERRY LEMONADE

Add 1 ounce cherry vodka, 3 maraschino cherries and a 1 teaspoon cherry juice to each glass of lemonade. Add a squeeze of lime.

PEACH TEA LEMONADE

1/3 each peach nectar, sweet tea, and classic lemonade per serving.

MINT INFUSED LEMONADE

Add a big handful of fresh mint leaves to the sugar and one cup of the water. Make a simple syrup- bring to a boil, reduce the heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, allow to cool completely. Strain into the pitcher and add the lemon juice and the remaining water.  

POMEGRANATE LEMONADE

Add a shot of Pama Liqueur. Yummmmy!

RASPBERRY LEMONADE

Basic Lemonade recipe

One container of fresh raspberries (I like to use Driscoll's because they are always FRESH!)

3/4 cup Chambord Liqueur 

1 tablespoon grenadine (optional but pretty!)

1 ounce vodka per glass (I like the new Chambord Pink vodka but you can use plain)

Save a few raspberries for extra garnish. Soak the remainder in the Chambord for an hour. Then add the raspberries in the liqueur plus the grenadine to your chilled lemonade. Stir. To serve, put one ounce vodka in each glass. Fill with ice. Top with the raspberry lemonade.  

RASPBERRY VANILLA LEMONADE

This version uses vanilla simple syrup, fresh raspberries and fresh lemonade. Add raspberry vodka, Chambord and some club soda for fizz. Get the recipe...

KENTUCKY LEMONADE

Put  4 fresh mint leaves into the bottom of the glass. Add a little ice. Use a wooden spoon to bruise the mint with the ice. Add 1 1/2 ounces Kentucky bourbon and fill the glass with lemonade. My Kentucky bourbon of choice right now is Four Roses. Their Yellow Label is perfect for this drink... side note, the single barrel is really good on it's own.

VANILLA BEAN PLANTATION LEMONADE

When making the classic lemonade, omit the sugar and one cup water and use it to make a simple syrup.  Make the vanilla infused simple syrup by adding one vanilla bean, slit it down the center, scrape the seeds and add to one cup of the water and the sugar. Bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to low and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool completely. Add remaining water and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Read the full blog post on this delicious summer treat!

Click here to get the recipe for my Strawberry Basil Lemonade, too!

Want to take your lemonade to another level? Try making your own Italian lemon liqueur... Limoncello!

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Easy, Affordable Entertaining: Make a Deviled Egg Bar

I love to set up interactive stations for easy entertaining. A DIY bar offers guests lots of options and encourages conversation, too. In my book, that is a win-win. For Easter brunch (or any brunch for that matter) a DIY Deviled Egg Bar is nothing but easy, yummy fun and with a price tag under ten cents per serving, deviled eggs are super affordable!

Photos: Arden Ward, Arden Photography Location: The Sonnet House Leeds, AlabamaClassic Deviled Eggs with toppings: BBQ, Salmon, and BaconHere's How:

Make your deviled eggs.* I'd suggest making a pretty basic recipe** since your guests will be adding toppings and piling on lots of flavor.

Assemble the eggs on a variety of different plates, egg dishes, and platters at different heights. Put the toppings in small dishes, jars, or bowls in groups. I like to get a bowl and fill it with ice and arrange bowls filled with toppings that are best kept chilled.  

SUGGESTED TOPPINGS (From our wonderful Facebook family! Use as many or as few as you like based on your budget and the amount of room you have)

Fresh Dill, Thyme, Tarragon, Chives, Italian parsley, cilantro; finely chopped

Scallions, finely chopped

Capers

Spicy pickle relish

Pickled okra slices

Roasted red peppers, diced

Jalapeno peppers, diced

Green olives, sliced

Toasted pecans, chopped

Bacon crumbles

Goat cheese crumbles

Shredded cheddar cheese

Fresh horseradish

Country ham, sliced ultra thin and cut into small pieces

BBQ (beef or pork, shredded)

Smoked salmon (thin sliced)

Fresh lump crabmeat (cooked)

Cooked baby shrimp

Caviar (if you have the budget)

Sour cream, creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt

Fig preserves

Chutney

Hot sauce

BBQ sauce

Salt

Pepper

Paprika

*To Make Hard-Boiled Eggs

Use a stainless steel pot- don't use a non-stick pan

Layer the eggs in the pan leaving a bit of room between them. Cover with cold water by one inch. Bring the eggs to a boil and very gently stir them in the pan. This will keep the yolk centered. Once the eggs reach a rolling boil, Immediately reduce the heat and simmer, cooking for one minute. Remove from heat and cover. Let the eggs stand for fifteen minutes. If you have very large eggs, you may want to allow them to stand for eighteen minutes. Don't peek or open the lid. Place the pot in the sink and run cold water over the eggs to cool them.   

To peel, lightly roll the egg on the counter with your hand and the shell should crack and peel away easily. I find they peel easier if you do this right away.

**Classic Southern Style Deviled Eggs

12 hard-boiled eggs

5 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish

Cut the eggs in half and put the yolks into a bowl and reserve the whites for later. ( I probably did not have to tell you that, but you'd be surprised) Add the mayo and mustard. Now, there is no precise measurement for the perfect deviled egg. Everyone does theirs to taste. I don't like mine to be thin or runny. I prefer a thicker consistency. Add more or less mayo depending on the consistency you like. Use a fork to mash it all together until somewhat creamy; if there are some bits of egg peeking through, that's ok. Add the salt, pepper, and relish. Combine well. Spoon the yolks into the egg whites. Or... you can make a pastry bag from a Zip-lock bag and pipe the mixture into the egg white. Simply spoon the mixture into the bag, smush it down into the corner and squeeze out the air... then snip the end and pipe nice little swirls onto your egg. I can do this so trust me, it's not hard. 

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Martie Knows Weddings: Cotton Candy Tree & Candy Table Ideas

We did this adorable cotton candy tree and candy table for my sweet friend Kristina's wedding. I was looking through the images and I realized I had not posted this fun idea for a wedding or birthday party or a centerpiece for a candy bar or candy table buffet.

COTTON CANDY TREE HOW-TO

Decide on a color for the candy. You can readily find cotton candy in lots of colors- even at the dollar store and Wal-Mart! Kristina's wedding colors were blue and green so she opted for blue cotton candy. There are lots of online stores for cotton candy with tons of colors and cheaper prices.

Get tiny glycine envelopes or plastic treat bags from the party store or hobby store. Make up labels with your name, monogram, or a photo and affix them to the bag. Oriental Trading Company has the clear mini-treat bags $1.99 for two dozen.

You'll need a tree branch for the arrangement. A manzanita branch works well. I got branches from the yard... but hobby or floral supply stores have several different types.

Secure the branches in a tall vase. You'll need something to really weight it down. The "trunk" part of the branch needs to be pretty long if you are going to use a tall vase. We used river rock in the base for weight and filled the vase with water. Be sure to push the tree to the center of the table so children will not be tempted to pull on it. You should not use a glass container if the party is for kids. Use a plastic vase or a sand pail filled with sand (add a little water to wet the sand for weight) for a kids party.

Tie the bags of cotton candy to the tree with matching ribbon. We also tied several pairs of mini craft (not pointy) scissors to the tree so guests could snip the cotton candy.

Under the cotton candy tree, we put glass bowls, cylinders, and vases filled with different candies along with mini Chinese take-out boxes so guests could take home a treat from the couple. Easter candy is out so now would be a good time to find an assortment in the stores... but the day after Easter, all of the left-over candy will be 1/2 off! 

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Irish Beer Cheese Fondue

Perfect for St. Patrick's Day parties, this beer cheese fondue is made with Irish cheddar and Guinness, the stout Irish beer. Your friends will loooovvee this recipe. And once you have it made, you can leave it on low in a crockpot or fondue pot and forget it! Best of all, it's self-serve; you just need to make sure you have enough because your guests will scarf this down. Seriously, it might be my new obsession. And don't worry if St. Patrick's Day is long past, this is a wonderful starter for a party, an appetizer for a dinner party, or a nice dinner for two in front of the fire.

Use Irish cheddar and an Irish stout like Guinness for a full, hearty tasteGuinness Beer & Cheese Fondue

Makes about 2 1/2 cups, enough for an appetizer portion for 8 guests

Serve with a brown hearty bread or French baguette cut into cubes

2 lbs cheddar cheese (Irish cheddar, like Kerrygold, is great. Find it at most Whole Foods stores.)

1 1/2 cups Irish beer, like Guinness stout

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard  (like Coleman's)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Dash cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

In a 2 quart fondue pan or heavy pot over medium heat, warm 1 cup of the beer until bubbles slowly rise to the surface. About 5 minutes. While you are waiting, mix the cheese, cornstarch, and mustard and toss together. Add the cheese mixture to the hot beer, a handful at a time, stirring until all the cheese is melted and the fondue is smooth and bubbly, adding the other 1/2 cup of beer a little at a time to thin the mixture slightly, stirring constantly. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and Worcestershire. Stir well and transfer to a fondue pot or lower heat and let the the mixture slowly bubble. Dip chunks of hearty bread, veggies, or fruit into the mixture. Warn guests that the mixture will be hot and do check the temperature from time to time. 

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Party Serving Solutions: Mason Jars for Serving a "Salad in a Jar"

Canning jars are awesome. No matter if you use them for serving beverages, as a vase for flowers, or as a portable serving solution, canning jars are inexpensive and also rather cool. I have quite an assortment of canning jars: Mason, Ball, and Kerr are some of the brands you'll see in stores. And if you have some of the blue or antique jars... lucky you!

This past weekend, I shared one of my ideas for spring and summer entertaining with guests at The Trussville Literary Club's tablescape event. Everyone loved my "salad in a jar" so I thought I'd share it with you. There are lots of variations on this theme. Be creative and come up with your own!

Salad in a Jar: An easy and creative way to serve salad for a party!Salad in a Jar: Layered Spinach & Fruit Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Functional, easy, and pretty! If you are going to prep the day before your event, you probably should add the dressing just before serving so everything doesn't get soggy. But you can prep up to four hours before with the dressing in the bottom of this recipe and you'll be fine... but keep the jars chilled on ice, in the fridge, or in a cooler. And it is a perfect solution for picnics, too!

Makes 6

1- 9 ounce package of fresh baby spinach leaves, wash and remove the stems

1- 16 ounce container fresh strawberries, washed, dried, hulled, and sliced

1- 15 ounce can mandarin orange slices, drained

2 cups walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1- 6 ounce container Belle Chevre Belle and the Bee Breakfast goat cheese (or if you cannot find it, make your own by swirling honey into goat cheese to make it creamy and slightly sweet)

Poppyseed Dressing recipe  (or your favorite dressing)

Assembly

Start by spooning about 2-3 tablespoons of dressing into the bottom of the jar. Enough so you can see the layer of dressing. Next, add about 1 1/2 cups of the spinach leaves. Layer the strawberry slices around the outside of the jar and work your way in so they look pretty. Do the same with the orange slices. Next, add the walnuts and top with a thin layer of the goat cheese. Secure the lid and chill until serving time.

Poppyseed Dressing Recipe

1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/8 cup sweet white onion, like a Vidallia, chopped

1/2 cup plain yogurt (some people prefer mayo instead)

2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 teaspoon poppyseeds

a bit of water to thin, if required

Add everything but the oil and the poppyseeds into a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth and there is no trace of the onion. Reduce to the lowest speed and stream in the vegetable oil. Turn off the blender and add the poppyseeds. If you find it too thick (which I love for fruit) you can thin with a bit of water.  I use an immersion blender for this recipe. It's fast and easy to clean up!

FOR MORE TIPS AND IDEAS ON USING CANNING JARS, VISIT THE BALL WEBSITE!