Name: Homemade Lemonade
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar; 1 cup water; 1 cup lemon juice; 3 - 4 cups cold water

Make Your Own Easy Homemade Lemonade!

By Annie

This easy homemade lemonade recipe uses the juice of real lemons. A healthy organic lemonade and a fun kids activity for a hot day!

I love homemade lemonade and one of the great things about being in California at this time of year is having citrus trees all around us. There are lots of grapefruits and oranges too; it is like citrus heaven here.

Cold glasses of lemonade sit on a picnic table. — This delicious lemonade is a classic summer beverage!

Easy Homemade Lemonade Backstory

Graham has been enjoying lots of fresh grapefruits and we have a juicer so we have been making lots of fresh juice.

I used the juicer and made a nice large jug full of lemonade – here’s the recipe. It’s incredibly easy to make and you can adjust the amount of sugar you add! We like ours with 2/3 cup sugar for a batch and I add 5 cups cold water. Adjust yours to taste!

A lemon tree with lemons growing. — These fresh lemons are bursting with flavor and make our lemonade so fresh!

How to Make Easy Homemade Lemonade

A sugar syrup on the stove being stirred. — Be sure to allow all of the sugar to dissolve and fully combine for the best simple syrup!

Start by making a simple syrup using 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Heat the two together slowly on the stove and stir.
Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the stove and let it cool.

An electric juicer juicing lemons. — This electric juicer completely streamlines the lemonade making process, what a great tool!

Juice up your fresh lemons (we bought a Black and Decker juicer, and it sure beats hand juicing!). I usually juice up enough lemons for two batches of lemonade. I just keep the extra juice in a jar in the fridge.
Put the lemon juice in a large jug and add the sugar syrup. Then add cold water and stir well.
Keep your easy homemade lemonade in the fridge and enjoy! Give it a quick stir before pouring.

How Do I Choose the Best Lemons?

For perfect lemons, look for rinds that are pretty clear of blemishes and have an even coloring.
The fruit should feel heavy for its size, which indicates lots of juice!
Fruits with skins that are smoother and have less texture tend to yield more juice, which is important to keep in mind for a lemonade recipe.
Avoid any lemons with soft spots or wrinkles.
Smell the fruit and choose the ones that have sweet, strong aromas.

Variations and Serving Suggestions

You can make lemonade ice cubes to keep on hand to add to water or other fruit drinks.
Another great way to enjoy lemonade even colder is to pour it into popsicle molds and make lemonade pops!
Serve with a sprig of fresh mint or basil for an added pop of refreshing flavor.
Muddle up some fruit and stir it into your drink for some added fruity flavor. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, mangoes, melon, or any combination of these would taste great in this drink!
Try adding some sparkling water (or a sparkling wine if you’re feeling like it) to give your lemonade some fizz.

More Great Country Living Recipes

Our entire Country Living in a Cariboo Valley Recipe Collection can be found here, but here are a few highlights!

This Healthy Homemade Granola is perfect for breakfast time or for a filling snack!
For some guidelines on how to make and can your own salsa, check out this post.
Banana Bread is so easy to make and such a crowd-pleaser!
These Lemon Meltaway cookies are the perfect snack.

Easy Homemade Lemonade

If you like this refreshing homemade lemonade recipe, be sure to rate it 5 stars below!

Homemade Lemonade

Yield: 4 cups lemonade

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Homemade lemonade is a refreshing treat. Easy to make your own lemonade from scratch with this recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup lemon juice
3 - 4 cups cold water

Instructions

Make a simple syrup using 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water.

Heat the two together slowly on the stove and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Let it cool.

Juice 5 or 6 lemons, enough to make 1 cup of juice.

Put 1 cup of lemon juice in a large jug and add the sugar syrup.

Then add 3 or 4 cups of cold water.

Mix well, store in refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 46mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 0gSugar: 51gProtein: 0g

First Published April 2013; Updated January 2021

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Southern Living’s Banana Bread Recipe

By Annie

I’ve been making this banana bread recipe since I was a teenager. Turns out it’s the same as Southern Living’s banana bread recipe.

One of our favorite quick breads, this easy recipe uses ripe bananas (I even use overripe bananas) – it’s a great way to use them up!

A couple of slices of this quick loaf with butter or smeared with cream cheese are the perfect afternoon snack.

We even enjoy banana bread as a fast breakfast – if you take lunch to work, it makes the perfect afternoon treat. It’s an easy pick me up any time of day when you need something to eat.

Slices of banana bread sit on a white plate. — This Southern Living banana bread recipe is a classic.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Banana Bread Recipe

When it’s kind of chilly outside and we’re getting nice and warm by the wood stove, I love to bake. Earlier today, I got busy in the kitchen making this easy recipe. I want to share it with you because it is just so good. It really is delicious.

I’ve been making this recipe for a long time. I got the recipe from my Mom and I have no clue where she got it from. It may have from an old church cookbook. I remember the Ladies Society putting together cookbooks with their very best recipes.

This makes 1 really large loaf, but you can split the batter between two pans and decrease the baking time to 45 minutes.

Here’s the best banana bread recipe you are going to find!

How to Make Homemade Banana Bread

Note: Most bakers probably use an electric mixer for this recipe, but I always just use wooden spoon to mix by hand.

Mashed bananas in a clear bowl. — Be sure to get your bananas nice and mashed so they incorporate well into the batter.

Mash three bananas really well. If I am using firmer bananas, I put them in the microwave for 20 seconds to help soften them up.
Add milk and vanilla, stir well then set aside.
Electric mixer: use low speed.

Butter, sugar, and eggs in a clear bowl. — Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs to start the batter.

Use a large bowl for this next step. In the end, all the batter will end up in this bowl.
Cream softened butter with sugar and add two large eggs. Mix well.
Electric mixer: Use medium speed.

Wet and dry ingredients for banana bread in a clear bowl. — Be sure to fold in the dry ingredients gently to achieve a soft and moist texture.

Add dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) to the butter mixture.
Sift the flour if you like – I don’t bother to do this step and it never seems to matter.
Some bakers like to combine flour and other dry ingredients together first before adding to the butter mix. I never bother and it’s never been a problem.

Mixing together wet and dry banana bread ingredients with a wooden spoon. — It already looks delicious and it hasn’t even been baked yet!

Mix everything together.
Mixer: Use medium speed.
Meanwhile, grease and flour a loaf pan (or use cooking spray).

Banana bread batter in a bowl with two baking dishes behind it. — Well worth getting these Pyrex baking dishes for your baking cupboard!

I love my Pyrex loaf pan – since it’s glass, it’s easy to clean and never wear out.
Spoon the batter into the loaf pan.

Slices of banana bread on a plate with two loaves behind them. — This banana bread is the perfect comfort food for any time of the year!

Bake at 325 degrees for 60 -75 minutes depending on your oven. Test it to see if it is done by inserting a long wooden pick or skewer. If it comes out mostly clean, the loaf is done. If not, give it another 5 -10 minutes.
Note: If it’s getting too brown on top, create a shield with aluminum foil at this point.
Once it’s done, remove and cool bread in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer over to a wire rack where it can sit for another 20 minutes.

FAQ

What kind of bananas should I use for this recipe?

The very best bananas to use for this loaf are the really super over ripe ones. The riper the better, baby!

What’s the best way to eat this banana loaf?

Enjoy this best Banana Bread recipe in the world (according to us!) with a tall glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee.

How do you keep banana bread moist?

Make sure to use the ripest bananas possible, even to the point where they almost look black. You can also use bananas that have been frozen!
Be sure to fold the dry and wet ingredients together very carefully with a spatula or spoon to make for a soft and tender texture.
Start checking the bread at 40 or 45 minutes; when you’re able to remove a toothpick and see just a few moist crumbs, remove the bread immediately.

How long will this bread last?

It will generally keep for about a week sitting out on the counter, but around day 4 the bread will start to dry out a bit. Be sure to cover well with some plastic or foil to prevent this as much as possible.
This loaf will also freeze well if you have leftovers you want to save. In the freezer, it should be fine for at least four months!

Variations and Substitutions for Southern Living’s Banana Bread Recipe

Add a handful of nuts (walnuts or pecans are delicious in this simple recipe).
Some other great ways to up the flavor profile would be to add more spices (like nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, or allspice), or mix in some chocolate chips or nuts!
Add fresh fruit, like a handful or two of blueberries or halved cherries.
Make Banana muffins instead of the banana loaf:
Use as 12 count muffin pan and use muffin cups or baking spray. Spoon batter into each cup then bake at 425F in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

More Sweet Recipes

Our entire Country Living in a Cariboo Valley Recipe Collection can be found here, but here are a few highlights for your sweet tooth!

Southern Living’s Banana Bread Recipe

If you like this easy and delicious recipe, be sure to rate it 5 stars below!

Banana Bread

Yield: 1 quick banana bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Classic comfort food for an afternoon snack. Great for a fast breakfast along with a smoothie. Grandma's and Southern Living's recipe for Banana Bread.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3 mashed bananas, mash them really well
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Combine the sugar, butter and eggs. Stir well. In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In yet another bowl, mash the bananas really well. I find if I put them in the microwave for 15 seconds, it helps soften them up. Once they are mashed, add the milk and the vanilla. Stir together.
Add the flour mixture and the banana mixture into the sugar mixture. I usually do this in thirds, giving it a good stir before adding more. Make sure it's mixed well.
Grease and flour one loaf pan, pour the batter in and bake at 325 for 60-75 minutes, depending on your oven. Use a wooden skewer to insert into the loaf to see if it is ready, it may need to bake a few more minutes. Once the skewer comes out clean, the loaf is done.
Remove from the pan after 10 minutes rest and let it complete cooling on a wire rack another 20 minutes or so. Enjoy!

Notes

I always make this recipe by hand, but many bakers use a mixer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 inch slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 408Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 296mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 2gSugar: 35gProtein: 6g

First Published November 2012; latest update November 2026

Thanks for checking out this recipe. For more, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter!

Close up of a sliced loaf of banana bread. — You’ll never need another recipe once you try this one!

Chewy Coconut Cookies – Recipe

By Annie

These delicious coconut cookies are soft and chewy and just sweet enough to satisfy your dessert cravings!

Coconut cookies sitting on a blue plate. — These cookies are sweet and light, so delicious!

Why You’ll Love These Coconut Cookies

We usually eat healthy foods here; our love of gardening helps us grow a lot of what we eat. But we’re not only about the vegetables and fruits, we each have a sweet tooth. I don’t bake sweets every week and when I do, it’s often a sweet loaf, like Banana Bread or Pumpkin Cranberry Banana Bread.

But when we are in the mood for something sweeter, I will whip up a batch of these chewy coconut cookies. We like them so much they never last long. Graham can vouch for these. So can I.

If you love coconut, you’ll make these more than once. Guaranteed.

How To Make Chewy Coconut Cookies

Coconut cookies sit on a plate. — Once you try this recipe, you’ll come back to it again and again.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt and then set it aside. Cream butter and add both sugars.
Stir until the batter is smooth.
Beat in an egg and add the vanilla. Blend until fluffy.

Flaked coconut being mixed into cookie dough. — This seems like a lot of coconut to add, but add it all!

Gradually blend in the flour mixture and then add the coconut.
- Note: At this point, the dough will be very thick. Be sure to blend the coconut in well.
Drop by the teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Note: Place the dough about 3 inches apart, because these cookies will really spread!

Baked coconut cookies sitting on plates. — Make sure not to overbake; you want these cookies nice and chewy!

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 8 – 10 minutes. Make sure to watch them in the last minute.
You will want to remove them as soon as you see the bottom edge of the cookies turn golden brown. It may seem they aren’t done yet, but if you take them out now, they will be nice and chewy.
Remove them right away from the sheet and cool on wire racks.

The recipe makes about 2 dozen chewy cookies. I always double the recipe when I make these. They keep great in the cookie jar – not that they’ll be around very long!

FAQ

What’s the difference between flaked coconut and shredded coconut?

It mostly comes down to shape. While flakes are a bit thicker and shorter, shreds tend to be longer and wider.
Either could really be used for this recipe, they’re more or less interchangeable. Just make sure the pieces aren’t too big (unless that’s how you like your cookies!).

Can these coconut cookies be made vegan?

Yes! One way to do this is replace the butter with coconut oil and omit the egg, instead adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed and about 3 tablespoons of water.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

For some added sweetness and flavor, try adding some mini chocolate chips to your cookie batter.
Instead of butter, you could use coconut oil in order to emphasize the coconut flavor.
To make your cookies even heartier, add some oats into the batter. (That means you can eat them for breakfast, right?)
Other add-ins that would enhance these cookies: dried fruit like cranberries or raisins, white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, lemon zest.

More Sweet Recipes

Our entire Country Living in a Cariboo Valley Recipe Collection can be found here, which includes some of these great recipes:

If you’re looking for something light and refreshing, try this Lemon Loaf Cake with Rosemary Glaze.
My Easy Fantasy Fudge will satisfy all of you chocolate lovers out there!
Fireball Pumpkin Pie is perfect for cold days when you need a little kick of cinnamon to warm you up.

Chewy Coconut Cookies Recipe

If you like this recipe for coconut cookies, be sure to rate it 5 stars below!

Enjoy! Let us know what you think. These chewy cookie treats have become one of Graham’s favourites!

I originally found this recipe on Allrecipes

Chewy Coconut Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Total Time: 24 minutes

Delicious with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk, these soft and chewy coconut cookies are sure to please.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut

Instructions

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and both sugars until smooth.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until fluffy.
Gradually blend in the flour mixture, and then add the coconut.
Mix very well; the dough will be stiff. Make sure the coconut is well mixed into the dough.
Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Put them about 3 inches apart as these cookies really spread in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes. Remove them from the sheet right away onto wire racks.

First Published August 2012; Updated January 2021

Thanks for checking out this recipe. For more, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter!

Baking Your Halloween Pumpkin!

By Annie

What do you do with your Halloween pumpkin once the day passes? Some people toss them into their compost pile, others simply throw them in the garbage can.

But why not think about baking your Halloween pumpkin?

Some communities have a Pumpkin road, some long road out in the outskirts where people bring all their Pumpkins to dot the sides of the roads.

That looks pretty cool and it becomes a tradition in these towns.

Families drive together down the road and look at all the pumpkins; at night, some are even lit. The pumpkins will decompose or provide food for wildlife.

Since we don’t have a pumpkin road, I’m going to take our Pumpkin and turn it into pie – it’s not hard to do. We didn’t carve out our Pumpkin this year, so there is no candle wax dripping down all over the inside.

I would never use a carved out Pumpkin that held a candle to turn into Pumpkin Pie.

Instead, I used a black Sharpie and just drew the face on. I’m not very artistically gifted, so his face is pretty basic.

I like him, although he does have a couple dental problems.

Remember too, grocery stores will put all their “leftover” pumpkins on sale this week.

If you have the time, buy 6 or 8 if you can get a great price on them. Then get started preserving them for using over winter.

Why you want to bake your Pumpkin

Mostly, for the convenience. Set aside an afternoon and that morning, put them in the oven. In the afternoon, process all them.

You’ll be done before dinner and have several bags of pumpkin puree in the freezer.

How to Bake a Pumpkin

Cut a “cap” out of the top of the pumpkin, using a large sharp knife. You will want a large enough hole, so you can get inside and scrape out all the pulp and seeds.

I like to use a large, heavy metal spoon to scrape the sides and the floor of the pumpkin.

You could also cut the pumpkin in half, much like you would a squash. Either way, once it is all scraped out, put it in an oven set at 350F.

Let it bake for awhile.

The time needed to bake really depends on the size of your pumpkin. Large pumpkins can take a couple of hours to cook all the way through.

Once the Pumpkin is soft and mushy, it’s ready. Test it by poking a fork in it.

Remove the pumpkins from the oven and let them cool. Then, just cut or break them apart. Scrape all the flesh into a bowl.

Throw out the outer skin. You will have already removed all the stringy stuff and seeds, so this part of the process is very quick and easy.

Use the Pumpkin flesh to make a pie, cookies or a loaf or eat it as a side dish with dinner.

To preserve some, just fill Ziplock bags, remove the air and pop in the freezer. I like to freeze mine in quantities for making Pumpkin Loaf or Pumpkin Pie.

And why not set six seeds aside and plant them next year for Pumpkins in the garden?

Make Your Own Easy Homemade Lemonade!

Easy Homemade Lemonade Backstory

How to Make Easy Homemade Lemonade

How Do I Choose the Best Lemons?

Variations and Serving Suggestions