Southern Made Simple

Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm

Laura Tucker

Homemade Blackberry Lemonade – Recipe

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Even though summer hasn’t officially kicked off just yet, it is by all means summer time here in south Alabama. The temp has been in the 80’s for the past two weeks (and it’s steadily getting hotter), so it’s nothing but flip flips, tank tops and shorts from here until the last week of September!

And with the glorious arrival of summer comes the long anticipated return of fresh fruits and veggies hand picked from the garden. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we have a wild blackberry patch on our family’s property right up the road from our home. My husband and I always try to beat the birds and take a small bucket up the hill 3 or 4 times during the month of May to pick all of the beautiful blackberries off of the vines. Aren’t they just gorgeous?!

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

Aside from munching on the berries as a snack, I’ve been experimenting with different things to do with them while they’re in season. I recently made a Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole (which I swear was sent straight from Heaven,) but this time I decided to try my hand at making something really sweet!

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

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I opened up my refrigerator and saw one lowly lemon sitting there on the shelf. That’s when it hit me: Homemade Blackberry Lemonade! Ohhhh, yeah! Luckily I had a bottle of lemon juice in the door of the fridge to help me out. Squeezing real lemons would’ve been even better, but I think it turned out amazing just the way I made it! It’s a perfect blend of sweet, sour/tart, and darn delicious. Here’s how I made it:

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Homemade Blackberry Lemonade - Recipe

Course: Beverage
Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups lemon juice + 2tbs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar I used half sugar, half stevia
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 2 cups water + 5 cups water

Instructions

  • In a medium sauce pan, combine 2 cups water and sugar and bring to a boil - stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from stove and allow to cool down.
  • Using a blender or food processor, puree 1 cup blackberries + 2 tbs lemon juice.
  • In a large pitcher, combine water/sugar mixture and lemon juice.
  • Using a fine mesh strainer, pour blackberry puree into strainer and stir contents into pitcher.
  • Add additional 5 cups water and stir.
  • Serve with ice and fresh lemons and berries if desired.

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

While the water was on the stove boiling, I tossed a cup of fresh blackberries and a little lemon juice into my blender. After several spins in the blender, the berries turned into a really thick pulp (as pictured below.)

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

Using a fine mesh strainer, I poured the blackberry pulp over the lemon juice. I had to use a spoon to mash the pulp to help it go through the strainer. The strainer of course prevents any of the seeds getting through into your lemonade. You can always add a few if you like having a little “texture” in your beverages. 🙂

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

Once the lemonade was all put together, I added a few fresh berries and lemon slices into the pitcher and let it sit and cool in the fridge for a while. This drink really takes lemonade to a whole new level, and I am totally loving it! I’ll be sure to freeze a few batches of blackberries so that I can make this drink all throughout the year and not just during the summer!

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

What makes a perfect summer drink to you? Have you ever made lemonade using other fresh fruits? I’d love to hear your ideas!

 

Make a Splash this Summer with these 18 Amazing Pool Floats!

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It seems like over the past few weeks my Instagram feed has been filled with companies advertising their new summer lines with poolside or beach themed pictures. Aside from instantly making me jealous and longing to sink my toes into a pool of refreshing water, I’ve also noticed that a lot of the pictures featured some of the most insanely adorable pool floats I’ve ever seen. They weren’t advertising the floats, per se, but they definitely had me sold on them! I mean, I never actually knew that I needed a giant flamingo pool float, but I’ve now seen the light. I want need it bad, y’all!

I immediately went to Amazon to see what my options were when it came to giant flamingo floats. (Would you believe that there’s more than one option?!) I was really surprised when I started seeing all of these other super cute floats, too.

Pool Floats that will ROCK your summer! And they're all available on Amazon!…

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Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

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May is my favorite month for so many reasons. The weather here in South Alabama is as close to perfect as it can get. It’s cool in the mornings and afternoons, which makes it perfect to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Also, it hasn’t gotten humid or muggy yet, which is a huge plus for me (and my hair!) This is the month where it’s still comfortable to sit out on your front porch, go for a walk and even pick a few wild berries with your family.

There’s a huge patch of wild dewberries right up the road from my house that are always begging to be picked during this time of year, so my husband and I like to grab a giant bowl out of the cupboard and make an adventure out of it!

Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole with Blackberry Compote - So delicious and easy to prepare! …

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Protein Packed Monkey Muffins – A Nutritional Toddler Snack!

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This shop has been compensated by CollectiveBias, Inc. on behalf of its advertiser, Similac.  #NutritionintheMix #Collectivebias #Walmart

In a perfect world, there would be a handbook (with pictures) issued to every parent who is raising a toddler. It would be filled with explanations as to why your child is throwing a tantrum, how they were able to reach the rice from the top shelf and spill it everywhere, and why in the world they LOVE a food one day and hate it the next.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world where such a handbook exists. Hey, a mom can dream, right? 😉 I sure wish I had one right about now, though! I’m already having a hard enough time coming to terms with the fact that I no longer have a little baby to hold in my arms. She grew in the blink of an eye and is now a squirmy little toddler who is too busy to be held and wants to get into everything! I really wish time could slow down just a bit!

She has entered a phase where it seems like she changes daily. One day she likes yogurt, the next she doesn’t. She wants to feed herself, but she’s only interested in the food that’s on your plate and not her own. She’ll take a bottle one day, and be totally uninterested in it the next. Sometimes it’s really hard to keep up with what’s going on! While her little body is growing and going through lots of new changes, I don’t want to fall behind in making sure she’s getting all of the nutrients she needs.

And that, my friends, is where Go & Grow by Similac® Food Mix-Ins™ steps in to save the day!

Protein Packed Monkey Muffins - The perfect toddler snack! Chocolate, banana and quinoa muffins with a special hidden ingredients to really pack in the nutrients! #NutritionInTheMix #Walmart #ad…

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5 Ways to Boldly Be Your Best Self Each Morning + Free Printable!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ListerineBOLD #CollectiveBias

May is officially here! Can you believe how fast the year is flying by? This month holds a ton of exciting things for myself and my family. We’re just a few days away from our daughter’s 1st birthday, and I’ve been flooded with emotions and memories of watching her grow and learn SO many new things. Even though she’s learned a ton during her first year, I’ve definitely learned quite a bit myself.

This time last year, I was working full time outside of the home. I had a strict morning routine and made it a point to really take care of myself during that time. Once my daughter was born, my previous routine went right out the door faster than a speeding bullet. I put my needs on the back burner because I really wanted to rock this whole “mom” gig.

It wasn’t long before I started  feeling a little down on myself. After some deep digging and a little soul searching, I realized it’s because I stopped taking care of myself. And because I stopped doing that, I was doing my daughter a huge disservice. She needs her mommy to be happy and healthy. She needs me to be my best self at all times so that I can be the best that I can be for her!

5 Ways to Boldly Be Your Best Self Each Morning {Free Printable Included!} #ListerineBOLD #ad…

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Love Coffee? Have a Cup on Me!

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Hello my fabulous friends! Can you believe it’s already May 1st? It really seems like this year is zooming by so fast! Turning the page in my calendar to a brand new month always makes me excited. May is my favorite month of the year, and I really believe this one is going to be ah-mazing!

Oh, what’s that? You’re not sure what all the excitement is all about? Allow me to fix that for you..

Love Coffee? Have a Cup on Me!

This song is always played multiple times in my house on May 1st (and basically every other day because it’s my jam and N’Sync will always live on in my heart.) 😉 But I especially love to listen to it on this day because it gets me so excited to jump into May and all it’s glory. Hello, birthday parties and warmer weather!

This month I’ll be celebrating my second ever Mother’s Day, our wedding anniversary, and my daughter’s FIRST birthday! (Stay tuned for a post or two about that. We’re going all out!) 😉

In addition to all of that awesomeness, Southern Made Simple is officially 6 months old! I’ve been having such a blast sharing my thoughts, favorite finds, and life in general with all of you. You’re all a big reason to keep the celebration going this month! So to show my appreciation for all of you, I thought I’d share a little bit of Starbucks sweetness with one lucky follower!

$15 Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway - Follower Appreciation on Southern Made Simple

[the_ad_group id=”278″]This giveaway will run throughout the entire month of May, so be sure to share Southern Made Simple and this giveaway with your friends so they can get in on the action! Just enter using the giveaway form below. All entries will be verifies. Open to US residents only, 18 years and older.

Love Coffee? Have a Cup on Me!

Open to residents of the United States 18 and older. Limit one entrant per household. Giveaway will end at 11:59pm CST on 5/31/2016. Winner will be drawn using Giveaway Tools. Entries will be verified. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Southern Made Simple is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

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The 5 Love Languages: A Pallet Project

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When my husband and I married almost 4 years ago, we took part in 3 or 4 premarital counseling sessions offered by our officiant, Bro. Rick. We really didn’t know what to expect the first night, and when we left our first meeting were surprised to find ourselves walking out with a stack of books to read (aka homework). Bro. Rick told us that we’d be learning a new language during our sessions, and we’d be fine tuning the way we talk and communicate with each other.

At first I was caught a little off guard, because I really didn’t think Kyle (my husband) and I needed any “fine tuning”.  We truly felt like we knew each other inside and out, backwards and forwards and in all areas in between. After all, we had been dating for 7 years before we said our vows, and we felt certain that life would not really be any different once we were married. Everything would just continue as it always was, but we’d now get to experience the blessings and privileges that husbands and wives share together. We certainly didn’t consider that we’d be learning a new language – especially when it came to love. We were pretty confident that we had that figured out – or so we thought.

Then we opened “The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman, and we quickly started learning things we never knew we didn’t know.

5 Love Languages Pallet Project…

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How to Whitewash Wood: Step by Step Tutorial

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A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a pile full of treasures at one of my Granddaddy’s old storage sheds. Much to my surprise, there were piles of old doors, window frames, pallet boards and even a chalkboard that was salvaged from an old school house.

Basically, I hit the Pinterest DIY-er’s jackpot. My mind instantly started brainstorming of ways I could re-purpose some of these pieces and use them in my home. I’ve always loved the “farmhouse” look, so I was absolutely beside myself knowing I’d get to give a new life to these old wooden pieces!

I really wanted to jump right off the deep end and paint everything right away, but I decided for the sake of my husband’s sanity that I’d just start one project at a time. The weather has been absolutely beautiful this weekend, so I decided to take advantage of that and break out the paint buckets.

My first project is going to be a piece of wall art for our bedroom made from pallet board. To match the theme of our room, I knew I wanted this piece to be white, but I really wanted it to look weathered and rustic. After I did a little bit of research, I decided whitewashing the wood would be the perfect option to achieve the look I was going for.

A simple step by step tutorial on how to whitewash wood for pennies on the dollar - Southern Made Simple…

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Slow Cooker Sloppy Chicken Sliders

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Slow Cooker Sloppy Chicken Sliders - Freezer Crock Pot Meal Idea

Here’s another quick and easy meal that the whole family will enjoy! This recipe is a fun twist on the good ol’ Sloppy Joe. With just 5 ingredients, this meal makes for a super simple yet hearty dinner that you can jut set and forget in the crock-pot! This recipe will also work great as a freezer meal. (Instructions for freezer meal below)

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 lbs boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1 15oz can of your favorite sloppy joe sauce
  • 1 small onion cut into small slices
  • 1/4 cup chopped jalapeno peppers (optional)
  • Your favorite slider or hamburger bun
  • (I added mayo and a pickle to my slider since it reminded me of a BBQ sandwich. Both are totally optional!)

Directions:

  1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until chicken is done.
  2. 30 minutes before finished cooking, remove the chicken and shred with a fork. Put shredded chicken back in slow cooker and let simmer.
  3. Serve on buns and enjoy!

To make a freeze ahead Crock-pot meal:

  1. Label 1 gallon freezer safe ziploc bag with the following:
    • “Slow Cooker Sloppy Chicken Sliders”
    • Cook on low 6 hours
    • Serve on slider buns
  2. Place all contents in bag and seal. Lay flat in freezer.

Do you have any favorite slow cooker meals that the whole family loves? If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how you like it!

Farmhouse Finds for the Kitchen on Amazon

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Southern Made Simple is a part of several affiliate advertising programs. Affiliate links are included throughout this post. Although I participate in these programs and have sponsored content, all opinions are my own.

If you love the “farmhouse” look as much as I do, this post is definitely for you! I catch myself daydreaming throughout the day of how amazing it would be if I could just “get the look” without spending a fortune. I also get a little overwhelmed thinking about going to multiple shops and antique stores hoping to score a few new things for my home. What if I go and I can’t find what I’m looking for, or if I get sensory overload and want ALL THE THINGS?? I’ll either spend way too much or leave with nothing. There is no in between. Both of those have definitely been the case for me every time I go out shopping.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could achieve that fabulous farmhouse look in a one stop shop with reasonable prices?? I thought so, too. And come to find out, you totally can thanks to Amazon! I’ll be the first to admit, Amazon was not my first thought of being a supplier of all things shabby-chic, but I have been very pleased with their selection!

Farmhouse Kitchen Finds

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