My life is full of executive decisions.  I am in charge the massive empire known as my household.  (Not really massive or empire-ish but I do live in a world of make believe half the time so play along with me.)

The decisions that keep this well running machine going are numerous and at times overwhelming.  (Deciding where to grocery shop or what is for dinner can be very cumbersome.)

There are days that I just want to throw in the towel and go back to a simpler life. (Living with my mom and having her do everything.)  But alas (you know this blog is good if I use the word “alas”), real life is not running back home but putting on your big girl apron and dealing with life’s challenges.

So what has you so perplexed, Barb?  Thank you for asking.  I went into my refrigerator and forgot that I had a half pint of blackberries to use.  (Insert scary music here.)  The horror!!!!

As you know from previous posts, I kick myself when I waste food.  (Actually, I kick my husband and for some reason that makes him upset.)  I didn’t have time to bake them in anything and they were looking deflated enough that I knew I had to act fast.

Times like this drive me to drink….lemonade!  (Isn’t this what happens to all executives?)  You know I don’t drink real spirits because of that whole You Tube incident last year.  (It never went viral, phew!)

I have had the luxury of drinking some pretty interesting lemonade concoctions this past year and I have decided that at least once a year I will post a new recipe.  (Remember Berry Fun Lemonade or 50 Shades of Lemonade…Yum.)

Blackberry-Ginger Lemonade

Ingredients

1.5 cups water

1.5 cups sugar

1.5 cups lemonade

½ pint blackberries (if you have extra berries, freeze them and use them as a garnish)

1 inch peeled, ginger root, sliced (This amount will give you just a touch of ginger.  If you would like more ginger, add about 2 inches.)

4 cups cold water

Lemon slices, optional

Directions

In a medium, non-reactive saucepan, combine sugar, sliced ginger and the 1.5 cups of sugar over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, stir and simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat.

Remove from heat, add berries, lemon juice, and let stand for 30 minutes.  (I mash the berries as they soften in the hot liquid to release more juice)

Strain berry syrup into large pitcher and add remaining water.  Stir and chill in refrigerator.  Serve over ice with a berry/lemon slice garnish.

I made this recipe a couple of different ways but this was by far my favorite. The blackberries almost gave this lemonade a wine flavor.  (The kind of wine you stomp in your backyard in a bikini with your friends while singing songs from Pirate Movie….not that this happened in my real life.)

I also liked the how the small bite of ginger hit the back of your tongue after each sip.  My lemonades are always a little tart but this one seemed more balanced than the rest.  Any which way, it was a great way to use up berries.

Now back to the real world and making important life decisions…hmmm, pasta or potatoes with dinner tonight?  (And for those of you who actually thought there was a You Tube video out there of me being silly….you will never find it!)