Sunday, April 25, 2010

Pink Lemonade Granita - Pink Saturday



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Years ago, some folks affectionately named their cars. It was throwback to the days when horses pulled the family wagon. I came from that kind of family and, to this day, cars in our family are given names. I call mine Bessie. I must admit that I've carried the naming of inanimate object even further. My computer also has a name. We call her Carmen. I've just brought Carmen back from a 48 hour stay in the emergency room at the Geek Squad hospital. She's a headstrong flirt and, despite repeated warnings, she invited trouble with a virus that seems to have come from Facebook. She has been very, very sick but the guys brought her back from the brink of self-destruction and she's lived to blog another day. Beware of requests that come from Facebook, especially those that pop-up and ask if you want to share or approve a new follower. The request may or not be legitimate. I'm now a couple of hundred dollars in the hole but a lot wiser than I was on Friday. Carmen has been grounded. This is probably the latest Pink Saturday post since the inception of the meme. I am sorry, but it could not be helped. Today's feature is a simple palate cleanser that I think you'll enjoy. Let's get right to it. Here's the recipe.

Pink Lemonade Granita...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Nicole Plue

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)
2 teaspoons grenadine

Directions:

1) Combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and grenadine in a medium bowl. Stir with a large spoon or whisk until sugar has thoroughly dissolved, about 1 minute.
2) Pour mixture into a 9-inch-square shallow baking pan. This pan size works best ­because it provides a large surface area, a key point in speeding up freezing process. To further hasten freezing, use a metal pan (metal conducts cold well).
Put pan in freezer and stir every 30 minutes, being sure to scrape ice crystals off sides and into middle of pan, until mixture is too frozen to stir, about 3 hours, depending on how cold your freezer is (some granitas can freeze in as ­little as 1 hour). Use tines of a large dinner fork to stir, scrape and break up ice crystals.
3) Cover pan with plastic and freeze over­night. When ready to serve granita, place a fork at the top of the dish and pull it toward you in rows, moving from left to right ­and ­rotating the pan as well. Scape up the shaved ice and fill your chilled glasses or bowls. Yield: 4 cups shaved ice.

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

36 comments :

Suzanne said...

Yummm...I am definitely making this. Sounds so refreshing...and pink:-)
Thanks for sharing.

3 hungry tummies said...

That is so pretty! We might have another warm day this week, this will be perfect!

2 Stews said...

Sorry about your computer troubles. They are almost as bad as car problems.

The pretty pink granita looks like a winner in my house....we love lemons.

Thanks!

Mickey said...

Perfect for a spring evening! Yum!

From the Kitchen said...

I'm glad that Carmen is improving. She does sound somewhat a flirt to have accepted a pop-up request like that. I agree that she should have been grounded!
If it ever warms up here, I'd love that granita. Until then, the soup pot will be simmering on the back burner!

Best,
Bonnie

PeggyR said...

Oh yum this sounds so good. Perfect for summer! If and when it gets here!

♥ Kathy said...

My parents always named their cars too :) I don't play any of the games on FB and only accept requests from people I know...sorry they got you! The Granita looks so good!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

Mary, this is perfectly for our hot weather here, my kids would love this. Thanks for sharing.

Velva said...

This is a beautiful pink lemonade. My kids would love this too!

scrambledhenfruit said...

So sorry about Carmen. Computer troubles are no fun whatsoever. The granita looks so refreshing- just the thing for the approaching summertime weather! (And it's so much more elegant than a popsicle.)Thanks, Betty

Rebecca @ Belle Blog said...

Hey, I love anything pink!!

Rebecca
New England Candy Co.

Foley said...

Thanks for the 'heads up' on the potential virus on FB.
Your granita sounds very refreshing - I bet a little touch of vodka would make it a nice summer slushie also!

Allie and Pattie said...

I had to smile- my Nonno's car was always "la Carolina"- and look where I live now! This may be just the thing for an upcoming baby shower- thank you!
xoxo Pattie

Annesphamily said...

Yummy pink cold treat! It is cold and rainy here this weekend. Must wait for a warm summery day! HPS to you!

Louis la Vache said...

Ironically, «Louis» is eating lemon yogurt as he reads this. (Gotta support his cousins in the Dairy industry, doncha know?)

«Louis» likes anything lemon, so he'll try this!

Re the computer problems: PC? «Louis» has never had this issue with a Mac, but dozens of his friends and acquaintances with PCs have this problem, "Facebook"or from other sources. His Macs have always sailed through those seas without incident.

No, Apple didn't pay «Louis» to write that!
;-D

Unknown said...

Hay que rico!!!

Sorry about Carmen.

Hugs
Charo

Foodiewife said...

Oh, Mary, I'm so sorry about Carmen! I'm so lucky to be married to a computer Geek who has put in all kinds of firewalls and has warned me about FB hanky panky. So glad she's on the mend. I don't have a name for my car, but my mom used to call our 1960-ish Cadillac, "Cecilia". The color of the refreshing dish is so pretty. Love it!

kellypea said...

That is quite the beautiful "palate cleanser!" Sounds refreshing. Lucky for your computer that it recovered! Mine doesn't have a name, but my Kitchen Aid mixer does :)

Krista said...

Interesting that you cited that reason for naming cars as coming from the days of the "family horse". We called my first car "Black Beauty". She was a hand-me-down from my parents. A 1983 Buick LeSabre. What a boat! I loved her.

Glad to hear that Carmen is up and running again. Hope she learned her lesson! I'd be lost without my laptop.

This Granita looks so refreshing. It will defintely have to make an appearance on our deck this summer.

Jana said...

Hi there Mary! I was so excited to see your comment on my blog a week or so ago, and wasnt able to come visit yours, I am SOOO very excited to make some of your recipes, it seems like we have similar tastes in ethnic and unique dishes, so great to follow along now, thanks for stopping by to see me!!!

Unknown said...

Beautifully refreshing! Makes me long for warmer days.

Gloria Baker said...

What beauty look always you make dear Mary! This look really nice and beauty, blessings gloria

Gloria Baker said...

Mary, sorry about Carmen, gloria

Deb in Hawaii said...

That is frustrating but good she is better now. ;-) The granita looks so pink, pretty and refreshing too.

My Little Space said...

Lemonade granita sounds good! And I love pink!

My Little Space said...

Btw, great to hear that you got your Carmen back safe & sound!

Lucie said...

I just feel like I discovered something huge--pink lemonade can be made by mixing homemade lemonade with grenadine syrup? I had no idea! I'll be trying this out over the summer!

oneordinaryday said...

Perfectly lovely. I love lemonade with a crazy passion.

Diane said...

From the number of comments this looks very popular, I am certainly going to try it. Sorry about your computer. Friends have been trying to convince me for ages to join Facebook and I have said no. Your story just makes me even more certain that I will not sign up. Diane

Julie said...

I'm glad your computer is doing better. I'm always worried about when the "big one" will hit...haha! This granita looks refreshing and wonderful. Very nice.

Juliana said...

Oh Mary, this granita looks so refreshing, just right for the warm weather :-) Lovely color as well.

katrina said...

What a pretty color! Saving to favorites for the first REAL summer day......

Joe Ambrosino said...

I love granita, Mary. This brings back memories of a super hot day in Naples where I found a vendor on a street corner selling lemon granita. The addition of grenadine makes it special! How do you find enough room in your freezer though for a 9 inch pan?

Joe Ambrosino said...

I love granita, Mary. Your recipe brought back memories of a street vendor in Naples on a hot June day selling lemon granita to this weary traveler. But, how do you find room in your freezer for a 9 inch pan?

A Canadian Foodie said...

Absolutely stunning and gorgeous and Springy and feminine and girly and beautiful and my daughter is getting married and this is a wedding shower or brunch must.
THANK YOU.
:)
Valerie

Beverly said...

Mary, I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get here for a visit. I am just barely keeping my nose above water in what has become my crazy busy life.

I haven't ever named a car, but I do have a few inanimate objects around my house that I have named.

Pink Lemonade Granita would certainly brighten my day - just about now.

Happy belated Pink Saturday.

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