We planted some tiny mint plants in the front of our house. It was an area that doesn’t get much water or sun so I didn’t think it would do very well. Now, we have mint coming out of our ears. I don’t want it to go to waste so I’m scrambling to make whatever I can.
I’ve been struggling to get the kids to stay hydrated and have noticed their behavior decline at the end of the day. On Facebook I asked my followers how they keep their kids hydrated and if they gave their children juice.
WOW! Everyone had amazing ideas and great advice. A comment about mint and watermelon caught my eye so I decided to make something fun to put in their water.
How to Make Simple Syrup
We used to make simple syrup for our backyard bees so I just tweaked that recipe and dressed it up with some fresh mint to add a touch of flavor to the kids’ ice water. I can’t wait to whip up some more amazing recipes with it!
My daughter Audrey is our little harvester. She is always combing the garden to see if there is anything ready to be picked so I sent her out to clip the mint. We have chocolate mint, regular mint, spearmint and peppermint. I had her take a little of everything for our syrup because we needed a lot.
Together we sat in the backyard picking the leaves of the mint off the stems and talking – what a memory maker 🙂
If you want to do a smaller batch you could probably just cut it in smaller pieces, wash it and put it in the pot. The amount of leaves you use is really based on the flavor you want. If you want a really strong mint flavor, use more obviously. I like to make mine strong so I don’t have to use very much in recipes and drinks to get great flavor.
The house smelled amazing while it cooked and as my other children came down the stairs from their naps, they asked if they could have some of the cake I was making for snack. My two-year-old was very confused when I showed him the pot of boiling green stuff. No cake, not yet anyways.
- 3 Cups Water
- 2 Cups Sugar, or Honey
- 2 Cups Packed Fresh Mint Leaves
- Combine water and sugar in a medium pot. Wash mint leaves thoroughly and add them to the mixture.
- Heat to boiling and then reduce heat to low. Cook until the desired sweetness, about 10-15 minutes.
- Run through a fine mesh sieve and press the mint down into the sieve to squeeze all the goodness out.
- Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Put it in a pretty bottle, give it a decorative tag and you have a yummy hostess gift. Try using different herbs or zests for another flavor.
What other recipes should I try with my simple syrup?
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What a great recipe…I have a ton of mint and made your recipe and then used it to sweeten my morning cup of tea. It was perfect!
Tracy @ Our Simple Life recently posted…How to Make Ice Tea – Honey Lemon
Ah… I see mint juleps in the future!
Hopping over and liking from the chicken chick’s blog hop!
Helen Fern recently posted…Tualatin Crawfish Festival
What a great idea! I have never grown mint. I am now inspired to try! Thanks for linking up with “Try a New Recipe Tuesday.” Hope you can join us again this week. http://our4kiddos.blogspot.com/2014/10/try-new-recipe-tuesday-october-7.html
Lisa recently posted…Try a New Recipe Tuesday- October 7
Where did you purchase the bottles?
I think I got this one at Walmart in the kitchen tool section! 🙂