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Shaved ice doesn't seem to be quite as popular as it once was, perhaps due to the huge surge in popularity that ice cream enjoyed when the concept of mix-ins became popular. After all, you can't really mix smashed up candy bars into a bunch of ice and get the same effect. Shaved ice is still a great summer treat, though. A pile of ice doused with flavored syrup is tasty, cooling and (in what seems to be a huge selling point for kids) will often turn your tongue different colors. This electric ice cream shaver allows you to make shaved ice at home, quickly grating ice cubes into fluffy ice shavings waiting for flavorings.

The biggest drawback to making this treat at home is that it can be hard to find syrups. Torani syrups can be used to make great snow cones and come in over 50 flavors. Get watermelon and root beer for the kids and something more grown up, like creme de cacao or amaretto, for yourself. You can also try making shaved ice without syrups using a fresh berry topping or a vodka-spiked flavoring.

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Thinking about Lemonade this morning put me in the mood for something refreshing and the Pink Lemonade from Simply Recipes sounds like just the thing. Elise's recipe is extra-pink and uses cranberry juice to give it its distinctive coloring, unlike commercial versions which use food colorings or concentrated natural colors to create pinkness. The natural tartness of the cranberry juice also helps it to blend well with the lemon flavor, creating a smooth and balanced drink. Sure - it's a tiny bit girly looking, but who could turn down a glass of lemonade, knowing that it was homemade? If you can't use plain sugar for any reason, you could try sweetening the juice with Splenda, too.

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