Berry Lemonade - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) bag frozen unsweetened mixed berries, thawed
1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 cup vanilla simple syrup, recipe follows
3 cups water (or more to taste)
ice
Vanilla Simple Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, pod reserved

Preparation

In a blender, combine the berries, lemonade concentrate and syrup. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher(The blended mixture can be strained through a fine mesh sieve to remove the berry seeds, if preferred). Add the water and stir, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Pour the lemonade into ice-filled glasses and serve.
To make Vanilla Simple Syrup:
In a small saucepan, over medium heat combine the sugar, water, vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla pod. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.
Yield: 1 cup.