his is an Italian ice, pronounced grah-nee-tah. It's very refreshing to eat in the hot weather and the cook has the added benefit of sticking their head in the freezer every 30 minutes! Remember snow cones? This is a more loosely-packed, healthier version. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can leave out the dried blueberries. If you've got kids, let them help with this easy project.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup hot water
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 4.4-ounce packages fresh blueberries, 1 package reserved for garnish
• 2 tablespoons Melissa's organic dried blueberries

Instructions:


1. Combine water with sugar and lemon juice and stir until sugar dissolves.
   

2. Blend three packages of blueberries (about 3 cups) with lemon syrup in a blender until smooth.
   

3. Pour mixture into a 13x9-inch metal baking pan and place on a flat surface in the freezer. After about 30 minutes, it will be icy around the edges, so use a fork to gently rake the frozen portion into the center of the pan. Repeat raking and smoothing over entire pan every 30 minutes or so, until it is frozen throughout.
   

4. After about 3 or 4 hours, it should be frozen. Remove from freezer, sprinkle top with dried blueberries, and use a fork to scrape the Granita into a container with a tight-fitting lid. Hold in the freezer until ready to eat, at least 30 minutes, at most 3 days. Scrape into individual bowls and garnish with remaining package of fresh blueberries.