Limeade is an under-appreciated alternative to lemonade, and a popular menu item in New Orleans' many Vietnamese restaurants. This frozen version is perfect for hot summer days (crushed ice is worth the trouble!) all by itself, and it makes a fine partner for rum, vodka, gin, tequila, etc. Making it yourself allows you do adjust the strength and sweetness (by adding more or less water and sugar). A highly refreshing variation, make the limeade extra strong and sweet, then dilute it with sparkling soda water & crushed ice.

3/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (~6 limes; see Notes below)
Sliced limes for garnish
1-1/2 cups water (to taste)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (or less, to taste)
Crushed ice for serving (see tips below)

Once you've sliced-and-squeezed your limes, mix the juice with the water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then taste. Add more sugar and/or water to get the taste you want.

Serve over a glass of crushed ice.

Tips on squeezing your limes

A rule of thumb is that you'll get a half cup of juice from 4 regular limes (i.e. "Persian" limes, not the smaller Key limes). But the amount of juice per lime can vary substantially, so have some extras on hand.

To get more juice from your limes: --Warm limes in microwave for 15-20 seconds or so before slicing & squeezing
--Roll the limes on counter while pushing down hard--you'll feel the flesh inside softening
--Use a hand-held citrus squeezer or reamer

You can buy crushed ice, or make it as follows:

Place ice in a heavy ziplock bag, freeze it for a few hours, then quickly run the bag under hot water to crack the ice. Then place the bag on a counter, cover with a dish towel, and hit it with a rolling pin (or the blunt side of a meat tenderizer) while, moving the bag around until the ice is evenly crushed.

Or, a good blender will work, but some with smaller motors may require working in small batches. In all cases, take care not to over-fill the blender jar. Likewise, a food processor will crush ice.