Help! I Forgot The Limes!

One of the advantages of having mint growing outside is that I can decide to have a Mojito whenever I want.  I had purchased some rum and club soda for just this possibility, but I forgot the limes.  Some time ago I had wanted some lime juice and bought one of those plastic lime bottles with lime juice inside.  I never used it and eventually threw it out.  I found a product called True Lime and bought it for just this contingency.

I'm also avoiding sugar when I can, so I didn't make a simple syrup.  This is when you mix equal parts of sugar and water and heat it sufficiently to melt the sugar.  This is the simple syrup they use in a lot of drink recipes. 

This is my OK,  but not as good as the original,  Skinny mojito.  Make it for yourself on a hot day, but use simple sugar and REAL limes for company!

                                    

Skinny Mojito, with out real limes:-( 

mint
Splenda (because we wouldn't want to use simple syrup, I forget why)
crushed ice
limes (or True Lime for those of us that live in the country and can't keep them from going bad before we use them!  Hey!  I just found a reason to miss California.)
Rum
Club soda

Go out to your garden and pick some mint. See the lady bug?  Don't pick those leaves.   I have 60 acres so I can plant mint in my garden.  Unless you want a whole yard full of mint, you should plant it in a pot.  I don't mind if the hay gets minty.  Fresher breath for the cows and horses.

                              

 
Rinse the mint carefully.  I found a bug on mine.  Gross, man.

Tear off some of the smaller leaves and place in the bottom of a tall glass.  Add the sweetener of your choice and a 1/2 cup or so of crushed ice.  I have a muddler.  It is a long wooden stick with a knob on the end.  Use a wooden spoon if you don't have one and tamp down on the ice, Splenda and mint to release the flavor of the mint to the sweetener and the ice.

                                  

Add a shot (or 2!!!) of rum and fill the rest of the glass with the club soda.

The thing I like about a mojito is how refreshing it is.  The mint and the lime go great with the club soda.  You can adjust the sweetener to suit and you can even leave the rum out if you are so inclined.  I'm NOT so inclined.  So there.