Who doesn't enjoy a nice glass of refreshing Iced tea especially during those hot summer days? No one I know, that I can think of now, that's for sure! Everywhere we come across a variety of iced teas drinks from the regular sun tea and lemon tea to a mixed berry tea and even a spiced tea, the choices are limited as much as the choices of teas we find in the supermarket isles. I like to buy a variety of tea boxes mainly citrus and floral and enjoy creating my own personal iced tea. It's fun and sure is delightfully refreshing.
I also enjoy trying new recipes I come across and in these past few days I've tried the iced tea recipes below and believe me when I say: " I loved them all" !- from the Springtime Citrus Cooler to the Tropical Iced Tea, which by the way is my absolute favorite.
These iced teas are not only healthy and refreshing but they can be served any time of day or night and they do make a delightful compliment at those summer parties and barbecues. Simply awesome especially for Brunch!
SPRINGTIME CITRUS COOLER source:allrecipes.com
This is a very refreshing drink.
Ingredients
1 Earl Grey tea bag
1 medium orange, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
Directions
1.Prepare a strong cup of tea with the Earl Grey, letting the bag steep for 5 minutes. Place the orange slices, sugar, rose water, and tea into a 1/2 gallon pitcher. Fill with cold water, and stir to dissolve the sugar.
SPARKLING JASMINE ICED TEA source:coffeetea.about.com
A refreshing sweet and floral tea
Ingredients:
•4 cups water, boiling
•3 tbs loose jasmine tea
•1 cup brown sugar
•1 1/4 cups sparkling water
Preparation:
Dissolve sugar in 3/4 cup of water, and boil gently until a syrup has formed. Set aside and let cool. Steep the jasmine tea in the remaining 3 cups of hot water for around 6 minutes. Strain out tea, and let cool slightly. In a pitcher, combine syrup and tea. Stir or whisk until fully blended. Add sparkling water and cool thoroughly. Serve over ice. Can be served with cinnamon sticks, lemon
TEA SANGRIA source:teamuse.com
Do you like sangria but don't want the alcohol? Make a Tea Sangria! Start with your favorite black iced tea, and then add sliced fresh fruit like oranges, limes, whole berries, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Great to look at, and delicious to drink, too.
Ingredients:
One gallon spring water and 8 to 10 teabags of tea or 8 heaping teaspoons of loose-leaf black tea.
Two cups fresh fruit e.g. thin rounds of sliced oranges, limes, lemons; peeled and sliced kiwi, berries, washed and dried, with stems removed; quarters of cored pears, Asian pears, or apples.
Directions:
In a large pot, heat the water to almost boiling, then brew the tea for five minutes or longer, to taste.
Make ice cubes of brewed tea, water or juice.
Chill glasses pitcher in the freezer.
When ready to serve, put tea cubes in pitcher, add fruit, then pour brewed tea over all and serve in chilled glasses.
Garnish with a wedge of lime or orange.
LEMON VERBENA MINT HERB TEA source: simplyrecipes.com
1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves (not the stems, they're bitter), rinsed, lightly packed (about 20 leaves)
1/2 cup of fresh lemon verbena leaves, rinsed, lightly packed (about 10-15 leaves)
2 cups of water
Method
Bring a pot of fresh water almost, but not quite to a boil. Put the mint and verbena leaves in a teapot. Pour the hot water over the leaves. Let sit for 3-5 minutes. Strain into tea cups.
Makes 2 cups.
MINT ICE TEA source:cooks.com
7 tea bags
1 sm. can frozen lemonade
1 sm. can frozen limeade
1 c. sugar
Fresh mint
Bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add 7 individual tea bags (the minute the water comes to a boil remove from heat and put in tea bags). Set aside to steep for 7-8 minutes, remove tea bags. Fill a one gallon container half full of cold water. To cold water add cans of lemon and limeade. Mix thoroughly, add sugar to taste (about 1 cup). Stir until dissolved. Taste. Add mint.
TROPICAL SUN ICED TEA source:cdkitchen.com
2 Orange Spice tea bags (Celestial Seasonings or whatever)
2 Blackberry tea bags
2 Raspberry or Cranberry tea bags
2 Apple Spice tea bags
1 gallon water
1 sprig fresh mint
2 lemon wedges
2 orange slices
2 lime wedges
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
Directions:
Add tea bags and water to clear, one-gallon jar; leave strings and tags hanging outside jar. Add fruit wedges, mint, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
Place in sun for about six hours or so, then remove tea bags, mint, cinnamon stick, and cloves; refrigerate.
Serve with ice in tall glasses. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint or fruit slice.
Note: Actually, this tea brews equally well in the refrigerator if you want to save time. A good way to make it is to brew it overnight in the refrigerator, then you have fresh tea in the morning!
An alternative, quicker method is to place the tea bags, cinnamon stick, and cloves in one cup boiling water for about five minutes, then pour the strong tea into a gallon container filled with ice, water, mint, and the fruit wedges. If the tea isn't quite strong enough, add a fresh bag or two. The tea made this way should be ready in about fifteen minutes.
ShesDaily.com
Disclosure: the above publication is for entertainment purposes. The above recipes are based on Lisa's own personal online research and credit has been given to the source of the above recipes. Images are source of google and may or may not reflect the actual recipe
