Sweet Iced Tea is a staple in our house in the summer time! Both of our sons love Iced Tea! It is super easy and quick to make at home from scratch!

I use Green or Black tea bags to make my iced tea. I also love making fruit flavored teas by adding slices of fresh peach, strawberries or lemon to freshly made iced tea. You can also use berry or fruit tea blends instead of plain tea bags. Then add sugar, water and lots of ice! Now you can enjoy cold refreshing tea beverage all day long!

TIP: if you are over 21 just add a splash of your favorite alcohol for a delicious party drink!

Now let’s make some fresh iced tea!

Ingredients:

3 cups of boiling water to steep tea bags.

6 tea bags, cut tag with a string off.

1/2 cup to 1 cup of unbleached sugar, depends on how sweet you like your tea.

1 gallon of water

6 cups of ice

Lemon slices, berries or mint leaves to garnish and flavor the tea(optional).

Directions:

Bring water to boil.

Pour water into a large jar or a small pot.

After you cut tag strings from tea bags steep tea in hot water for about 15 minutes stirring few times.

Add sugar into the tea and stir until dissolved.

Pour sweet tea mix into the cooler, add water and ice. Refrigerate.

Serve with lemon slice if desired!

In our household I make a large batch of tea and keep it in the cooler for a day on the countertop.

I add ice at the end of the day and it will stay cool overnight, then add more brewed tea in a morning.

I’m loving the cooler we have, drinks stay nice and chilled all day! I’ve added the link to the same product at the end of the post!

Tips:

Do not use loose tea because it clogs drink dispenser spout! I’ve learned that lesson!

Discard lemon pits to avoid clogging cooler spout!

Use tiny brush for cleaning straws to clean spout of the drink dispenser.

Instead of discarding tea bags add them into the cooler with iced tea it helps to strengthen and infuse the flavor.

Lemonade from scratch

Lemonade is another summer staple at our house! it is also very easy to make! The secret to The Best Lemonade you’ve ever had is to use Meyers lemons! They are so flavorful and have delicious lemon drop taste!

I add mint leaves in iced tea and lemonade. In my flower beds I grow few varieties of mint to use in the kitchen, plus they smell so good in the garden! Mint plants are very resilient and keep coming back year after year. Fresh mint leaves are used in mojitos, lemonade, iced tea and some recipes . There are many varieties of mint plants and they are perennials, meaning they will come back year after year. Check if mint varieties are perennial in your growing zone and plant few in spring!

Now let’s make some lemonade!

Ingredients for homemade Lemonade:

5-7 Large lemons to juice, preferably Meyers lemons they are more flavorful.

3 lemons sliced to add to lemonade.

1 cup of unbleached sugar(adjust if needed)

3 cups of warm water

Mint leaves and lemon slices to garnish

1-1.5 gallon of water

Plenty of Ice

Directions:

Using lemon press to juice 5-7 lemons and set juice aside

Add sugar to 3 cups of warm water and stir to dissolve.

Combine sugary water and lemon juice, pour into the large drink cooler. Add water and ice, stir.

Serve chilled with lemon slices and mint leaves if desired.

To make Pink Lemonade: use same recipe as above and add a packet of pink lemonade mix!

Here is the link Beverage Dispenser，Thermos for Hot Drinks Dispensers for Parties Coffee Carafe Thermos Water Bottle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F9C55YD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_50DPNDW8Y2TJZ91MYTTR?

Enjoy!

Hugs,

Nadia