Minty Spiked Vanilla Iced Tea Food

SPIKED SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Steep 8 black tea bags in 1 cup boiling water, 6 minutes; discard the tea bags. stir in 1 1/2 cups raw sugar and the zest of 1 lemon (in strips). let cool; strain into a pitcher. add 3/4 cup lemon juice, 2 cups southern comfort, 4 cups ice cubes and 1 sliced lemon. stir to partially melt the ice. pour into glasses.

SPIKED LEMONY ICED TEA

Steps:

• Cut a few thin rounds of lemon and reserve for garnish. Zest 2 tablespoons of zest from the remaining lemons, then juice the lemons (you'll need 4 tablespoons of juice; reserve any additional juice for another use).
• Make the ice cubes: Stir the lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the hot water in a heatproof liquid measuring cup. Pour the liquid into a standard ice cube tray and freeze.
• Make the cocktail: In a mixer, shake together the tea, whiskey, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Shake and set aside for the sugar to melt.
• Serve: Arrange a few ice cubes in 2 glasses. Add a couple of ice cubes to the mixer and shake. Pour half of the cocktail mix into each. If you like, run the edge of the glasses with the lemon slices. Garnish the glass with the slices.

SPICY-SPIKED ICED TEA

Steps:

• Place tea bags in a small bowl or large measuring cup/batter bowl. Add 3 cups boiling water and steep tea 5 minutes.
• Fill a large pitcher with ice cubes, 5 to 6 cups. Pour sugar over ice. Add lemon and orange juice, cinnamon stick and cloves. Pour hot tea over ice and stir with wooden spoon until most of the ice dissolves and tea has been quick-cooled. Serve or chill until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, pour into a tall glass filled with more ice, a shot of light rum. Pour spicy iced tea through a strainer to remove the cinnamon, cloves and fruit pulp/pits. Fill glass with tea. Serve tea with extra sugar and lemon wedges.

MINTY SPIKED VANILLA ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring 12 cups water, the mint, tea, vanilla seeds and sugar to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Boil for about 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and let steep for another 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and mint sprigs and strain into large pitcher. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For each serving, fill a glass with ice, add 2 ounces of the bourbon and pour tea over. Garnish with a mint sprig mint and a lemon slice.