Sweet Iced Tea Food

REFRIGERATOR-BREWED SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Fill a large pitcher with 2 quarts of cold water. Quarter orange, squeeze juice into pitcher as well as add the peels. Pit and cut plums into wedges and add to the pitcher. Cut the strings off the tea bags and mix the bags into the liquid. Let tea steep in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
• When ready, remove orange peel and tea bags from pitcher. To the tea, stir in sugar until it dissolves. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from 1 half into the tea. Slice the other half into rounds and add to the tea. Serve over ice.

SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Put water and tea bags in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat and cover. Let steep for 10 minutes.
• Strain or carefully press water from tea bags.
• Put hot tea solution into a gallon pitcher and add sweetener, stirring to dissolve.
• Add water to pitcher to fill.
• Cool in refrigerator and serve with ice.

SWEET ICED CINNAMON TEA

Steps:

• Put the cinnamon candies in the bottom of the container/well the tea bags go in Put tea bags on top of them.
• Fill the water well of the Iced Tea Pot with water.
• If you don't want to have ice in the pitcher while tea is brewing, you can fill water well a second time.
• Turn the Iced Tea Pot on.
• As tea is brewing, make sure candies are melting.
• You might have to help them along with a fork or spoon.
• If a sweeter tea is desired, put the sugar in the 1/2 cup water and mix well to dissolve sugar.
• Pour into pitcher of tea and stir.
• Pour tea over ice in tall glasses.
• Can also be poured into a cup and heated in a microwave oven for hot tea.

REFRESHING SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Heat a full cup of water in the microwave until boiling hot. I use a large measuring cup.
• Submerge tea bags in water and let steep 3 minutes or until water gets dark.
• Pour dark water into pitcher. Refill cup with hot water from the faucet and let steep for 2 minutes.
• Add sugar to pitcher. Stir until dissolved.
• Add hot water from cup and than fill the rest of the pitcher with hot water from the sink. Stir and Refrigirate.
• Enjoy!
• I refill my cup and let steep 4 times, but it depends on how dark you like your tea. If you are in a rush, 1 steep will do.

PERFECT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Hot-Brewed:
• Bring 8 cups water to a simmer; remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons loose tea or 6 tea bags. Let steep about 4 minutes, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags. Let cool, then transfer to a pitcher, cover and refrigerate.
• Cold-Brewed:
• Combine 8 cups cold water and 6 tablespoons loose tea or 10 tea bags in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 36 hours, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags.
• Sweet Teas:
• Combine 3/4 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan and add 1 infuser, if desired. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve (you'll get about 1 cup).
• Orange Add 6 strips zest
• Blackberries 1 cup
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Lavender 3 tablespoons dried
• Vanilla 1 halved bean
• Mint 3 sprigs
• Ginger 1 cup sliced
• Lemon 8 strips zest
• Nectarine 1 cup chopped
• Cucumber 2 cups chopped

SWEET APPLE ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tea bags. Allow the liquid to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Remove the tea bags and discard. Add the Vanilla Simple Syrup and stir. Pour the mixture into a glass pitcher. Add the apple and lemon slices and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Pour the tea into ice-filled glasses and serve.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, vanilla bean, and vanilla bean seeds. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.
• Yield: 1 1/3cups

SMOOTH SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
• Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

THAI SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in tea leaves, vanilla extract, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Cover and remove from the heat. Let steep for 15 minutes.
• Pour tea through a fine mesh strainer; discard tea leaves. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Fill glasses with crushed ice. Pour tea into glasses and top with half-and-half.

MINT SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Turn off heat and add tea bags, steeping to desired strength (for me, 3-5 minutes).
• Remove tea bags and add ice until cool.
• Serve in a tall glass over ice!

COPYCAT SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Combine boiling water, tea bags, and sugar in a bowl. Stir well, cover, and steep for 8 minutes.
• Pour cold water into a pitcher. Add hot tea and stir.
• Fill 4 glasses with ice cubes. Pour tea over top and serve.