Perfect Sweet Tea

Sweet Tea...
 Just hearing those words make ya sigh a satisfied sigh...

I am a Southern Woman... 

Southern women love their Sweet Tea...

And... I have been told I make the BEST Sweet Tea in Texas!

I'm gonna let you in on my little secret. 
Follow this simple recipe, and your life will be complete!


When I was in High School, I worked at a little Steak House in Texas City Texas called "Lone Star Steaks" 
The Lone Star was known for miles and miles around for two things....
They had this amazing Green Olive, Tomato, Vinegar & Oil  "House" salad dressing stuff. 
(Oh Man!! How I wish I knew that recipe!!) 
And... We made the Smoothest, Most Amazing, Last-Meal-Worthy, Sweet Tea in the South!

I'm not kidding! 
The local police officers would stop by several times a shift to fill their thermos with what they called  "Nectar of the Gods". 
People actually tried to bribe me for the secret to the Perfect Sweet Tea. 

I never gave it up. 

I never told. 

I was a good employee. 

Well, Guess what?!? 
Love Star Steaks closed a few years ago! 
So, I'm thinkin it's now ok to share the super-duper-secret recipe!! 


There IS a small "secret" ingredient in this Tea.
It removes all bitterness and creates a smooth, clear amazing Tea!

Ready?? 
Here goes!

Perfect Sweet Tea. (makes 1 gallon)
(Adapted from the Lone Star Steak House)


Ingredients -
5 - 8  Family size Tea Bags. (or 12 regular Tea Bags) 
                    ( I prefer  #1 Luzianne or  #2 Liptons Brand Teas.)
1 Quart  (4 Cups) - Boiling Water
3 Quarts (12 cups) - Cool Water
1 1/2 - 2 (one & a half) - Cups Sugar. 
1/4 teaspoon - Baking Soda (this IS the SECRET Ingredient!!)


Directions - 
1.  Sprinkle baking soda into a pitcher (I use a gallon-size Mason Jar but many people have voiced concerns about pouring boiling water into a glass container, so use whatever container you'd like)
      Add Tea bags to the pitcher/baking soda,  
      Pour Boiling water over tea bags, 
      Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
                    ~*~
2.  Remove and toss out Tea Bags,
     Add Sugar and Stir until completely dissolved. 
     Add Cool Water.
     Refrigerate until cold and ready to drink.
                     ~*~
3.  Serve over ice, 
     Take a nice long sip.
     Swoon.
     Repeat. 


Ya'll Enjoy!!

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Cocktails for a Crowd (Dana's Texas Fire Water)

I hosted the Memorial Day cocktail hour  at the lake this weekend.

It was a packed resort and I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what fun drink I could serve that would be yummy and easy to make for a huge (200+ ppl) crowd.

I suddenly remembered a drink I kinda accidentally created years ago wile I was a bartender, catering a huge summer beach party.
It is Summery, It is YUMMY!, It is easy, it makes a TON!

It was dubbed "Dana's Texas Fire Water" by the folks I first served it to.

The Memorial Day Bash was a huge success and everyone LOVED the drinks!
I promised to post the recipe here, so they could all make it for their friends.
You can make it too!
Here we go!

Dana's Texas Fever Water
Makes 5 gallons


1 ¾ liter (big bottle) vodka (use the cheap stuff!)
1 ¾ liter (big bottle) rum (use the cheap stuff!)
1 gallon orange juice
4lb bag of sugar
1 small bottle grenadine
sliced orange, lemon and lime rounds, apples, blueberries, strawberries, what-ever floats your boat!
large bottle maraschino cherries, juice and all
Ice 


Fill large container with ice. 
(I've used trash-cans, large plastic tubs, big coolers, even a bathtub! Use your imagination!) 
Dump all ingredients over ice. 
Stir. 
(I use a hoe, shovel, or boat oar.) 
Let age at least 10-20 minutes. 


Enjoy!
... responsibly, of course!

Cheers!

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Easy Iced Chai Tea Latte

Disclaimer-
I broke my camera... I dropped it...... It fell..... I cried.
Please excuse the pretty pathetic iPhone pics for this recipe...
The pure yummiocity of this one should earn me your forgiveness anyway!

~Dana                                               

----------------------------------------------

Chai Tea Latte.
It's  that creamy, spiced drink that just makes me feel kinda sophisticated to drink

~ It Just feels fancy ~

(notice the "fancy" umbrella inside the TOTALLY un-fancy Mason Jar drinking vessel... 
It's how I roll... Yo)

This recipe is so simple, that I was almost embarrassed to publish it,
When I mentioned I was making Iced Chai Tea one day on Facebook, I was swarmed with requests for the recipe....
so, here goes!...


Dana's Iced Chai Tea Latte.

1.) Grab a quart jar..... Fill it with water.... Toss in 4 Chai Tea Tea bags. (I used Lipton's) stick it in the fridge overnight or several hours to "brew".

2.) Grab your bottle of trusty "sweet Cream"..
what?!?
you don't know what sweet cream is??
I told you all about it in my now infamous recipe for the
"Last Iced Coffee Recipe You'll Ever Need" (click the link...  I dare you... your life will NEVER be the same!)

Anyway.... 

One can of Sweetened Condensed Milk mixed with One can of Evaporated Milk = Sweet Cream.

3.) Fill one glass (or in my case... jar) with ice...
4.) fill 3/4 of the way with your Chai Tea concentrate.

5.) Top with sweet cream.

 ~ If you like it sweeter and creamier, add more sweet cream...
~ If you like a stronger Chai taste, add more tea....

Go forth and make some!!
Enjoy!

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The Last Iced Coffee Recipe You'll Ever Need!

I love Iced Coffee.

No...  I Love Creamy Iced Coffee.
I Love Creamy and Sweet Iced Coffee.
But...
I HATE paying over $4 a glass for it at some fancy-schmancy coffee house!

After literally years of trying, I have found it!
I have figured out how to make the perfect creamy & sweet Iced coffee for pennies a glass!

I'm gonna show ya how!

First...
You have to make your coffee concentrate.
(This is the only part of the process that takes some time)
Don't worry,  the gallon of coffee concentrate you end up with will make enough to last you for a month in the fridge!

You do NOT want to brew a normal pot of coffee for your iced coffee.
You want to cold-brew it.
This leaves you with a smooth, acid-free coffee base that we all love for a refreshing cold drink.

Iced Coffee Concentrate. 

Ingredients-

• 1 gallon water (I buy a gallon of drinking water)
• 1 lb bag of your favorite rich coffee (course ground if ya can get it)
• Coffee filters or several layers of cheesecloth
• a fine mesh strainer.
• a large bowl
• pitcher (big enough to hold a gallon)

Directions-

1. Pour gallon of water into your large bowl.
2. Dump the entire bag of coffee into the water/bowl.
3. Stir to make sure all grounds are saturated with water.
4. Walk away, for 12 hours or overnight.
5. line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter or several layers of cheese-cloth, set the strainer on top of your pitcher.
6. Pour (or ladle) your coffee mixture into the strainer. (this part takes awhile...  I often had to walk away while it filtered into the pitcher)   If using coffee filters, you might have to replace them several times during the filtering process.
7. Once all the coffee concentrate has been filtered, stick it in the fridge (it will last for a month!)

Sweet Cream
You can read how I stumbled onto the "Sweet Cream" recipe on my Blog
"The Homesteading Housewife" HERE

Ingredients-

• 1, 12oz can of evaporated milk
• 1, 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Directions-

1. mix both cans together, refrigerate. 

Dana's Sweet & Creamy Iced Coffee

1. Grab your favorite glass and fill it to the top with ice.

 2. Pour iced coffee concentrate into your glass, filling it a little more than half-full.

 3. Add Sweet Cream into the coffee/ice glass until full (or to taste)

 4.  stir to combine.

 5.  Enjoy!

I LOVE to add a shot of chocolate syrup to this as well for a Yummy Iced Mocha!

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Shamrock Shake Re-do.

When I was a child we waited all year for the month of March.
Not because we wanted to get busy in the garden.
Not because it was time for Spring Break.
We longed for March because March is the month of the Shamrock Shake!
All McDonalds restaurants served Shamrock Shakes during the month of March.
It was green.
It was minty.
It was refreshing.
Its kinda like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie. except, its cold, green and you can suck it through a straw!!
Whats NOT to love???

I'm not usually a fan of mint drinks.
But I just have to have a Shamrock Shake every March!
Did you know that I have not had a Shamrock Shake in almost 10 years????
I know!! It's almost unbelievable!!
Well, it turns out that very few McDonalds in Texas carry it!
CRAZY!
This year, I was bound and determined to find one.
I called more than 45 Houston area McDonalds to no avail.
Most of the employees who answered my phone call didn't even know what a Shamrock Shake was!!

I even called the McDonalds cooperate headquarters!
I mean.. they have to know who they shipped the Shamrock Shake stuff to right?
WRONG!
They couldn't tell me!

Whats a girl to do?
Make her own Shamrock Shake thats what!!

Behold....

Dana's Shamrock Shake copy-cat!

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!

Yum, slurp, groan!
By George!! I think I got it!!

Dana's "I don't need no stinkin McDonalds!"
Shamrock Shake
Ingredients

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/4 - 1/2 Teaspoon Mint extract
• 9 drops green food coloring

Optional pretty stuff

• chocolate syrup (optional glass decoration)
• whipped cream (optional topping)
• green sugar (optional decoration)

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth and yummy.
2. drizzle some chocolate syrup around your glass.
3. Pour Shamrock Shake into the glass.
4. top with whipped cream and green sugar.
5. ENJOY!!

Happy St Patrick's Day!!

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