Cucumber Mint Limeade

Tangy, refreshing, a taste of summer.  The combination of cucumber, mint, and limes makes a delicious and satisfying summer beverage.   A nice alternative to the standard lemonade and iced tea.  You start by liquifying a cucumber in a blender and then you make a simply syrup infused with mint.  Strain into a pitcher add the lime juice and water.  Stir and serve over ice.  That is all there is to it.  Enjoy.


Cucumber Mint Limeade

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber - peeled
4-1/2 cups water plus 1/4 cup for liquifying  the cucumber
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup lime juice

Directions:
1. Slice cucumber and place slices in a blender.  Add 1/4 cup of water and blend on high until liquefied.
2. Strain through a sieve into a pitcher, pressing to extract juice.  Discard solids.
3. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved.  Add the mint and let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Strain the syrup into the  pitcher with the cucumber.  Add the remaining 4-1/2 cups of water  and lime juice to the pitcher and stir.
5. Chill.  Serve.

Earl Grey Sweet Raspberry Basil Iced Tea

Iced Tea is one of my favorite drinks for the summer.  It is so refreshing and it cools you off almost instantly. I love to experiment with different teas and different flavors.  This recipe is totally delicious.  The fresh taste of raspberries with basil and lemon is a wonderful combination.  Instead of using generic black tea, I used Earl Grey.  It made the tea taste extra special and added a great flavor to the raspberries.

I will be enjoying this tea throughout the summer.



Earl Grey Sweet Raspberry Basil Iced Tea

Ingredients:
2 Earl Grey Tea Bags
4 cups water - divided
3/4 cup sugar
Raspberry Infusion
1-1/2 cups frozen raspberries thawed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Boil 2 cups of water.  In two medium bowls place the sugar in one bowl and the tea bags in another bowl.  Divide the water equally between the two bowls - 1 cup pour over the sugar and 1 cup poured over the tea bags.
2. Stir the sugar until it is dissolved.  Let the tea brew for 5 minutes.
3. Mash the raspberries with a fork or a potato masher until no whole berries remain.  Stir in the basil, sugar and lemon juice.
4. Pour the tea, sugar, and berry mixture into a pitcher.  Add the remaining 2 cups of water (cold).  Stir and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
5. Stir and serve over ice.

Makes 4 servings

Citrus Iced Green Tea

Ice Tea is very refreshing during the long hot summer days.  I like to try  using different teas, black, white and green in my recipes.   I found this recipe on the web and I made just some very slight modifications to it.  I reduced both the number of tea bags used and the amount of orange juice.

The result was a delicious summer drink that is sure to please everyone.  Enjoy.

Citrus Iced Green Tea

From My Recipes Adapted Slightly by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:

6 cups of water, divided

1 cup sugar

8 green tea bags

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish - optional

Directions:

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the sugar and keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the tea bags and steep for 5-6 minutes. Remove the tea bags.

4. Stir in the remaining ingredients including the remaining 3 cups of water.  Chill and serve.

Makes 8 (1 cup) servings 

Iced Sweet Peach Tea

It seems as if the hot days of summer are upon us.  By mid morning I am just trying to stay cool.   I have found a glass of iced tea to be extremely refreshing.  Add a twist to the traditional recipe and you have yourself one refreshing beverage.  This recipe uses fresh ripe peaches, ginger, and lemon with a simply syrup and brewed black tea.  Wonderful - in fact I am enjoying a glass as I write this post.

Iced Sweet Peach Tea
Ingredients:
8 cups water, divided
7 tea bags
1 1/4 cups  sugar
1 lemon, washed and sliced
1 (1 1/2-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and crushed
2 ripe peaches, peeled and pureed
Rosemary or mint sprigs for garnish

Directions:
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  In 2 heat proof measuring cups add 2 cups boiling water in one cup and 2 cups boiling water in another  cup.
2. Place the tea bags, lemon slices, and ginger in one of the measuring cups of boiling water.  In the other  make a simple syrup by adding the sugar and stirring until dissolved.
3. Steep  the tea mixture for 20 minutes.
4. Pour the remaining 4 cups of water into a large pitcher.  Stir in the pureed peaches and simple syrup.
5. Remove the tea bags, ginger, and lemons from the remaining measuring cup and pour into the pitcher.  Stir well.
6. Pour over ice or put it in the fridge for later.  Garnish with a rosemary or mint sprig.

Makes 8 servings

Summer Iced Tea

Iced Tea is one of my favorites during the summer.  So cool, refreshing, and great tasting.  In this recipe, the refreshing flavors of mint, orange and lemon are combined to make one of the best tasting teas I have had in a long time.

Brew some tea and make a simple syrup.  To the syrup add some fresh mint sprigs.  In a large pitcher add some orange juice, lemon juice, water, tea, and the syrup - mint sprigs removed.  Stir and chill.  Serve over ice and you will enjoy a very tasty and refreshing summer beverage.



Summer Iced Tea

Ingredients:
4 black tea bags
8 cups water - divided
1 cup sugar
3 mint sprigs
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice

Directions:
1.  Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  In 2 cups of boiling water brew the tea bags for about 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
In the remaining 2 cups of water add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Let set for 20 minutes.
2. In a large pitcher add the remaining 4 cup of water, orange juice and lemon juice.  Remove the mint sprigs from the simple syrup and pour into the pitcher along with the brewed tea.  Stir well and chill for about 2 hours.
3.  Pour over ice and garnish with a mint sprig if desired.

Switchel

Switchel is a beverage I read about in Cook's Country Magazine.  Basically, it is a beverage made from ginger, vinegar, maple syrup, water, rolled oats, lemon zest, and salt.  All the ingredients are placed in a bowl, covered, and placed in the fridge for 6 to 24 hours.  The longer you chill this beverage the stronger the ginger flavor.  

Once the Switchel is taken out of the fridge it is strained into a pitcher.  You serve the Switchel over ice.    I let my Switchel chill for about 8 hours.  It had a sharp gingery taste.  It was nice to sip on but not a  beverage I would gulp down.  



Switchel
From Cook's Country Magazine 

Ingredients:
6 cups water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Bring all ingredients to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Once simmering, remove from heat and let cool completely.
2. Transfer switchel to bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.  Strain switchel through fine-mesh strainer set over 2-quart pitcher.  Serve over ice.

Makes about 2 quarts

Cherry Limeade

It was a scorcher here the other day.  We decided to have a cookout in order to keep the house cool.  To go with our cookout, I made some Cherry Limeade.    My kids have loved this beverage ever since they got their first taste of Sonic Cherry Limeade.   Over the years I have changed this recipe and have finally settled on a version that the family loves.

I start out by pitting and cutting in halves a pound and a half of fresh cherries.  I put them in a saucepan with some water, chopped mint, grated lime zest, and some sugar.

I bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the cherry mixture for about 20 minutes or until the cherries are soft.   I remove the mixture from the stove and let them cool.

Once the cherries are cool, I process them in a blender.  I strain the cherries over a large bowl and pour the juice into a large pitcher.  To the pitcher, I add lime juice, chia seeds that have been soaked in water,  and the remaining water.  I then stir and serve over ice.  A wonderfully refreshing beverage for a hot summer day.   Enjoy:)

Cherry Limeade


Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound cherries, washed, pitted, and sliced in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 cup sugar
4 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup lime juice

Directions:
1. Place cherries, chopped mint, grated lime zest, sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until cherries are soft.
2. Remove cherries from heat and cool.  Soak chia seeds in 1 cup of water for at least 30 minutes.
3. Process the cherry mixture in a blender until smooth.  
4. Strain the mixture over a large bowl.  Discard the pulp.  Pour the juice into a large pitcher.  Add the chia seeds, lime juice, and remaining water.  Stir and serve.


Makes 2 quarts

Chai Tai Beverage

I have been working out in the garden this past week to get things planted and looking nice.  Being outdoors, I like to have something cool to drink.  Usually, I have some lemonade or some iced tea or coffee.  Today, I made myself a Chai Tai beverage that I found in Family Circle magazine.  I made a few changes to the original recipe.  I kept the same ingredients but added a tablespoon of chia seeds and honey.   The result was a refreshing hydrating beverage that had the taste of bananas complimented by  cinnamon with a hint of cloves and cardamom.   The dates and chia seeds added an interesting and flavorful texture to the drink.

Chai Tai
From Family Circle Magazine Adapted From My Southwest Kitchen



Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup coconut water
1/4 cup chopped pitted dates
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch salt
2 medium frozen bananas sliced
1 cup ice cubes

Directions:
1. Soak chia seeds in the vanilla soy milk and the dates in coconut water for 30 minutes.
2.  Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy.

Makes 2 servings

Just a Quick Note:  I wanted to let you know I am now a member of Yummly.  You will see a YUM button on my recipes.  Click and you will be able to save your favorite recipes.  Thanks