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© FrugalAbundance
2007-2011
GFCF Means
Gluten
Free & Casein Free |
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Stove Top Iced Tea
- 12 to 16 teabags
- Water
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Fill a 2-quart saucepan halfway with water. Bring the water to a boil
over high heat. When the water boils turn off the stove but leave the
pot on the hot burner. Place the teabags in the boiling water. Allow
the water to steep for 5 to 7 minutes, no longer. I used to steep my
tea for 10 minutes, but soon learned that this was too long and gave
the tea a bitter flavor. After steeping remove the teabags and toss
them out. They've served their purpose and can be tossed without a
modicum of guilt. If you compost then cut open the tea bags so they
will decompose more quickly.
While the tea is steeping fill a gallon-sized pitcher half full of
water. You do this to buffer the hot tea. The tea is hot when it's
done steeping. If you pour very hot tea into a plastic pitcher it may
melt. To avoid this possibility half-fill the pitcher with cool water
before adding the tea.
Add the sugar and lemon juice to the half-filled pitcher if desired.
Stir until the sugar dissolves. When the tea is finished steeping
pour it into the pitcher. It will be hot so be careful not to burn
yourself. Add enough water to fill the pitcher full. Stir briefly to
blend. Chill until needed. Tastes best served cold. Makes 1-gallon or
8-servings; 2-cups each.
This is faster to make than Coffeemaker
Iced Tea and tastes about the same. I use 16 teabags
because my family insists on very strong iced tea. If I were just
making it for myself I'd use 12 teabags because this makes it (in my
opinion) plenty strong. If you prefer very sweet tea then use up to
1-cup of sugar. To me it's overkill but there are plenty of good
decent folks who disagree with me, so I reckon it's not for me to judge.
Per 2-cup serving : 33 Calories; trace Fat (0.3% calories from
fat); trace Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg
Cholesterol; 5mg Sodium. Exchanges:1/2 Other Carbohydrates.
(Assuming 12-teabags, 1/4-cup sugar and 2-tablespoons lemon juice.)
Tips
Green Tea and Herbal Tea can be brewed
just like black tea.
Add herbal teabags to black tea for
extra flavor, or mix and match to make favorite combinations.
Green tea is especially good with both
lemon and sugar.
To make Mint Tea prepare a gallon of tea
using 12 teabags. Add an extra 4 bags of herbal mint tea. Brew as
directed. You can omit any lemon juice or retain it to make Lemon
Mint Tea. I prefer this version sweetened with 1/2-cup sugar to a
gallon of tea. |
