Southern Lesson #2

Tonight the hubby came home from work and decided he wanted help with a project for his diesel business (East Tennessee Diesel Performance) out at the farm. 

I, being WAY too easily guilt-tripped am now writing this in the horse barn, in 38 degree weather, with my chair backed up against the chair he is standing in to make sure he doesn't slide to his death (redneck mechanics at their best!) while pulling parts out of a Ford. Ug. We have SUCH romantic evenings together... 

It's an "EGR Delete" apparently

But I am very blessed to have a hubby who cannot only provide for us with his mechanic skills, but who also makes money on the side with his own business! He's talented, fair and honest, so if you ever need parts or some work done, check him out at East Tennessee Diesel Performance! (next time I'm making him pay for such a nice promo). So I guess I can't complain too much...

At least there's a cute kitten down here, who Andy so aptly named "Orange", that is content to let me spoil him! 

He's much cuter without the creepy eye glare, promise!!

Anywho, class, on to our next lesson:

Lesson #2:

Tea. Is. Sweet. 

That's it.

 When you order "tea" below the Mason-Dixon do NOT expect:

1. It to be hot

and 

2. It to taste like tea

Down here tea can be compared to soda in the fact that they both probably have the same sugar content and most restaurants sell more tea in a day than soda. 

Growing up we did not drink tea in our home. I'm from Seattle. We had a full-blown mocha machine in our kitchen. It was hands-down our most used appliance. Hot tea is was for sissies! 

But when I met Andy he taught me his "secret recipe" and I apparently make QUITE the amazing batch of Sweet Tea, so in honor of the south I shall share my recipe with all y'all

Southern-Style Sweet Tea

Makes 1 Gallon

Ingredients:

• 16 Lipton Tea Bags (cold-brew bags do not work as well, neither do the jumbo-sized bags, just plain small Lipton bags are best)
• 1 Medium Pot of  Water 
• Long Handled Stirring Spoon
• 2 Cups Sugar - for full-southern-Paula-Dean-type2-diabetes style (AKA how Andy drinks it) 
• or 1 1/2 Cups Sugar - for "this tastes good and NOT like syrup!" (how I prefer it)

Directions:

Unwrap teabags and put bags in pot

Fill Medium Pot, with tea bags, 2/3 full with water (hot tap water is best, but you can use cold too)

Heat water on stove 5 minutes (DO NOT BOIL), until tea is dark and a slight light-brown foam shows around edges. Stir occasionally. 

While tea is steeping, put your gallon-size container in the sink and dump your sugar in

\

This is how your tea should look when it's done. See the dark brown foam around the edges?

When your tea is done, pour it into the container using your spoon to keep the tea bags in the pot!

When the pot is emptied, use the spoon to squeeze any remaining tea out of the bags and discard the bags. 

(Squeezing the tea from the bags makes a big difference in taste)

Stir until sugar is completely dissolved

Fill container the rest of the way with cold water. 

STIR THE WHOLE TIME!! 

This is key to getting the best flavor!

Chill several hours, or pour yourself a glass over ice and enjoy!!

Directions:

•  Unwrap teabags and put bags in pot
• Fill Medium Pot, with tea bags, 2/3 full with water (hot tap water is best, but you can use cold too)
• Heat water on stove 5 minutes (DO NOT BOIL), until tea is dark and a slight light-brown foam shows around edges. Stir occationally. 
• While tea is steeping, put your gallon-size container in the sink and dump your sugar in
• When your tea is done, pour it into the container using your spoon to keep the tea bags in the pot!
•  When the pot is emptied, use the spoon to squeeze any remaining tea out of the bags and discard the bags. (Secret Step #1)
• Stir tea and sugar until completely dissolved
• Fill container the rest of the way with cold tap water. STIR THE WHOLE TIME!! This is key to getting the best flavor!
• Chill several hours, or pour yourself a glass over ice and enjoy!!

I hope y'all really enjoy this recipe! It's my first so if I think of any edits I will be sure to come back to it! 

Please let me know what you think and how it turned out for you!!!

Blessings!
~Andrea