Summer Drinks

Fresh Peppermint Iced Tea

(make 24 hours in advance)

3 green tea bags

1 quart boiling water

6 tablespoons sugar

½  lemon sliced thin

A large generous bunch of fresh peppermint

2 cups cold water

Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Add sugar and lemon and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the mint and cold water. Refrigerate overnight. Remove the mint and lemon.

Fresh Lemonade

(make 24 hours in advance)

Make the lemon syrup: Add to a medium size saucepan the rind of 2 lemons, 1 ¼ cups sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool the syrup. Add the juice of five medium lemons, stir the syrup well and refrigerate overnight.
Make the lemonade: Use 2 tablespoons of the syrup to 5-6 ounces of cold water or to taste. Add ice as desired. Keeps in a closed jar in the refrigerator for two weeks.

My Orange Julius

1 cup orange juice, fresh if possible

½ cup non-fat dry milk powder

1 ½ tablespoon sugar

Few drops vanilla extract

½ cup crushed ice

Combine all ingredients except the ice in a blender and mix well. Add ice and mix until refined to drink.

Watermelon Lemonade

(make 24 hours in advance)

In a one gallon container steep overnight:

½ small watermelon cut in 1-2 inch cubes, a pint of raspberries, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 ½ lemons thinly sliced – stir and then refrigerate overnight.

Stir or shake. Add six cups of cold water and stir or shake again to mix well.