Tag: tea

Matt’s Arnold Palmer with an Almond Twist

A few weeks ago, I blogged about a refreshing vanilla almond iced tea recipe that I discovered from Macaroni and Cheesecake. My husband, Matt, a HUGE fan of tea, loved it, but when I told him how much sugar it contained (that’s right, 1 cup) he nearly had a heart attack!
Well, my husband’s creative juices took hold…he was determined to make a lighter/healthier version of the tea, and it looks like we found a winner!
With only 5 calories, you can definitely enjoy this southern sweet tea recipe without feeling guilty. Plus, you can proudly boast that this recipe was created by a true Fightin’ Texas Aggie football player. WHOOP!!
So sit back, relax, and enjoy your homemade tea.
  • PS….Does anyone know why this is called an Arnold Palmer? For those that don’t know, it is a beverage consisting of 1/2 lemonade and 1/2 tea. It’s named after the American golfer, can you guess… Arnold Palmer! People also refer to it as a half and half. (Source: Wikipedia)
Matt’s Arnold Palmer with an Almond Twist
Ingredients
8 cups water
2 tea bags
5 cups lemonade (made with 1 gallon of water and 1 packet of crystal lite lemonade)
2 Tbsp. almond extract
Directions
1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Pour over tea bags and let steep 3-5 minutes. Remove tea bags.
2. Meanwhile make lemonade by mixing 1 gallon of water with one packet of crystal lite lemonade.
3. Combine lemonade and tea. Add 2 tablespoons almond extract.
4. Refrigerate until chilled or pour over ice.

Recipe from: my husband, Matt

Vanilla Almond Iced Tea

I can’t believe I haven’t posted an iced tea recipe yet! Living in the south, you’d expect a sweet tea on my blog, right? Well, here it is…
Just about every restaurant in the south claims to have the best “sweet tea” around.  I’m not going to claim that, but I will promise that this sweet tea has a unique blend of vanilla and almond that your taste buds will hopefully love.
A few months ago, my husband Matt and I were invited to have lunch at our preacher and his wife’s house. There were at least five couples, and we enjoyed a delicious feast of chicken & wild rice soup, mixed greens, whole grain bread, and a light take on crustless cheesecake with fresh strawberries. Everything was so light and refreshing, including the vanilla almond iced tea that was served.
I’m not claiming that tea recipe is from our preacher’s wife, but the taste is almost identical! The almond and vanilla extract mixed with a touch of lemonade concentrate creates a sweet, yet tangy and refreshing tea.
Let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Vanilla Almond Iced Tea
Ingredients
4 tea bags
16 cups of water, divided
1 cup sugar
1 (12 oz.) container frozen lemonade concentrate
2 Tbsp. almond extract
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Directions
1. In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to boil. Place tea bags in a large pitcher or container, large enough to hold a little over 1 gallon, with the tags hanging over the side. Once water is boiling, very carefully pour the water into the pitcher over the tea bags. Let steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Remove tea bags. Pour 1 cup sugar and stir to dissolve (or more to taste). Add 8 cups cold water and stir. Add in lemonade concentrate and stir to dissolve. Add in vanilla & almond and stir to combine. (If your container is too small, make the tea in two containers and split the lemonade and extracts). 
3. Place in refrigerator to chill for approximately 1 hour or until cold.
*Alternatively you could buy a gallon of sweet tea and then add the lemonade & extracts if you’re in a hurry.

Recipe from: Macaroni and Cheesecake