theinspiredhillbilly

For months now, many of my friends who are also subscribers to the site have asked me to share some of my Country Cooking Recipes.  So, after much prodding, and frankly me growing tired of their whining, I’m going to start a new Category on the Blog; Hillbilly Recipes.  I’ll share them from time to time, and hope that you’ll find them enjoyable, and easy to make yourself.  If you are by some chance a Yankee attempting them, don’t expect them to turn out as great for you as they would for a true Southern Hillbilly, it’s just not in your blood friend!

Probably, the most requested recipe I ever get asked will be my first to share… my Sweet Tea Recipe.  So here ya are, you bunch of whiny patooties!!!!!  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Good Water
May sound stupid, but honey if the water aint good enough to drink by itself, then don’t try and make tea out of it.  If you’re faucet water aint fit for consumption, then buy a filter or get some of that fancy jug water from Walmart.  And think about diggin’ a well, you’ll be glad ya did.
4 Family Size Tea Bags
I prefer Luzianne brand.  It’s specially formulated for Iced Tea, and yes it makes a huge difference.  Lipton aint fit for good Southern Tea, doesn’t have a high enough ratio of orange peco tea in it.  And that is the most important thing to know.  Whatever brand you use, make sure it’s made from Orange and Black Peco Teas.
2 Cups Sugar
If you must use a substitute, the only one fit to drink is Splenda Blend (half Splenda, half Sugar).  All the others substitutes aren’t fit to put in sweet tea, save it for your coffee.
Pinch of Baking Soda (Optional)

Now, your goal is to make about a gallon of tea, so get a large soup pot type container to bring your water to a boil.  Make that sucker boil like there’s no tomorrow, then cut off the heat, and remove it from the heat source.  Place the 4 family size tea bags in the water.  DO NOT LET THE TEA BAGS BOIL.  Make sure all the bubbles are over.  You don’t want to cook the tea, you just want hot water that will bring out the flavor and oils from the leaves.  Boil them and you’ll end up with a cooked taste and all that residue from inside those tea bags coming out.

Let those tea bags steep (see, a fancy word) for 30 to 45 minutes.  Yes, that long.  If you aint got patience, then go back to Walmart and buy somebody else’s tea.  After it’s steeped, put between 1 3/4 and 2 cups (depending on your preference) sugar in the tea, mix well, make sure it’s all dissolved.  If you are using the Splenda Blend, then do one cup of sweetener.  If you try using the pink stuff, or blue stuff, put however much you want in it, but don’t tell anybody I told ya how to make tea because it will be one hot mess!

Now, taste the stuff! Never cook anything without tasting it first. If by some chance you don’t expect it to be drunk within a couple of days in your home, place a pinch of baking soda in the tea, it will help preserve it and keep it from getting cloudy.

I love placing some lemon in my tea glass, and sometimes a slice of orange is great.  Just remember, we aint in England anymore honey, so good tea should be enjoyed over ice.

Now, enjoy!!!!!!