Ever wondered about Amercan sweet tea

While living in USA ......  I always had iced sweet tea in the restaurants  with lemon. I never  could work out how they made it there was always something missing from mine when I made it ....

I tried making "Sun Tea" where you   put tea bags and cool water in a glass jug and set in the sun until brewed sometimes took all day  then refrigerate ...  after adding  sugar and lemon ..... this was good but still not the same.

While scrolling through blogs .....  "Voila" .... I found a blog giving the secret  ingredient ....

Perfect Sweet Tea. (makes 1 gallon)
(Adapted from the Lone Star Steak House)


Ingredients -
5 - 8 Family size Tea Bags. (or 12 regular Lipton Tea Bags)                    
1 Quart (4 Cups) - Boiling Water
3 Quarts (12 cups) - Cool Water
1 1/2 - Cups Sugar.
1/4 teaspoon - Baking Soda (this IS the SECRET Ingredient!!)

                           **********************************
Directions -
1. Sprinkle baking soda into a pitcher 
  Add Tea bags to the pitcher/baking soda,
Pour Boiling water over tea bags,
Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
                    **************************
2. Remove and toss out Tea Bags,
Add Sugar and Stir until completely dissolved.
Add Cool Water.
Refrigerate until cold and ready to drink.
                     ***********************
3. Serve over ice, with a twist of lemon
Take a nice long sip.....      Swoon. ......     Repeat.

Obviously you can make smaller quantities but it will keep a couple of days in the fridge okay.

First Feesias of spring

This post is about spring ...but just loved this picture of Apples  which of course has a ring of Autumn about it ...never mind I just likes it.

Spring is almost here so time for a change of template .... I am not sure 100% about the green  but will leave for a few days to see how I feel about it.


Today the sun is shining and I took a walk around the estate i.e. my garden
and there tucked behind a lavender bush were these Freesias ...as they could not be seen where they were I decided to take them inside where I can see and smell their heady sent...  Could not decide which picture of the vases to show you so uploaded both.

Welcome to spring New Zealand

Chicken snacks

This has been passed to me and I gave it a try and they were lovely, ideal snack or lunch or even a picnic item.... they have a nice sweet taste. Serve with salad  and a yogurt dip...... yummmmy!!

8 Cooked  chicken  breast strips  ( these can be fried or oven cooked or poached )
3 large table spoons  apricot jam

Take plain cooked chicken strips place in shallow frying pan  add the apricot jam and allow to coat by shaking pan while heating .... fry gently until chicken becomes sticky and brown.  They will crisp up as they cool.

Hamilton Quilt and craft show

A car load of  us girls went across ....  we had a great day .... BUT there was not one stall doing embroidery fabric etc.  Helen Dafter was there from Australia but she only really had patterns and kits.  So was a bit of a disappointment in a way to us embroiderers....
There was definitely more stalls this year and many of them were from NZ which was lovely to see, lots of new ideas and stuff and gadgets, amazing fabric and I did not even buy a fat quarter ...I am so proud of me.

So here is a  small show of the quilts... I am sorry for anyone who went to Melbourne Show for these were all there.

Best of Show

 



An amazing variation on a Log Cabin Block .... was beautiful  my favourite

 



Monday Finish ..... still going !!

My finishing is still on track ... have just pulled out another for today  ... but this one depends on a friend bringing the pattern for the construction later this afternoon...

Drum roll    da da da da!!!

Mondays finish ..

This one has been finished on the stitching  side for a little while just needed to get around to framing it ..  this frame in distressed wood which suits it perfectly.... Thanks to a friend who has also done this piece she found the frame in Briscoes ....

The winter has been a little chilly here but the cat found no problem at curling up somewhere warm ... I am sure he thinks he is human some of the time.... he sure likes his creature comforts.

Sunday finish ...... Hussif

Sunday I spent most of the time doing some finishing..... as promised here is number one.

This Hussif is a variation of Sue Thomson's Cornpad work.  The only thing I wish was I had made it bigger, this is not going to hold much... as it is approx A5 size when closed.

Stitching day ....

To day I have spent most of the day stitching, I managed to almost finish a box I started at a class 2 weekends  ago will post picture when it is completed.

 I have managed a couple of the decorations .... The first not so good a shape I tried to make it a bit different but it did not work so well.....  but the second turned out better than the first one keeping to the picture  I found  ( above ) ...... with no pattern of course.

September the year is rushing by .....

Although I say the year is rushing by ... I have been wishing it away at times on really frosty mornings and perishing cold days ... But today has been quite nice still chilly but the sun was trying hard to shine, I managed a walk around the garden  ... there were the daffodils and Camila's the Plum tree in full bloom and the Cherry.... take a look

The grass was finally cut last week first time is over 3 months .... it is pure moss due to all the rain we have had lately.