Friendship Tea

 I served this daily in my beauty salon. It's a perfect gift in a jar.

1 cup instant tea mix, unsweetened

1 ¾  cups instant lemonade mix

20 ounces Tang beverage mix

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients together in a a zip-lock bag until blended uniformly.

Pour into glass jars and seal tight.

To serve, mix 2-3 tsp of mix with a cup of boiling water, more or less to taste.

Be sure to leave room at the top of the mug for fizzing.

Spiced Iced Tea

2  cups  sugar
2  cups  water
1  qt  hot water
8  tea bags
2  qts  cold water
2  cups  orange juice
3/4  cup  lemon juice
Mint sprigs to garnish, optional

Boil 2 cups water and sugar for 5 miutes. Add 1 quart hot water and the tea bags. Steep 5 minutes. Discard bags. Add remaining ingredients. Serve over ice.

Fresh Lemonade

We have fresh lemons coming out of our ears out here in the desert. Here's a good way to use them.

1-1/2  cups  fresh squeezed lemon juice
1  Tbs  grated lemon rind
1-1/2  cups  sugar
1/2  cup  boiling water

Shake all together in a covered jar, water, lemon rind, and sugar. Add juice and shake again. Store in the refrigerator.

When ready to use, add 5 cups cold water, plus ice, to the mixture.

Serve in frosted glassed for extra POW! Dip each glass rim (use stemmed glasses) into some lemon juice to 1/4" on rim. Then dip into sugar and put into the freezer. When removing from the freezer, do not touch the bowl of the glass. Handle only using the stem, or you will ruin the frosted effect.

Bloody Mary Mix

Also good without the vodka, for those of us who are too young to drink, as my Dad always said.

1  qt  (or 5th)  vodka
1  qt  Clamato juice
1  sm  can beef broth
2  qts  tomato juice
1  Tbs  each, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, and pepper
3/4  tsp  Tabasco sauce
1-1/2  tsp  salt

Dreamy Creamy Hot Chocolate

This is a tweaked Paula Deen recipe.  


1  can (14 oz)  sweetened condensed milk
1/2  cup  unsweetened cocoa
1/8  tsp salt
3  cups hot water
3 1/2  cups whole milk
Mini marshmallows or whipped cream in the can, optional


In a large saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. 
Stir to dissolve cocoa completely. 


Over medium heat, slowly stir in water and milk. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. 
DO NOT BOIL. Top with marshmallows or a good squirt of whipped cream, optional.