Mint Iced Tea

Category: Beverages
  • 64 oz water
  • 12 tea bags
  • large bunch of fresh mint
  • 1-2 tbsp honey (I prefer wildflower honey, not clover honey)
  • 3 lbs of ice cubes
  • gallon pitcher

  1. Tie teabags into one bunch (for quick removal after steeping).
  2. Rinse mint.
  3. Bring water to a boil, then remove from heat.
  4. Submerge tea bags and mint in the hot water; cover.
  5. After 3-4 minutes, remove the tea bags without squeezing them; replace cover on pot and steep mint another five minutes before removing.
  6. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons honey.
  7. Add ice to gallon pitcher.
  8. Pour the hot tea over the ice.
  9. Fill the remaining space in pitcher with cold water (~8 oz) to make a full gallon; stir briefly.

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Published Jul 25, 2019 and last updated May 04, 2024.

Pride Jell-O Shots

Category: Beverages
  • 12-15 oranges
  • 6 small boxes (3 oz) Jell-O: Cherry, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Blueberry, Grape
  • 24 oz freezer-cold vodka (710 ml)
  • 24 oz cold water
  • 48 oz boiling water

Cut oranges in half through the stem end; remove flesh.

Repeat for each flavor:

  1. Stir Jell-O powder into 8 oz boiling water.
  2. Stir in 2 oz cold water and 6 oz vodka.
  3. Pour Jell-O into orange halves, resting in muffin tins or coffee mugs. Each flavor will fill 4 or 5 orange halves.
  4. Chill overnight, then slice each orange half into three wedges.

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Published Jun 09, 2019 and last updated Aug 11, 2024.

Hot Cocoa Mix

Category: Beverages
  • 240 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
  • 96 g (1 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
  • 170 g (2 1/2 cups) nonfat dry milk powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine-grain salt
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 pinch (or more to taste) ground cayenne pepper
  1. Combine all ingredients in a large airtight container.
  2. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
To serve:
  1. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the mix in a mug and add about a shot’s worth of hot water or milk. Stir to combine.
  2. Fill the mug with more hot water or milk and enjoy.

Source: http://altonbrown.com/hot-cocoa-mix-recipe/

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Published Mar 28, 2017

Root Beer

Category: Beverages
  • 2 ounces root beer concentrate
  • 5 pounds sugar
  • 5 gallons lukewarm spring water, (approximately 95°F)
  • 1 package (1/4 ounce/7 g) dry active yeast
  • 1 cup pre-boiled water, (cooled to 85° to 95°F)
  • raisins (one per bottle)
  1. Sanitize bottles and equipment in mild bleach solution, 2 ounces per 5 gallons cold water. Rinse several times with tap water inside and out.
  2. Shake root beer concentrate well. Mix with sugar in a 5-gallon container. (DO NOT USE ALUMINUM). Stir in spring water.
  3. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup pre-boiled water. Allow yeast to dissolve undisturbed 10 to 15 minutes. Add to sugar mixture and stir well.
  4. Drop a raisin into each bottle.
  5. Bottle immediately, leaving 2-inch space at top of bottle. Cap tightly.
  6. Store each bottle on its side in a warm place (70° to 80°F) for 1 to 2 days, then store upright in refrigerator at 40° to 45°F for additional 3 to 4 days. Carbonation is complete when raisin expands fully. Keep refrigerated and consume within 7 to 8 days.

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Published Sep 27, 2016