in my kitchen this week...

With lacrosse season over we're eating much better these days. Can you tell?! 

garden harvest of lettuce :: saved that tomato for such a time as this :: BLTs on everything bagels = heaven (I love anything on an everything bagel) :: steak salad, these have become quite regular around here lately :: Julian always says, "If you haven't had applesauce on cornbread, you haven't eaten!" :: making the BBQ rub :: pulled pork with two sauces, I like mustard, he likes honey :: tis the season for macaroni salad :: at long last, I've decided I like green tea :: we've grilled out every dinner this week :: tis the season for fresh berries :: banana cream cake to use up some old bananas :: the only cake mix I had/use is GF so that's how that went and it was delicious and perfect in every way

Joining Heather. 

[Pinspiration} Arnold Palmers by the Pitcher

I swiped this picture from the lovely Your Southern Peach blog,  a "women’s lifestyle blog focused on food, style, motherhood, entertaining, gardening and life’s simple pleasures." It first appealed to me on Pinterest as I was looking through the zillions of refreshing drinks that are pinned this time of year. In fact, I've recently pinned a few of my own, mostly from Oven Love. 

I love lemonade and I super love semi-sweet strong tea, the kind that almost needs the ice to water it down. Generally I make neither unless we have quests coming over because the two of us certainly do NOT need to chug caffeine- and/or acid-laced sugar water (who does?). But there is always a balance to find between what we want and what we need. Last week I asked Julian - tea or lemonade? He said, "both."

Thus, my recipe for Arnold Palmers by the Pitcher was born. Because we had no plans for company, I took the half and half concept of the drink and hit rewind all the way back to the beginning, thus ending up with 2 qts of ice-ready Arnold Palmer-ness. 

Arnold Palmer by the Pitcher

4 regular sized black tea bags, though for the best flavor you can sub one plain w/ one "Lady Grey" tea bag

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 lemon, sliced thinly for garnish

Boil 4 cups filtered tap water and pour over tea bags. Let steep and cool for 5 minutes, drain and discard tea bags. Pour this strong tea over the sugar in your mixing vessel of choice. Then add the tea mixture, lemon juice and cool water to 2qt pitcher until filled. Serve over ice with lemon garnish.