Sweet Strawberry Iced Tea - A Sweet, Cool Twist

This past week I have been getting things in order for the baby. With 10 days and counting down my to-do list might be a little ambitious. Though I would love to bring the baby home to a spotless house, with food prepared in the freezer and the house clutter purged, it is time to accept the reality that resting might be a better choice for me right now.

Strawberry season came early to Oregon this year and I am trying to get as many of these sweet berries into my freezer as possible for the coming year. Normally I would be canning jams late into the night, but my feet are too swollen. I would be squeezing lemons and stocking our pantry with strawberry lemonade concentrate to enjoy all Winter, but I just can't stay up past 9pm.

But, I still have a few fresh baked good urges that need to be indulged and a chest freezer waiting to get stocked.

Today while a kind friend took my kids out to pick strawberries, I whipped up a batch of Sweet Strawberry Tea. A few years ago I made a Black Cherry Tea, that was amazing! So, why not enjoy one with strawberries as well?

This is my twist on a recipe I found for Sweet Southern Strawberry Iced Tea, but with a sugar reduction. Since our strawberries are straight from the farm field (sun-ripened and not transported), they tend to have a higher natural sugar content. I also am not a big sweet drink fan either, but this one was just sweet enough for a treat.

So grab some strawberries, tea bags and sugar and let's enjoy a glass of iced tea!

Sweet Strawberry Iced Tea
adapted from Deep South Dish

You Will Need:

• 5 black tea bags
• 4 c. hot water
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. water
• 2 c. strawberries, hulled

Steep your 4 tea bags in hot water for 5 minutes. Set aside and allow it to start to cool.

In a small saucepan create a simple syrup using 1/3 c. water and 1/3 c. sugar. Heat over medium until all the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool.

In a blender, puree up the 2 cups of strawberries. With a sieve, strain out the seeds. This might seem like an extra step, but it is so worth it to have a seedless and smooth tea.

Once the tea and simple syrup are cooled down enough to handle, mix together and combine with the strained strawberries. If the strawberries are added while the liquids are too hot, they will loose some of the vibrant red color. Add a few ice cubes or chill till cold. Stir right before serving.

Enjoy!