Granny Jane's Sweet Tea



Brother's Rooster!



Winston Singing (barking) Happy Birthday!

  Iced sweet tea is a southern tradition as you all know. I dearly love tea, hot and cold. Granny Jane's sweet tea recipe is a spring and summer favorite for the whole family. Fresh mint and fresh lemons are the secret. It is sweetened of course with sugar. I have tried leaving out the sugar and adding sweet-n-low to the glass and it's just not the same. But there are some new sweeteners on the market that I have not tried so experiment if real sugar is not in your diet.
I am making this today! The mint is up and growing fast. Can't wait to sit outside and watch the Moon rise tonight. Don't forget it's the Super Moon night!

Granny Jane's Sweet Tea

6 regular size tea bags or 3 Family size tea bags.
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh mint about 2 inches long.
3 large or 4 small to medium lemons cut in half and squeezed
1 quart boiling water
1 cup sugar

Wash the mint and lemons.
Boil 1 quart of water
Put tea bags in heatproof glass bowl
Roll lemons on counter with the palm of your hand. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze over tea bags. I usually use a strainer to catch the seeds as I juice the lemons. Drop lemon rinds in with the juice. This is important....not the same without the rinds.
Add the sugar and mint. Pour boiling water over the lemons, sugar and mint. Stir slowly, careful not to break teabags until sugar dissolves. Cover with clean dish towel and let stand until completely cool.
When the tea has cooled completely remove rinds, and mint sprigs. Pour tea from bowl into large pitcher and fill pitcher with cold water. Taste the tea and if you need to add sugar to suit your taste go for it!  Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint leaf.  Great with your meals or just to cool off!

Fresh Coconut, Walnut and Lemon Pound Cake



Tricia and Brandi Mother's Day 2004


This is a recipe very similar to the Out of This World Cake I posted earlier this month, from Granny's box of hand written recipes.
I made this cake last week. Wade's friends at work loved it. Tricia and I liked it alot but we are both dieting so we gave it away.  :) 
I think this icing was good but the next time I make it I am going to add a little rum to it and let it stand for a day or two. Tricia ran in right when I took it out of the oven and wanted to cut it before I had it glazed! I made her wait until the next afternoon to cut it. But it was really best on the 2nd and 3rd day, after the flavors had blended and the glaze had throughly soaked into the cake.

Fresh Coconut Walnut and Lemon Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour tube pan

2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups of sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 packages of graham crackers crushed fine, (there are 3 packages in 1 box of graham crackers, use 2)this is about 1 1/2 - 2 cups.

1 (6 oz.) package frozen fresh coconut, thawed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and beat after each addition until the yellows are blended well. Add vanilla and blend well. Add graham crackers blend well. Fold in coconut and walnuts.

Pour into prepared tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 min. Test with tooth pick. Let stand in pan for 15 min. I usually loosen the edges with a knife to prevent the cake from cracking as it cools down in pan. After 15 min. turn out onto a cooling rack and let stand until cool enough to flip over on your cake plate.
I line the edges of the cake plate with foil or wax paper until I frost the cake with the glaze.

Lemon Coconut Glaze

1- 6 oz. package of fresh coconut thawed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup bottled water
2 cups sugar
Zest of 2 lemons and the juice...this should be about 1/4 cup juice if not add juice to make 1/4 cup...My lemons were small and I was just a little short 1/4 cup. All I had was some key lime juice so I made up the differenc with that. Delicious......

Place all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 15 to 18 min. stirring frequently until thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool down a little.
Take a wooden pick or skewer and poke holes in the top of the cake. Use a tablespoon and slowly spoon the glaze on the cake. I tried to keep the glaze in the middle of the cake to begin with and then worked my way around and out to the edges. Work slowly and let the glaze soak down into the holes. Let it stand for about an hour. Spoon any excess run off glaze back on top of the cake and remove strips lining the edges. When completely cool cover with dome and let stand for 24 to 48 hours......if you can stand the wait!
I am going to add 1/4 cup of rum the next time I make this frosting. Yum!:)





Remember our friends in the Pacific in your prayers.
Photo of Kona Harbor April 2005.