Jen at Whole Food Kids, 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven, 365 Days of TV-Free Toddler Time, Mega-Family Blogs, and life in mexico {and other places} a picture a day, is giving away a Zoku 7-Minute Pop Maker!

And just in case you don't know any awesome Popsicle recipes, she's throwing in THIS book, too!

This entire package is worth over $60! To enter, go HERE.

Easy Ice Tea

I want to share a quick & easy way to make Ice Tea for yourself or the whole family.

Items needed
Glass 2 quart Measure Pitcher Bowl
3 Family Size Tea Bags (I love Luzianne Tea)
2 quarts water (I use from filter pitcher I have)
Microwave
Sugar or Sweetner of choice

1. Fill Glass Measure Pitcher with water to 2 quart fill line.

2. lace in Microwave & cookon High 15 minutes.

3. Remove pitcher bowl from Microwave but use Oven Mitts & be really careful. ***Please do not have small children around~~the water is boiling hot.

4. Place 3 amily size Tea Bags in bowl with Tags hanging over side of bowl. I kinda dunk the tea bags up & down a few times before letting them rest in bowl.

5. Cover bowl with foil & let it sit for at least an hour. I sometimes let mine sit for few hours, until cool~~it will not bother it. Makes it easier to squeeze out tea bags.

6. When Tea is finished steeping~~lift Tea bags by the strings & squeeze gently (be careful not to bust tea bags).

7. To Sweeten Tea: You can use Sweet & Low, Truvia,etc or plain Sugar.
If using Table Sugar~~I always make a simple syrup first & then use this to sweeten (plain Sugar crystal will take longer to dissolve but the hotter the tea~~the better they will disolve)

***Note to make Simple Syrup
1 part Sugar
1 part Water

I use a pint canning jar (Mason Jar) & add my water. Place in Microwave for 2-3 min. Remove jar using oven mitts~~water will be boiling.
Add the sugar (Hint~~have sugar in seperate cup already measured & pour sugar fast~~as the steam will wet your cup)
Stir sugar until dissolved.
Add to tea, according to taste, along with the rest of the water to dilute tea to desired stength.

8. Place in refrigerator to cool or Add Ice & Enjoy!

Since my family is from the deep south~~we love Ice Tea & I always have it ready in the fridge.
Tea Bags are cheap, Sugar is the only real concern for cost but more frugal than Pop (Soda).
I am diabetic~~so make mine Sugar-Free & also I make Decaf, since I cut my Caffeine after 2pm for health & sleep problems.

Great E-Mealz Giveaway!

Do you often wonder about what you are going to cook to feed your family? Have you been "Sticker Price Shocked" lately when you go do your food shopping? Well go by & check out this great giveaway~~
http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/06/dinner-dilemmas-solution-e-meals-review.html

I strangely (by most I hear?) enjoy planning & shopping (not paying, mind you) for my family's meals. But ok~~I collect cookbooks, do canning & enjoy cooking~~most people I talk to don't however~~so this just may be yoyur answer!

Would love to hear about it~~if you win!

Hugs & Blessings,
Pam

Delicious Father's day Giveaway

Stop by http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/06/delicious-fathers-day-giveaway.html & register for a great giveaway by a reall cool blog I recently found. "Hint Hint"~~Delicious treats await the winner!!
Good Luck to all who enter!
Hugs & Blessings,
Pam

P.S. I just gotta figure out how to post a link in my blogs~~where just a word shows. Sorry I am not more computer educated! LOL