Is iced tea healthy? Sure it is. Is it thirst quenching on a hot day? Yep. Can you combine iced tea with alcohol and have a party? Surprisingly yes! And you don't even have to have a party, you can have a glass, kick back and relax. This recipe for Rum Citrus Iced Tea is refreshing, lemony and oh so delicious. And to top it off, it is really easy to make. 

Get the recipe for Rum and Iced Tea - Perfect for Porch Sippin'

#3: Our Favorite Peach Iced Tea

When I was a kid there really was not such a thing as flavored iced tea - you had plain iced tea (sweetened or unsweetened) or iced tea with lemon. When I went to college in Tennessee, I experienced a real peach iced tea for the first time. And this wasn’t some thrown together concoction either - a great deal of effort went into that peach iced tea to make it special. There were fresh peaches involved, a nice iced tea base and just a hint of extra peachy flavor. Needless to say, I was hooked. Ever since I moved back to the Washington DC area, I have yet to have a proper Peach Iced Tea. I figured that since I can’t find any, I’ll just make it myself. After countless recipes and experiments, I finally created a Peach Iced Tea worthy of an award! 

Get the recipe for Our Favorite Peach Iced Tea

#4: Kicked-Up Boston Iced Tea

Boston is known for a lot of things – The Red Sox, amazing Universities and clam chowder to name a few. But one thing that people don’t really talk about are their cranberries. Massachusetts produces some of the best cranberries in the world, so it is no wonder that they use it in a lot of their cuisine. One particular use of cranberries is a “Boston Iced Tea,” which is an incredibly refreshing iced tea that is half cranberry juice and half iced tea. I decided to kick this iced tea up by mixing in two flavors that pair wonderfully with Cranberries; Clove and Cinnamon. To add some additional zing I used a Chai tea as a base to give it a lively flavor that will really refresh you on those scorching summer days

Get the recipe for Kicked-Up Boston Iced Tea

 #5: Jasminey Arnold Palmer

Barbecuing on the 4^th of July is one of my favorite things to do. The days are long, the weather is nice and you really have nothing else to do while waiting to see some fireworks. The only downside to the all day BBQ is the fact that people tend to drink a lot. Maybe it’s because it is hot or maybe everyone is just having a good time. Nonetheless, it is nice to have a tasty non-alcoholic beverage ready to go to help quench your thirst and keep your mind clear - I call this one the "Jasminey Arnold Palmer."

Here is a recipe for a spin on one of my favorite all time drinks – The Arnold Palmer. The traditional Arnold Palmer is a mixture of half iced sweet tea and half lemonade. While I love the traditional mix, I also have a special Arnold Palmer I make if I am going all out. This one includes Jasmine Tea, honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice.  The Jasmine and honey combination is a bit lighter and when you add the freshly squeezed lemon it gives it that perfect mixture of tart and sweet. Trust me when I say that this recipe is going to knock your socks off!   

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#6: Iced Tea Popsicles – As Delicious as They Sound

When I was younger one of the best things about the summer was enjoying an ice cold popsicle on sweltering days like these. Oddly enough, my favorite popsicles were not the ones from the ice cream truck or even the store. They were actually orange juice popsicles, which were just plain old orange juice from concentrate frozen in an ice cube tray. This led me to think of a more “grown up” popsicle involving, of course, tea! Tea Popsicles are ridiculously easy to make and oh so delicious on a hot summer day. 

Get the recipe for Iced Tea Popsicles – As Delicious as They Sound