SWEET TEA AND BOILED PEANUTS

I've been doing yard work all day long and I'm ready for a glass of iced tea...on the Porch--at The Roost! The little tea towel is an inside joke with friends back in Mississippi!

The lazy days of summer are here! Sunny days at the beach or lake, taking in a movie at a nice cool theatre, relaxing on the porch under the cool breeze of a ceiling fan...with a good book...

June is National Iced Tea Month
In 1904 a gentleman by the name of Richard Blechynden was trying to sell his hot tea at the World's Fair in St. Louis and because there was a heat wave, no one wanted any, so he added some ice and iced tea became popular. Like most Southerners, I began drinking iced tea at a young age. Iced tea is considered the beverage of hospitality, the table wine of the South, and sometimes referred to as the champagne of the South.

Take the heat out of your summer, slow down, and join me in sipping some great iced tea! Today, I'm enjoying a longtime Southern favorite, Lipton Iced Tea.

The Southern Country Caviar
What goes well with iced tea in the summertime? I'm lovin' some boiled peanuts! Pronounced "bald peanuts" below the Mason-Dixon line, boiled peanuts are an acquired taste, but to Southerners, they are addictive. They are a true Southern delicacy and most Southerners would tell you to enjoy them with sweet tea, a coke, or an iced cold beer!
If you are from the Deep South, you've no doubt driven by "Boiled Peanut Stands" on the side of the road. Everybody loves 'em-I know y'all have bought them on occasion!If you can't find a roadside stand, you can buy them canned (available at Publix, Walmart, et cetera). They may be eaten straight out of the can or placed on a plate and covered with a paper towel, and heated in the microwave for 30 seconds. You may also make your own...here's a recipe.


Recipe for Boiled Peanuts in a Crockpot:
1 1/2 quarts raw uncooked green peanuts
1/2 cup salt
2 1/2 quarts water

Wash the peanuts well. Place the peanuts into the crockpot, add the salt and water; stir. Cook, covered on high for 5-7 hours. Add more water if necessary, to keep the peanuts covered.

Miss Janice's Summer Friendship Gift
All my summer houseguests will receive a can of boiled peanuts as my friendship gift throughout the summer. What an easy way to say "Welcome" to guests and give them a little bit of a Southern delicacy to take home! Here's my "Friendship Gifts" for the summer:
Very easy...very Southern!
Thank y'all for dropping by today. I'm off to relax with my sweet tea and boiled peanuts...the whole can, by myself--yes ma'am!