Looking for a non-alcoholic punch for a shower or luncheon? We have one that we love. You can change this up by adding an ice ring made with ginger ale and layered with fruit and mint leaves. A simpler version for a smaller crowd would be ice cube trays filled with ginger ale and an assortment of mint/fruit in the trays. Or floating orange, lemon, and lime slices also is a great look. This is easy, yummy, and also great because it can made be made the night before. Also simply wonderul in a pretty pitcher.
Vanilla Almond Iced Tea (if you are old-fashioned, you can certainly add Punch to the name!)
2 cups of water, divided
1-2 Family size tea bags
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 T almond extract
1/2 T vanilla
2 2-liters of ginger ale, chilled
1 cup of ice
slices of orange, limes, and lemons to float on top (optional)
Boil 1 cup of water in a medium size saucepan. Steep 1-2 family size tea bags in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes with heat off. Remove tea bags. Add 1 more cups of water. Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 cup of ice, 1/2 T cup of almond extract, and 1/2 T cup of vanilla. Stir until well blended. Freeze this in smaller containers to make party time a breeze. I prefer to freeze this in smaller plastic tupperware type containers (about a 1/4-1/2 cup in each container). Right before the party, use a fork to loosen the ice to get a slushy mix. Transfer the tea mixture in a punch bowl or pitcher. Add a 2 liter of ginger ale per container. Once 3/4 is gone, add another container of slushy mix and another 2 liter of ginger ale. Make sure you continue to partially thaw the containers of tea mixture.
This recipe makes approx. 2 pitchers. The containers will keep in the freezer and I will pull one out for a spur of the moment Summer luncheon.
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