Lemon Iced Tea

Ingredients:

2 large lemons

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 cups fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

6 black tea bags

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions: Using a vegetable peeler, remove bright yellow peel from lemons.

Combine lemon peel and sugar in a medium saucepan with 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Lower heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mint. Cool to room temperature; strain.

Steep the tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water, covered, for 5 minutes. Then remove tea bags. Stir in syrup, lemon juice, 4 cups cold water, and ice cubes. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice and a few mint leaves.

Yield: Makes 8 servings (serving size: 8 ounces)