The Cure

So the so-called diet is back on, meaning I don't eat a dessert that isn't in pre-packaged form, I snack on Luna bars, fruit squishies, and pre-packaged cheez-its, and I try to exercise 40 minutes 3x a week.  Yesterday, we walked 5 miles in 1.25 hours.

OK, enough of that boring crap.  On to adult beverages, which I know are empty calories, but sometimes after a long day like this one (Taking an 88-year-old to a doctor's appointment 50 miles away, taking her to the grocery which I asked her about earlier and she said no,  and trying to convince her that we didn't have time to "drop in for a visit" on her unsuspecting sister-in-law.), it's the best way to ease a tension headache.

This drink started out as a Mint Julep during a viewing of the Kentucky Derby with my BFFs from Dothan about six years ago in Atlanta.  The bartender didn't know how to make a julep so Camille said, "Just make a Long Island Iced Tea and twist a mint leaf in it."  They were wonderful.

I came home and tried to recreate it.  I bought everything: vodka, gin, rum, Cointreau, and Coke.  Over the past few years, I've never recreated the one in Atlanta, and it's not just the mint.  I've come up with something different, but I really like it, mainly because it's sweet.

I call it The Cure.

In a clear Solo cup, pour
1 oz. vodka and
1 oz Cointreau or other orange liqueur.
Add crushed ice to the 3/4 line
Brew strong tea with 2 tea bags.  I use Twinnings Decaf Breakfast.  Decaf 'cause, you know, I WANT to go to sleep after I drink this.
Steep 5-8 min.
Sweeten heavily with sugar, agave nectar, or artificial sweeteners. I know; I'm headed for pancreatic cancer. But stevia and all those things like sorbitol, maltilol, and sucralose give me bad intestinal cramps.  I told Thing Two, who said he doesn't want me dying that way, that any way I die will probably not be pleasant and at least his immediate future will not be with a sad, overweight and possibly diabetic mom nor with a mom that passes gas constantly.  He quit bugging me.
Fill another Solo cup halfway with ice.
Pour hot tea mixture over ice to just cover ice.
Stir tea and ice.
Pour this over the ice in the liquored cup.
Stir again.
Add a splash of lemonade and/or OJ to taste.

So make it yourself and tell me what you think.  It's mainly just sweet and the only calories are from the liquor, so I'm guessing it's about 120 calories as opposed to a ten-oz Margarita, which is an average of 450 calories.  Not that I oppose a Margarita,.  I just can't have one every week.  But all I have to do to score The Cure is do 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer at the gym.  I can do that.