Sweet Tea, Pasta Salad and Focaccia

Summer has come to our region early this year and we have been in the upper 80's for weeks.  We get a cooler day once in a while but the hot humid weather has settled in.  It's going to be a long few months for this hot weather hater.  When I was little, we drank sweet tea every day during warm weather and I still make it all the time.

 The Blog Tech was heading out to a work picnic and I made some food for him to take along.  This is my favorite summer pasta salad.  It's a Barefoot Contessa recipe: http://octoberfarm.blogspot.com/2011/02/sun-dried-tomato-pasta-salad.html

Focaccia goes well with this salad.

Focaccia recipe: http://octoberfarm.blogspot.com/2012/03/focaccia.html

For the tea, bring 10 cups of water and 1/4 tsp. of baking soda to a boil with 1 cup of sugar.  Drop in 8 tea bags and steep.  Squeeze 1 or 2 lemons into it and chill.  Serve over lots of ice.  * The baking soda keeps the tea crystal clear.