Dill Cheeseball, Sweet Tea and DIY Lemonade

For DD1's open house, we served two flavors of cheese balls; the one I gave a recipe for in my post from May titled "Cheese Ball!", and another one I concocted because I wanted one using the dill from my herb bed, but couldn't find a recipe for.  So, no copyright infringement occurring by posting the recipe, since I created the recipe ;0)

Dill and Garlic Cheese Ball
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, cut in small pieces
2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp fresh dill, snipped in small pieces (use the feathery leaves, not the heads),
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh snipped dill leaf

Mix together the cheeses until well blended.  Stir in the remaining ingredients except the 2 Tbsp dill, beat on medium speed of the mixer until smooth.  Cover bowl and chill overnight.  The next day (or 8+ hours later), form into a ball with your hands, and roll in the 2 Tbsp dill to coat.  Place on a small plate, cover, and chill at least 2 more hours before serving.


For drinks, we served a home brewed Black IPA, sweet tea (South Carolina style?  DS1 learned to make it down there, and taught me while he was home on leave), and lemonade.  DH made the home brew recipe; I'll try to get it and post it in the future.  As for the other two beverages, recipes follow below.

Sweet Tea (1 gallon)
6 bags (or 3 large bags) Lipton tea ("black tea, yellow box" as DS1 instructed me)
1 1/2 cups sugar
ice and water to make one gallon

Place tea bags in a 1 or 2 quart sauce pan.  Cover with at least 2 cups water.  Place on stove and bring to boil.  Once boiling, remove pan from heat and let tea steep 5-7 minutes depending on how strong you want it.  Pour tea into pitcher containing the sugar, keeping bags in pan.  Stir tea until all the sugar has dissolved.  Run some water into pan and swirl around to 'rinse' the pan.  Pour water into pitcher, press water out of tea bags while holding over pitcher.  Discard bags.  Add ice and cold water to pitcher to bring to one gallon.  Chill before serving (I made mine--three batches--the day before the party and put in the fridge until serving time)

Lemonade, 5 gallons
10 cups lemon juice
7 1/2 cups sugar
water and ice

In a 5 gallon igloo cooler ("the orange jug" at this little place here), stir together the sugar and lemon juice until dissolved.  Add water, one gallon at a time, stirring in between additions so you don't end up with sugar syrup at the bottom of the jug.  After the third gallon, toss in some ice, then top off with enough water to fill the cooler. 

For a 1 gallon batch, just use 2 cups juice, 1 1/2 cups sugar and make in a gallon sized pitcher.