Spiced Chai Tea Concentrate (Recipe)

This is the recipe for the most amazing Spiced Chai. A simple recipe that is easy to customize to your personal tastes. Lightly sweet and delicious.




Ingredients:
4 1/2 Cups Water
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Piece Fresh Ginger, about 1 inch, cut into a few pieces
7 Whole Cardamom Pods
2 Whole Star Anise
10 Whole Cloves
1/4 tsp. Ground Pepper, or 1/2 tsp. Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. Orange Zest
10 Black Tea Bags, or 10 tsp. Black Tea.
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil. Add Spices and Tea and remove from heat, Let steep for 20 Minutes.
2. Strain the tea, then mix in the Brown Sugar, Honey, and Vanilla.

To prepare the concentrate, Mix one part concentrate with one part milk, heat and serve. Add more or less milk according to how strong you like your Chai.

White Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&M's (Recipe)

White Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&M's.



Ingredients:
1 2/3 Cups Flour
3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
3/4 Cup Butter (1 1/2 Sticks)
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Large Egg
2 Cups White Chocolate Chips
2 Cups M&Ms, I like the red and green ones for Christmas Cookies.

Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 360 Degrees Fahrenheit (F).
2. Combine Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl beat butter, brown and white sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Mix in White Chocolate Chips and M&M's.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Bourbon Pecan Balls (Recipe)

A delicious no-bake recipe for Bourbon Pecan Balls, and Rum Balls.*  Great for Holiday Parties and Gifts!

Ingredients:

3 1/4 Cups Crushed Vanilla Wafers, or one box. 

3/4 Cup Confectioners Sugar

1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder 

2 Cups Chopped Pecans 

3 Tbsp. Corn Syrup 

1/2 Cup Bourbon

Directions:
1. Crush Vanilla Wafers and chop Pecans into small pieces. A food processors works great for both of these tasks, but is not necessary.
2. In a large bowl mix Vanilla Wafers, Sugar, Cocoa,  and 1 1/2 Cups of the Pecans.

3. Mix in Corn Syrup and Bourbon. Shape into 1 inch balls, and roll in remaining pecans.

Store in an air tight container, and let the flavor develop for a couple of days.


*For Rum Balls, replace the Bourbon with Rum, and the Pecans with Walnuts. Then roll in Confectioners Sugar or Walnuts.

Brunch at Moms

Apple Crisp (Recipe)

An Apple Crisp Recipe, Great for Fall.

 Ingredients: 

4 Medium Apples; Peeled, Cored and Sliced. 

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice 

1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar 

1/2 tsp Cinnamon 

1/2 tsp Nutmeg 

1/3 Cup Flour 

1/3 cup Granulated Sugar 

1/3 Cup Rolled Oats 

4 Tbsp. (1/2 Stick) Butter 

1/2 Cup Pecans or Walnuts (Optional) 

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit (F). Grease the bottom and sides of an 9 inch pan with butter or shortening. 

2. Toss the apples in a large bowl with lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then add it to the apples and stir well coating all the apples with the sugar and spices. 

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, and oats. Chop butter into small pieces and work into the oats with a fork or your hands until crumbly. If you're using nuts, stir them in with oats now. 

4. Spread apples into the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle oat/flour mix on the top. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until apples are bubbling around the edges of the pan and topping is golden brown. 

Best served warm

 

Canning Applesauce