Hindustani Chai

 Hindustani Chai

- Marti Conrad

1 gallon water

16 green cardamom pods

16 whole cloves

1/4 inch stick cinnamon

2/3 c loose black tea (Pekoe is a good one)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 c milk

1 c sugar

• Bring the water, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon to a rolling boil, and boil for 10-12 minutes. 
• Add the tea leaves and boil for 5 more minutes.
• Strain the tea and discard spices and tea leaves.
• Add sweetened condensed milk, milk, and sugar. 

Note - If it's too strong, add more milk (not water.)

Garden Tea

I tried to pull all of the garden mint out of my flower bed a few years ago... some always pops up and this year it is back more full than ever. While I don't like how invasive it is, I do like garden tea, mojitos, mint in salads, etc. Teneesa Stuckey also gave me the idea to throw in about 5 stems worth of leaves into my Lipton iced tea, which is also very good.

Garden Tea
3 1/2 quarts water (14 cups)
2 cups packed fresh mint
1/2 cup sugar

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in mint. Let steep around 3 hours. Strain. Refrigerate. Serve over ice (options - with lemon slices).

Credits to this recipe.

DIY Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

I have a little chocoholic in the house. Whenever I'm home, she requests "chocolate waffles." These days, I keep these Buttermilk Waffles in the freezer so I can toast one and top with Nutella.

I also keep chocolate syrup on hand for her requests for chocolate milk. I've had this recipe for years, and didn't write down the source - though I know I found it on the web. It's quick and easy. Enjoy!

DIY Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

1/2 c Hershey's Cocoa (or other brand)
1 c sugar
1 c water
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine cocoa, sugar, water and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk until smooth. Over medium heat, whisking occasionally, bring to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute, being careful that it does not boil over. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, add vanilla extract. I use a funnel to pour into a squeeze bottle. Store in the refrigerator.

(We re-used a cleaned up sriracha bottle this time).

Limeade

We've been enjoying fresh squeezed limeades quite a bit this summer. Thanks to my friend, Michelle, who started us on making these.

Limeade

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
7 cups cold water
fresh limes

Heat 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar, until sugar is completely dissolved. (It usually has to just come to boiling). Add to 7 cups cold water. Chill. When ready to serve, add fresh lime juice to taste.

The juice of 1 lime with something like 1 1/2 cups of the sugar water (and a little ice) is just right for us. Enjoy!

Spring is in the air!

Here are some pictures from the yard tonight. We've been getting a lot of rain, and I enjoy trekking out to find out which plants are starting to bloom.

The first roses of the season.

Chives (Tyler enjoys getting oniony breath from chewing on these).

I didn't plant these, but I like how bright and cheery they are.

Azaleas that I planted a couple of seasons ago.


Tonight I cooked my very first bird... a 5 pound chicken. I know, not big, but why waste a lot of money on something I could very well have ruined - Luckily, it was very good. After all these years of being afraid to try it, I am pleasantly surprised at how simple it was. We had roast chicken with fennel, carrots, and potatoes. Michelle gave me some fresh tarragon which was a nice addition. We also had strawberry spinach salad, homemade bread with strawberry jam, meadow tea, and pecan pie bars with butter pecan ice cream for dessert. It was yummy.



We had planned on the Pankratz's for dinner - but both Wayne and Leo were sick today, so that didn't work out. I am still fighting a cold I've had for nearly 3 weeks.
It makes me wonder, will we ever all be well again?
I hope so!