I had big plans for this holiday week spent at home.
Not just big. HUGE.
I was going to get tons of house cleaning done. I was going to get all my computer files and photos in order. I was going to exercise, cook, and take lots of photos for future blog posts. I was going to clean out my email inbox.
Well, most of the week is gone and not too much of this has happened. Sigh.
There’s been a little cleaning and a little organizing, yes. But I really can’t put my finger on where the rest of the time has gone. Another sigh. At least I’ve gotten to enjoy the snow and lots of hot drinks.
I made this homemade chai recipe a couple of afternoons ago and fell head over heels. It’s sweet and spicy with the perfect amount of milk; it’s also a great accompaniment to these unbelievably adorable mini gingerbread house cup toppers that I saw on Not Martha last year (and simply had to make).
I adapted this chai from The Kitchn and I like it because it’s very flexible…use more or less of the herbs/spices based on what you have on hand and your fondness for each ingredient. I sweetened it with ginger syrup leftover from making my crystallized ginger (which gave it an added ginger-y zing), but honey, agave, or organic sugar would all work. Feel free not to use the full 1/4 cup of sweetener if you’d prefer; use more if you like your chai very sweet.
[cft format=0]
I really should be getting back to my inbox now…but I think I’ll go make some more chai instead.
This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.
Recipe for Chai Tea
Ingredients
- *2 organic English Breakfast tea bags
- *3 cups milk preferably raw (my choice) or organic (or try coconut milk or your favorite non-dairy milk for a vegan chai)
- *3 cups water
- *6 cardamom pods
- *6 whole cloves
- *4 whole star anise
- *4-6 small cinnamon sticks
- *4-6 slices fresh ginger about 1/4 inch each
- *1/4 cup ginger syrup leftover from making crystallized ginger, raw honey, agave syrup, or organic sugar
Instructions
- 1. Heat water and milk to the point just before boiling.
- 2. Add the tea bags and all of the herbs/spices and turn off the heat.
- 3. Allow to infuse for 20-30 minutes, then add the sweetener and reheat before serving.
- 4. Pour chai through a fine mesh strainer into mugs. Serve on its own (or with the mini-gingerbread mug toppers which, by the way, are a really fun project to do with kids).
