Chai tea gifties

I discovered the recipe for this wonderful Chai Tea Mix a couple of years back via Posie Gets Cozy.
Since I cannot currently find her original post to link to, I am going to cut and paste from the word document a I created so I wouldn't have to go searching every time I wanted to make this.

These are Alicia's words:

The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. You can adjust any of the spices to your taste and even eliminate one altogether. I love the genius of adding candied ginger instead of fresh (which obviously won't keep) or powdered (which can make the resulting tea murky.) The red peppercorns are optional because they are quite expensive but I do love to add them for their holiday color, especially when paired up with the green cardamom pods.

The recipe below makes enough Chai to fit into a 1/2 pint canning jar and is easily multiplied out for larger batches. I try to collect jars and old tins throughout the year to fill. You can also use small bags or make your own from scraps of cloth. The possibilities are endless!

Chai Tea Mix Recipe
Makes about 12-16 teabags

12 green cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon whole red peppercorns (optional)
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons chopped candied ginger
1/2 cup loose black tea

Preheat oven to 350°

With a sharp knife, split the cardamom pods in half. Place in a pie tin along with the peppercorns, fennel, coriander, cloves and cinnamon. Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant. Remove and cool.

Crush spices lightly with a rolling pin or in a mortar and pestle. You may have to crumble the cinnamon stick with your hands.

In a bowl, toss the spices, candied ginger and tea together until blended.

Spoon into your container of choice (mason jar, cello or parchment or waxed paper bags, vintage tea tin, etc.) Include fillable tea bags and brewing instructions. Alternatively, you can fill each tea bag with approximately 1 tablespoon of the chai mix and tie it loosely to close. (But that's a lot of work if you're making several batches!)

Brewing Instructions
tea for one

1 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of Chai Mix placed into a tea bag
Sugar or honey to taste

Bring the water to a boil and add the teabag. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Add the milk, turn on the flame and reheat until hot. Remove from heat, discard teabag, sweeten to taste, enjoy!

This recipe is based on one by Maria Helm Sinskey. I've made several changes in the proportions and the brewing instructions, and added the red peppercorns, but the basic concept is hers.

I love how they look all bundled up and ready to gift! When I have time, I add a piece of raw, peeled ginger to the pot when simmering for extra ginger yumminess!
Happy Tea Drinking!

Thanks for visiting!
Shanna :)

Have a...

My youngest son is uber interested in computer programming at the moment. He just turned 11 and asked for programming texts for his birthday!

As such, this card seemed appropriate. I was wracking my brain for a stamp with some sort of computer image when I remembered my "Generation Tech" stack from DCWV. Actually, I am pretty sure last year's card was made with paper from that stack too! (Apparently, that one was a good investment!) lol - he is that kind of kid!

Then I remembered the fun "gobledy goop" stamp in CTMH's "Tech Speak" stamp set and his card was born. I think he liked the "programming bits" I stamped on the inside best!

I would like to share at:
Seize the Birthday 

Thanks for stopping by! Hope your holiday preparations are coming along. I am smack in the middle of trying to get all my holiday cards in the mail! I love it, but there are A LOT of them!

Cheers,
Shanna :)

what I used:
stamps - CTMH From me to you, Tech Speak and Reel Life
paper - DCWV - The Generation Tech Stack

Life is an adventure

 Here is something a little different! This is the card I made for my husband's birthday featuring two of my fave photos from our recent Whistler vacation - more photos later, it was FABULOUS! I can't wait to do more alpine hiking!!!

Zip-lining was crazy and exciting! The first line was more than a kilometer long and spanned an entire mountain valley. We travelled 80-90 kim/hour.

I would like to share in the following challenges:

Shopping Our Stash - no stamping - technically, I stamped on the inside, but my card design did not rely on stamps - the sentiment on the front is a rub-on

Crazy 4 Challenges - O Christmas Tree - include a tree - there are at least a few! :)

Thanks so much for visiting!

Shanna

What I used:

rub-ons - Swatch Book Impress-ons by Marah Johnson

Sentiment stamp & tree - CTMH