AW!! A Cup of Hot Tea

Last year about this time my daughter, Annie and I attended a mini seminar at the Native Roots Market on W. Main in Norman. The seminar was all about tea and it was conducted by The Republic of Tea Company. It was very informative and they demonstrated how to properly brew tea, the times vary depending on what type of tea you are brewing. We probably tried 20 different types of tea. We both really enjoyed it because you see all of these different types of tea and the names sounds wonderful but you don't know if you would like the taste. We received a gift basket with 4 free samples that we didn't try at the tasting.

The Republic of Tea, according to Conde' Nast Traveler, "elevates tea to the status of wine." After our presentation I would totally agree. I never realized the medicinal benefits of teas and what makes green tea different from black tea and then herbal teas different from all others. I bought a wonderful little book that night called "Tea Chings The Tea and Herb Companion." If you are interested at all in tea and its benefits I would recommend it. The book will guide you to the leaves, plants, and manufacture of teas and other botanicals used in making wonderful infusions. It will also tell you the medicinal benefits of teas and herbs from all over the world. What are health benefits of yerba mate', rooibos, chai, and Pu-erh. It's been a great little book.

I started drinking coffee about 10 years ago and I have just one cup every morning. After the first cup, I really don't enjoy the taste that much. I'm not a real coffee drinker but in the winter in the afternoon and evening I really love hot tea. I would also like to recommend a favorite place of mine it's called Urban Tea House on N. May around 70th and sits on the east side of the street. It's the Starbucks for tea. It's a great place to go for a cup of tea and a visit with a friend. She also serves dessert. The owner just opened last year. I hope you try it.....I think you will like it.

I also have pictured the teapot they recommend. It has a cylinder in the middle where you put the tea, you put hot water in the pot and depending on the tea let it set for "x" amount of minutes then push the plunger down through the cylinder and your tea is ready. I found my teapot at Tuesday Morning.

Quoting a passage of Tea Chings, "whether sage or novice a pilgrimage beckons all to celebrate what has been revered for thousands of years as the drink of humanity."

Cornmeal Fried Onion Rings with Spicy Dipping Sauce

Only for my family! Last night we were having charcoal steaks with a combination salad. One of my sons was inquiring about dinner and when he found out we were having steaks immediately asked about having onion rings with them. This is a wonderful recipe for onion rings, I have tried it several times before but it does require a little more work. I told him that does really sound good, yes I'll make them. It really was a great suggestion. They went so well with the steak and it was a light meal; not like eating a baked potato with steak. We were using the right food combining rules last night. :)

Ina Garten on the Food Network is one of my favorite chefs. The first time I saw her make these onion rings, they looked so good and she made it look so easy I knew I would have to try them. Our family loves onion rings and in the past I have never had a good recipe. This recipe turned out great the first time I tried it. Like I said, we love onion rings and we really like the Bloomin Onion at Outback with the dipping sauce. I found a recipe that is very close to the dipping sauce serve at the Outback with the Bloomin Onion. We love it and I hope you will too.

Onion Rings

2 large Spanish onions or (3 yellow onions)
2 cups buttermilk
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 quart vegetable oil

Peel the onion and slice 1/2-3/4 inch thick and separate into rings. Combine buttermilk and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl and add onion rings and toss well. Allow to marinate at least 15 minutes. (The onions can set and marinate for a few hours in the buttermilk). In a separate bowl, mix flour and cornmeal, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside. When you are ready to fry the onion rings preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a large pot. When the oil is the right temperature lift some of the onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them into the flour mixture and drop one at a time into the oil. Cook about 2 minutes or until golden. Don't crowd them. Place finished onion rings on baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. Continuing frying onions until all are fried. Serve hot. They will remain crisp in the oven up to 45 minutes.

Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons of Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoon of ketchup
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/4 teaspoon paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together cover and chill until ready to serve.

Something that is fast, easy and good!

I may be telling you something you already know but there may be someone out there who doesn't know this yet. Try Betty Crocker homemade cookies in 20 minutes they are really wonderful and you will think they are homemade.

I was a a friend's house for lunch several years ago and she brought out these cookies; peanut butter, sugar cookie, and chocolate chocolate chip and I thought she had been baking cookies all morning. She said "no, they were Betty Crocker." I was shocked that they tasted so much like homemade. Anyway, when you are in a pinch for time and you want a quick dessert and something that is good.....try these cookies. You only add a little water, oil and one egg put them on a cookie sheet and your ready to go. The package only makes one dozen so you might want to fix 2 packages if you have a big hunger crowd! :) The package says 3 dozen but I make bigger cookies than that.

Applesauce Date Cake

This is a wonderful cake for the fall and for Thanksgiving. It is heavy and rich and wonderful with a cup of coffee or hot tea on these cool autumn evenings. Whenever I make this cake I always think of my grandmother, Ellen, she loved dates. She had a wonderful date cake recipe but I didn't get the recipe. :( She also had a wonderful recipe for date muffins and I will share that sometime.

3 cups hot applesauce
1 cup butter, melted
4 t. soda
2 cups sugar
1 cup raisins
1 8 oz. pkg. dates, chopped

Sift together:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
4 cups flour

Combine hot applesauce with the melted butter in a large saucepan. Add soda, sugar, raisins, dates, salt, spices and flour. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13x2 inch cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Icing for Applesauce Date Cake
1 cup butter
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. pkg dates, chopped
1 cup pecan, chopped

Cook over low heat until dates are soft and filling is thick. Spread over cake. This cake will serve 20 people if you cut it into smaller pieces. Like I said, it is rich and I don't think you could eat a huge piece at one time. I have never put this in the freezer but the directions say that it keeps well in the freezer.