Spearmint Snowball Truffles

Submitted by: Pam Smith

Satisfy your sweet tooth this holiday season with these easy to make party treats. These truffles go great on a cookie tray or are perfect served as dessert with after-dinner tea.

Prep Time: Prep: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 6 hours or until mixture is hard
Serving Size: 30 - 36 pieces


Ingredients:
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (finely chopped)
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
5 tsp. spearmint tea
7 oz. shredded coconut

Directions:
Melt chocolate in a sauce pan over low heat.

Gradually add whipping cream into the pan with the chocolate.

Stir while the chocolate melts.

Add butter and continue stirring until all ingredients are completely blended.

Remove from heat and stir in spearmint tea.

Refrigerate for 6 hours or until the mixture hardens.

Scoop out mixture to form into balls and roll into shredded coconut to create your Spearmint Snowball Truffles.

Keep covered and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve, give, or eat!

TIP: Mixture can be kept in refrigerator for up to 3 days before forming into balls.

Kukicha Crust Chicken Pest Pizza

Submitted by: John Winter

Everyone loves pizza. Everyone loves Adagio tea. Why not combine the two!? This is a pizza, made from scratch, using the great taste of kukicha tea.

Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes prep time
35 minutes cook time
Serving Size: 10 slices

Ingredients
Dough:
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups strong brewed kukicha tea, warm
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
3 1/3 cups flour

Toppings:
1 jar pesto sauce
1 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
3/4 cup chopped white mushrooms
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded feta cheese


Directions:
Combine the yeast, sugar, and tea in a bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Add the salt and oil to the liquid and mix.
Mix in 2 cups of the flour.
Place the dough on a floured surface and work in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise for an hour.

Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a circle (or whatever shape you want). Spread the pesto sauce on, place the toppings, and finish with cheese.

Place the pizza in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the dough is a golden brown.

Nutty Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Submitted by: Somer Wilson

The warm nutty flavor of the tea compliments this fall favorite.

Prep Time: Prep time: approx 45 minutes
Cook time: approx 5 minutes
Serving Size: about 6

Ingredients:
5-7 medium sweet potatoes
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup Li Zi Nutcracker tea brewed as stong as possible
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Brew tea and set aside.
Keep leaves.
Place sweet potatoes in a pan with enough water that they are covered.
Add used Li Zi Nutcracker leaves and boil for 20 minutes or until thoroughly tender.
Drain off water and tea leaves.
Once cool enough to touch, pull skins off sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes.
Heat brown sugar, butter cinnamon, salt and Li Zi Nutcracker tea in a large skillet over medium heat.
Stir constantly until mixture begins to boil.
Add sweet potatoes to skillet and stir gently until glazed.
Serve hot.

Four Spice Chai Recipe

One of my favorite warming drinks is a cup of Chai tea.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup milk
1 tbs black tea leaves
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
4 whole black peppercorns
4 whole cardamom pods
4 tsp sugar

Direction:

Heat water to simmering and add tea leaves.

Let simmer and steep for about 3 minutes, then stir in the sugar and spices.

Continue to simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes, depending on how strong you want your chai. Then pour in the milk, and keep heating until it's all warmed through. Strain out the spices and serve hot.

Honeybush Baklava with Almonds and Dates

Submitted by: Julie Schwaninger

Prep Time: 30 min prep/45 min bake

Serving Size: 48

Ingredients:
Pastry:
15 sheets of phyllo dough, cut in half crosswise (should make 30-13”x8.5” sheets)
2 1/2 c. of blanched almonds, chopped
1 c. dried dates, chopped
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
Dash ground clove
2/3 c. unsalted butter, melted

Honeybush Syrup:
1 c. brewed honeybush tea, double strength
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. honey
1 T. lemon juice

Directions:

Note: Cover phyllo with plastic wrap and a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out and cracking.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare nut filling: combine nuts, dates, sugar and spices, set aside.

Grease 9x13 pan.

Lay first sheet of phyllo in the pan and brush with melted butter.

Repeat layers of phyllo and brushed butter until the bottom is covered with 10 layers of phyllo. Sprinkle 1/4 of the nut filling over the pastry.

Top the nut filling with 3 layers of phyllo, brushing each with butter.

Sprinkle another 1/4 of nut filling and 3 layers of buttered phyllo, repeating these steps until the nuts filling is gone.

Use all remaining phyllo sheets (there should be 11) to form a thick top layer, making sure to brush each layer with butter.

Use a very sharp knife to cut completely through the uncooked baklava.

Cut the pan into 24 squares, then cut on the diagonal of each square to make triangles.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown.

While baklava is baking, prepare the honeybush-scented syrup.

Combine double strength tea, sugar, honey, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes, reducing to a medium-thick syrup.

Once the baklava is golden brown, remove it from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes.

Pour the honeybush syrup evenly over the warm baklava and let it cool completely.

Remove cooled baklava from pan and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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