Are You in Need of Some Recipes?

I wasn't hungry at all but then I started writing this little post and suddenly my stomach is growling.

I came across a recipe for Chai Tea at Dandelion Mama (a longtime favorite of mine) and she made it sound so tempting that I had to try it. I'm the biggest sucker for hot chocolates and herbal teas and cinnamon-spicy treats. I don't really care that it's summer--after all, I live in Alaska so I can drink my hot drinks all year round and be quite happy. Bring on the sweaters!

Some of the ingredients were hard to find at the supermarket but a new shop opened nearby called Summit Spice and Tea Company and the moment I walked through the doors I was in heaven. You cannot believe how wonderful it smelled--this thick, rich blend of peppery-cinnamony comfort that begged for multiple sniffs until I looked like a collie at the cash register, sniff-sniff-sniffing.

You see some of the ingredients here: ginger, star anise, cardamom pods, all-spice berries and Tallicherry pepper berries. Mmmmm good!

If you're up for a brew that will make your house smell amazing this is the recipe that'll do it. It's pretty strong and the best way to drink it is to add a bit more water and then a dash of half-and-half for creaminess. I even tried mixing half a mug with some hot chocolate which gave me yet another thrill for my palate. After I finished the batch I saved the pods and cloves and sticks to use again and the second batch was as good as the first--it's powerful stuff.

So if you can forgive me for throwing calories at you here are some of the food posts I've been eying lately. I'm putting these on my shopping list for the week. It seems my bathroom scale is broken and I'm using it as an opportunity to dump myself completely off the wagon.

Chocolate Cream Cups by Sweet Paul--really, the name says it all doesn't it?
BLT Pasta Salad by Blog Chef--in spite of what you may think, I could possibly love salads as much as I love chocolate. Just in a completely different way.
Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Pork and Pear Bacon Chutney--I think I might just name my next child "Chutney."
Fireworks Cake Toppers by Wisdom of the Moon--What a great holiday decoration. Great for cupcakes too. Yet another blog I'm going to have to add to my feed list.