Christmas Tea Food

HOT SPICED TEA FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Steps:

• Pour water into a pot; add cloves and cinnamon stick. Bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags to water and set aside to steep until the tea is to your preferred strength, at least 5 minutes. Remove and discard cloves, cinnamon stick, and tea bags.
• Stir orange juice, sugar, pineapple juice, and lemon juice together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir the juice mixture until the sugar dissolves completely. Pour juice mixture into the spiced tea; serve hot.

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS TEA

Steps:

• Pour 8 cups boiling water into a slow cooker. Add 16 chai tea bags; secure the lid with the tea bag tabs hanging outside and steep 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags. Stir in 1/2 cup each spiced rum and vanilla-flavored vodka and 2 cinnamon sticks. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Stir in 2 cups sweetened condensed milk; switch to the warm setting until ready to serve. Ladle into mugs and garnish with cinnamon sticks.
• If you don't have a slow cooker, keep these drinks warm in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat.

CHRISTMAS TEA

Steps:

• In a 6-qt saucepan, boil the water, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon candies.
• Stir and boil until cinnamon candies are dissolved.
• Add the pineapple juice and cranberry juice and cook over medium heat, stirring until the punch is thoroughly heated.
• Serve hot. You can keep it in a hot crock pot for a party.

CHRISTMAS TEA

Steps:

• Mix together.
• Store in air tight container.
• To make one serving: Add 1 heaping teaspoon to 1 cup hot water.

CHRISTMAS TEA RING

Steps:

• Roll bread dough into a rectangle 8 inches wide and 15 inches long. Spread butter over the bread, leaving about 1/2 inch of a long edge unbuttered. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the buttered part of the dough.
• Starting with the long edge opposite the unbuttered edge, tightly roll the dough over the filling; seal the roll along the unbuttered edge to make a log.
• Lightly grease a 12-inch round cake pan or baking dish; place dough into the pan and form a ring, pinching the two ends together to seal. Use kitchen scissors or sharp knife to make cuts 3/4 inch deep into the outside of the ring. Twist the cut sections of dough slightly to reveal filling.
• Cover the tea ring with a cloth, place into a warm area, and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake tea ring in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil after 15 minutes if tea ring starts to brown too quickly. Let tea ring cool in pan for about 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling on a wire rack.
• Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl to make a smooth frosting. Spread top of the tea ring with frosting.

CHRISTMAS TEA RING

Steps:

• In small bowl, dissolve 2 pkg dry yeast in ½ C lukewarm water. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, dissolve ½ C sugar and ½ C shortening in the ½ C boiling water. Cool.
• After cooled, add to large bowl, 1½ C cold water, 2 well-beaten eggs, the salt, and the yeast-water mixture. Stir together.
• Add 4 C all-purpose flour and beat with electric mixer until smooth.
• Add 3 more C flour and stir together with a spoon.
• Place in large greased bowl and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before using. (I use the same bowl, just wipe it out and grease).
• This recipe may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Divide dough into 2 equal parts. Place the other half back into refrigerator. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface into a 9"x15" rectangle.
• Spread the butter directly on dough.
• On top of the butter, sprinkle 2 T sugar, 1 T brown sugar, and 1 t cinnamon.
• If using, sprinkle the raisins, walnuts, Craisins, and or pomegranates.
• From a wide side, roll into a roll, as if making cinnamon rolls.
• Pinch edge all the way across so that it won't unroll.
• Place the pinched edge underneath to hide it.
• Transfer onto a greased cookie sheet. Bring the ends together (pinch them together) and make a uniform ring.
• From the outside cutting inward make cuts with scissors, ⅔ into the wreath, 1 " apart all the way around.
• Take each section and twist ¼ turn, laying each section on it's side.
• Use this technique all the way around, in a clockwise direction.
• Let rise for 1-2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool on rack.
• While baking, make the icing by mixing 2 T melted butter, 1 C confectioners sugar, 1 T milk, and 1 t vanilla or almond extra.
• When cooled, drizzle with vanilla icing.
• Garnish with green and red maraschino cherries and English walnut halves.