Grandmas Russian Tea Food

GRANDMA'S RUSSIAN TEA

Steps:

• Steep tea bags in boiling water until the tea is of desired strength, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags.
• Combine 1 1/2 quarts water, cloves, and cinnamon together in a large pot; bring to a boil. Stir brewed tea, pineapple juice, sugar, orange juice concentrate, lemonade concentrate, and allspice into the boiling water to dissolve the sugar. Serve immediately or reduce heat to low and keep at a simmer until ready to serve.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter, vanilla, almond flavoring and sugar.
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix to combine. It will look crumbly at first, but keep mixing until it comes together in a thick dough. Mix in walnuts.
• Shape dough into balls (about the size of golf balls). Place about 1 inch apart on parchment or silicone-lined baking sheets.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or just until set and firm to the touch (but not browned). Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes, then roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Once cool, roll the cookies in powdered sugar again.

MAMA'S OLD-FASHIONED RUSSIAN TEA

Steps:

• Boil water with cloves and cinnamon sticks for 20 minutes in large non-aluminum pot.
• Remove from heat, add the tea bags and cover.
• Allow mixture to"steep" for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• After steeping process is completed, combine in another sauce pan the orange, pineapple, and lemon juices with the sugar.
• Heat gently, stirring to melt and mix the sugar.
• Drain spices from tea mixture.
• Combine the tea and juice mixtures.
• Heat and enjoy!
• NOTE: Preparation time does not include"steeping time".

REAL CITRUS SPICED RUSSIAN TEA (VIDEO)

Steps:

• In a pot, combine the water, oranges, lemons, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes and remove from heat.
• Add the tea bags into the mixture and allow to steep covered for about 5 minutes. Remove the fruit, spices and tea bags (without squeezing out the bitter tannins out of the bag).
• Taste and adjust sugar to taste. Serve immediately, reheat if necessary.

GRANDMA'S RUSHIN' CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to approximately 350°F.
• In a large glass or metal dish with a lid (about 4-5 inches deep), pour rice, water, onion soup mix, mushrooms and one can of mushroom soup. Mix together with a whisk.
• If desired, cut fat off of chicken cutlets. Place on top of the rice mixture, skin-side down (if using leg quarters).
• Using your hands, cover the chicken pieces with the remaining can of mushroom soup mix. Don't be afraid to cover them in a very thick layer.
• Cover the chicken and place in the oven. After about 30 minutes, turn the chicken pieces over, cover and put back in the oven. Wait 30 more minutes, then uncover and leave in the oven for another 10 - 15 minutes, or longer if you desire crispier chicken.
• Remove from the oven, and place all chicken on a large plate. Using a wooden spoon, mix rice well. Serve hot with vegetables or a salad.