Secret Recipe Club: Crumbs and Chaos Butterfinger grape salad

 

This month I had the honor of stalking the wonderful blog of Crumbs and Chaos for my Secret Recipe Club assignment. SRC pairs us up with another blog which we must then challenge ourselves to make one of their recipes.

Crumbs and Chaos is a blog created by four sisters.I loved that they had an index for their recipes (look under Crumbs) and spent many an hour browsing through the recipes. I couldn't decide on one recipe, so I actually made two of them for our Fourth of July celebration: Cream Cheese Corn and her Candy Bar and Grape Salad

While we all enjoyed the creamy deliciousness of the corn, it was the grape salad that stole the show. The response went from "What?" To "Oh my gosh this is fabulous!"

I made a few changes: cutting the grapes to make it appropriate for my grand daughter and using vanilla and honey Greek yogurt, leaving out the sugar from the original recipe.



Butterfinger Grape Salad
adapted from Crumbs and Chaos
1 1/2 cups Red Grapes, cut into fourths (I did this because our grapes were HUGE and I had little ones eating)
1 1/2 cups Green Grapes, cut into fourths
4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
3 ounces Vanilla and Honey Greek Yogurt
2 reg. sized Butterfinger Candy Bars

Directions:
Rinse grapes and cut into fourths; Place into a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and yogurt until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture over grapes and stir, gently, to combine. Coarsely chop the Butterfingers candy bars and divide in half. Combine half to the salad and stir to mix in. Top with the remaining half prior to serving.
As an added note, this recipe did not really keep well since I cut the grapes into fourths. I added the cream cheese/yogurt mixture prior to serving to keep it from having to much liquid..

Cream Cheese Corn

from Crumbs and Chaos

1 pound frozen corn, thawed
3 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste ( I used scant half teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper)
paprika, optional for topping

Directions:
Cook corn according to package directions ( I like to steam mine in the microwave to retain all the nutrients!). If boiling the corn, drain off excess liquid after cooking. Add cream cheese and butter to cooked corn and stir in to combine. I had to microwave mine for an additional thirty seconds to get everything to cream up nicely. Add cayenne, salt and pepper and mix well. Top with Paprika, if desired. Best served warm.

adventures in all things food: Flax seed bread

I'm so sorry.... This was supposed to have been posted yesterday and it never went up. I feel awful... No blog deserves to feel orphaned. Please forgive me!
For this months Secret Recipe Club assignment I had the privilege of having Adventures in All Things food. She has an excellent blog and mad cake decorating skills. There were so many things I wanted to try but I ended up choosing the Flax seed bread. While my picture does not do it justice, my hubby and mom said it was good. I'm still not able to eat breads so I have to take their word on it. She made it in her bread machine and I used my Kitchen-aid. I also added a bit of wheat germ to the bread, just because I had some and like to throw it in baked goods.

Flax seed honey wheat bread

1 1/2 c. Water, room temp.
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil (or Canola for milder flavor)
1/4 c. Honey
2 1/3c. Bread flour
1 2/3 c. Whole wheat flour
1/3 c. nonfat Dry Milk powder
3 Tbsp. Flax Seed
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 1/4 Tbsp. Vital Wheat Gluten
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 1/4 tsp. SAF yeast

In a mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast and wheat gluten.  Once it starts getting all foamy, add the oil, honey, salt, dry milk powder; mix together to combine.  Gradually add the wheat germ, flax seed and flours.  Using the dough hook, mix on medium speed for about seven minutes.  Allow bread dough to rise until doubled, about an hour, punch down and knead for about thirty second then put into a greased bread pan.  Allow bread to rise for about thirty minutes.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.

SRC: Veggie Converter's Pumpkin Waffles

The surgeon I am seeing has asked me to drop forty pounds and begin the process of what will eventually be three weeks of liquid protein diet.  Yeah, doesn't sound like fun and really isn't.  But it is what it is and I will follow the docs orders.  Thankfully My Secret Recipe Club Blog this month was with my new found love, The Veggie Converter .  To quote her site's theme it is " One vegetarian mom + one meat-eating dad and two undecided kids = a challenge to create meals that incorporate more whole foods into the family's blended-eater lifestyle". How convenient for me, eh??! LOL!  It sure made my life a whole lot easier having to pick something from this heavenly site rather than a dessert based site (kind of like mine LOL!) 

I still want to try her Black Bean Soup, Zucchini Quinoa Burgers, and Butterbean Ragout Tortilla Casserole. But when it came to finalizing my decision I went with something I knew the whole family would love; Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles. 

Knowing that my husband prefers a more fluffy waffle, I changed things up a bit by whipping up my egg whites and folding them into the batter.  This did indeed produce more of a light and fluffy batter which made him very happy.  I also used regular all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat since it is what I had on hand.

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Waffles
adapted from Veggieconverter.com

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling! there is a difference!)
2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions 

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients; flour, brown sugar, baking power, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Mix together to combine.

Next, add the egg yolks, pumpkin, milk and oil. Mix until just combine.

I did a double recipe which is why you will see four eggs and not two!

In a second bowl, whip up the egg whites to stiff peaks.  Gently fold into wet mixture.

Pour about 3/4 cup waffle batter into your waffle iron and cook to desired brownness. Repeat.

Recipe yields about 10 servings.

SRC: Betsylife Pasta with Asparagus

The best part of SRC (secret recipe club) is getting to experience all the fabulous blogs out there.  The worst part.... deciding which of their fabulous dishes I want to try.  This month I had the privilege of getting Betsy's blog, Betsylife.  She also is working on food styling and her blog clearly shows her talent in that.  I'll patiently pause here so that you can view her blog and see for yourself how accurate of a description that is :-)   Gorgeous pictures and many healthy choices to choose from.

I needed to take a dish to a family gathering so decided on making her Pasta with Asperagus I made a few changes but nothing too drastic.  While this was delicious as it was, I had to add bacon (sorry, it was written in the marriage vows that all meals must include bacon)  it really didn't need it.  But while I'm thinking of it,some added chicken breast would make an meat lover happy in this dish.  Betsy used this as a meal in itself but I used it as a side pasta salad.  Either way works pretty darn good!

Pasta with Asparagus and Parmesan

8 ounces uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 cup chicken broth (substitute vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup bacon crumbles

Directions
Cook Pasta according to package directions using the 1 tablespoon of kosher salt in the water.

Add oil to pan medium size skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add asparagus to pan and cook tender, (this took me about 4 minutes.) Don't overcook the asparagus as you still wants some crispness to them. lly. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside. Add broth, lemon rind, and garlic to the pan; allow the liquid to reduce by half (about 5-7 minutes). Return asparagus to pan, add pasta, salt,pepper, cayenne and bacon; toss well. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

SRC: My Hobbie Lobbie Bhature Bread

Each month, of the Secret Recipe Club, you are given a new blog to visit upon.  Then you are to choose a recipe that the creator of that blog has made and make it yourself. This month I was the lucky one given the blog My Hobbie Lobbie.  I say lucky because she has some fabulous Indian recipes... I happen to LOVE Indian food!  Seems to me like it was a match made in heaven!  I have drooled over many of her fabulous recipes and printed off a good dozen as well.  Since the rest of my family isn't as fond of Indian food as I am, I decided to make one of her bread recipes... I mean, who doesn't love bread??? Bhature is a deep fried bread that is commonly served with Chickpea Curry.  Since I didn't make the Chlo (which is the curry) we opted to just sprinkle powder sugar on it and eat it.  Is it traditional to eat it with powder sugar?  Probably not.  However even the plain fried bread was just delicious!  We did have a bit of a problem and not sure what happened.  The bread is supposed to "puff up" and ours just didn't.

Bhature
Recipe by: Sanjeev Kapoor

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
A pinch of baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup natural unflavored yogurt
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar, powdered
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Oil, for deep frying

Directions:
Place the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well to combine.  Take the yogurt and oil, add to dry ingredients and knead into a soft dough.  At this stage you will also have to add a bit of water... I used a couple tablespoons, to make the dough soft and pliable.  You want the dough just soft though and not sticky.
Cover the dough and let it rest for half an hour.

In a Skillet, heat oil for deep frying.  Divide the dough into golf ball portions and roll out into a disc. Deep fry until a nice golden brown, drain on paper towel and serve.

Secret Recipe Club: Living Lou's Chicken Wings

  Once again it is group B's reveal day for the Secret Recipe Club... the day in which we reveal which blog we have been secretly following (and in my case falling in love with!). Living Lou's blog is just amazing! There are soooooo many drool worthy recipes, of which many she has created herself. In our family we love our chicken wings and was delighted to find this recipe of hers to give a try.

I loved the Spice rub and will be using that over and over again on other meats. I, personally, liked the dipping sauce but some of my family members thought the mustard to be a bit over powering. Win some, lose some! Next on my list is to try her Roasted Sweet Potato Soup.... yum.

Living Lou’s Chicken Wings
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients 3 lbs chicken wings
        For Spice Rub
1 tbsp chipotle chili pepper powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
         For dipping Sauce
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup spicy mustard
1/4 cup molasses
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp chipotle hot sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
Combine ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine ingredients for the spice rub.
Place wings in a large bowl and cover with spice rub. Using tongs mix chicken wings and make sure all pieces are well coated.

I used a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil, lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  I then placed spice rubbed chicken on the pan giving them room in between pieces.  Place in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Turn the wings over and bake for another 15-18 minutes more.
Once cooking time is up, turn on the broiler and remove wings to another large bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce over the wings, use tongs to stir and coat the chicken.
Place back on the baking sheet and broil for 2 minutes on one side, then flip chicken over and broil for 1 minute on the other side.

Mom's Crazy Cooking: Gaga’s Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Strange as it may seem, I am more of a cupcake gal than a cake gal.  Weird since it is the same batter.  I think it has to do with guilt... compared to a layer cake a cupcake is much smaller.  Possibly I am just trying to fool my thighs but in the end it all goes there any way.  Mom's crazy cooking challenge for February was to make a chocolate layer cake.  Sounds simple enough doesn't it. For me the challenge is not making the reicpe, it is finding one. We are not supposed to use a "professional" blogger's recipe.  But I can think of worse things to do than having to browse through all of the wonderfully put together blogs out there!

My daughter suggested making a mayonnaise cake.  I've heard of them but never tasted one. My search led me to Amber's blog Bluebonnets and Brownies.  Her blog is awesome!  She shared a recipe for her Gaga's Chocolate Mayonnaise cake.  It doesn't have much of a rise to it and in many ways reminded me of our family's egg-less Wacky Cake.  It was very moist and layered beautifully.  I frosted using my favorite go to chocolate frosting that uses flour

Bluebonnets and Brownies: Gaga's Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup mayonnaise – no substitutes
1 cup cold coffee  ( I used espresso)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Sift together dry ingredients – set aside.
In mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, cold coffee and vanilla; add the sifted ingredients 1/3 at a time.  Beat until mixture is smooth Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake 25 to 35 minutes taking care not to over bake.

SRC: Asian Steak and Noodle Salad

Guess what! Today is my Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  I love being part of the this group.  My biggest struggle is picking what I want to make.  So far, all the blogs I've been secretly admiring have had amazing recipe choices.  
This month my new found love was The Chefanies. A blog from a combination of two Stephanies.  Not only is their blog name clever, but their use of trying to incorporate only seasonal ingredients is fantastic.  I wish I lived in a warmer climate and had access to fresh grown produce... but, that is not the case here in Northern Idaho.  
I was craving salad something fierce and instantly was drawn to their recipe for Asian Steak and Noodle Salad.  Hubby said this marinade is "Amazing."  I have to agree with him.  I made a few minor adjustments; no cucumber and I had to make my own substitute for fish sauce.  I love this book I have, its called; 
Substituting Ingredients, 4E: The A to Z Kitchen Reference. It is my go to book for whenever I lack a certain ingredient. Those who are familiar to my blog know that this happens to me quite frequently!
Secret Recipe Club is the brain child of Amanda, of Amanda's Cooking blog. Check out the web site... it has grown to four reveal days now!

Asian Steak & Noodle Salad
Serves 2
Adapted from Epicurious
INGREDIENTS

For steak marinade
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (see note)
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ( I just crushed with the palm of my hand. It was just for flavor anyway!)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 lb flank steak

For salad
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 medium)
1/2 cucumber, chopped (I omitted)
Handfull of cherry tomatoes (I used tomato I had on hand)
1 pack Ramen Noodles (instructions didn't state, but I just used noodles and not seasoning package)
1 medium Granny Smith apples
2 cup Mixed Greens

DIRECTIONS
Mix ingredients of Marinade. Marinate the steak for an hour.
Grill Steak until cooked through. About 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside.
Cook Ramen Noodles until tender and set aside.
Combine lime juice, water, sugar, fish sauce, red pepper flakes and olive oil to make a dressing.
Mix Salad Ingredients together and add dressing.
Layer ingredients with Ramen on the bottom, then the salad mixture followed by the steak.
Notes: To make your own Asian Fish Sauce substitute, 1 part Anchovy to 4 parts soy sauce.

November SRC; Chocolate Toffee Cream Scones

Yippee!  Its reveal day for Group B of the Secret Recipe Club!  Now I can tell you who my new found friend is... Fallon, of Fallon's Cucina.   She has this amazing blog inspired by her love of healthy eating and fitness.  I know. I know.  If you are familiar with my blog you know that my inspiration comes from sweets and chocolate, but who says the two worlds can't collide? Although, this time I couldn't help but gravitate towards one of her few recipes that are a bit less healthy.  I can't help it.  Sorry, scones and I are just a match made in heaven! Not that I won't ever try her healthier dishes.  I mean, come on!  Doesn't Cantaloupe Wrapped in Prosciutto sound heavenly?  What about Sweet Potato Oatmeal?  That just has major YUM written all over it!

Secret Recipe Club is the genius idea of Amanda Formaro.  SRC has grown so large that there are now four groups.  Each week one group has a reveal day to which each member, of that group, can announce to the world which blog they have been secretly given to follow and create a recipe from.  There are some amazing blogs out there!  Be sure to check out the links at the bottom and see what everyone else has been cooking up!

Chocolate Toffee Cream Scones

(adapted from Katrina: recipe from Paige Vandegrift)
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8- 1/4 teaspoon salt (I used kosher salt)
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream (plus a little more for brushing on the tops)
Few drops of pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup toffee Bits (Hershey's Heath)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips ( Nestle Toll-house Semi Sweet)

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Whisk to blend well. Add the heavy cream (no cream? See my tip at the end!) and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients with a rubber spatula while pouring the cream, continuing to stir until a soft, sticky dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly (8-10 times). Pat the dough into a circle 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Cut the circles into 8 wedges and place the wedges an inch or so apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 425°F until golden brown, about 13 minutes. Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack and cool... or do like we did and eat them fresh from the oven!

*Tip:  If you do not have any heavy cream on hand, substitute with 3 tablespoons melted butter mixed with 6 tablespoons milk.

Secret Recipe Club: A trip to Debbi does dinner healthy!

      Its reveal time for Group B of the Secret Recipe Club!  This has been such a satisfying challenge group to participate in.  Not only do you get to explore many different blogs but  you also get the joy of passing along some blogger love.  I mean, who doesn't like having their blog complemented? If you are looking for a way to increase your blog visitation than I suggest you check into SRC.
     Holidays are quickly approaching and I always gain a few pounds. This month my secret blog challenge was Debbi does dinner healthy.  I had a challenge just choosing something to make!! Debbi's blog is one I'm going to have to seriously follow.  I love that she has a slight obsession with sweet potatoes and I've got a handful of those recipes save to try on a future date.  And her Buffalo Chicken Shepherds Pie sounds like a massive plateful of YUM!
     I finally narrowed my choices down to two recipes: Butternut Squash Bake and Asian Style Fresh Green Beans. I have this turkey that needed to get used up and I felt that the squash and green beans would be an excellent accompaniment.
The Butternut squash bake is to die for!  It has just the right hint of heat and the crisp topping reheats even reheats well.  While we all loved the flavor of the Asian Style Fresh green beans, we thought that they were too firm.  I even slightly boiled them before stir frying them and  they were still firm... I'm still getting the feel of my new stove and am sure that the error is on my end and not on Debbi's.   I will make the recipe again but definitely add a longer cooking time.  

Butternut Squash Bake
adapted from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
1 large butternut squash, about 2 pounds, peeled and cubed (I used some squash that I had roasted and stored in my freezer.)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 egg
15 Ritz Crackers, crushed
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon fresh oregano,  chopped fine
salt and pepper

Heat a large pot of water to boiling, ad squash and cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes. If using frozen squash, thaw and drain liquid. 
In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter; add in crushed crackers, cheese and oregano.  Season with salt and pepper; stir well.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in another small saucepan; cook onion until translucent and just beginning to brown; add garlic, saute for a few more minutes and remove from heat.

When the squash is cooked, drain the water and toss the squash in a bowl.  Add mayonnaise, onion, garlic, hot sauce and egg. Mash together well. 

Pour into an 8x8-inch pan or casserole dish; top with cracker cheese mixture and cover with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Remove foil and bake for an additional five minutes.

Asian Style Fresh Green Beans
adapted from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
1 pound fresh green beans, both ends snapped off and removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
sesame seeds for garnish

  Debbie's recipe didn't call for this part but I know my picky boys would have preferred this first step. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a big pinch of salt. Add in green beans and cook 2-3 minutes, just until slightly tender and bright green. Drain, and plunge quickly into a bath of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the green beans and dry them

      Heat sesame oil in pan, saute green beans for about 3 minutes; add garlic and red pepper flakes.  Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes.  Add in soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper until beans are coated.

Secret Recipe Club: Vegchiladas

Another entry into the Secret Recipe Club begins. At the beginning of each month you are assigned a blog to browse through and recreate a recipe. I had the wonderful pleasure of exploring Eilonway's  blog, "My Emu is Emo."  The blog is a combination of her love of cooking and music.  Not only did I get to view fabulous sounding recipes but I was also challenged to expand my horizons with new musical sounds.  At first I was reading all her fun posts without even thinking about finding a recipe!  I have to admit that I am a huge lover of music and have quite the eclectic collection of my own.  After reading my fill, I went back through her blog and focused in on choosing a recipe.  It just so happened that my mom, who lives with us, has been craving nachos and so I zeroed in on her post for " Vegchiladas get earthy, spicy and complex."  As luck would have it, we had all the ingredients on hand.  It was very good and a nice alternative to having meat on your nachos.


Vegchiladas (click on the link for her versions)
2 yams
1/2 an onion
1 can beans (I used S&W Pinquito beans with onions, peppers, cumin and garlic)
tortilla chips
cojito cheese
salsa  (I used my own canned version)
sour cream

Clean and  dice your yams.  I halved my yams diagonally then cut into half again. I then cut into 1/4 inch chunks. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees F., until tender. It me about 1/2 an hour for yams to get tender.
Dice onion and place into warmed medium skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Drain beans and add to cooked onion.
Layer chips with yams

Top with bean and onion mixture.  Add cheese layer.  Repeat.

Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Secret Recipe Club: Chai Tea Creme Brulee

This is the first time I am taking part in Amanda's Cookin' Secret Recipe Club. This is a blog task in which we are challenged to choose a recipe from an assigned blog we are given. 

I was given the delightful opportunity to be given the blog of  Carolyn's,  All Day I Dream About Food. After being diagnosed with pre-diabetes, she took on the role of sharing with the world many fabulous recipes that are low carb and/or gluten free.

After much browsing through Carolyn's blog and drooling all over my computer (yes, her blog is truly drool worthy!) I chose to recreate her Chai Tea Creme Brulee.  I've tried making creme brulee once before and it was a massive failure.  Still, it is one of the recipes I chose to make before I die ( see that post here) and her recipe would give me the opportunity to have a success this time... plus it gave me the chance to use some of my cherished black tea that I brought home from Africa.  While Carolyn's original recipe includes erythritol and stevia, I adjusted the recipe to use regular sugar as I was unable to find erythritol.

Chai Tea Creme Brulee
adapted from here at All Day I Dream About Food
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp loose black tea
1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
1 tsp coarsely ground cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon raw sugar

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 300F.
Heat cream, tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves in a small saucepan over medium low heat, until steam rises. Remove from heat, cover the pan and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove all solids and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar together until thickened and pale yellow. Add cream very slowly, stirring continuously. Add in vanilla.

Divide custard between 4 small ramekins (or a single one-quart ceramic or glass baking dish). Set into a larger baking pan and pour hot water to within 1-inch from top of ramekins or baking dish.

 

Bake until the custard is just set but still slightly wobbly in the middle, 40-45 minutes. Remove baking pan from the oven and let cool. Then wrap each ramekin tightly in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, divide raw sugar over tops of creme brulee, sprinkling across the top evenly. Heat with a kitchen torch until it bubbles and browns. Let sit for a few minutes to allow topping to harden. You can also brown the topping under your broiler, watching very carefully and turning the cups to ensure even browning.


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