Chai Tea

Okay yesterday was a day full of food and giving thanks...a lot of food. Today I thought I would add a nice soothing Chai Tea. I first discovered this in India and there are millions of variations and methods of making it, I copied this recipe from my favorite one and it is just like the original. Now that times are tough for so many people, buying a $5 Chai Tea at Starbucks looks less and less attractive. The recipe is easy to double or triple so you can enjoy mug after mug of this delicious tea for pennies a day. Cardomom pods (pictured below) is a key ingredient and nowadays it is fairly easy to find, oh and it is great.

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups water
1 stick of cinnamon
8 cardomom pods, crushed
8 whole cloves
2/3 cup milk
6 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
4 black tea bags

Directions
Put 1-1/2 cups water in saucepan.
Add the cinnamon, cardomom, and cloves and bring to a boil.
Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the tea bags, boil 5-10 minutes longer
Add the milk and sugar and bring to a boil until the milk rises*.
Strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately.

To serve top with whipped cream and/or powdered nutmeg and cinnamon.

* when the milk starts to rise you will have to remove from the heat immediately so it doesn't overflow. Do not leave unattended