chai.

Just thought I'd share one of my new favorite things as of three nights ago! I found this Spiced Chai Concentrate recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and had to try it. So many times I find myself craving a cup of chai but don't want to go through all of the trouble of making it. This recipe is wonderful because you spend the time to make it once and then you have the stuff to make yourself a hot (or iced, my favorite right now!) cup of chai in seconds. Chances are, if you cook (especially any sort of ethnic food), you'll have a lot of these ingredients on hand like we did. I've been mixing myself a glass before work in the mornings and it is perfect! So here's the recipe. I personally doubled it, and put the concentrate in 3 mason jars with lids.


- 4-½ cups Water
- 1 stick Cinnamon (I added more, I love cinnamon)
- 1 piece Fresh Ginger Chopped (I used about an inch chunk)
- 7 whole Cardamom Pods (I used black but I think green would be better)
- 2 whole Star Anise Pods
- 10 whole Cloves
- ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoons Freshly-ground Nutmeg
- 10 teaspoons Green Or Black Tea Or 10 Tea Bags
- ⅔ cups Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla (I added a splash more!)


Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Add the spices and the tea/tea bags, remove from heat, and steep for about 15-20 minutes (I did 20, it depends on how strong you want it). Strain with a fine mesh strainer to catch all of the grains and bits, and while it's still hot add the brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Pour into seal-able containers and cool.

To enjoy, add one part concentrate to one part heated milk, or do the same over ice! If you want your chai stronger, try two parts concentrate to one part milk.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

another week of summer!

Sorry the blog's been a little bare lately! There will be more updates after we get back from our cruise. We leave Saturday! so excited. Can't wait to spend uninterrupted time with Colin, for an entire week, in the caribbean. And they even upgraded our room for us! sweeeeet. Although the weather here has been lovely, breezy and cool, I'm ready for one last taste of sun and salt water.

We are going snorkeling in roatan, honduras. Most of you know what that means for Colin! Hopefully more funny stories to come.. Because honestly I still chuckle to myself when I think back to our honeymoon snorkeling trip. :)

The past few weeks have been full of happiness-the-second-your-eyes-open-up-in-the-morning days. what a sweet gift.

another thought: is there any show out there as funny as arrested development? we certainly don't think so.


"i'm charmed, i'm sure!"

also, if you like thai food, give this Gai Pad King recipe a try! we had it for dinner tonight. I made it for the first time shortly after we got married, and it is a frequent flyer in the Kiser household. for the spice we use a mixture of sambal olek garlic chili paste and sriracha hot chili sauce (about two spoonfuls). we also skip the mushrooms and oyster sauce. serve over long grain rice. deeelish.

and i leave you with this. i think i'm in love with Over the Rhine...