I’m lost without my daily coffee, or at least tea or hot cocoa. Sometimes they perk me up and other times they completely relax me. We’ve become old friends through the years. They were my hand warmers during my long nights of studying in college. They are my go-to drinks when I’m curled up with a good book, and they are my drinks of choice in social gatherings. There’s contentment in the ritual of my husband simply saying that he’ll make the coffee. I sometimes jokingly refer to hot drinks as “the glue” in our marriage.
With winter upon us, it seems only fitting to share a few simple hot-beverage recipes. They’re great to share with others, or as a treat just for you. Warm them on the stovetop, in the microwave or even in a slow cooker. They do more than chase away the winter chills and doldrums. Hot beverages offer comfort, warm our hearts, calm our nerves and are a simple indulgence.
I’d love to hear about your favorite homemade hot beverages and any heartwarming stories that include them.
Friendship Tea
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups instant powdered orange-drink mix
1/2 cup sweetened powdered iced-tea mix
1 envelope sweetened powdered lemonade mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine all ingredients well and store in an airtight glass jar. To serve, add 3 teaspoons of mix to a mug, add boiling water and stir.
Cheapskate Chai Tea
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup powdered nondairy creamer
1 cup French-vanilla-flavored powdered nondairy creamer
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups unsweetened instant tea mix
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
In a large bowl, combine dry milk powder, nondairy creamer, vanilla-flavored creamer, sugar and instant tea mix. Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice. Using a food processor, gradually blend mixture until ingredients are a fine powder. To serve, pour boiling water into a mug filled with 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture, and stir.
Mint Chocolate Tightwad Tea
1 peppermint tea bag
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
sugar to taste
2 tablespoons nondairy coffee creamer
toppings: whipped cream, chocolate syrup
Place tea bag in a mug of boiling water and let steep. Stir in chocolate syrup, sugar and creamer. Add dollop of whipped cream and drizzle on chocolate syrup.
Parsimonious Cran-Apple Punch
1 quart cranberry juice
1 gallon apple juice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
2 sticks cinnamon or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Heat on high for 2 hours. Decrease to low setting while serving and strain spices before serving.
Money-saving Mocha
1 cup hot coffee (can use leftover coffee)
1 envelope instant hot chocolate with mini marshmallows
toppings: whipped cream, ground cinnamon
Combine the coffee and hot-chocolate packet in a coffee mug and top with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.
译文:
温暖身心
如果没有每日的咖啡，或者至少是茶和热可可，我会感觉生活中若有所失。它们有些时候让我精神振奋，又有时会让我感觉完全的放松。多年以来我们已经成为老朋友了。它们像是加热器，大学生涯中伴我无数的长夜苦读，温暖着我的手。每当我沉浸于一本好书，它们又是我必备的饮品,也是我在参加社交聚会时的首选。我的丈夫受传统礼教思想影响很重，当他淡淡的说起想要做咖啡时，我们拥有了更多的默契。有时我会开玩笑的谈到热饮成为了我们婚姻的“粘合剂” 。
伴随着冬日的临近，和大家分享一些简单的做热饮的秘诀看来是再合适不过了。这些热饮能和大家一起分享抑或仅仅是款待一下自己都是非常棒的。在壁炉上，或者微波炉上甚至在普通的炊具上加热一下即可。它们不仅仅会驱走冬日的严寒和阴郁，更会缓和温暖我们的心，使我们的神经平静，有时也不失为一种简单放纵一下自己的方式。
我也愿意听听你们喜欢的自制热饮以及发生在它们中的感人故事。
友谊茶
1杯砂糖
2杯速溶桔子粉
半杯加糖的冰茶粉
1包加糖的柠檬粉
1茶匙肉桂粉
半茶匙多香果粉
半茶匙丁香粉
所有这些材料都混合均匀以后，放入密封的玻璃瓶储藏。饮用时，取出3茶匙混合粉放进杯子里，倒入沸水然后搅拌即可。
1杯脱脂奶粉
1杯非乳质的奶油粉
1杯非乳质的法国香草味奶油粉
2杯糖
一杯半不加糖的速溶茶粉
2茶匙生姜粉
2茶匙肉桂粉
1茶匙丁香粉
1茶匙核仁粉
1茶匙多香果粉
准备一个大碗，放入奶粉，非乳质奶油粉，香草味奶油粉，糖和速溶茶粉混合均匀。再加入生姜粉，肉桂粉，丁香粉，核仁粉和多香果粉。用食品加工机慢慢的混合直到这些材料变成均匀精细的粉状。饮用时，在杯子里放入满满两汤匙混合粉，倒入沸水搅拌后即可。
简易薄荷巧克力茶
1茶叶袋薄荷油
3汤匙巧克力汁
据个人口味加糖
2汤匙非乳质咖啡奶油
主要材料：生奶油，巧克力汁
把茶叶袋放入盛有沸水的杯子中，使之浸泡。再倒入加有糖和奶油的巧克力汁搅拌。取一块生奶油，以一小块一小块的加入到巧克力汁中即可。
简易苹果潘趣汁
1夸脱越橘汁
1加仑苹果汁
1茶匙完整的丁香
半茶匙完整的多香果
2条肉桂皮或者2茶匙肉桂粉
半杯红糖
放入普通蒸煮机高温加热2小时。降至低温时即可饮用，也可以在饮用前放入调味品。
省钱的摩卡咖啡
1杯热咖啡（可以使用剩咖啡）
1袋加有少量葵蜜的速溶热巧克力
主要材料：生奶油，肉桂粉
把咖啡和热巧克力放入一个咖啡杯里混合好，末了再加入生奶油和少许的肉桂粉即可。