Fun and Frothy

Sooo, I really like my milk frother. It does an awesome, awesome job steaming and frothing milk for all kinds of fun beverages. It also allows me to stay inside my house with my children and still enjoy lots of great coffee shop drinks. I can never get out of Starbucks without a screaming fit, a chocolate milk, an apple juice, a rice krispie treat and a cold sweat. I also must endure the horrified looks of other customers who are appalled that one might try to enter with more than one child or a giant double stroller. The frother also comes in handy for play dates. While the kids are busy with some highly educational activity or developmentally appropriate exercise... you and your friend can do this: One of my coffee shop favorites is a chai latte. I usually buy the chai concentrate and mix it with steamed milk. I like that it comes in decaf, especially after my morning Mt. Dew. Don't judge... Adelaide had her fair share of prenatal Mt. Dew and she turned out just fine...mostly. I found an awesome recipe the other day for a spiced chai concentrate. I decided to give it a try and it turned out pretty good. You start off with boiling water and add your own black or green tea bags. I used a decaf black tea for mine. You remove the water from the heat and add your spices: cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, whole cardamom, star anise (the recipe calls for two, one would be enough for me), black pepper, ground nutmeg, and orange zest. You let it sit for a bit to steep and then strain. After straining, add vanilla extract, honey and brown sugar. The recipe called for 2/3 cup brown sugar; but, I think I will use a little less nest time. It was a little sweet for me. Now, you have a concentrate to warm up and mix with steamed milk. I added a little froth and cinnamon on top to up the fanciness quotient. This is my favorite late afternoon treat after we have finished our school work, Addie's nap is almost over and the day is winding down.