I love our happy kitchen.
Even when it's cold or dreary or rainy or dismal outside...
it is happy in here....
I am happy that we finally have our dream kitchen..
..that we modeled after the charming display we saw a few years ago in
Penzey Spices, Winter Park, Florida..
I'm especially happy when I see this happy Santa looking back at me....
Thank you dear Susan Branch for creating a new Christmas dishtowel...
...and for a pretty Christmas Recipe book to remind us that our kitchen truly is the heart of the home...
...especially in the midst of this season....
And a huge thank you to fellow girlfriend, Janie, for the snowflake garland!
Phia and I love the pretty shimmery flakes:)
So when I saw what Alicia Paulson had whipped up in her kitchen
at www.rosylittlethings.com
and decided it would be just the right thing to whip up for those on my Christmas list,
I commenced planning and ordering.
(and thanked her for the perfectly perfect idea;)
Once everything arrived, via express mail, (for time was of the essence) I was quite excited.
Penzey spices ...mini-weck jars ....disposable paper tea bags....
recipe printed...
check...check...check....and....check
cute little stickers on the spice jars...
intoxicating fragrance..
(I'm now in love with fresh Cardamom pods)
chop...
Heaven!
Everything into a pan and into the oven for 5 minutes...
and when your entire Happy Kitchen is filled with the fragrance of cloves, cinnamon sticks, and the blending of the remaining spices...
...be prepared..
for when you open the door of your oven...
You will want your home to always smell just like this.
Allow the spices to cool and then distribute evenly on a cutting board.
Using your rolling pin...crunch carefully over the spices, in order to release even more fragrance..
as if it can possibly get any better.
In a bowl, mix the spices with PG Tips loose tea.
(I went for the big bag, as this tea is fabulous with the mix, but equally as delicious by itself)
After filling all my little mini-weck jars, there was just enough left over to fix a batch for taste-testing....
I brewed the Chai tea mix, according to instructions...steep ....add milk...
and used my Emma Bridgewater tea pot and mug...and a cute little strainer....
(I didn't use the fillable tea bags or infusers for this batch)
I'm just going to tell you right now...have honey handy...
it is THE perfect sweetener...trust me...
I also loved having a good reason to use my special honey spoon....
a treasure, crafted by Julie Whitmore.
(Google her...she creates the MOSt darling pottery)
...and since I mentioned Julie...I have to show you the first spoon I purchased from her...
Really! ...is there anything sweeter than a bunny bun sniffing hollyhocks?
I just don't know that there is!
Okay...back to the preparing...
I guess I could have copied a set of instructions for everyone,
but you know me...
....It had to be cute...pretty...pleasing to the eye...
The little jars were tucked into gift bags, along with enough fillable teabags, and the Instruction card.
I had so much fun with this gift preparation.
I am sure it's because it was a combination of baking and crafting.
...my two favorite things...
...especially because I was in my happy cottage kitchen...
The Heart of our Home
*******
Hoping your Christmas was wonderful ...
and
that you were blessed with the comforting fragrances of home
Blessings for a Happy New Year