Tea and Cakes for a blah day . . .

Wednesday 10 October 2012

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Have you ever had a day when you really didn't feel like cooking at all, or even doing much of anything??? It doesn't happen to me very often, but today was one of those days.  I am having a horrible no good rotten day.  Nothing that I can put my finger on . . . I just feel a bit blah.  Not sick . . . just a bit tired, run down . . .  and frustrated by nothing in particular . . . yet frustrated with everything, at the same time.  Grumpy.  Out of sorts.

For lunch I riffled through the fridge and put together a pizza.  There was a few bits of cheese that needed using up, some leftover cooked sausages that needed to be used, and some spring onions and black olives left from the other day when I made that Mexican dip.  They all ended up on top of the pizza . . .



and it was good . . . but it didn't chase the blues away.


And then I remembered this tea that was sent to me the other day by In Nature Teas, Purveyors of Green and White teas.  Their Green and White teas come from the Fu Jian-Anhull region in China and claim such health benefits as
  • cleansing and detoxing
  • Anti-oxidents
  • Anti-bacterial functions
  • Energy boosting and anti fatigue functions
  • Anti-halitosis for good, clean breath
  • Slimming and the breakdown of fats
  • Anti-cancer properties - high with polyphenols
From their leaflet -
Drinking fresh pure tea gives you an abundance of natural benefits.  It's good for cleansing and detoxing, and it also provides a refreshing and tasty drink when you need a bit of time-out in your busy day.

If anyone needed a time-out . . . I needed a time out.



The variety they had sent me was the Pure White Tea, Autumn Breeze.  It came in a sturdy cardboard and foil lined tea caddy, and was enclosed in a foil bag inside the tea caddy.



From their page:

This is a very delicate and mild blend of Fujian White teas. These leaves are aged and therefore they have a mature and deep taste which is a real treat for anyone who seeks the ultimate tea experience. This is a rare and limited blend, hardly seen outside China and once reserved for Chinese emperors alone. The health benefits from the White Teas are well documented, ranging from detoxifying properties to cancer-prevention. This natural privilege is now available to you direct from In Nature.



And so I brewed a cup or two . . . and served it in my Katie Alice teacup.  And it was good.



Admittedly the crispie treats didn't hurt either.  I made them this morning, and they went down a real treat at my afternoon refreshment break.




I still don't feel like cooking . . . but I do feel a bit more cheerful and not as grumpy as I did.  The question remains . . . was it the tea, or the sugar . . . or the chocolate . . . or that pretty tea cup.

Maybe it was all of them . . .

 

*Crispie Polka Dot Treats*
Makes 12 bars
Printable Recipe

A real favourite with the kiddos, big and small, young and old!

60g unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
284g white mini marshmallows (10 ounces)
60g peanut butter (1/2 cup)
110g crisp rice cereal (5 cups)
1 (147g) bag of colored candy coated chocolate buttons (M&M's,  Smarties, etc.)

 

Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter.  Set aside.

Heat the butter in a large nonstick saucepan over low heat until melted.  Add the peanut butter, stirring to melt.  Add the marshmallows and continue to cook, stirring, until smooth..  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rice cereal to combine.  Then stir in the chocolate candies.  Press the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it in evenly.  Cool completely until set before cutting into 3 inch square bars.

Note:  It is often easier to place the marshmallows, butter and peanut butter into a large microwaveable bowl and heat the mixture in the microwave on high, removing it and stirring it every minute or so, until the mixture is smooth and completely amalgamated.  


In Nature
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Thank you.

10 comments

  1. perhaps it was all the above - I do LOVE that cup and saucer - that would probably bring a smile to my face, I'm sure we all have those days - hope tomorrow is full of joy for you :))
    Mary xox

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  2. The cuteness:) And getting it all ready:)

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  3. So where do you get your white marshmallows? I've only been able to find small packs with white and pink (raspberry flavored) ones. I bought 4 or 5 little packages to make a decent batch of Rice Krispie treats. The pink ones added a subtle flavor and color but not the "real" thing. Marshmallows are another thing that just aren't the same here--unless you have some secret supplier you'd be willing to share? :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Whatever it was that made you feel like that, I'm sure will go away.I'm in that mood when I'm very tired and I can't afford to spend sometime for myself,relax,sort things out...
    You had so many things to do these past months!I don't mind if you don't cook but ,please, dont't stop writing, Marie!
    I've always admired your pleasant, so vivid, dynamic 'presence' and your many talents!
    Smile Marie!The sun will come out tomorrow!We are here for you!
    Love,
    HelenD

    ReplyDelete
  5. Janet I bring them back with me from Canada when I visit, but when I run out I get them at Skyco.uk.com
    Amazingly enough I have also found them on occasion in Aldi. When I see them, I buy them up and then freeze them. Oh, and I have been known to buy several bags and separate the pink ones from the white ones.

    I know . . . I am a bit of a nut when it comes to cooking!

    Helen, thanks for your lovely words. I have a cold today, so imagine that was why I was feeling somewhat funky!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm glad it's just a cold.
    Get well soon!
    HelenD

    ReplyDelete
  7. Help. I have just tried the recipe and it is too sticky to mix. Does it really need so much marshmallow?

    I had to add more butter and peanut butter to make it work.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Karen, mine is always like that as well. You just persevere and it does come together. I think humidity sometimes has a lot to do with it as well. When I have a really wet day, I put them into a large microwavable bowl and I cook the mixture in the microwave which for some reason softens it better and they mix together a lot easier. I will add that to the notes. These amounts of ingredients are essential to it's setting up after into a bar which is solid enough to cut properly.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I did mine in the microwave and it was very well melted but the marshmallow stuck to all the spoons like glue. It wasn't a wet day here, however they did taste very good, so I will try again! Thanks for replying to me. It is the only time one of your recipes has not seemed to work for me!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, it will stick to the spoon, that is the nature of the beast Karen!! My kids always got to chew what was stuck on the spoon off. That was their treat. Also the pot. I have a picture of them somewhere, where they are all sitting around the crispie square pot on the table, in their jim jams, picking at all the bits and enjoying themselves immensely! You can get around that though, by using a metal spoon and spraying it with nonstick spray!

    ReplyDelete

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