Recipe Wednesday - Tea

(This should've been posted yesterday but we've been having internet issues, so it is a day late.  My apologies.)

This is tea from loose-leaf tea, not from a tea bag.  This will serve 4 and the servings are more for an actual teacup, not a coffee mug (like most of us normally drink out of).  Just play with the measurements to get it the way you like it. 

4 cups of milk/water mixture (this is to your liking - you can go 2 c. milk with 2 c. water, or any combination, even pure milk or pure water if you choose.)
Put into saucepan over medium to high heat.  Add about 1 Tbs. dried tea leaves and 1 Tbs. sugar and bring to a boil.  Once it hits boil, reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for about 2-3 minutes - watch for the milk to turn tan.  Remove from heat.  Taste to be sure you like the tea and/or sugar measurement.  (If you need more tea leaves, you'll have to add the leaves while still cooking, but the sugar can be added anytime.) 

Pour over a tea strainer then use the back of a spoon to press the rest of the liquid out of the tea leaves in the strainer.  Pour the tea into cups and enjoy!

Edited: 


I have now officially tried this recipe on my own (as opposed to watching someone else make it) and can add my own two cents.  In the above recipe, I was referring to cups as in tea cup size, so not a full 8-oz. cup of milk/water.  Here, I'm using a regular measurement of 8oz.  Also, it took forever for my tea to come to a boil - we use an electric top stove as opposed to a gas stove, which brought it all to a boil very quickly.  By the time it made it to a boil, it already looked pretty tan, so I just let it boil, reduced the heat (took my eyes off of it for 2 seconds and it boiled over) then shut it off.  The more I make it, the more comfortable I'll feel and be able to tweak it as I go along.  Here are the changes I will make next time: 


3 c. water
1 c. milk
1 heaping tablespoon of tea leaves 
1.5-2 tablespoons of sugar (more or less for your taste buds)

Recipe Wednesday - Yogurt "Salad"

Typically when I eat Indian food I put a spoon or two (or three) of yogurt on the side.  Sometimes I do this just for added flavor but a lot of the time I do this to help cut the spice.  To add even more flavor to the plate you can spruce up the yogurt.

Ingredients
Yogurt
Red Onion
Tomato OR Cucumber

Salt

No real measurements here, just do it to taste.  Chop the tomatoes (or cucumber if you are using this) and red onions into small cubes.  Mix with a bowl of yogurt and add a pinch of salt for taste.  Let it "marinate" for awhile.  Spoon onto rice/Indian dish.  You might even get experimental and try it with other dishes.  I've been known to use yogurt in place of sour cream with my tacos - so there is no reason why this yogurt/onion/tomato mix wouldn't be good with tacos/burritos, I would think.  I think I'll have to try that sometime.  What else can you think of that this would go well with? 

(The best red onion for this is the small kind but I imagine any sized red onion would do.  I know there is a name for this small red onion as I read about it in the February issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine, I think it starts with a P?)

25 Weeks

We have reached the 25 week mark!  (I think the date on the camera is wrong?)  It is an amazing feeling to have this little guy squirm all around.  I'm not sure if I have pregnancy/mommy brain but I don't remember Ajay and Alex doing cartwheels like this.  I mainly remember a lot of pokes and jabs from them, but this one feels like he is turning somersaults in there.  It actually makes me giggle. 

We're progressing along nicely.  At my last OB appointment, his heartbeat was in the 150-160 range and my fundus measured right at 23 weeks (which is where it should've been at the time).  My next appointment will be a fun one.  I'll drop Alex off with my sister, Shelly, for the morning and I will go in for not only another sonogram but for a glucose tolerance test, as well.  The sono is to check to be sure the bottom end of the placenta has moved into a better position - at my last sono, it was shown to be too low.  If it stays too low, I will need to have a c-section.  Let's all pray it has gone to where it needs to be (I've read it usually does, so I'm not too worried).  For the glucose test, I will chug a cup of a really sweet liquid and sit in the office for an hour.  After the hour is over I will have my blood tested to see what my blood-sugar is.  I've not had gestational diabetes before so I'm crossing fingers for a repeat result.

Unfortunately, my ankles have started to swell.  Actually, the swelling is mainly in my left foot.  I wore some compression stockings for a couple of days last week but it seems as though I may have to start wearing them on a more regular basis.  I'm not happy about this, I can tell you that, but I'd rather do that then have to deal with the swelling.  We reated ourselves to Pizza Hut last night but I can't imagine the sodium from that is single handedly to blame for this. 

Also, I slipped on some stairs this morning and fell.  I actually saw myself tumbling down the whole set of stairs (because, of course, I was at the top!) but very luckily I landed on one stair and stayed there.  I fell towards my right side so my right hip and elbow caught the brunt of it.  We were a little worried, of course, but over the course of the day I've still felt him doing cartwheels, so I think he's fine in there.  It did exacerbate my lower back problems and I've been walking with a bit of a limp off and on. 

The boys hug and talk to my stomach quite frequently.  Ajay used to whisper "I love you, Little Brother," but I've told him that if he talks louder the baby might be able to hear him in there, so he says it a lot louder now.  We love this little feller so much already!!