Chai Cherry Fruit And Nut Mix Recipes

EASY MASALA CHAI RECIPE

Steps:

• Add cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, peppercorns, and cloves to the bowl of a mortar (or cutting board) and use pestle (or heavy pan) to slightly crush the spices. You aren't pulverizing into a powder, just slightly crushing into small pieces (see photo).
• To a medium saucepan add crushed spices, water, and grated (or sliced) ginger and bring to a boil over high heat. (Note: For a less gingery chai, reduce amount of ginger and slice rather than grating). Then reduce heat slightly to medium/medium-low and maintain a simmer for 15 minutes or until it reduces by about one-third.
• Add tea (loose leaf or bags) and dairy-free milk of choice (we love light canned coconut) and lower heat to low. Cover and continue cooking for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Then turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes more (covered) or longer for deeper flavor.
• Add sweetener of choice to taste (we prefer stevia or maple syrup, but sugar is more traditional). Strain through a fine mesh strainer before serving.
• Keep strained, cooled leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a milk frother. Not freezer friendly.

MIXED FRUIT-AND-NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time until combined; mix in vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in coconut, apricots, dates, macadamias, and pistachios.
• Drop batter, 2 heaping tablespoons at a time, onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer cookies on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool completely.

MARASCHINO CHERRY NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Combine sugar, shortening, eggs, and salt in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until well combined.
• Mix flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture in 2 or 3 batches, alternating with maraschino cherry juice, mixing batter well after each addition.
• Cut each cherry into 4 pieces; stir into batter with pecans. Spoon mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen and invert loaf onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

HONEY NUT CHERRY CRUNCH CHEX MIX

Steps:

• In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal and cashews.
• In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and honey and salt uncovered on High about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir butter mixture. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
• Microwave uncovered on High 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Stir in cherries and sesame seeds. Microwave an additional 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS

Steps:

• Combine nuts and fruit.

CHAI-CHERRY FRUIT AND NUT MIX

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a bowl whisk together the spices, salt and pepper.
• Stir in the brown sugar, oil and walnut pieces. Mix together until the nuts are evenly coated.
• Spread the nut mixture on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake for about 10-15 minutes, stirring the nuts occasionally while baking to brown evenly.
• Set nuts aside to cool completely then toss them with the dried tart cherries.
• Use an airtight covered container to store.
• This mixture was delicious garnished on top of a bowl of brown rice hot cereal.