White Chocolate Chai Tea

Hi Guys! Since I will be having my very own "labor day" all too soon, I took the weekend off from blog cooking, had a little fun and tended to neglected odds and ends. {Like finally going to Buy Buy Baby to look at baby things. Yikes. More on that another time.}That means that I totally forgot to announce the Lindt Excellence Chocolate Gift Box giveaway winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to Danielle M.! You've got some major yumminess coming your way!

If you didn't win, don't be sad. There's always next time. But in the meantime, why don't you sip away your blues with a nice cup of White Chocolate Chai Tea?

I posted this recipe long, long ago and it seems to have faded into obscurity though it most certainly deserves the spotlight. With everyone in a frenzy about pumpkin spice lattes and what-have-you, I thought I'd reblog this oldie but goody for those of you who, like me, aren't particularly into the pumpkin beverage obsession. {Fear not, I do plan on sharing some pumpkin recipes... as soon as the temps come out of the 90's. Ugh, Florida.}

I admitted a while back that I much prefer chai anything over pumpkin spiced this-and-that. That's just how it is. Judge away. I usually keep this little tidbit to myself for the most part {like it's controversial or something} because you Pumpkin Spice nuts are a crazy lot when it comes to defending the PSL.

Call me crazy, but chai is also full of warm, spicy goodness. It even shares some of the same flavors as the illustrious pumpkin spice -- cinnamon & ginger, to be exact. For whatever reason, it makes my taste buds happy and makes me think of fall as much as the "other" spice blend.

This chai tea is even more scrumptious thanks to the healthy dose of creamy white Lindt chocolate that melts away into the hot beverage. So good. Even better when it's not 100 degrees outside. I may pack this in a thermos and drive north.

Now that Labor Day has passed and everyone seems to be in a Fall-minded mode, there's no better time to bust out this simple beverage and "spice" things up. Don't worry, pumpkin will have it's turn, too. ;)

White Chocolate Chai Tea
from Lindt USA
Yield: 4 servings

2 cups water
2 chai tea bags {I use Twinings French Vanilla Chai}
2 cups milk of your choice
1 (3.5 oz) Bar Lindt White Chocolate, chopped or 3.5 oz of white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Bring water to a boil a saucepan (or microwave-safe container).
2. Add tea bags, remove from heat and allow to steep for five minutes. Discard tea bags.
3. Using a saucepan or microwave, heat the milk until steaming.
4. Place chocolate in a small bowl and pour ¼ of steaming milk over chocolate - stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.
5. Add the chocolate mixture into the hot milk; pour in chai and vanilla extract and stir.

Serve hot in tea glasses or mugs.

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup

Here is the breakdown, by percentage, of what motivated me to make this soup:  90% because of Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi", 5% because "Mulligatawny" is a fun word to say, 4% because I had all the ingredients on hand, and 1% because it's been chilly out.

Clearly, it doesn't take much to excite me.

But, for real, how could you NOT want to make Mulligatawny Soup?

To be completely honest, I had no idea what all would be included in a dish with such an interesting name. As it turns out, there are LOTS of things that can be included -- the recipe I'm sharing is just one version of the many different combinations out there.

I have been totally taking advantage of the dip in our usually steamy temps and enjoying piping hot bowls of soup. Not that you can't enjoy soup year-round. But it's nice to be able to do so without having to turn the air conditioning down a few degrees.

Though I had obviously already developed a fondness for this soup simply due to its name and its cameo on 90's sitcom television, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I truly enjoyed its flavors, too.

Mulligatawny {see?? I just can't stop saying it!} is an Indian soup that literally translates to "pepper water", meaning that it can pack a seriously spicy punch. Like any recipe, however, you can tone down the burn to suit your own tastes or turn it up if you like to sweat! I love recipes like this one where there is an element of spice that is balanced by a silky, creamy texture {thank you, coconut milk!}.

In my version, I added chicken, diced tomatoes, ginger and cilantro. Other versions have bits of apple, celery, carrots and other ingredients. Use what you have on hand or what you like best!

I'm fairly certain you won't be able to get enough of the soup OR the name!

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
adapted from Cuisine at Home Magazine Splendid Soups Edition

1/2 a yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or grated
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon {or more!} red pepper flakes
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour {or rice flour for gluten-free version}
1/2 can {about 7 ounces} coconut milk
2 cups fresh spinach


1. In a large pot, saute onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder and red pepper flakes with a pinch of salt in about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until the onions are softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. {Be careful not to burn garlic or red pepper flakes... don't turn the heat up too high.}

2. Stir in chicken broth, water, tomatoes, cilantro and shredded chicken, and bring to a simmer.

3. In a small measuring cup or a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave, about 45 seconds. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add about 2-3 ladlefuls of hot broth from the soup to the butter/flour mixure, and whisk until completely smooth. Pour the mixture back into the pot with the soup.

4. Bring the soup back up to a bubble, then add the coconut milk and spinach and stir to incorporate. Cook until the soup is completely heated through and the spinach is just wilted.

Serve with a side of rice or quinoa if desired.

Spicy Broccoli Rabe + White Bean Soup

My energy/productivity levels seem to have a direct correlation to the amount of sunshine on any given day.

Bright, gorgeous, sunshiny day? Just try and stop me -- I'm on fire.

Cloudy, rainy, gloomy day? I'm lucky if I change out of my jammies.

What can I say, I'm solar powered. Pretty appropriate for a Florida girl.

The "Sunshine State" has done a poor job of living up to its moniker this week, bringing buckets of rain and the tiniest glimmers of sunshine through the thick blanket of clouds that have been looming overhead. I'm not complaining... I realize half the country has been buried beneath mountains of snow thanks to the "Polar Vortex". I realize how good we have it. {Though, seriously, there are some areas that are so flooded right now you'd need a rowboat to get to work.} I'm just telling you this because I need an excuse for the non-recipe recipes I've been sharing this week.

Something about falling precipitation -- rain, sleet, snow -- causes cravings for soup.

It warms you up from the inside out and, whether you're soaked to the bone or chilled to the core, feeds the tummy and the soul.

Truth be told, I didn't plan on sharing this recipe on the blog... it wasn't even a "recipe". It was just a bunch of stuff I threw into a pot on a rainy day that happened to result in deliciousness. Sometimes those types of meals turn out to be the best ones to share.

White beans form a healthy base for this comforting soup. Not a drop of dairy to be found, and yet, the result is creamy and rich enough to give a sense of decadence. A hint of spice from red pepper flakes turns up the heat, and the subtle bitterness from broccoli rabe adds interest to this simple dish. Served with crusty bread or salty crackers, it's truly complete.

So, if you're like me and this week has had you struggling for energy {i.e. you're completely unmotivated to cook but are still hungry}, this is soup is a great solution to your rainy day/snowy day blues.

What's your favorite recipe when Mother Nature is being temperamental? 

Stay dry, friends!

Spicy Broccoli Rabe & White Bean Soup

1/2 a large onion, diced
Pinch of salt
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it
2 cans white beans, rinsed & drained {I used Great Northern Beans}
3 cups low sodium chicken broth {or vegetable broth}
1/2 of a medium yellow squash, chopped {or 1 small one}
1/2 of a medium zucchini, chopped {or 1 small one}
1/2 of a large bunch broccoli rabe, tough stems removed, chopped {probably about 3-4 cups worth}

1. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring frequently until fragrant.

2. Add beans and about 1 cup of chicken broth to the mixture. Bring to a slight simmer.

3. Ladle out about 2-3 ladle-fulls of bean mixture {you can do more or less depending on how you prefer the texture of your soup -- for chunkier soup, scoop out less for smoother soup scoop out more} and place in a blender. Blend until smooth. Return blended mixture to pot and stir.

4. Add remaining chicken broth and stir well. Add squash and zucchini and stir to incorporate. Increase heat and bring to a bubble.

5. Once bubbling, add chopped broccoli rabe and stir. Let cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the tougher parts of the broccoli rabe are tender and the zucchini is no longer raw.

Serve hot with crusty bread or crackers. Or croutons. Or those yummy little oyster cracker things. Mmm.

*I don't add a whole lot of salt to things that have chicken broth as it is usually flavorful enough, but as always, season to taste.