New Year's Resolutions Over Tea Cocktails

I’ve been missing in action for almost two weeks now – I know it’s a shame and travesty. My excuse?  The hubby and I took a wonderful vacation to Cancun.  It was quite invigorating to spend one-on-one time with my better half without the distraction of school, work, friends and family.  Sorry friends and family!  For the first time in ages, we vacationed without computers and most of the time kept our cell phones and Blackberry’s locked in the hotel safe. In today’s society, it isn’t often that we “unplug” ourselves from the hustle and bustle and simply relax.  After the trip, I found myself not only rested and peaceful, but happier with myself and life than I have been in some time.  Now that the holidays have passed and it is time to celebrate the New Year, I have decided upon my New Year’s Resolutions…

1. Relinquish those things that attempt to steal my peace of mind.

2. Sharing God’s agape (unconditional) love with those around me.

3. Practice the art of picking my battles wisely in every relationship.

4. Seek every opportunity for self-preservation and restoration – strengthening my relationship with God through prayer and increasing my yoga practice.

5. Finding joy in life’s simple pleasures – drinking an abundance of tea, laughing uncontrollably, dancing in the wind, writing to my heart’s content, and the joy of finding a great sale at Macy’s!

To start the New Year with a bang, first share your New Year’s resolutions. Then we can toast over one of the following tea cocktails…

1. The Crimson Sparkler (The Voice of Tea)

• 2 cups sugar, plus a pinch for garnish
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon crimson punch
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet vermouth
• 6 oz sparkling wine, chilled
• 1 blood orange, sliced into wheels

Bring water to a boil, then add sugar, stirring until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add tea, steeping for 10 minutes. Strain and allow to cool to room temperature.

While cooling, cut the blood orange and sprinkle orange wheels with a pinch of sugar.  Add 1 tablespoon tea syrup and the sweet vermouth to the sparkling wine, garnish with sugared blood orange wheel.

2. Amaretto Tea Recipe (Drinks Mixer)

• 6 oz hot tea
• 2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
• 1 1/2 oz chilled whipped cream

Pour hot tea into a pousse cafe glass, using a spoon in glass to prevent cracking. Add amaretto, but do not stir. Top with chilled whipped cream and serve.

3. Ginger Tea (About.com)

• 1 oz Hennessy VSOP Cognac
• 2 oz fresh brewed green tea (chilled)
• 1/2 oz simple syrup (or splenda)
• 3 mint leaves
• 3 pieces ginger
• extra mint leaf for garnish

In a mixing glass, add ginger, mint and simple syrup and muddle. Pour the Cognac and fresh tea over top and muddle a little more.  Strain into an ice filled glass and garnish with a mint leaf. For those of you like me, who had no idea what “muddle” means… to muddle is to combine ingredients in the bottom of a glass by pressing them with a muddler before adding the liquid ingredients. Y-e-a-a-h right, so what is a muddler?  Again, for those of you who don’t know, it is a long pestle often shaped like a baseball bat and commonly made of wood.

With that settled… select a cocktail – shake or stir – share your resolutions – and toast!  Happy New Year!

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