Lemonade Pie

1 6 oz. can frozen lemonade, thawed (see note)
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
1 large carton Cool-Whip or other frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 deep-dish pie shell, flaky or cookie (your choice)

Mix the first two ingredients in a large bowl, by hand. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping, reserving some for garnish. Pour into pie crust, and mound mixture or smooth, to your liking. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Garnish with reserved whipped topping and mint leaves or fresh raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries. Serve with a tall glass of iced tea and lemon wedges.

Note:  This pie can also be made using limeade or orange juice.

Fruits and Tea Compote

1 large can peach halves                                                          Whole Maraschino cherries

1 small can apricots                                                                 2-4 fruit flavored tea bags

1 large can pears                                                                                   (try orange spice, cherry, or raspberry flavors)

1 large can pineapple pieces (not crushed)                                 ¾ cup brown sugar

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

Water to add to fruit juice if necessary

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 13 x 9 baking dish (or use any shallow baking dish) with Pam. Drain all fruits well, reserving juice. In medium pan, combine all the juices and bring to a boil. Place 2-4 fruit flavored tea bags (depending on the flavor intensity you prefer) in the boiling juices. Remove from heat, and let it “brew” for about 10 minutes. Remove tea bags, and return pan to heat, bring to boil again, and continue to heat until mixture is reduced to about half. Note: If juices do not seem to be absorbing tea because they are too thick (there is a difference between fruit canned in water, juice, or syrup), just add enough water to thin the liquid or to make at least two-three cups. Lay the drained fruit in the greased dish. In the pan of tea-infused fruit juice, mix in the melted butter and brown sugar. Pour this mixture over the fruit. Bake for 1 hour, basting frequently. Serves 10.

Note: For those who observe Passover, use whatever canned fruits are acceptable. Many tea companies have kosher products which can be used for the teas in this recipe.

Irish Tea Stew

2 lbs. stew meat (lamb is traditional, but beef can be used)

2 T. vegetable oil

4-6 potatoes, peeled and sliced

2-3 large onions, peeled and sliced

1 T. each chopped parsley and thyme, preferably fresh

2 c. strong Irish Breakfast tea (make using water and 2-3 bags of tea)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Brown stew meat in oil in a large pot with an oven-proof handle (or brown first, then place meat into a large pan or casserole dish for the oven). Arrange a layer of potato and onion slices in the bottom of the pan that will go into the oven. Add a layer of meat. Season with half the parsley and thyme, and salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer of onion and meat, but this time finish with a thick layer of potato slices. Season again with the rest of the herbs, salt and pepper. Pour the brewed Irish Breakfast tea over all, then seal with a layer of foil and place in the oven. Bake for about 2 hours, checking occasionally to be sure it is not drying out. If it is, add more tea, but not so much that you have a lot of liquid—you want it to be thick, but not dry.

Serve with warm Irish soda bread and butter. Maybe an Irish coffee for dessert—try substituting

Irish Breakfast tea (strongly brewed) for the coffee and add the other traditional ingredients of whiskey, cream and sugar. A great meal for a great day!

Homemade Cinnamon Tea Applesauce

4 medium apples, washed, peeled, cored and cut into quarters

1 cup water

2 bags, cinnamon apple tea

½ cup brown sugar, packed

Pinch of nutmeg

Heat water to boiling, remove from heat and steep tea bags in water for several minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing to get all the flavor and moisture. Place cored apples and steeped tea into a medium-sized saucepan. Cover tightly and heat to boiling (about 4-5 minutes). Reduce heat, keep covered, and simmer until apples are tender when pierced with a fork or sharp knife. Stir in brown sugar and nutmeg; reheat to boiling, stirring to keep from burning. Cook until applesauce reaches the consistency you desire. This may be served cold or warm, alone or over a slice of gingerbread or pound cake, or with your favorite recipe for pork chops or pork loin.

*Note: if you want to stir in some “red-hot” cinnamon candies, that will be your little secret!

Pork Chop Casserole

6 or 8 pork chops, loin or shoulder

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped green pepper

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup strong black tea

3 cups cooked rice

2 cups cooked peas

1 tsp. salt

Pinch of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish well. Brown pork chops on both sides in a skillet; remove from skillet. Using the fat rendered from the browned chops, cook the onion and green pepper until tender, but not brown. Add soup, tea, rice, peas, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Place half of rice and peas mixture in greased baking dish. Arrange half of the browned pork chops on top. Layer on the rest of the peas and rice. Finish with the last of the chops. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serves 6-8, depending on the number of chops used.

Baked Orange-Tea Chicken and Rice

1 small chicken (2 ½-3lbs.) cut up                                                2 teaspoons salt

1 small onion, chopped                                                                ½ teaspoon thyme or tarragon

Grated peel and juice of 1 orange                                                 1 cup boiling water

2 bags of orange spice tea (Celestial Seasonings is one)                 1 cup uncooked rice (your preference of white or brown)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 3-quart covered casserole or oven-proof pan with cooking spray. Place chicken pieces in casserole or pan. Add, in order, chopped onion, orange peel and juice, salt and thyme. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in the cup of boiling water, steep the teabags for about 5 minutes; discard teabags. After 30 minutes, remove casserole or pan from oven. Stack chicken to one side of the casserole or pan, then add tea and rice. Rearrange chicken over rice, cover, and continue baking an additional 30 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed, and rice is tender. Serves 4-6. Can be made ahead and reheated.

Pumpkin Tea Cake

2 cups sugar                                                                    1 cup vegetable oil (not peanut)

2 cups flour (all purpose)                                                  4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups canned pumpkin (w/no spices added)                      ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 spiced tea bags, unbrewed and opened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a bundt or 13x 9 inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, place sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin, beating well to combine. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and contents of tea bags, sifting at least twice, before adding to the other ingredients in the bowl. Mix well, incorporating all the ingredients thoroughly. Pour into greased pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool bundt cake for about 10 minutes in pan, then release from pan onto a rack to cool thoroughly. If using a 13×9 inch pan, cool thoroughly in pan on a rack. Slice as desired. Can be served either warm or cooled, with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 10-14. Can be frozen if wrapped tightly.

Walnut Pie with Orange Cream Cheese

1 unbaked 9” pie shell                                                       1/8 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, slightly beaten                                                       1 cup broken walnuts

2 cups light corn syrup                                                      1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons margarine, melted                                       2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                                 1 tablespoon grated orange rind (fresh is best)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine eggs, syrup, margarine, vanilla, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until well blended. Pour mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle walnut pieces over the surface of the mixture in the shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes longer or until filling is just set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Beat cream cheese with milk until fluffy. Beat in orange rind. Serve cooled pie wedges topped with cream cheese mixture.

Cheese Squares

½ lb. grated sharp New York cheddar

½  stick (about 4 tablespoons) margarine, softened

Mustard to taste (dry or wet)

Salt, pepper, dash of sugar (to taste)

Mayonnaise for spreading

Multi-grain bread (sliced loaf)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients together in a small bowl. Add more mustard if you like a more savory flavor. Spread each slice of bread with mayonnaise, making sure to completely cover from edge to edge. Top with about one-fourth to one-third cup of the cheese mixture, then cut each slice into squares. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden. Makes about 12-16 squares, depending on the amount spread on each slice.

Peach Delish

1 pkg. lady fingers (split) or one small pkg. plain pound cake, sliced thinly

1 8-ounce pkg. of cream cheese (non-fat if you prefer), softened

¼ c. milk

2 Tbs. sugar

3 or 4 very ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

1 container frozen dessert topping, thawed and divided

Line bottom of a 9-inch square pan with lady fingers or thin slices of pound cake. Beat together cream cheese, milk, and sugar till light and fluffy. Fold in ½ container dessert topping. Spread this mixture over the lady finger/cake layer in pan. Arrange sliced peaches on top of this layer, slightly over-lapping each peach with another. Spread the rest of the dessert topping over the peach layer. Chill in refrigerator for at least two or more hours before serving. Makes 9 servings.