HOT SPICED TEA MIX (SUGAR FREE)

 Have you ever enjoyed a cup of hot Russian Tea? That's what it was/is called. I admit it was a favorite hot drink of mine in the winter maybe because I don't drink coffee, never have. My mother bought Tang so it was easy to mix up a "batch".

I did a little research on Tang and discovered it was first produced in 1959 and didn't "take off" until the astronaut John Glenn drank it in space in 1962. I don't buy it anymore because of the amount of sugar in it. That means it has been a long time since I enjoyed a cup.

Imagine my excitement then, when I found this recipe for a hot spiced tea mix without all the sugar. The recipe was in the small plastic box of recipes I have been trying to go through. Fortunately I had all of the ingredients and was able to enjoy of hot cup right away. You could try different flavors and have a change of taste if you liked. The recipe was an advertisement for Crystal Light products. I used a sugar-free equivalent product I buy at Aldi.

The recipe suggested 1/2 teaspoon with 3/4 to 1 cup of boiling water. I personally like it not quite so strong so I use 1/4 teaspoon with 6 - oz of boiling water.

HOT SPICED TEA MIX

1     "tube" Ice Tea mix or Peach or Raspberry flavored ice tea mix - (mine was 0.28 oz)

1     "tube" Lemonade flavored soft drink mix - (mine was 0.58 oz)

1      teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Empty drink mixes and spices in a small container that has a lid.

Cover and shake to mix well.

You can also then store the mixture in this container if you like or some other tightly covered jar.

For a single serving: Measure 1/2 teaspoon of the mix into a cup. Add 3/4 (6-oz) to 1 (8-oz) cup boiling water. (I like using 1/4 teaspoon of mix with 6-oz of water.) Stir to dissolve.