Victoria’s Read

Hot Christmas Tea

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups water
6 black tea bags
1 cinnamon stick (broken)
3 whole cloves
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup Burgundy wine
Orange, pear or apple slices, studded with cloves as garnish
Clove

Directions:
~In saucepan, bring water to boil. Add tea and spices. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Remove tea bags.
~Stir in sugar, cranberry juice and wine.
~Return to medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is heated through.
~Serve in cups with fruit slices as garnish

Mint Tea Punch 

Ingredients:
3 cups boiling water
12 sprigs fresh mint
4 tea bags
1 cup white sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 cups cold water
3 orange and/or lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Directions:
~Place the tea bags and mint sprigs into a large pitcher. Pour boiling water over them and allow to steep for about 8 minutes.
~Remove and discard the tea bags and mint leaves, squeezing out excess liquid. Stir in sugar until dissolved then stir in the orange juice and lemon juice.
~Pour in the cold water. Serve over ice cubes, garnished with orange or lemon slices.

Hot Cranberry Tea

Ingredients:
3 1/2 quarts water
1 (12 ounce) package cranberries
2 cups white sugar
2 oranges, juiced
2 lemons, juiced
12 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks

Directions
~In a large pot, combine water and cranberries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
~Add sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Cover and steep for 1 hour.