You're going to become so wealthy saving all those pennies you DIDN'T spend on that chai tea latte from Starbucks.  That's right, you're welcome.

Remember when I gave you all advice on how to conquer the coffee shop?  Consider this an extension of that advice.  Making everything from scratch is way more fun anyway.  So before I go any further into this blog post, I want to give some credit to another food blog, Yeah...Immaeatthat.  I saw her post on creating a Chai Tea Latte from scratch and realized the idea was brilliant.  Not only can you save a whopping $4 or $5 dollars per cup, but you have complete creative license over the entire recipe.  I like being in charge.  Starbucks doesn't let me pick my sugar and spices.  

So spices are expensive.  I don't like expensive.  Hopefully your grocery store is as cool as my grocery store, because I actually bought exactly what I needed by weighing out my spices in the bulk section and spent way less than buying the whole jar (some of which cost 10-12 per jar!).  Leaving the store was super fun because my car smelled like 100 chai tea lattes.  I wasn't complaining.  If you are unfamiliar with some of these spices, don't worry, I was too.  I didn't realize star anise was super licoricey.  I'm not a licorice fan so I don't use a lot.  But, I am a spicy fan.  I put extra ginger and peppercorns in my chai tea concentrate.  You can do what you like best. On a side note, I REALLY like the smell of cloves.  It's in many ways what I consider the essence of all things Chai Tea Latte to be.  

Without further ado, here is a general recipe you can follow to make your own Chai Tea Latte.  Experiment like I did and find the blend you like best.  See, you're already becoming a number 1 barista.  Look at you.

Recipe disclaimer:  fancy people would typically use a cheesecloth or some fancy device to hold the spices together in the boiling water to avoid straining the mixture later.  I am not fancy and thus, will not be using fancy equipment.  Feel free to invest if that's your thing!

I know what you're thinking... I think.  The title of this post sounds weird.  But, I'm not that creative, and that's exactly what this post is about.  My neighbor worked for a spice company this summer and left the job with a myriad of culinary goodies, including--you guessed it--YEAST.  I don't know about you, but I'm not a baker.  I'm a cook, who dabbles and experiments, and does my best to make delicious baked goods.  I've mastered the quick bread, I've made boxed cake, and sometimes my cookies come out so it's safe to say that yeast is scary.  Have a really incredible food science background from my undergraduate education is wonderful.  I understand how to use yeast and why it works the way it does, but I've never really done much with it.  After experimenting this weekend with the Fleishmann's Yeast my neighbor gave me, I don't find it as intimidating.  Actually, I'm excited to experiment with more bread recipes--maybe even bring back the childhood memories I have of my father and I in the kitchen, making Jewish Challah bread.  BUT... that's another post.

Last night, I celebrated Pizza Night.  In college, I'd either celebrate Pizza Sunday with my roommate or some friends.  The dough would always be homemade and the pizzas were always delicious.  I had to bring back those memories--the smell of the fresh baked dough, the bubbly cheese, and the creative aspect of choosing your own toppings.  My pizza crust recipe is an adaptation on Alton Brown's pizza crust recipe.  The only things I did differently was use 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup wheat flour to make a whole wheat pizza dough.  In addition, I added cornmeal to the bottom of the crust for extra texture.  You can find my version of this recipe here.

I set out to make my own pizza dough.  Something I had done before, but since it's unfamiliar, I was a little afraid it wouldn't work.  When I'm unfamiliar with cooking something, I follow a recipe to the T and then still, I get worried.  I'm not sure why.  Either way, Alton Brown's recipe worked out GREAT.  
The thing I love about homemade pizza is the #DoItYourself nature of a great pizza.  Pick your toppings, and bake!  My neighbor Carsen came over and we created our own pizzas.  One was a traditional tomato and motz pizza and the other was our more creative, assorted roasted veggie pizza with olive oil and garlic.  Both were delicious.  With pizza, the sky IS THE LIMIT.  Seriously, be creative.  I want to know what types of pizzas you make!  Comment below...

The final step with these pizzas is simple.  Bake the pizza off in a 500 F oven for about 7 minutes, or until your pizza is golden brown at the edges and the cheese is bubbly.  I hope you have a pizza stone, because I think it makes all the difference.  Your crust will be nice and crispy.  When making homemade pizza, a stone is really a must.  It's worth the investment, I swear.  And just a word to the wise, I set my smoke alarm off during this process, so be careful!

This was scary.  I've never baked bread by myself before.  That last statement makes me sound slightly childish, but it's true.  The only time I've truly made bread from scratch was with my father.  Of all the strange things I've cooked and baked, I'm not sure why I've never attempted bread on my own.  Either way, I was nervous as I got started this afternoon.  I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked, but I did successfully make a loaf of bread!  I adapted a recipe from Fleishmann's and made it my own.  I added an egg wash on the top of the bread to add additional texture and a golden brown crunch to the top.  And it wouldn't be flaxseed bread with out a little flaxseed topping!  Click HERE to see my recipe.  Below are some pictures I took throughout the process that may or may not help you.  I forgot to take one at each step of the process but use these as you choose to.  My recipe is also at the bottom of this post if you scroll all the way down.  By no means am I a bread expert (YET), but it wasn't that difficult.  It just required patience, which is something I'm working on.  It's safe to say that I will be making my own breads again in the near future.  Stay tuned!

Creating your own homemade burrito is easier than you might think.  The best part?  No recipe needed!  Provided here are the guidelines you need to bring Chipotle into your kitchen.  Not only will you save a significant amount of cash, but you'll save calories as well!  What are you waiting for, let's get cooking!

THE INGREDIENTS:


To make a homemade burrito bowl that will blow chipotle out of the water, you'll need a few key ingredients.  These ingredients are by no means mandatory and the idea is for you to mix and match what you like best, exactly as you would do when walking through the line at Chipotle!

1.  Rice (brown or white)
prepare according to package directions


2.  Protein
I like using beans and making my bowl vegetarian.  You could also add in grilled shrimp, chicken, shredded pork, or even steak!


3.  Cheese
Go for something crumbled or shredded.  If I opt to add cheese to my bowl, I love cotija cheese (it's like a Mexican style feta, super mild and super delicious).  You could also use monteray jack, pepper jack, or cheddar.


4.  Salsa
You could use a store bought salsa or create a homemade salsa.  Up to you!


5.  Grilled Corn
Place an ear of corn on the grill for about 15 minutes charring each side.


6.  Diced Vegetables
I love diced bell peppers, avocados, and tomatoes, but your options are literally endless.  


7.  Lettuce
I like shredded romaine for the crunch. Mix it up and try grilling your romaine.


8.  Citrus and Tobasco
I really like to dress my bowls.  I use lime juice and tobasco to keep it light and fresh.


9.  Extras:  Mango, Cilantro, Sour Cream, Jalapeno
Add any or all of this for a great flavor punch!


ASSEMBLING YOUR BOWL:


Pick as many or as few of the above ingredients and combine any way you like!  Pictured below is my bowl.  It has shredded lettuce, 1/2 an ear of grilled corn, 1/3 cup black beans, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 1/4 of a bell pepper, cilantro, minced jalapeno, lime juice and tobasco.  This bowl is one of my favorites to eat for a light lunch and it's vegan!  Try making your own bowls and you'll get addicted to the ability to create your own Chipotle style flavors in the comfort of your own kitchen.  

Share your bowl creations here in the comments section.  Happy eating!