Imagine…it’s been a long day.

You know the routine…

It’s the middle of January.  Post Christmas blahs.  And it’s gray…gray…gray.

And it’s cold.

Very cold.

Maybe you have tons of snow?  Maybe you have a frosty wet mix of cold rain and sleet pelting down outside.  Maybe it’s just 2 degrees without the 30mph wind gusts you’ve been running around in all day.  Maybe you live in the South where you feel like it’s 2 degrees, when in actuality it’s dropped to 32, but you JUST CAN’T HANDLE THE COLD ANY LONGER!!!

Doesn’t matter your actual meteorologic situation…

The fact is you’ve been chilled all day and just can’t get warm.  Like your bones got cold way…deep…down.  Your feet hurt, you have a minor headache, you’re looking at a mountain of laundry, a stack of bills that need paying (remember Christmas?), the phone keeps ringing, emails and texts keep dinging, dinner dishes need washing, and….Mom!!!! Can I have a bedtime snack???

Hang on!  Help is on the way!  Why don’t you slip into those ‘oh so comfy’ sweats and pad back to the kitchen in your fuzzy slippers and get something warm and soothing for your body and soul.

Hot. Creamy. Vanilla. Milk. (JOY!)

You like it ’cause warming up the milk activates that stuff in it that ‘they say’ helps you fall asleep.  You also like the slightly sweet, creamy vanilla taste and soothing scent that wafts up with the steam, warming your ice cold nose as you sip.

AND…it’s got calcium, protein, and has less calories than your regular run of the mill hot chocolate (although who’s ever had a problem with that stuff?).

Oh and you pause to note how much your kids would LOVE this ‘Special Milk’ and smile when you think to yourself  ‘Hey, I bet I’ll be able to get them to drink more milk this way,’ and ‘Ah Ha! What a great bedtime snack’!

Absolutely.

I got this idea when I was about 12, from a friend of a friend’s mother who served it to us at a sleepover (smaarrrrrt lady!).

Ready friends?  It’s as easy as this!

Creamy Vanilla Milk

1 tps   real vanilla extract

8oz    skim milk (for fewest calories but feel free to sub any milk you prefer)

1 tps honey (or sugar)

Directions:

Combine vanilla, milk, and honey or sugar.  Heat in the microwave 2-3 minutes or until piping hot, but not boiling over.

Sit on your most comfy piece of furniture or prop yourself up in front of a roaring fire and go to that oh so lovely, warm, peaceful, quiet, place where you can escape a bit of the days madness, recharge your battery, and get ready for a great night’s sleep.

zzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

It’s the dreaded cold and flu season.  Ug…Now I must warn you…

WARNING.  Brace yourself.  If you have a weak stomach you may want to go straight to the recipe!  If you’re up for what’s next, here it comes.  Consider yourself warned :o)….

Cold and Flu season hit us hard last year.  We were immediately saddled with colds, which led to month long, ‘I think I’m dying’, sinus infections, followed by a family bout of the flu at Christmas – EVEN WITH FLU VACCINE on board!

And when I say it hit us hard, I mean HARD!

…like my oldest vomiting over the side of his upper bunkbed – at 2am –  spewing something resembling some nasty substance from Aliens, and somehow managing to get it under the mattress, on the slats, all over my at the time 5 year old, both beds, comforters, pillows, stuffed animals, and ending with a perimeter of you don’t want to know what, smeared around the beds soaking into the carpet.

Whimper.  It was awful for everyone…and it smelled atrocious!  It took Jason and I over two hours just to clean it all up, which we worked on while simultaneously giving Joseph a bath, running emergency laundry loads, and holding Jack as he continued to get sick every 15 minutes of so.  Horrible, horrible, night!!!!

Hey. I warned you :o)!

Ugh!  So anyway, as I was recalling those events of last year’s cold & flu season, I remembered the one home remedy that I use frequently this time of year for nasty colds and nauseous tummy troubles (post vomiting stage of course!).  And seeing as how we’re in the midst of a pre-Christmas cold experience…this soothing remedy is quite top-of-mind, so to speak.

In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that this fresh, homemade, Ginger Tea recipe is one good thing that comes with the ‘sick’ season – and perhaps has the power to make you and yours just a little bit happier when your stuck home snuggling with an ever emptying box of tissues…or worse.

First let me say, I know of absolutely no other home remedy that helps me feel better and reduces my horrible sinus congestion, cough, sore throat, and various stomach maladies than this one!  My mom and I are VERY prone to horrible, sinus infections and have spent a lot of stuffy, sick days trying various ginger/lemon teas to help soothe our symptoms off the shelf and they don’t hold a candle to this simple brew.

The soothing tingles from the ginger spice and citrus elements, combined with the silky honey extinguish a hot, scratchy, post nasal drip, swollen throat and work to help open those clogged nasal passages that keep dripping…dripping…dripping.  And as you swallow this amazing concoction (am I overselling here??), it cuts through all that mucus gunk (TRUE!) that burns and itches unceasingly – better than even a fizzy soft drink – and it’s all natural!

It’s not a cure, but I swear, combined with what ever OTC or Rx products you are using (I’m not aware of any med contraindications here, but seeing as I’m not a doctor you should check with your MD if you’re concerned) and a steam bath, this potion really comforts when you’re miserable.  Jason drinks it by the gallon when he’s sick, and my kids go to it when they’re all stuffy too!  My Mom even takes batches to sick friends or family.  Great stuff!

Wish I could take credit for this, but I’ve got to give a nod to my mother on this one.  She found this idea watching a relatively famous MD daytime TV show (HINT.  The Wizard Of _____).  So friends…while this isn’t my own invention, this stuff is just so soothing and calming to me when I’m sick, I have to share it with you (in case you missed it on TV)!

There are only 4 ingredients and it’s super fast and simple to brew.  Plus, depending on your palate and spice sensitivity, you can feel free to adjust quantities to exactly what suits you!

Hope it helps you as much as it does us!  Here’s to your health my friends!!  AH-CHOO!

Fresh Homemade Ginger Tea 

Ingredients:

1  2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger

2 TBS Juice from 1 lemon or to taste –  I use store bought in a pinch, but it’s not as potent

Honey to taste

3-4 C  Boiling water

Directions:

Put on about 3-4 C of water to boil.

Gently peel the ginger.  This is the longest step.  Ginger has a really thin skin so be careful to just scrape off or lightly peel it so you get the most ginger for your money!  I’ve seen other people scrape off the skin with a spoon, but I use a peeler or pairing knife myself.

Mince ginger.  I use a Mini Food Processor for this – I affectionately call it ‘mini chop-chop’ as I use it all the time for fast, quick prep. (if you don’t have one you might want to invest!  It’s a great kitchen tool).

Mince away – it should look like this.

Add to 3-4C  boiling water cover with a kitchen towel, and steep.  I do 5-10 minutes.  But if it’s an emergency a couple minutes is ok too.

Strain the steeped ginger out of tea.  Add the juice of a fresh squeezed lemon or to taste and about 1/4 C of honey, or you can wait on the honey and add to taste cup by cup.  I like a teaspoon or two per cup in mine.

Pour a cup, reheat in microwave if needed and store the rest in the fridge for up to two days.  That’s it!  My favorite beverage choice for this year’s cold and flu season!   Sure hope it helps you and yours feel better (and happier)…sniff…sniff….SOON!!